Tenses: forms, signal words and functions:

tenses forms examples signal words

I hope, I expect, I believe

functions
The "will-future" gives expression to ... ...an action that will take place in the future ...to a spontaneous decision and/or ...to an action that can't be planned (e.g. weather).

will-future

will + infinitive

My friend hopes he'll get a good job.

soon, in the next few days, in the future, tomorrow, this evening,

by Monday, in a
The "going to-future" gives expression to an action that somebody intends / is going to do in the future(planned)

week
am, is, are in the next few days, He is going to apply for a job in the future, this evening, as a secretary in a big firm next next weekend, in one year, week.

going tofuture

+ going to + verb (infinitive)

next

week, tomorrow

present progressive

am is + verb +-ing are

He is writing letters of application now. He is applying for the job at 3 p.m. tommorrow.

now, just, at the moment, look !, right now, still

The "present progressive" gives expression to an action that is going on at the moment The "present progressive" gives expression to an action that is planned to happen at a certain date

these days
at 3 p.m. tomorrow

in the future every day, always, often, normally, usually, regularly, sometimes, He always reads the vacancies occasionally, seldom, on Sundays, at in the newspapers. he weekends this week, this month, this year, First he reads the vacancies in the newspapers, then he does his work. The moon goes round the earth and the earth goes round the sun. today, First... then.. afterwards The "simple present" gives expression to ... - a repeated action that often, sometimes ... happens, but not to an action that is happening at the moment (see "present progressive"). - to a list of facts. - to an "eternal truth".

simple present

she + verb +-s it

if sentences type I (If I talk, )

so far, till now, up to now

have, has since, for..,

present perfect

+ -ed + 3 rd

or

The "present perfect" gives expression to an action that started in the past and goes on in the present.

He has been unemployed for half a year.

...ever...? ...yet? not... yet. already, just, recently, lately

form

past

verb + - ed

or

He worked as a lorry driver.

yesterday, last week, last month, last ....

2nd form

The "simple past" gives expression to an action that started in the past and finished in the past

,ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday

Before(conj.)....

if sentence type II (If I talked, )

at ten o'clock last night While father was doing the was / were + -ing washing up Mum was phoning Granny. when The "past progressive" gives expression to apparently continuous uninterrupted actions in the past (perhaps suddenly interrupted by an action in "simple past") The "past perfect" gives expression to an action which started in the past and ended before another action in the past started

past progressive

as long as, for, since, the whole day, all day

up to that time in the past.

past perfect

had + - ed

or

After he had survived an accident he gave up this job. He had survived an accident before he gave up this job

"married" to a clause in "simple past" After (conj.)...

+ 3rd form

already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day if sentence type III (If I had talked, )