TENSE STRUCTURE USE TIME EXPRESSION EXAMPLE

A: S + V + C Adverbs and expressions of

N: S + do/does + not + V + C
SIMPLE
Q: Do/Does + S + V + C + ?
PRESENT
A: S + am/is/are + V-ing + C
N: S + am not/is not/are not + V-ing + C
PROGRESSIVE
Q: Am/Is/Are + S + V-ing + C + ?
Repeated actions,
routines, habits, facts.
sometimes, occasionally, never,
Actions happening now,
temporary situations.
frequency: always, normally,
usually, frequently, often,
every day/week/month/year
Period of time something is
happening: at present, at the
moment, today, right now,
nowadays.

Adverbs and expressions:

A: S + V.p. + C
Finished actions or yesterday, two/three
events that happened at days/months ago, last, when I
SIMPLE N: S + did + not + V.s.f. + C specific time in the past, was…, etc.
habits in the past. Finished time: once, one time,
Q: Did + S + Vs.f. + C + ? etc.
PAST
A: S + was/were + V-ing + C Past actions or events
that happens at the same
N: S + was/were + not + V-ing + C time.
PROGRESSIVE When, while, as, as long as.
Action or event which is
Q: Was/Were + S + V-ing + C + ? interrupted by another
action or event.
PERFECT A: S + have/has + V.p.p + C Finished actions or
Adverbs and expressions: ever,
events at a time in the
never, recently, already, just,
N: S + have/has + not + V.p.p + C past which is not
PRESENT still, yet, so far, up to now,
mentioned. Unfinished
PERFECT today, this
Q: Have/Has + S + V.p.p + C + ? actions or events started
morning/week/month/year,
in the past. Past events
twice, a few, several times.
relevant to the present.
PRESENT A: S + have/has + been + V-ing + C To describe continuous Adverbs and expressions: ever,
PERFECT actions which start in the never, recently, already, just,
PROGRESSIVE past but continue up to still, yet, so far, up to now,
now. today, this
N: S + have/has + not + been + V-ing + C morning/week/month/year,
twice, a few, several times.
 Q: Have/Has + S + been + V-ing + C + ?

A: S + had + Vp.p + C
N: S + had + not + Vp.p + C
PAST PERFECT
Q: Had + S + Vp.p.+ C + ?
Emphasise fact that an action
Actions occurring before occurred in a previous past time:
an earlier past action after, already, as soon as,
before, by the time, when.

A: S + had + been + V-ing + C

Actions which started in
Continuous time expression: for
PAST PERFECT N: S + hadn’t + been + V-ing + C the past and continued
five minutes, for a week, for
CONTINUOUS up until another time in
years, for days.
Q: Had + S + been + V-ing + C + ? the past.

A: S + will + Vs.f. + C
Make predictions.
Certain future events.
SIMPLE FUTURE N: S + will + not + Vs.f. + C Express offers, promises
Q: Will + S + Vs.f. + C + ? and requests.

A: S + will + be + V-ing + C Actions in progress or

around a particular time
FUTURE N: S + will + not + be + V-ing + C in the future.
PROGRESSIVE Make assumptions.
Q: Will + S + be + V-ing + C + ?

A: S + will + have + Vp.p. + C

Talk about something
FUTURE N: S + will + not + have + V.p.p. + C that will be completed
Often used with by or in
PERFECT before a particular time in
Q: Will + S + have + Vp.p. + C + ? future.

A: S + will + have + been + V-ing + C Emphasize the

duration of an activity
FUTURE that will be in progress
PERFECT before another time or
PROGRESSIVE event in the future.
N: S + will + not + have + been + V-ing + C
Q: Will + S + have + been + V-ing + C + ?