PRESENT CONTINUOUS – means that the action is in the MIDDLE

FORM: present form of be + ing

Example:

POSITIVE NEGATIVE

I am looking I am not looking

You/we/they are looking or You/we/they’re looking You/we/they are not looking or You/we/they aren’t looking
He/She/It is looking or He/She/It’s looking He/She/It is not looking or He/She/It’s not looking

PRESENT SIMPLE is used

– for thoughts and feelings: I think.., I like..

-states things staying the same, facts, and things that are true for a long time: We live quite near
- repeated actions: We come here every week
- in phrases like: I promise I’ll pay you back, I agree, etc.
- in a negative question with WHY to make a suggestion: Why don’t we go?
POSITIVE NEGATIVE

I/you/we/they get We don’t live far away

He/she/it gets He doesn’t want to go shopping
Sarah catches the train he/she/it doesn’t get
I get the lunch ready at 1 o’clock Do I/we/you/they get?; Does he/she/it get?
PAST TENSE – regular past form ends in -ed.

EXAMPLE:
It happened very quickly The van crashed into the car
I posted the letter yesterday We once owned a caravan

Some verbs have an IRREGULAR past form

The car came out on the other side of the road Vicky rang earlier
I had breakfast at six We took some photos

POSITIVE NEGATIVE

I/he/she/it was I/you/he/she/it/they/we did not stop or didn’t stop

You/we/they were did I/you/he/she/it/they/we stop?
PAST CONTINUOUS – means that a time in the past we were in the middle of the action

FORM: past tense of be + ing

POSITIVE NEGATIVE

I/he/she/it was playing I/he/she/it wasn’t playing

You/we/they were playing You/we/they weren’t playing
Was I/he/she/it playing? Were you/we/they playing?
PRESENT PERFECT - Tells us about the past and the present

FORM: present tense of has/have + a past participle

POSITIVE NEGATIVE
I/you/we/they have washed I/you/we/they haven’t washed
He/She/it has washed He/She/it has not washed
Have I/you/we/they washed? Has he/she/it washed?

IRREGULAR FORMS:
I’ve made a shopping list She hasn’t drunk her coffee
We’ve sold our car They’ve learnt the words