I. The Simple Present (base or base +
-s/ -es)
1. Water consists of Hydrogen.
2. Most animals kill only for food.
3. The world is round.
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The simple present says something
was true in the past, is true
in the present, and will be true
in the future. It is used for
general statement of fact.
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1. I study for two hours every
night.
2. My classes begin at nine.
3. He always eats a sandwich for
lunch.
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The simple present is used for
habitual or everyday activity.
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1. I have only a dollar right
now.
2. I don't recognize that man.
3. He needs a pen right now.
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The simple present is used with verbs
which aren't usually used in
the progressive (-ing) forms to
indicate a situation that exists
right now, at the moment of
speaking ***.
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*** some common examples: hear, taste, smell, see,
know, believe, think, understand, recognize, remember,
mean, possess, own, have, belong, want, prefer, need,
appreciate, love, like, hate, dislike, seem, look, appear.
II. The Present Progressive (am/is/are + base + -ing)
1. John is sleeping right now.
2. I need an umbrella because
it is raining.
3. John and Mary are talking.
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The present progressive
expresses an activity that
is in progress at the
moment of speaking. It
began in the recent past,
is continuing, and will
probably end at some
future time.
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1. I am taking five courses this
semester.
2. John is trying to improve himself.
3. She is writing another book.
4. It is becoming harder to find
inexpensive apartment in
New York City.
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Often the activity is of
a general nature: in
progress this week,
this month, this year, or
even a longer period.
Sentence 3 means that she
is engaged in writing a
book during this period,
but it doesnot mean that
at the moment of
speaking she is at
her desk with pen
in hand.
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III. The Simple Past (base + -ed or irregular form)
1. I walked to school yesterday.
2. He lived in Paris for ten
years.
3. I bought a new car three days
ago.
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The simple past indicates that
an activity or situation began
and ended at a particular time
in the past.
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1. I stood under a tree when it
began to rain.
2. When she heard an odd noise,
she got up.
3. When I dropped my cup, my
coffee spilled.
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If a sentence contains when and
uses the simple past in both
clauses, the action in the
when clause happened first.
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IV. The Past Progressive (was/were + base + -ing)
1. I was walking down the
street when it began to rain.
2. While I was walking down
the street, it began to rain.
3. I was standing under a tree
when it began to rain.
4. At eight o'clock last night,
I was studying.
5. Last year at this time,
I was going to school.
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The past progressive expresses
an activity that was in
progress when something else
occured in the past.
In 1, first I was walking
then it began to rain.
In 1, 2, & 3, one action began
earlier and was in progress
when the other action
occurred.
In 4, my studying began
before 8:00, was in progress
at that time, and probably
continued.
In 4 & 5 a continuous action
has occurred over an extended
time in the past.
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1. Last January, while you were
trudging through snow, I was
lying on the beach.
2. While I was studying, my
roomate was having a party.
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When two actions progress
simultaneously, the past
progressive is used in both
parts of the sentence.
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1. It rained this morning.
2. It was raining this
morning.
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Sometimes, the simple past and
the past progressive have almost
the same meaning.
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V. The Present Perfect (have / has + -ed / -en)
1. They have moved into a new
apartment.
2. Have you ever visited
Mexico?
3. I have already seen that
movie.
4. I have never seen it.
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The present perfect expresses
the idea that something
happened (or never happened)
before now, at an
unspecified time in the past.
The exact time is not
important. What is important
is that the time is viewed
from the present.
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1. We have had four tests so
far this semester.
2. I have written my wife a
letter every day for the past
two weeks.
3. I have met many people
since I arrived in June.
4. I have flown on an airplane
many times.
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The present perfect also
expresses the repetition
of an activity before now.
The exact time of each
repetition is not important.
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1. I have been here since
7:00.
2. We have been here for two
weeks.
3. I have had this pair of
shoes for three years.
4. I have known him for
many years.
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When used with for or since
the present perfect expresses
a situation that began in the past
and continues to the present.
Note:
since + a particular time
for + a duration of time
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VI. The Present Perfect Progressive (have/has + been +
base + -ing)
Right now I am sitting at
my desk.
1. I have been sitting here
since 9:00.
2. I have been sitting here for
7 hours.
3. You have been studying for
five hours.
4. He has been watching
television since 9:00 this
morning.
5. It has been raining all day.
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The present perfect
progressive is used to
indicate the duration of an
activity begun in the past
and continuing to the
present. In this meaning,
it is used with time words
such as for, since, all day,
all morning, all week.
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1. I have been thinking of
changing my major.
2. All the students have been
studying hard.
3. John has been doing a lot of
work on his thesis.
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When the tense is used
without any specific mention
of time, it expresses a
general activity in
progress recently.
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1. I have lived here since 1975.
