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PAST TENSES
PAST SIMPLE
USE
Actions completed in the past

Sub + V
I was a dancer // They learned english

To be → Sub + to be + not
I wasn’t a dancer

Oth → Sub + to do + not + V (inf.)

I didn’t want to dance

To be → To be + sub + ?
Was she a dancer?

Oth →To do + sub + V (inf.) + ?

Did they learn english?

IMP words: Yesterday, last year, ago, for…

PAST CONTINUOUS
USE
Actions that were happening at a specific time in the
past or were interrupted by another action.

Sub + to be + [V + ing]
I was dancing

Sub + to be + not [V + ing]

I wasn’t dancing

To be + sub + [V + ing] + ?
Were you dancing?
 PAST PERFECT
USE
Actions that happened before another action in the
past (A past before a past)

Sub+ had + p.p

I had ridden a horse before, so I knew how to do
it

Sub + had + not + p.p

I hadn’t ridden a horse before, so i didn’t knew how to do it

Had + sub + p.p + ?

How did you know how to ride a horse? Had you ridden a horse before?

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

USE
Actions in progress in the past that end before
another action

Sub+ had + been [V + ing]

I had been studying English for 2 years when I
went to London

Sub + had + not + been [V + ing]

I hadn’t been studying English long when I went to London

Had + sub + been [V + ing] + ?

Had you been studying English for a long time before you went to London?
 PRESENT TENSES
PRESENT SIMPLE
USE
Facts, habitual actions/habits, give opinions…

Sub + V + obj.
I like tea

Sub + don’t/doesn’t + V + obj

I don’t like tea

To be + sub + [V + ing] + ?
Do you like tea?

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
USE
Actions happening now or around now

Sub + to be + [V + ing]
I am dancing

Sub + to be + not + [V + ing]

I’m not dancing

To be + sub + [V + ing] + ?
Is she dancing?
 PRESENT PERFECT
USE
Finished actions that we don’t know exactly when
happened

Sub + to have + p.p

I’ve gone to work

Sub + to have + not + p.p

I haven’t gone to work

To have + sub + p.p + ?

Have I gone to work?

Yet, already, just…

PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
USE
Actions started in the past that continue in the present

Sub + to have + been + [V + ing]

I have been dancing since I was a child

Sub + to have + not + been + [V + ing]

I haven’t been dancing for so long

To have + sub + been + [V + ing] + ?

Have you been dancing for a long time?

Since, for…
 FUTURE TENSES
FUTURE SIMPLE
USE
Express the future (predictions)

Sub + will + V
I will dance at 1MDS

Sub + will + not + V

I won’t dance at 1MDS

Will + sub + V + ?
Will you dance at 1MDS?

FUTURE CONTINUOUS
USE
Actions that will be in progress on the future

Sub + will + be + [V + ing]

I’ll be working

Sub + will + not + be + [V + ing]

I won’t be working

Will + sub + be + [V + ing]

Will you be working?
 FUTURE PERFECT
USE
Actions that will end at a specific point in the future

Future action that will have finished before another

action at a certain time in the future

Sub + will + have + p.p

By 2050, I will have adopted 3 cats

Sub + will + not + have + p.p

By 2030, I won’t have adopted any cat

Will + sub + have + p.p + ?

Will you have adopets any cat by 2040?

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

USE
Actions that will be in progress until the start of other
action

To be → Sub + to be + going to have been

We’re going to have been working for 24 hours
by the time we finish this project

Oth → Sub + will have been + [V + ing]

Francis will have been living in Italy for 4 years by the time he finishes his
studies

To be → Sub + to be + not + going to have been + [V + ing]

We’re not going to have been working too long by the time we finish this project

Oth → Sub + will + not + have been + [V + ing]

Francis won’t have been living in Italy for long when he finishes his studies

To be → To br + sub + going to have been + [V + ing] + ?

Are you going to have been working for a long time when you finish this
project?

Oth → Will + sub + have been + [V + ing] + ?

Will Francis have been living in Italy for long by the time he finishes his
studies?

NARRATIVE TENSES