A.

Present

1. Simple Present
a. Use: things that happen always or usually
b. Sentence patterns:
 Affirmative: S + V
Ex. I live downtown.
 Negative: S + do/does + not + V (base form)
Ex. My parents don’t live near here.
 Interrogative: Do/Does + S+ V (base form)
Ex. Does he like music?
c. Key words:
 Adverb of frequency: always, almost, usually/ generally/ normally, often,
sometimes, rarely, seldom, hardly ever, almost never, never
S + adv + V – I always go to bet at 10.
S + to be + adv – He is never late.
 Expressions of frequency: every…, once a…, twice a…, tree times a… usually go at
the end of a sentence. – S + V + obj. + … + expression of frequency

2. Present Continuous
a. Use:
 Things that are happening now or in the near future
Ex. He’s looking for a new job.
 Things that we have arranged for the future
Ex. I’m leaving tomorrow.
b. Sentence patterns:
 Affirmative: S + am/is/are + V-ing
Ex. He is playing.
 Negative: S + am/is/are + not + V-ing
Ex. He isn’t playing.
 Interrogative: Am/Is/Are + S+ V-ing
Ex. Is he playing?
c. Key words: now, at the moment, right now, this…, future time expressions
d. Rules:
 add ING: cook – cooking
 cut the final E and add ING: live – living
 if verb finishes in C-V-C, double the final consonant and add ING: run – running
B. Past

3. Simple Past:
a. Use: finished actions in the past
b. Sentence patterns:
 Affirmative: S + V-ed
Ex. We stayed at the hotel last summer.
 Negative: S + did + not + V (base form)
Ex. He didn’t stay with friends.
 Interrogative: Did + S+ V (base form)
Ex. Did you stay for the weekend?
c. Rules:
 add ED: work - worked
 add D if verb finishes in E: like – liked
 Y-IED after a consonant: study – studied
 if verb finishes in C-V-C, double the final consonant, and add ED: stop – stopped

4. Past Continuous
a. Use: actions that were in progress at a past time
b. Sentence patterns:
 Affirmative:
i. I/ He/ She/ It + was + V-ing
ii. You/ We/ They + were + V-ing
Ex. The birds were singing.
 Negative:
i. I/ He/ She/ It + was + not + V-ing
ii. You/ We/ They + were + not + V-ing
Ex. He wasn’t working.
 Interrogative:
i. Was + I/ He/ She/ It + V-ing
ii. Were + You/ We/ They + V-ing
Ex. What were you doing at 7:00?

5. Past Perfect
a. Use: to talk about actions that were completed before some point in the past.
b. Sentence patterns:
 Affirmative: S + had + V (past participle)
Ex. She had run out the door before I saw her.
 Negative: S + had + not + V (past participle)
Ex. I had not eaten at that restaurant before today.
 Interrogative: Had + S+ V (past participle)
Ex. Had Eduard ever spoken to the dean before he was expelled?
c. Key words:
 We can also use before + past perfect to show that an action was not done or was
incomplete when the past simple action happened.
Ex. Sadly, the author died before he had finished the series.
 Adverb:
i. already (= 'before the specified time')
Ex. I called his office but he'd already left.
ii. still (= as previously)
Ex. It still hadn't rained at the beginning of May.
iii. just (= 'a very short time before the specified time')
Ex. I went to visit her when she'd just moved to Berlin.
iv. ever (= 'at any time before the specified time')
Ex. It was the most beautiful photo I'd ever seen.
v. never (= 'at no time before the specified time')
Ex. I'd never met anyone from California before I met Jim.
C. Future

6. Be going to + base form

a. Use:
 Future plans or intentions
Ex. I’m going to see Tom tonight.
 Predictions when we know/ can see what’s going to happen
Ex. Look! It’s going to rain.
b. Sentence patterns:
 Affirmative: S + am/is/are + going to + V (base form)
Ex. I’m going to give a talk.
 Negative: S + am/is/are + not + going to + V (base form)
Ex. You aren’t going to give a talk.

7. Will/ Won’t/ Shall + base form

a. Use:
 Predictions
Ex. You will love New York.
 Instant decisions
Ex. I will call her later.
 Offers
Ex. I will help you.
 Promises
Ex. I will pay you back tomorrow.
b. Sentence patterns:
 Affirmative: S + will + V (base form)
Ex. I will catch you!
 Negative: S + won’t + V (base form)
Ex. I won’t say anything.
 Interrogative: Will/Shall + S+ V (base form)
Ex. Will you marry me?
D. Future – Present

8. Present Perfect
a. Use:
 Recently finished actions (we don’t say when)
Ex. I have finished the book.
 Past experiences
Ex. Have you ever been to Iron?
b. Sentence patterns:
 Affirmative:
i. I/ You/ We/ They + have + V (in the past participle)
ii. He/ She/ It + has + V (in the past participle)
Ex. I have cleaned the fridge – it looks new!
 Negative:
i. I/ You/ We/ They + have + not + V (in the past participle)
ii. He/ She/ It + has + not + V (in the past participle)
Ex. He hasn’t done the washing-up.
 Interrogative:
i. Have + I/ You/ We/ They + V (in the past participle)
ii. Has + He/ She/ It + V (in the past participle)
Ex. Have you finished the exercise?
c. Key words:
 Yet – put at the end of sentence
 Just – put before the verb
 Always - put before the main verb
 Since
 For