Sandra Santamaría García 1er BAT-HTS

VERBAL TENSES
VERBAL TENSES

1. Present Simple

Uses:

+ A regular habit or routine  My aunt works as a teacher.

+ A regular truth or scientific fact  Scientifics study for many years.

+ Stative verbs (they express a state or condition)  I think he’s tired.

Form:

S + infinitive (add “s” for he, she, it).

S + do/does + infinitive.

Do/does + S + infinitive?

Key words/expressions:

Adverbs of frequency (usually, rarely, seldom…).

Time expressions (at night, in the morning, twice a week…).

2. Present
2. Present Continuous
Continuous

Uses:

+ An action which is happening now  We are sending letters right now.

+ A temporary action  They are learning survival skills today.

+ A definite plan for the near future  We are leaving Spain next week.

Form:

S + is/are + verb(-ing).

S + is/are + not + verb(-ing).

Is/are + S + verb(-ing) ?

Key words/expressions:

Now, right now, at the moment, these days, this evening this year,
today, next month, next Friday,
3. Past Simple

Uses:

+ A completed action in the past  I went to the new restaurant last weekend.

+ A series of completed actions in the past  I lost my keys, so I went to my friend’s house.

Form:

S + past simple form (verb + -ed if it is regular).

S + did not + infinitive.

Did + S + infinitive?

Key words/expressions:

Yesterday, last week / year / month, 2 years ago, in 2007, in the 1970s,
in the 20th century, when , then.

4. Past
4. PastContinuous
Continuous
Uses:

+ An incomplete action in progress at a specific time in the past  At half past eleven last
night, I was reading my favourite book.

+ An incomplete action interrupted by another action  I was having a shower when the
telephone rang.

+ Two incompleted actions in progress at the same time in past  Carmen was reading her
book as I was talking with my mother.

Form:

S + was / were + verb(-ing).

S + was / were not + verb(-ing).

Was / were + S + verb (-ing) ?

Key words/expressions:

Last night / day / week / month / year, when, while ,as.

 5. Present Perfect Simple

Uses:

+ An action that began in the past and continues until the present  I’ve worked as a
firefighter for 25 years.

+ An action that took place at an undetermined time in the past, but is connected to the
present  I’ve lost my keys.

Form:

S + have / has + participle.

S + have / has not + participle.

Have / has + S + participle ?

Key words/expressions:

Never, ever, already, just, yet, recently, lately, how

long..? for, since

6. Past Perfect Simple

Uses:

+ A completed action which took place before another action in the past  By the time I called
my mum, she had already left the house.

Form:

S + had + participle.

S + had + not + participle.

Had + S + participle ?

Key words/expressions:

Already, by the time, after, before, until, never, just.

7. Future Simple

Uses:

+ A prediction  I’m sure you will pass the exam.

+ A timetable  The plane will leave at six o’clock in the morning.

+ A spontaneous decision  We ran out of food! I’ll go to the shop to buy.

Form:

S + will + infinitive.

S + will not / won’t + infinitive.

Will + S + infinitive ?

Key words/expressions:

This evening, in an hour, at 2 o’clock, later, tomorrow, next month,

son, in a few weeks, in the future.

8. Be going to
Uses:

+ A planned action for the future  I’m going to travel around the world next summer.

+ An action that is about to happen (visual evidence)  Be careful! If you do that you are going
to hurt yourself!

Form:

S + am / are / is + going to + infinitive.

S + am / are / is + not + going to + infinitive.

Am / are / is + S + going to + infinitive ?

Key words/expressions:

This evening, later, in an hour, at 4 o’clock, tomorrow, soon, next

month, in a year, in a few weeks, on 8th May.
9. Future Continuous
Uses:

+ An action in progress at a certain future time  At this time next week , I will be doing my
homework.

Form:

S + will be + verb(-ing).

S + will not / won’t be + verb(-ing).

Will + S + verb(-ing) ?

Key words/expressions:

At this time tomorrow / next..., on Thursday, in the next decade.

10.Future
10. Future Perfect
Perfect SimpleSimple

Uses:

+ A completed action at a certain future time.

Form:

S + will + have + participle.

S + will not / won’t + have + participle.

Will + S + have + participle ?

Key words/expressions:

By this time next week, by 3 o’clock, by the end of…, by then, by

August, in four months