Verb Tense Overview with Examples

SIMPLE PRESENT

The verb “TO BE” Use: We use the Simple Present to talk about daily routines, facts and general truths. Frequency adverbs such as: Never, rarely (seldom), sometimes, often, usually and always require the simple present.

Frequency Adverbs are always on the right of the verb to be. E.g.: I’m usually late for school. ..and on the left of all the other verbs E.g. : She never eats at the canteen.

The verb “To Be” is Special

( +) I Am You Are He/She/It Is We Are You Are They Are

(-) I am not You are not He/she/it is not We are not You are not They are not

(?) Am I? Are you? Is he, she, it?

Are we? Are you? Are they?

Affirmative

Negative

Interrogative

SIMPLE PRESENT

..All the other verbs follow this: I study English every day. (+) affirmative form. I don’t study English every day.(-) Negative form Do you study English every day?(?) Interrogative form

Pay attention!!! 3rd person singular verb +S or verb + ES or verb+ IES e.g. to play→ he/she/it plays or to watch →he/she/it watches or to try→ he/she/it tries He studies in London. (+) He doesn’t study in London. (-) Does he study in London? (?)

In the negative and interrogative forms the auxiliary follows the 3rd person singular RULE and the main verb doesn’t change !! Use: We use the Simple Present to talk about daily routines, facts and general truths. Frequency adverbs such as: Never, rarely (seldom), sometimes, often, usually and always require the simple present.

www.perfect-english-grammar.com Present Simple Form: ‘be’ and other verbs - mixed exercise 1

Make the present simple, positive, negative or interrogative forms:

1. I _________________ (be) in a café now. 2. _________________ (she / play) tennis every week?

3. They _________________ (go) to the cinema on Wednesdays. 4. _________________ (she / be) a Jazz singer?

5. You _________________ (never/ find) the weather here cold. 6. _________________ (they / be) on the bus?

7. Lucy _________________ (always/ ride) her bicycle to work. 8. Why _________________ (he / be) in France?

9. I _________________ (not / play) the piano often. 10. It _________________ (not / be) cold today. 11. We _________________ (be) from Portugal.

12. _________________ (we / make) too much noise at night? 13. Where _________________ (Harry Potter / study)?

14. _________________ (it / be) foggy today? 15. We _________________ (not / be) late.

16. They _________________ (not / like) animals. 17. Where _________________ (you / be)?

18. He _________________ (not / be) an accountant. 19. _________________ (sometimes/your dog / eat) tofu?

20. She _________________ (be) my sister.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am studying English now. I am not studying English now. Are you studying English now?

The Present Continuous = Subject + auxiliary “to be” in the Simple Present+ verb (+ING)

e.g. Laura + is + reading

Use: We use the present continuous to talk about an action that is happening at the moment of speaking. We also use the Present Continuous to talk about an action in the near future. e.g. “She’s leaving tonight to Istambul”. Expressions such as: Now / Right now/ Look! / At the moment require the present continuous.

Exercise: Put the verb in brackets in the correct form of the Present Continuous Tense.

1. John (read) a book now.

2. What (you do) tonight?

3. Jack and Peter (work) late today.

4. Silvia (not listen) to music.

5. Look! Maria (sit) next to Paul.

6. How many other students (you study) with? 7. The phone (not ring).

******************************************************* 1 I'm glasses. looking for my

2 reading? kind are What you of book

3 crying? is Pam Why

4 University. National Kharkov is at Paul studying economics

5 laughing? everyone Why is

6 me? Are for you waiting

7 leaving? you When are

8 John Saudi is in at Arabia working moment. the

9 working you? for same the Is company as Jennifer

10 want party next you come? Saturday - having do to a I'm

Use

When to use which tense?

1. For present actions happening one after another, we use .

2. For actions happening while speaking, we use .

3. For arrangements for the near future, we use .

4. For actions set by a schedule or timetable, we use .

5. Which tense do you have to use with the following signal words: sometimes, never, every day?

6. Which tense do you have to use with the following signal words: Listen!, at the moment, right now?

Positive sentences

Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

1. The lesson (start) at 9 o'clock.

2. He often (wear) a black cap.

3. I (meet) my friends in the youth club tonight.

4. My friend (move) house tomorrow.

5. My birthday (be) in September.

Negative sentences

Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

1. She (not / ride) her bike right now.

2. We (not / stay) at home tonight.

3. I (not / like) bananas.

4. They (not / know) the answer.

5. I (not / sit) in the garden at the moment.

questionn

Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

1. When (arrive / the plane) ?

2. (visit / you) Jane in hospital today?

