Verb Tenses

Tense Uses Time

expressions
a. Daily routines Adverbs of
He works in a bank frequency (usually,
b. General truths always, never…),
Present
The sun sets in the west every
Simple
c. Timetables and programmes day/month/year, in
The plane arrives at 8.30 the morning… at
the weekend.
a. For actions taking place at the moment
of speaking.
Now, at the
She’s having a shower at the moment.
moment, at
b. For temporary actions
present, these
Present I’m looking for a job these days
days, still,
Continuous c. For actions that have been arranged in
nowadays, today,
the near future
tonight… (except
They’re moving into their new house
for future use)
next week.

a. Complete actions in the past

Yesterday, then,
I went camping last month
… ago, last
Past simple b. Past habits
night/week…, in
Kitchens were very different a hundred
1997…
years ago.
a. An action in progress in the past
What were you doing at 7 o’clock last
night?
b. An action in progress interrupted by
While, when, as,
Past another one.
all
continuous He was walking down the street when
morning/evening…
he ran into an old friend.
c. Simultaneous past actions
She was talking on her mobile phone
while she was driving to work
a. Predictions
I think Erica will pass the exam
b. On-the-spot decisions Tomorrow, the day
Future simple
I’ll take this leg of lamb. after tomorrow,
b. Promises tonight, soon, next
I will tell you everything soon. week/year…, in a
a. Plans and intentions in the future week/month…, in
I’m going to buy a new house two/three
Be going to b. Predictions when there is evidence that days/weeks…
something will happen
Look at the clouds! It’s going to rain
 Tense Uses Time
expressions
a. An action which will be in progress in
the future
This time next
This time next week I’ll be
week/year/month…
Future sunbathing in the sun.
and other time
Continuous b. An action which will definitely happen
expressions with future
in the future as the result of a routine
reference
or arrangement.
I’ll be seeing Julie later.
For an action which will be finished
Future before a stated future time. Before, by, by then, by
perfect She will have finished by 8 o’clock the time, until, till

a. An action which started in the past

and continues up to the present.
She has lived in this house for three
years.
For, since, already,
b. An action that has recently finished
yet, always, just, ever,
She has just washed her hair.
Present never, so far, today,
c. An action which is not over at the
Perfect this week/month…,
moment of speaking.
how long, lately,
She has taken fifteen pictures today
recently
d. An action happening at an unstated
time in the past.
The Taylors have bought a sailing
boat.
a. To put emphasis on the duration on
an action which started in the past
and continues up to the present.
Sam has been talking on the phone
Present For, since, how long,
for half an hour.
Perfect lately, recently, all
b. An action which started in the past
Continuous morning/year…
and lasted for some time. The action
may have finished or may still be
going on.
She has been walking all morning.
An action happening before another
Before, after, already,
past.
just, for, since, till, until,
Past perfect She had finished work when she
when, by, by the time,
met her friends.
never
To put emphasis on the duration of an
action which started and finished in the
Past perfect past before another past. For, since, how long,
continuous They had been looking for a house before, until
for six months before they found one
they liked.