The Present Tenses

Simple Present Tense

It is used to say what we usually do. What we do can be a habit, a daily event, or something that often happens.

Example:

I play basketball on Saturdays.

I don't play basketball on Saturdays.

Do I play basketball on Saturdays?

She likes to play with her dog.

She doesn't like to play with her dog.

Does she like to play with her dog?

It is also used for scheduled events in the future.

Example: My bus leaves at 6:00 P.M. tomorrow. 

 Present Progressive/Continious Tense

It is used to say what we are doing NOW.

Example:   I am reading now.

She is not sleeping now.

Are they eating their lunch?

Present Perfect Tense

It is used to talk about something has happened at some point in our lives before now and not finished yet. The exact time the action happened is not important.

We don't use specific time expression with Present Perfect Tense such as yesterday, last semester, last week. We use unspecific time expressions such as ever, never, many times, before, so far, already, yet,etc...

Example:

I haven't seen him yet.

Has she ever met Brian?

They have been to Europe. 

Present Perfect Progressive/Continuous

It is used to say how long we have been doing something. We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. "For ten minutes," "for three weeks," and "since Monday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect Continuous. The situation in Present Perfect Progressive is usually not finished and it will probably continue into the future.

Example:

I have been reading my book for two hours. (that means I started to read my book two hours ago and am still reading it or just finished reading it.)

He has not been feeling well.

Have they been sleeping?

 Simple Past Tense

We use the Simple Past Tense to talk about things that are now finished. The simple past tense regular vers in formed by adding -d or -ed.  

Example: 

He was a teacher. (that means he was a teacher in the past but he is not a teacher anymore.)

We ate spaghetti last night.

We didn't eat spaghetti last night. 

Did we eat spaghetti last night?

He came to school yesterday.

He didn't come to school yesterday.

Did he come to school yesterday?

Click for a list of irregular verbs

Past Progressive

We use the past progressive to describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past. The action began before the specific time and may or may not continue after specific time.

Example: 

I was having dinner at 6:00 P.M. 

Were you sleeping when the doctor came ?

Was she doing her homework at 9:00?

We weren't listening to the professor in class.

We use past progressive with "while" to talk about two actions in progress at the same time in the past. We use the past progressive in both sentences.

Example:  She was doing her homework while listening to music.

Past Perfect Tense

We use past perfect to show that something happened before a specific time in the past. We use the past perfect for earlier event and simple past for later event. We often use past parfect with "by".

Example: 

By 1999 she had become famous.

By the time I got home, my favorite programme "Friends" had finished.

When the the police arrived, he had already escaped. (First he escaped, then the police arrived)

I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet. 

I had never seen such a beautiful play in my life.

Had you studied English before you came to this country?

Past Perfect Continious/Progressive 

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. "For five minutes" and "for two weeks" are both durations which can be used with the Past Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect Continious; however, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

 Examples:

I finally saw Jack at 2:00 P.M. I had been waiting for him for three hours.

He had been working at that school for four years when it was closed.

One of the foatball players fainted. He hadn't been drinking enough water. 

Had you only been waiting there for two minutes when she arrived?

Simple Future Tense 

Simple Future has two different forms  "will" and "be going to (am, is, are, was, were + going to)".

We use "will" to express voluntary action or a promise.

I will clean the table. (voluntary)

Will you help me solve this problem?

I will not (won't) do your work for you.

We use "be going to" to expressa plan.

I am going to go to Itally this summer. (plan)

I am not going to allow  him  to make fun of me anymore.

Are you gong to go to the prom?

Is she going to go to Jack's party? 

Future Progressive Tense 

Future Continuous has two different forms: "will be doing " and "be going to be doing.  Future progressive tense is used to indicate action which will be taking place at some time in the future.

It is often used with time expressions and a present tense verb to show the "time frame" in which a future action will happen:

"I'll be reading the next chapter when we meet again."

She will be joining the rest of the group next week.

He won't be coming home soon.

Will you be waithing for me when the plane arrives tomorrow?

Are you going to be waithing for me when the plane arrives tomorrow?

Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to be reading my book.
(I will be in the process of my book.)

 

Future Perfect Tense

Future Perfect has two different forms: "will have done" and "be going to have done."

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.

Example: 

You will have learned English by the time you graduate high school. 

You will not have learned English by the time you graduate high school.

 Will you have learned English by the time you graduate high school?

I am not going to have finished reading my book by 8 o'clock.

I am going to have finished reading my book by 8 o'clock.

Am I  going to have finished reading my book by 8 o'clock?

Future Perfect Progressive 

Future Perfect Continuous has two different forms: "will have been doing " and "be going to have been doing." 

• You will have been waiting for more than two hours when his bus finally arrives.
• Will you have been waiting for more than two hours when his bus finally arrives?
• You will not have been waiting for more than two hours when his bus finally arrives.

• You are going to have been waiting for more than two hours when his bus finally arrives.
• Are you going to have been waiting for more than two hours when his bus finally arrives?
• You are not going to have been waiting for more than two hours when his bus finally arrives.

Tip: You can use either "will" or "be going to" in Future Perfect Continuous Tense  with little or no difference in meaning.

Now do the following exercises

• Verb Tenses 1
• Simple Past Tense Exercise 1
• Simple Past Tense Exercise 2
• Simple Past Tense Exercise 3
• Simple Past Tense Exercise 4
• Simple Past Tense Exercise 5
• Biography of Shakira (Verb Tenses)
• Biography of Emily Dickinson (Verb Tenses)

• Social Revolution (verb tenses)