REVIEW OF ENGLISH TENSES

Simple Present
She drinks.
Affirmative
She does not drink.
Negative
Does she drink?
Interrogative
I, you we they play | he, she, it plays
Form
action in the present taking place once, never or several times
facts
actions taking place one after another
action set by a timetable or schedule
Uses
 Present Progressive
He is reading.
Affirmative

He is not reading.
Negative

Is he reading?
Interrogative

To be (in the simple present) + verb + ing

Form

action taking place at the moment of speaking

action arranged for the future

Uses
 Simple Past
I cried.
Affirmative

I did not cry

Negative

Did I cry?
Interrogative

Regular verbs: Verb + ed | Irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart.
Form This is a list of irregular verbs

action in the past taking place once, never or several times

actions taking place one after another

Uses
 Past Progressive
He was driving.
Affirmative

He was not driving.

Negative

Was he driving?
Interrogative

to be (in the simple past) + verb + ing

Form

action going on at a certain time in the past

actions taking place at the same time
action in the past that is interrupted by another action

Uses
 Present Perfect Simple
They have slept.
Affirmative
They have not slept.
Negative
Have they slept?
Interrogative
Have / has + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of
irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart. This is a list of irregular
Form verbs)

emphasis is on the result (not the duration)

action that started in the past & is still going on
action that stopped recently
finished action that has an influence on the present
Uses
 Present Perfect Progressive
He has been thinking.
Affirmative

He has not been thinking.

Negative

Has he been thinking?

Interrogative

have or has + been + verb + ing

Form

putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result)

action that recently stopped or is still going on
finished action that influenced the present

Uses
 Past Perfect Simple
She had won.
Affirmative
She had not won.
Negative
Had she won?
Interrogative
had + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of
irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart. This is a list of irregular
Form verbs)

action taking place before a certain time in the past

sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive
putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration)

Uses
 Past Perfect Progressive
He had been waiting.
Affirmative

He had not been waiting.

Negative

Had he been waiting?

Interrogative

had + been + verb + ing

Form

action taking place before a certain time in the past

sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple
putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action

Uses
 Future Simple
I will open the door.
Affirmative

I will not open the door.

Negative

Will you open the door?

Interrogative

will + verb
Form

We use the simple future for instant decisions.

We use the simple future when we predict a future situation
We use the simple future in conditional sentences type one. (More on conditional
sentences here)
Uses
 Future Plan
(going to)

He is going to clean the car.

Affirmative

He is not going to clean the car.

Negative

Is he going to clean the car?

Interrogative

to be (in the simple present) + going + to + verb

Form

to express the future when we intend to do something or have decided to do something

but did not arrange it. It is just an intention.
predictions in the future
Uses
 Future Plan
(Present Progressive)

He is traveling to Egypt next week.

Affirmative

He is not traveling to Egypt next week.

Negative

Is he traveling to Egypt next week?

Interrogative

to be (in the simple present) + verb + ing

Form

when we say what we have planned and arranged to do at a specific time in the future.
These are fixed plans with definite time and/or place.
Uses
 Future Progressive
She will be listening to music.
Affirmative

She will not be listening to music.

Negative

Will she be listening to music?

Interrogative

will + be + verb + ing

Form

action that is going on at a certain time in the future

action that is sure to happen in the near future

Uses
 Future Perfect
He will have spoken.
Affirmative

He will not have spoken.

Negative

Will he have spoken?

Interrogative

will + have + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of
irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart. This is a list of irregular
verbs)
Form

action that will be finished at a certain time in the future

Uses
 Future Perfect Progressive
You will have been studying.
Affirmative

You will not have been studying.

Negative

Will you have been studying?

Interrogative

will + have + been + verb + ing

Form

action taking place before a certain time in the future

putting emphasis on the course of an action

Uses
GRAMMAR EXERCISES - MIXED TENSES EXERCISES
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple present or present progressive)
1. Look! Sara (go) to the movies.
2. On her right hand, Sara (carry) her handbag.
3. The handbag (be) very beautiful.
4. Sara usually (put) on black shoes but now she (wear) white trainers.
5. And look, she (take) an umbrella because it (rain) .
 Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or past perfect)
1. When he (wake up) , his mother (already /prepare) breakfast
2. We (go) to London because our friends (invite) us
3. He (hear) the news, (go) to the telephone and (call) a friend.
4. When she (start) learning English she (already /learn) French.
5. Jane (already / type) three pages when her computer (crash) .
6. By the time the doctor (arrive) at the house the patient ( die) .
7. Before that day we (never / think) of traveling to Japan.
8. I (know) him a long time before I (meet) his family.
9. They (not / know) where to meet because nobody (tell) them.
10.It (be) cloudy for days before it (begin) to rain.
 Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect).
1. I (just / finish) my homework.
2. Mary (already / write) five letters.
3. Tom (move) to his home town in 1994.
4. My friend (be) in Canada two years ago.
5. I (not / be) to Canada so far.
6. But I (already / travel) to London a couple of times.
7. Last week, Mary and Paul (go) to the cinema.
8. I can't take any pictures because I (not /buy) a new film yet.
9. (they / spend) their holidays in Paris last summer?
10.(you / ever / see ) a whale?