THE VERB

(SYSTEM OF VERB TENSES)

PRESENT SIMPLE (-s, -es)

to read = a citi
Affirmative (A) Negative (N) Interrogative (I)
I read I don’t read Do I read?
He/she/it reads He/she/it doesn’t read. Does he/she/it read?
Uses:
1. repeated, habitual actions
a) adverbs of frequency: always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, rarely, never.
b) every (day, week, month, year, Sunday), every two days, every other week, every four
years; once/twice/ three times a day (week, month, year etc).
2. permanent actions: I live in New York.
3. general truths: The sun rises in the east.
Our teacher speaks very well English.
4. actions officially planned in future:
The plane takes off at 8.30 tomorrow.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

 vb “to be” + vb + -ing

(present simple)

(A) (N) (I)

I am reading I am not (I’m not) reading Am I reading?
You are reading You are not (aren’t) reading Are you reading?
He/she/it is reading He/she/it is not (isn’t) reading) Is he/she/it reading?
Uses:
1. actions in full development in the moment of speaking - adverbs: now, at this moment;
I am reading now.
He is working at the moment.
2. temporary situations / actions which take place in a present period – adverbs: today, this
week/month/year, at present: I’m studying English this year.
I’m working hard today.
3. repeated actions which irritate the speaker by their frequency:
You are always asking me stupid questions.
4. arrangements for future (the speaker has already arranged/planned what he/she has to do) – adverbs:
tomorrow, next week/month/year etc.:
“What are you doing tomorrow evening?”
“I’m going to the theatre.”

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

 vb “to have” + vb III

(present simple)

(A) (N) (I)

I have seen. I haven’t seen. Have I seen?
He/she/it has seen. He/she/it hasn’t seen. Has he/she/it seen?
Uses:
1. actions*? (see better SITUATIONS, see also point 3. in this chapter) which begin in the past and
continues up to present moment, or consequences in the present, of the past actions – adverbs: ever,
never, often, seldom, rarely, always, before (now), never . . . before, till now, so far, how long, since
(point in time), for (period of time):
He has never been to London. I have often visited this museum. You haven’t played bridge so
far.
How long have you lived in this town? I have lived here since 1990 (since I was born. I have
lived
here for 20 years.

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2. we don’t know the moment of the action in the past or the action took place with little time before of
the moment of speaking - adverbs: just, recently, already, still, yet.
I have read [red] the lesson, so I know the answers.
They have just arrived.
I have not done my homework yet.
You have already finished your homework.
3. actions which took place in an unspecified moment in the past, but with consequences in the present:
I have lost my key. (I can’t enter the house).
He has washed the shirt. (It’s clean now).

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

 to have + been + vb + -ing

(present simple)
or
 to have + vb + -ing
(pres perf simple)

(A) (N) (I)

I have been reading. I haven’t been reading. Have I been reading?
He/she/it has been reading. He/she/it hasn’t been reading. Has he/she/it been reading?
Uses:
1. actions started in the past and still continues in the present.
How long have you been waiting?
I have been waiting for two hours. (I continue to wait)
He has been sleeping since 10 o’clock. (He is sleeping now).
2. The difference between Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous is that the former refers
(generally) to the situations and the latter refers to the actions and uses the next adverbs: how long, for, since.

PAST SIMPLE

 vb + -ed  for regular verbs

 the 2nd form of the verb  for irregular verbs

(A) (N) (I)

I played. I didn’t play. Did I play?
I went. I didn’t go. Did I go?
Uses:
1. actions or states which took place at a certain moment in the past – adverbs: two/three/four years
(days, months, weeks) ago, last year (month, week), in 1990, in the 18th century.
I saw him last week.
I went to Deva three years ago.
2. repeated actions in the past: I always walked to school when I was child.

PAST CONTINUOUS

 vb “to be” + vb + -ing OR was/were + vb + -ing

(past simple)

(A) (N) (I)

I (he, she, it) was reading. I wasn’t reading. Was I reading?
You (we, they) were reading. You weren’t reading. Were you reading?
Uses:
1. activities in full development at a certain moment in the past - adverbs: at this time yesterday, last
week/month/year, at 2 o’clock yesterday: I was reading a book at this time yesterday.
2. a long action interrupted by a shorter one: I was waiting for the bus when I saw the accident.
As he was walking in the park, he heard a terrible noise.

PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

 had + vb III
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 (A) (N) (I)
I had seen. I hadn’t seen. Had I seen?
He/she/it had seen. He/she/it hadn’t seen. Had he/she/it seen?
Uses:
1. a past event that took place before another past moment
I had already finished my homework by 10 o’clock yesterday.
I had prepared lunch before noon.
2. a past event that took place before another past event – adverbs: as soon as/no sooner… than,
hardly… when/after:
As soon as I had locked the door, I left the office.
No sooner had I opened my umbrella than the rain stopped.
Hardly had he finished lunch when the phone rang.

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

 vb “to be” + vb III OR had been + vb III

(past perfect simple)

(A) (N) (I)

I had been seen. I hadn’t been seen. Had I been seen?
He/she/it had been seen. He/she/it hadn’t been seen. Had he/she/it been seen?
Uses:
1. a long lasting event which took place before another past event/moment – adverbs: as, how long, for
+ period of time, since + the moment when the action started:
I had been waiting for ten minutes when he came.
“How long had you been walking when it started to rain?”
“We had been walking since nine o’clock/ for three hours.”

FUTURE SIMPLE

(A) (N) (I)

I/We shall see. I/We shan’t see. Shall I/we see?
You/He/she/it/they will see. You/He/she/it/they won’t see. Will you/he/she/it/they see?
Uses:
1. Predictions about future – with expressions like: I guess, I think, I believe, I suppose, probably, it is
possible/probably:
I think he won’t refuse. I suppose they will have to pay damages. It will probably rain.
2. When the speaker is determined at present to achieve a future action:
A: “I’m hungry.”
B: “I’ll make you a sandwich!”
A: “I am cold”
B: “I will bring you an overcoat”
3. For decisions: