1. SUMMARY OF TENSES

2. present past future We use tenses of verbs to refer to actions or situations in the present, in the past and in the future

3. present past future There are different sorts of tenses: simple tenses continuous tenses perfect tenses perfect continuous tenses

4. present past future present tenses present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous

5. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous FORM The present simple is formed with the infinitive of the main verb . The negative and interrogative are formed with the present tense of the verb to do + infinitive. Examples I start ( he start s ) work at 8.30 a.m. When do I start work? I don’t start work until 9.00 a..m. / He do es n’t start work until 9.00 a..m.

6. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous USE 1. for habitual and repeated actions Example I play blues harp and dobro guitar

10. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future I get up at 7.30 a.m. every day.

11. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed with the present tense of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb. Examples I’ m watching television. What are you doing? He isn’t coming.

12. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous USE 1. For actions happening at the moment of speaking. Example She’s reading the newspaper.

16. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous on the time diagram now I’m adjusting the rotating speed past future

17. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed with the present tense of the verb to have + past participle of the main verb. Examples I’ ve finished. Where have you been? I haven’t talked to him.

22. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future I ‘ve just arrived. relationship with the present moment

23. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future Have you been to France? ? ? ?

24. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future They have revised their report.

25. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future We have conducted experiments on this phenomenon for almost two years.

26. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed with the present perfect of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb. Examples I ‘ve been writing code for our new data-mining program. Has s he been trying to contact me? She hasn’t been writing at all.

27. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous USE We use this tense for actions started in the past, continuing to the present and probably continuing into the future. We often use it with “for” or “since”. Examples I ’ ve been trying to persuade him for ten years now. We ‘ve been practicing this routine since last Wednesday.

28. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous on the time diagram now 2004 past future I ‘ve been driving driving lorries for twenty years..... 1984 In this sentence, the duration is emphasized, either positively or negatively . So I know what I’m talking about! So it’s high time I quit.

29. present simple present continuous present perfect present perfect continuous on the time diagram now 2004 past future I ‘ve driven a Volkswagen for twenty years..... 1984 In this sentence, the duration is indicated, but the car brand is emphasized. Clearly I have confidence in this car.

30. present past future past tenses past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous

31. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed by adding -ed to the infinitive . The negative and interrogative are formed with the past tense of the verb to do + infinitive of the main verb Examples They arrived at head quarters an hour ago. When did he finalize this deal? I didn’t finish until 12 o’clock.

32. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous USE 1. For actions completed at a definite time in the past. Example We signed the contract last Friday at 2 o’clock.

35. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future I arrived at 15.30 sharp. 15.30

36. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed with the past tense of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb. Examples I was watching TV at 8 o’clock yesterday. Where were you looking for my glasses this time? I wasn’t eavesdropping at all!

37. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous USE 1. To emphasize the continuity of the past action. Examples She was playing tennis with a friend. He was discussing production planning for the coming week.

41. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future I was working all day yesterday.

42. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future I was working all day yesterday. past now future I worked all day yesterday. yesterday

43. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future 1. I was working all day yesterday. past now future 2. I worked all day yesterday. yesterday While (1) emphasizes the continuity of the action, (2) only indicates that the action took place yesterday.

44. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future I was watching TV at 8.30 last night. 8.30 p.m.

45. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future 3. I was watching TV at 8.30 last night. 8.30 p.m. 8.30 p.m. now future past 4. I watched TV at 8.30 last night. Whereas 3. indicates that the action started before and continued after a certain point in time, 4. indicates that the action happened (started) at 8.30

46. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future I was browsing through your report ... when he knocked at my office door.

47. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed with the past tense of the verb to have + past participle of the main verb. Examples I had never seen so many measuring tools. What assistance had he given? He hadn’t expected this outcome.

48. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous USE 1. W e use this tense to describe one past action happening before another past action. Example The customer had left the shop by the time I found his order form.

51. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future had dinner watched TV 1. When I had had dinner, I watched TV. had dinner watched TV past now future 2. I had dinner before I watched TV. In (1) the sequence of actions is expressed by the past perfect tense ; whereas in (2) the sequence of actions is indicated by the use of before

52. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed with the past perfect tense of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb. Examples She had been working as a secretary for two years when she was promoted. What had she been writing all day? He hadn’t been listening to that tape for that long.

55. past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect continuous on the time diagram now past future 10 minutes 1. I had been waiting for 10 minutes when she arrived. now past 2. I waited for 10 minutes before she arrived. Whereas in (1) the past perfect continuous indicates both the sequence of the actions and the continuity of the first action; in (2) the sequence of the actions is indicated by before . ( 1.) emphasizes the duration.

56. present past future future tenses future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous going to present continuous present simple

57. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous USE We use this tense to express a pure future. Actions expressed in the simple future are bound to happen because of the course of time. This means that the speaker has no power over the events, that he cannot control what will happen. For this reason this tense is also called the uncertain future. . Examples He will be sixteen years old next Friday. The baby will be born next month going to ... present continuous present simple

61. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed with the present tense of the verb to be + going to + infinitive of the main verb. Examples I’ m going to watch this football match on TV tonight. What are you going to do about this ? She isn’t going to give this party next week going to ... present continuous present simple

66. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed with the infinitive of the main verb . The negative and interrogative are formed with the present tense of to do + infinitive Examples The plane takes off at 7.30 local time. The match begins at 14.00 hours. You leave from Kennedy airport at noon, and arrive in Paris at 15.00 hours GMT. going to ... present continuous present simple

67. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous USE We use this tense to talk about planned future actions. We usually use it to describe travel plans, time tables, departures, arrivals. Examples The bus leaves at 15.30. The reception starts at 19.00 hours. The ferry leaves Dover at 12.30 tomorrow and we arrive at Calais at 13.15. going to ... present continuous present simple

68. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed with the future simple of to be + present participle of the main verb. Examples We’ ll be flying to Rome this time next week. What will you be doing this time next week? They won’t be sitting in the classroom at 6 o’clock tomorrow. going to ... present continuous present simple

69. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous USE We use this tense for actions that will be in progress at a certain time in the future. Examples At 11.45 next Friday, I ‘ ll be doing my chemistry exam. I’ ll be hiking through the States this time next year. going to ... present continuous present simple

70. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous on the time diagram This time next week I’ll be taking my driving test. going to ... present continuous present simple now past future

74. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed with will + have + past participle of the main verb. Examples They ‘ll have finalized their business by noon. Will they have copied all that material by Friday morning? They won’t have organized this course by the end of this year. going to ... present continuous present simple

75. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous USE We use this tense to describe actions which we know will (or will not) be completed by a certain time in the future. Examples I ‘ ll have finished this book by the end of the week. going to ... present continuous present simple

76. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous on the time diagram Examples By the end of next week, I’ll have finished my exams. going to ... present continuous present simple now past future end of next week

77. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous FORM This tense is formed with the future perfect tense of to be + present participle of rthe main verb. Examples By the end of this year, we ‘ ll have been experimenting with this polymer for more than three months. How long will you have been living in that shack by the end of this year? I won’t have been living here for more than five years by the end of this year. going to ... present continuous present simple

78. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous USE We use this tense to describe continuous and repeated actions which begin before a certain time in the future and will probably continue after that time. Example s By the end of this academic year, I’ ll have been teaching for 30 years. going to ... present continuous present simple

79. future simple future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous on the time diagram Example By the end of this academic year, I’ ll have been teaching for 30 years. going to ... present continuous present simple past future now end of this academic year