GRAMMAR: VERB TENSES

(Adapted from http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/tenses)

Affirmative/Negative/
Tense Use Signal Words
Question
- action in the present every day/week/month/
Simple A: He/She treats patients.
taking place once, never etc., always, usually, often,
present N: He/She doesn’t (does
or several times normally, sometimes,
not) treat patients.
- facts rarely, never
Q: Does he/she treat
- actions taking place one
patients?
after another
Q: Do you work as a PT? - action set by a timetable
or schedule
Present A: He/She is running. - action taking place in at the moment, now, right
continuo N: He/She isn’t (is not) the now, just now, currently
us running. moment of speaking
Q: Is he/she running? - action taking place only
Q: Are you feeling pain? for a limited period of
time
- action arranged for the
future
Past A: He/She took a pill. - completed action in the yesterday, two minutes
simple N: He/She didn’t (did not) past ago, in 2005, the other day,
take a pill. - actions taking place one last Monday/weekend/etc.
Q: Did he/she take a pill? after another
Q: Did you fall down? - action taking place in the
middle of another action
Past A: He/She was playing - action going on at a when, while, as long as
continuo baseball. certain time in the past from 4 to 5 yesterday
us N: He/She wasn’t (was - actions taking place at
not) playing baseball. the
Q: Was he/she playing same time
baseball? - action in the past that is
Q: Were you playing interrupted by another
baseball? action

Present A: He/She has broken it. - putting emphasis on the already, ever, just, never,
perfect N: He/She hasn’t (has not) result not yet, so far, until now
simple broken it. - action that is still going for, since
Q: Has he/she broken it? on (started in the past and
Q: Have you broken your continues in the present)
leg? - action that stopped
recently
Future A: He/She will recover - action taking place in the later, tomorrow, soon, next
WILL / soon. future year, next July, next week
GOING You are going to recover WILL: intention,
TO soon. prediction based on
N: He/She will not (won’t) opinion
recover soon. GOING TO: plan,
You are not (aren’t) going prediction based on
to recover soon. evidence
Q: Will she recover soon?
 Are you going to recover
soon?

Adapted by Massegú O, Rubio G, Torras B. Khayrizamanova I. English for Health Sciences (course dossier). 9th ed.
Manresa: Fundació Universitària del Bages; 2019