I have been living here since 1975.
2. He has worked at the same store
for 10 years.
He has been working at the same
store for 10 years.
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With certain verbs (most notably
live, work, teach) there is little
or no difference in meaning
between the present perfect and
the present perfect progressive
when since or for is used.
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VII. The Past Perfect (had + -ed/-en)
1. My parents had already eaten
when I got home.
2. Until yesterday, I had never
heard about it.
3. The thief simply walked in.
Someone had forgotten to lock
the door.
4. He had arrived before we got
there.
5. He arrived before we got
there.
6. After the guests had gone, I went
to bed.
7. After the guests went, I went
to bed.
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The past perfect expresses an
activity that was completed
before another activity or time
in the past.
If before or after is used in
the sentence, the past perfect
is not necessary because
the time relationship is
already clear. In these cases,
the simple past may be
used.
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VIII. The Past Perfect Progressive (had + been + base
+ -ing)
1. The police had been looking
for the criminal for 2 years
before they caught him.
2. The patient had been waiting
in the emergency room for almost
an hour before a doctor treated
her.
3. Her skin was sunburned
because she had been lying
in the sun.
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The past perfect progressive
emphasizes the continuing
nature of an activity that
was in progress before
another activity or time in
the past.
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1. When Judy got home, her hair
was still wet because she
had been swimming.
2. Her eyes were red because
she had been crying.
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This tense also may express an
activity in progress recently
before another time or activity
in the past.
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IX. The Simple Future (will + base form, or be going
to + base)
1. He will finish work
2. He is going to finish
his work tomorrow.
3. I will wash the dishes.
4. I am going to wash the
dishes.
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The simple future is used to
express plans or predictions
likely to occur.
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1. Bob will come soon. When Bob
comes, we will see him.
2. Linda will leave soon. Before
she leaves, she is going to
finish some work.
3. I will get home at5:30. After
I get home, I will eat dinner.
4. The taxi will arrive in 5
minutes. As soon as it arrives,
we will go.
5. They are going to come soon.
I will wait here until they
come.
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The future is often expressed in
a conditional statement expressing
a time frame in which some
action(s) will occur. In such
statements the time clause,
beginning with words such as
when, before, after, as soon as,
and until uses the simple present
and the main clause uses the
simple future.
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1. I will go to bed after I
finish my work.
2. I will go to bed after I
have finished my work.
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Occasionally, the present perfect
is used in a time clause.
1 and 2 have the same meaning.
In 2, the present perfect tense
stresses the completion of the
act in the time clause before the
other act willoccur in the future.
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X. The Present Progressive and the Simple Present to
Express Future Time.
1. My wife has an appointment with the doctor.
She is seeing her next Tuesday.
2. Sam has already made his plans. He
is leaving at noon tomorrow.
3. What are you going to do this afternoon?
After lunch, I am meeting a friend.
We are going shopping.
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The present progressive may be used
to express future time when the
ideaof the sentence concerns a
planned event or definite intention.
The future meaning is indicated by
either future time words in the
sentence or by the context.
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1. The museum opens at 10:00 tomorrow.
2. Classes begin next week.
3. John's plane arrives at 6:05 next Monday.
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The simple present can indicate
future if the sentence contains
future time words such as tomorrow,
next week, and in three years.
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XI. The Future Progressive (will + be + base + -ing,
or be going to be + base + -ing)
1.I will begin to study at seven.
You will come at eight.
I will be studying when you come.
2. Right now I am sitting in
class. At this same time
tomorrow, I will be sitting
here again.
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The future progressive
expresses an activity that
is expected to progress
at a time in the future
when something else will happen.
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1. Don't call me at nine.
I am going to be studying at
the library.
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1. She will be coming soon.
2. She will come soon.
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Sometimes there is little or
no difference between the future
progressive and the simple future,
especially when the events will
occur at an indefinite time in
the future.
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XII. The Future Perfect (will + have + -ed/-en)
1. I will graduate in June.
I will see you in July.
By the time I see you, I will
have graduated.
2. I will have finished my
homework by the time I go out
tonight.
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The future perfect expresses an
activity that will be completed
before another time or event in
the future.
Note: as above, the future tense
is indicated only in the main clause
of the sentence.
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XIII. The Future Perfect Progressive (will + have +
been + base + -ing)
1. I will go to bed at 10 P.M.
He will get home at midnight.
At midnight I will be sleeping.
I will have been sleeping for
two hours when he gets home.
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The future perfect progressive
emphasizes the duration of
an activity that will be
in progress before another
time or event in the future.
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1. When Professor Jones retires
next month, he will have taught
for 45 years.
2. When Professor Jones retires
next month, he will have been
eaching for 45 years.
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Sometimes the future perfect and
the future perfect progressive
have the same meaning.
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