TENSES

PRESENT SIMPLE

USE: AFFIRMARTIVE FORM: NEGATIVE FORM: INTERROGATIVE FORM: TIME INDICATORS:

● Routine ● I/YOU/WE/THEY: ● I/YOU/WE/THEY: ● I/YOU/WE/THEY: ● Every day/week/etc.

S + VERB S + DON’T + VERB (WH) + DO + S + VERB…?
● Likes and dislikes ● Always/usually/
sometimes/never/
● General facts “I get up at 6 A.M” “I don’t get up at 6 A.M” “Do you get up at 6 A.M?” hardly
● State verbs: know, ever/often/normally
understand, like, ● SHE/HE/IT: ● SHE/HE/IT: ● SHE/HE/IT: ● On
love, hate, etc. Mondays/Tuesdays/et
S + VERB WITH –S OR –ES S + DOESN’T + VERB (WH) + DOES + S + VERB…?
c.
● In the morning/in the
“She watches TV every night” “She doesn’t watch TV every night” “Does she watch TV every night?”
afternoon/at night.
● Once/twice/a week, a
month, etc.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

USE: AFFIRMARTIVE FORM: NEGATIVE FORM: INTERROGATIVE FORM: TIME INDICATORS:

● Actions at the ● S + TO BE + VERB –ING ● S + NEGATIVE TO BE + VERB – ● (WH) TO BE +S + VERB –ING…? ● At the moment
moment ING
● Now/right now
● Arranged actions in “I am watching TV” “Are you watching TV?”
“I am not watching TV” ● Today
the near future “She is listening to music” “Is she listening to music?”
“She isn’t listening to music” ● Listen! Look!

PAST SIMPLE
 USE: AFFIRMARTIVE FORM: NEGATIVE FORM: INTERROGATIVE FORM: TIME INDICATORS:

● Actions in the past ● S + REGULAR VERB
–ED/IRREGULAR VERB LIST
● Specific time
2ND C.
reference
“I watched TV yesterday2
“She went to the park last night”
● S + DIDN’T + VERB ● (WH) DID + S + VERB…? ● Last night/
month/year/etc.
“I didn’t watch TV yesterday” “Did you watch TV yesterday?” ● Yesterday
“She didn’t go to the park last night” “Did she go to the park last night?” ● Ago
● In 2001…

PRESENT PERFECT

USE: AFFIRMARTIVE FORM: NEGATIVE FORM: INTERROGATIVE FORM: TIME INDICATORS:

● Experiences ● S + HAVE/HAS + REGULAR ● S + HAVEN’T/HASN’T + REGULAR ● (WH) HAVE/HAS + S + REGULAR ● For

VERB –ED / IRREGULAR VERB –ED / IRREGULAR VERB VERB –ED / IRREGULAR VERB
● Actions that ● Since
VERB LIST 3RD C. LIST 3RD C. LIST 3RD C. …?
started in the past
● Already
and continue in the
present “I have visited Buenos Aires” “I haven’t visited Buenos Aires” “Have you been to Buenos Aires?”
● Just
“She has been to the US” “She hasn’t been to the US” “Has she been to the US?”
● No specific time
● Yet
reference
● Ever

● Always/never

● Lately/recently/so far

FUTURE GOING TO

USE: AFFIRMARTIVE FORM: NEGATIVE FORM: INTERROGATIVE FORM: TIME INDICATORS:

● Plans ● S + TO BE + GOING TO + ● S + NEGATIVE TO BE + GOING TO ● (WH) TO BE + S + GOING TO + ● Next year/month/etc.

● Intentions VERB + VERB VERB…? ● Tomorrow

● Predictions with ● Tomorrow night/

“I am going to travel to Europe
evidence
next year.”
“She is going to study medicine”
“I am not going to travel to Europe
next year.”
“She isn’t going to study medicine”
“Are you going to travel to Europe?”
morning/afternoon
“Is she going to study medicine?”

PAST CONTINUOUS

USE: AFFIRMARTIVE FORM: NEGATIVE FORM: INTERROGATIVE FORM: TIME INDICATORS:

● Actions in progress ● S + WAS/WERE + VERB –ING ● S + WASN’T/WEREN’T + VERB – ● (WH) WAS/WERE + S + VERB – ● While
in the past ING ING…?
● When
● Actions in progress “I was watching TV yesterday at 9 “I wasn’t watching TV yesterday at 9 “Were you watching TV yesterday at
P.M” P.M” 9 P.M?” ● At this time yesterday
in the past
interrupted by “They were playing videogames “They weren’t playing videogames “Was she listening to music ● Yesterday at…
another action yesterday at 9 P.M” yesterday at 9 P.M” yesterday at 9 P.M?”

PAST PERFECT

USE: AFFIRMARTIVE FORM: NEGATIVE FORM: INTERROGATIVE FORM: TIME INDICATORS:

● A past action ● S + HAD + PAST ● S + HADN’T + PAST ● (WH) HAD + S + PAST ● Before
RD RD RD
that happened PARTICIPLE (-ED/3 C) PARTICIPLE (-ED/3 C) PARTICIPLE (-ED/3 C)…?
● Time clause: When
before another
action in the I got home…
past: the past “When I got home, my mom had “Jack hadn’t lived alone before he got “What had you studied before you
cooked dinner” married.” started working?”
of the past
 PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

USE: AFFIRMARTIVE FORM: NEGATIVE FORM: INTERROGATIVE FORM: TIME INDICATORS:

● An action that ● S + HAVE/HAS + V –ING ● S + HAVEN’T/HASN’T + V – ● (WH) HAVE/HAS + S + V- ● for/since

started in the ING ING…?
● for ages
past and
continues in “I have been writing this
● for hours
composition for hours.” “Jane hasn’t been eating healthy “How long have you been studying
the present
food recently.” English?” ● for a long time
● Emphasis on
the duration of ● how long?
the activity
● Never used to
talk about
experiences
(for that use
the present
perfect simple)

FUTURE SIMPLE: WILL

USE: AFFIRMARTIVE FORM: NEGATIVE FORM: INTERROGATIVE FORM: TIME INDICATORS:

● A future ● S + WILL + VERB INFINITIVE ● S + WON’T + VERB INFINITIVE ● (WH) WILL + S + VERB ● I think…
decision taken INFINITIVE…?
● I believe…
at the moment
of speaking “I think you will pass the test.” “Oh it is raining! I won’t go to school
then.”
 ● A future “What will you do if it is sunny
prediction tomorrow?”
based on your
opinion

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

USE: AFFIRMARTIVE FORM: NEGATIVE FORM: INTERROGATIVE FORM: TIME INDICATORS:

● To express ● S + WILL + BE + VERB –ING ● S + WON’T + BE + V –ING ● (WH) WILL + S + BE + V –ING…? ● This time
actions in tomorrow/next
progress at a week…
specific time in “This time tomorrow I will be “By the time I am 30 I won’t be living What will you be doing by the end
studying for my finals.” with my parents.” of the year? ● Next Friday at 9
the future
p.m…
● By the time…

● By the end of this

year…

FUTURE PERFECT

● To express a ● S + WILL + HAVE + PAST ● S + WON’T + HAVE + PAST ● (WH) WILL + S + HAVE + PAST ● By…
finished action PARTICIPLE (-ED/3RD C) PARTICIPLE (-ED/3RD C) PARTICIPLE (-ED/3RD C)…?
● By the time…
before a specific
time in the future ● By the end of this
“By the end of this year I will “I won’t have finished university by “What will you have done by the
have read 3 books.” the time I am 25.” year 2050?” year…