3. What time (get up / you) in the mornings?

4. Why (cry / she) now?

5. (swim / they) in the pool at the moment?

Text

Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

1. I (live) in London.

2. This weekend, I (visit) my friends in Brighton.

3. The train to Brighton (leave) London at 6.45 in the morning.

4. In the early afternoon, we (want) to go on a sightseeing tour.

5. In the evening, we (go) to a concert.

6. The concert (start) at 8 o'clock.

7. I (come) back to London on Sunday.

8. My train (arrive) in London at 7.50 in the evening.

Check answ ers

SIMPLE PAST

Regular verb: To study→studied

Two years ago, I studied English in England. I didn’t study English in England two years ago.

Did you study English in England two years ago?

Irregular verb: To go→went

I went to Coimbra last month. I didn’t go to Coimbra last month.

Did you go to Coimbra last month? Use: We use the Simple Past to talk about an action that started and ended in the past. Time expressions such as: Yesterday, last week, two days ago, in 1999, during the Civil War, after the Roman invasion…require the Simple Past.

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was studying English when you called yesterday. I wasn’t studying English when you called yesterday. Were you studying English when I called yesterday?

Use: We use the Past continuous to express an action that lasted a while in the past. Expressions such as: when and while are often used to describe two long actions simultaneously or one long action that was interrupted by another short one. e.g: I was cooking while the children were eating. (2 long simultaneous actions) e.g. She was watching TV when the phone rang.

( One long action interrupted by a short action)

PAST SIMPLE OR PAST CONTINUOUS? (Corrigir as 5 no 8F)

1-When I (be) a little boy, I (not like) basketball.

2-When Frank (see) the policeman, he (put) the pen back.

3-Fred (go) home and (have) a shower before he (call) his sister.

4-While my sister (play) tennis, I (do) her homework.

5-Where you (go) yesterday when I (see) you?

6-I (want) to buy some bread yesterday, but the shopkeeper not (have) any.(8F)

7-They (play) with the dog when I (see) them.

8-Mandy (play) the piano while Jack (do) his homework? (9E)

9-When you last (open) this safe?

10-Jill (work) in the garden when it (begin) to rain.

11-Henry (finish) his newspaper while he (wait) for the bus.

12- Our plane (fly) over Scotland when the accident (happen).

13-The man (leave) the shop when the policeman (stop) him.

14-The teacher (correct) tests when the postman (ring) the bell.

http://englishlearner.com/tests/past_simple_-_past_continuous_quiz_1.shtml

PRESENT PERFECT

I have studied English in several different countries. I haven’t studied English.

Have you studied English?

Use: We use the present perfect to express an action that started in the past and is still going on.

Time adverbials such as: Still, already, not yet, lately, recently, for, since, so far, ever, never,

up till now, so far, how long require the present perfect.

not…. yet has the negative form added to the auxiliary and the adverb yet at the end of the sentence.

e.g. She hasn´t finished the painting yet.

Write the participle form of the following verbs.

1. go → 2.sing → 3.be → 4. buy → 5. do →

Complete the table in the present perfect tense

positive negative question

He has written a letter.

They have not stopped.

Have we danced?

She has worked.

Andy has not slept.

Write sentences in the present perfect simple

1. they / ask / a question - 2. he / speak / English - 3. I / be / in my room -

4. we / not / wash / the car - 5.Annie / not / forget / her homework -

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been studying English for five years. I haven’t been studying English for five years.

Have you been studying English for five years?

USE 1 Duration from the Past until Now

We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect Continuous.

They have been talking for the last hour.

She has been working at that company for three years.

What have you been doing for the last 30 minutes?

James has been teaching at the university since June.

We have been waiting here for over two hours!

Why has Nancy not been taking her medicine for the last three days?

