VERB TENSES

REVIEW 1

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Source: www.perfect-english-grammar.com

PRESENT
SIMPLE

PRESENT
CONTINUOUS

PRESENT
PERFECT
SIMPLE

PRESENT
PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

Events, actions, conditions that happen all the time.

Base form of the verb; add s for third person singular.
I play tennis at weekends, but he plays soccer. I dont sing, and he doesnt too.
Events or actions that are happening now.
Verb To BE + main verb ING form.
I am reading this presentation right now. S/He is listening to me.
Actions that happened in the past, but have a result or effect on the present.
Have / has + (not) + past participle of the main verb
She has read this book many times. / Your flowers have just arrived.
Actions that began in a point in the past and are still continuing.
Have / has (not) BEEN + main verb ING form.
It has been raining all afternoon. / I have been cleaning the house since this morning .

PRESENT TENSES
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Never use the

Present Perfect
with a finished
time word.

PRESENT
PERFECT
TENSE

Ive been
to the
museum
yesterday.

Present
Perfect
Tense
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PAST
SIMPLE

PAST
CONTINUOUS

Events, actions, conditions that happened in the past and are finished.
Regular verbs = add -ED. Irregular verbs = check simple past form. // Negative = DIDNT + base verb.
I visited my friend yesterday. She went to a party last Sunday. We didnt see that movie yet.
An event that was happening on a particular time in the past.
WAS / WERE (not) + main verb ING form.
I was reading a book when he arrived. They werent driving home; they were going to the club.

An action that had already finished when another action happened in the past.
HAD + (not) + past participle of the main verb
PAST PERFECT
SIMPLE
She had just finished cooking dinner when the doorbell rang.

Actions or events which started before a particular time in the past and were still in progress up to
that time in the past:
PAST PERFECT HAD (not) + BEEN + main verb ING form.
CONTINUOUS
The students had been collecting money for two months, before they were able to pay for the school trip.

PAST TENSES
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Present Perfect

Simple Past

vs.

I've known Julie for ten years.

(and

I knew Julie for ten years, but

then she moved away and we lost
touch.

My grandmother went to Mexico

three times.

I still know her)

My brother has been to Mexico

three times.

(She died, so the action cant be repeated)

(he can go there again)

I've lost my keys!

(Im at the door and I can't get into my house).

I've seen John this week.

(the week isnt finished yet)

I lost my keys yesterday. It was

terrible!
(I got new keys yesterday).

I saw John last week.

Compare
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FUTURE
SIMPLE

FUTURE
CONTINUOUS

FUTURE
PERFECT
SIMPLE

FUTURE
PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

Decision made at the moment of speaking; prediction based on opinion; promises, requests, etc.
Im cold. Ill close the window. / Ill help you with your homework. / I wont tell anyone.
Future plans made before the moment of speaking; prediction based on present evidence.
Im going to buy some shoes this weekend. / Be careful wiht that ball. You are going to break the window!

A continuous action in the future which is interrupted by a time or by another action.

WILL / WONT + BE + main verb ING form.
Ill be waiting for you when you arrive. / They wont be watching TV at 11pm.
To talk about an action that will finish before a certain time in the future.
WILL / WONT + HAVE + past participle of the main verb
By 10 oclock I will have finished the report. / By the time Im sixty, Ill have retired.

Duration before something in the future; cause of something in the future.

WILL / WONT + HAVE + BEEN + main verb ING form.
He started studying at 1pm. At 4pm, he will have been studying for 3 hours.
Jason will be tired when he gets home because he will have been jogging for over an hour.

FUTURE TENSES
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