T E N S E ST E N S E S

Richard Ortega

Matrix

Active Form

Simple Progressive PerfectPerfect Progressive

PresentV1

V1+s

amis + Ving

are

have + V3

hashave+been+Ving

has

Past V2was + Ving

werehad + V3 had+been+Ving

Future will + V1 will+be+Ving will+have+V3 will+have+been+Ving

Fundamental Tenses

1. Present Simple

2. Past Simple

3. Future Simple

4. Present Progressive

5. Past Progressive

6. Present Perfect

7. Past Perfect

Exercises:

1. I can’t afford that car. It .... too much.a. cost c. is costingb. costs d. is cost

2. Janet can’t come to the phone because she .... her hair.a. wash c. washesb. is washing d. is wash

3. Something .... very good.a. smell c. smellsb. is smelling d. is smell

4. When Jim ... home, his wife ... dinner.a. came - cooked c. came - was cookingb. was coming - cooked d. was coming - was cooking

5. At one time, Mr. John Smith ... this building.a. own c. is owningb. owned d. was owning

6. George .... this movie three times.a. saw c. has seenb. have seen d. see

7. We ... our reports yet.a. have written c. wroteb. haven’t written d. will not write

8. After Henry ..... Sidney, he ... to Perth.a. visited - went c. had visited - wentb. visited - had gone d. had visited - had gone

9. The view of these disciplines ... from time to time.a. vary c. have variedb. varies d. is going to vary

10. The fear of bomb and terrorism .... many people to flee the cities.a. cause c. has causedb. have caused d. are going to cause

11. Do you mind if I turn the TV off? I ... a long distance call.a. will place c. placeb. was placing d. am going to place

12. He .... on the grass under that tree over there.a. lay c. laysb. is lying d. is laying

Simple Past Present Perfect

To talk about activities started and ended at a specified time in the past

To talk about: situations continuing up to

now; actions repeated up to now; activities occurred at an

unspecified time in the past

Simple Past vs. Present Perfect

1. I (play) a lot of tennis this year.

2. She (have) six different jobs since she left school.

3. He (be) unemployed ever since he left school.

4. How many cups of coffee (you drink) today?

5. In those days, James (come) to stay with us most weekends.

have played

has had

has been

have you drunk

came

6. Shakespeare (write) poems as well as plays.

7. Since my brother lost his job, he (write) three books.

8. I (not work) hard when I was at university.

9. I (have) trouble sleeping all this week.

10. I (have) trouble sleeping all last week.

wrote

has written

did not workhave had

had