USE 2 Recently, Lately

You can also use the Present Perfect Continuous WITHOUT a duration such as "for two weeks." Without the duration, the tense has a more general meaning of "lately." We often use the words "lately" or "recently" to emphasize this meaning.

Recently, I have been feeling really tired.

She has been watching too much television lately.

Have you been exercising lately?

Mary has been feeling a little depressed.

Lisa has not been practicing her English.

What have you been doing? We can translate this tense this way:

She has been watching too much television lately→ Ela tem andado a ver demasiado TV ultimamente.

estado

PAST PERFECT

I had studied a little English before I moved to the U.S.

Use: We use the Past Perfect to express an action that took place before an action that happened in the past.

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been studying English for five years before I moved to the U.S. I hadn’t been studying English for five years before I moved to the U.S. had you been studying English for five years before you moved to the

U.S. ? USE: The past perfect continuous tense is like the past perfect tense, but it expresses longer

actions in the past before another action in the past.

e.g. Ram started waiting at 9am. I arrived at 11am. When I arrived, Ram had been waiting

for two hours.

past perfect continuous tense had |

been |

doing |

>>>>>>>>>> |

|

|

|

|

past now future

SIMPLE FUTURE

With “Will” If you are having problems, I will help you study English.

I will not =(won’t)help you. Will you help me?

Use: We use “will” to express facts or things we believe to be true about the future: for decisions for the future made at the time of speaking (not sure);e.g. «OK, I’ll go with you!» for predictions about the future;e.g.« Cars will fly.» for Future actions. e.g.«She will become a computer engineer.»

With “Going to” I am going to study English next year.

I am not going to study English. Are you going to study English?

Use: We use “going to”…. ..when we have the intention to do something before we speak. Something planned in advance(sure);e.g.«I’m going to create new blog because I don’t like mine.» …..express predictions based on evidence or observation. e.g.«Everything is OK. The spaceshuttle is going to land».

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be studying English when you arrive tonight. I will not (=won´t) be studying English when you arrive tonight.

Will you be studying English when I arrive tonight?

I am going to be studying English when you arrive tonight.

USE: We mainly use the Future Continuous to indicate that we will be in the middle of

doing something in a specified time in the future.

There are also two other uses, listed below:

1. Future actions in progress

2. Guesses about the present or the future

3. Polite questions about somebody's intention

Good to know If you want to learn about somebody's intentions, you should always use the Future

Continuous rather than the Present Simple. Using the Future Simple implies that you

want to influence somebody's decision. Questions become much more objective if

formed in the Future Continuous.

Compare:

Will you come home? (= I want you to come home)

Will you be coming home? (= I just want to know)

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have studied every tense by the time I finish this course.

I am going to have studied every tense by the time I finish this course.

USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Future

The Future Perfect expresses the idea that something will occur before another action in the future. It can also show that something will happen before a specific time in the future.

Examples:

By next November, I will have received my promotion.

By the time he gets home, she is going to have cleaned the entire house.

I am not going to have finished this test by 3 o'clock.

Will she have learned enough Chinese to communicate before she moves to Beijing?

Sam is probably going to have completed the proposal by the time he leaves this afternoon.

By the time I finish this course, I will have taken ten tests.

How many countries are you going to have visited by the time you turn 50?

Notice in the examples above that the reference points (marked in italics) are in Simple Present rather than Simple Future. This is because the interruptions are in time clauses, and you cannot use future tenses in time clauses.

USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Future (Non-Continuous Verbs)

With Non-Continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Future Perfect to show that something will continue up until another action in the future.

Examples:

I will have been in London for six months by the time I leave.

By Monday, Susan is going to have had my book for a week.

Although the above use of Future Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs.

Future Perfect Continuous

I will have been studying English for over two hours by the time you arrive.

I am going to have been studying English for over two hours by the time you arrive.

Future Perfect Continuous

I will have been studying English for over two hours by the time you arrive.

I am going to have been studying English for over two hours

by the time you arrive

USE:

PAST PERFECT

I had studied a little English before I moved to the U.S.

Use: We use the Past Perfect to express an action that took place before an action that happened in the past.

Past ________________________________Present………….Future…..

I moved to the States I studied a little English I had studied a little English before I moved to the States.