Tense

TENSE

I . PRESENT TENSE
(1)Simple Present
S+ V 1st
Use
Permanent or long-lasting situations
Where do you work?
The store opens at 9 o'clock.
She lives in New York.
Regular habits and daily routines
I usually get up at 7 o'clock.
She doesn't often go to the cinema.
When do they usually have lunch?
Facts
The Earth revolves around the Sun.
What does 'strange' mean?
Water doesn't boil at 20 degrees.
Feelings
I love walking around late at night during the summer.
She hates flying!
What do you like?
I don't want to live in Texas.

Opinions and states of mind
He doesn't agree with you.
I think he is a wonderful student.
What do you consider your best accomplishment?
Timetables and schedules
The plane leaves at 4 p.m.
When do courses begin this semester?
The train doesn't arrive until 10.35.
Common present time expressions include:
usually, always, often, sometimes, on Saturdays, at weekends (on weekends US English), rarely, on occasion, never, seldom
(2) Present Continuous
S+ IS/AM/ARE + V +ING
Use
Things that are happening now, at the moment.
What are you doing?
She's reading in the garden.
They're not standing in the rain.
Actions happening in a period around the present moment in time.
I'm reading "The Surgeon's Mate" by Patrick O'Brian.
Whose account are you working on?
She's studying hard for her final exam.

Future plans and arrangements.
We're having leftovers this evening.
What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?
She isn't coming on Friday.
Common present continuous time expressions include:
at the moment, now, today, this week, this month, tomorrow, next week (for future arrangements ), currently
(3)Present Perfect
S+ HAS/HAVE+V 3rd
Use
Giving or asking for news or recent events.
Fred Meyers has had excellent profits this quarter.

The class's understanding has increased greatly this semester.

Have they finished the report yet?

Past actions with results in the present.

The study of irregular verbs has improved test scores.

They have bought a new car.

I've already eaten lunch.

Life experience

She's traveled in many parts of the world.

Have you ever been to France?

They've never seen a mountain.






Unfinished actions (action still in progress).

He's lived in San Francisco for 10 years.
How long have you worked for this company?
They've studied English for 3 years. I don't want to live in Texas.
Common present perfect time expressions include :

for (with a period of time), since (with an exact point in time), ever, never, yet, already, this week (month, year)
(4)Present Perfect Continuous
S+HAS/HAVE BEEN+ V+ING
Use
To express the duration of a continuous activity begun in the past and continuing into the present.
She's (has) been waiting for over three hours.
They haven't (have not) been studying for long.
How long have you been working on that problem?
II.PAST TENSE
(1)Simple Past
S+V 2nd
Use
Finished past actions, definite past
Where did you go yesterday?
The flight left at 8 o'clock.
They didn't come last night.
Common past time expressions include:
last (week, year, night), yesterday, ago, in 1987, when I was a child.


(2)Past Continuous
S+WAS/WERE+V+ING
Use
Interrupted past action, action happening at a specific moment in time in the past.
I was watching TV when you called.
He wasn't (was not) working when she arrived.
What were you doing when I called?
(3) Past Perfect
S+HAD+V 3rd
Use
To express an action that happens before another action in the past.
I'd (had) already eaten before they came.
She hadn't (had not) been to Rome before that trip.
Had you ever seen such a crazy lady before that?
We had prepared everything before the visitors arrived.
(4)Past Perfect Continuous
S+HAD BEEN +V+ING
Use
To express the duration of a continuous activity begun before another activity in the past.
She'd (had) been waiting for three hours when he finally arrived.
I hadn't (had not) been sleeping for long when I heard the doorbell ring.
When I joined here he had been teaching there for more than 10 years.
He told us that he had been working in a tile factory till the war was declared.
How long had you been playing tennis when she arrived?

III.FUTURE TENSE
(1)Simple Future
S+WILL/SHALL+V 1st
Use
Used for predictions
It will snow tomorrow.
She won't win the election.
Used for scheduled events
The concert will begin at 8 o'clock.
When will the train leave?

Used for promises
Will you marry me?
I'll help you with your homework after class.
Used for offers
I'll make you a sandwich.
They'll help you if you want.
Used in combination with time clauses (as soon as, when, before, after)
He will telephone as soon as he arrives.
Will you visit me when you come next week?
(2)Future Continuous
S+WILL/SHALL BE+V+ING
Use
Future action at a specific moment in the future.
I'll (will) be cooking dinner when you arrive.
They won't (will not) be living in Paris this time next year.
What will you be doing next week at this time?
(3) Future Perfect
S+WILL/SHALL HAVE+V 3rd
Use
To express what will have happened or how long something will have happened up to a certain point in the future.
We'll (will) have lived here for twenty years by 2005.
She won't (will not) have finished her homework by the time we arrive.
we shall have done it by Friday.
How long will you have lived in France by the end of next year?

(4)Future Perfect Continuous
S+WILL/SHALL HAVE BEEN +V+ING
Use
To express the duration of an activity up to a point of time in the future.
He'll (will) have been sleeping for a few hours by the time we arrive.
She won't (will not) have been working for long by 5 o'clock.
How long will you have been driving by 6 o'clock?





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