Tense Basic Form Affirmative/Negative/Question Use Signal Words

Simple Present A: He speaks. Action in the present taking Always, every ,

Subject + Verb (Inf.) + N: He does not speak. place regularly, never or several never, normally,
Compl. Q: Does he speak? times often, seldom,
Facts sometimes, usually
Actions taking place one after If sentences type I (If I
another talk, )
Action set by a timetable or
schedule
Present Progressive A: He is speaking. Action taking place in the At the moment, just,
Subject + Be + Verb(ing) N: He is not speaking. moment of speaking just now, Listen!,
+ Compl. Q: Is he speaking? Action taking place only for a Look!, now, right now
limited period of time
Action arranged for the future
Simple Past A: He spoke. Action in the past taking place Yesterday, 2 minutes
Subject + Verb(past) + N: He did not speak. once, never or several times ago, in 1990, the other
Compl. Q: Did he speak? Actions taking place one after day, last Friday
another If sentence type II (If I
Action taking place in the talked, )
middle of another action
Past Progressive A: He was speaking. Action going on at a certain While, as long as
Subject + was/were + N: He was not speaking. time in the past
Verb(ing) + Compl. Q: Was he speaking? Actions taking place at the
same time
Action in the past that is
interrupted by another action
Present Perfect Simple A: He has spoken. Putting emphasis on the result Already, ever, just,
Subject + have/has + N: He has not spoken. Action that is still going on never, not yet, so far,
Verb(participle) + Compl. Q: Has he spoken? Action that stopped recently till now, up to now
Finished action that has an
influence on the present
Action that has taken place
once, never or several times
before the moment of speaking
Past Perfect Simple A: He had spoken. Action taking place before a Already, just, never,
Subject + had + Verb N: He had not spoken. certain time in the past not yet, once, until
(participle) + Compl. Q: Had he spoken? Sometimes interchangeable that day
with past perfect progressive If sentence type III (If I
Putting emphasis only on the had talked, )
fact (not the duration)
Future I Simple A: He will speak. Action in the future that cannot In a year, next ,
Subject + will + Verb N: He will not speak. be influenced tomorrow
(Inf.) + Compl. Q: Will he speak? Spontaneous decision If-Satz Typ I (If you ask
Assumption with regard to the her, she will help you.)
future Assumption: I think,
probably, perhaps
Future I Simple A: He is going to speak. Decision made for the future In one year, next
(going to) N: He is not going to speak. Conclusion with regard to the week, tomorrow
Subject + be + going to + Q: Is he going to speak? future
Verb(Inf.) + Compl.
Present simple common mistakes
Common mistakes
I working in London.
He work in London.
He work in London?
Work he in London?
He not work in London.
Present continuous common mistakes
Common mistakes
They still waiting for you.
They are still waiting for you?
Do they still waiting for you?
Where they are waiting for you?
She doesn't watching TV.
I'm believing you.
Past simple common mistakes
Common mistakes
I was work in london
Correct version
I work in London.
He works in London.
Does he work in London?
Does he work in London?
He doesn't work in London.
Correct version
They are still waiting for you.
Are they still waiting for you?
Are they still waiting for you?
Where are they waiting for you?
She isn't watching TV.
I believe you.
Correct version
I worked in London.
Why?
The gerund ing form is not used in
the present simple.
The third person he , she , it adds
the letter s .
Questions - third person:
does + subject + infinitive.
All other persons:
do + subject + infinitive.
Negatives - third person:
subject + doesn't + infinitive.
All other persons:
subject + don't + infinitive.
Why?
to form a continuous tense we
use be + -ing.
In questions the subject ( they )
and the auxiliary verb ( be ) change
places.
To form the negative we
put not after the verb be (am not,
is not = isn't, are not = aren't).
Some verbs are not used in
continuous tenses - these are
called stative verbs (e.g. believe,
come from, cost, depend, exist,
feel, hate, like ).
Why?
In positive sentences, a helping
verb such as 'was' or 'did' is not
used.
He worked in London? Did he work in London? The helping verb 'did' is used in
past simple questions.

Worked he in London? Did he work in London? The helping verb 'did' is used in
past simple questions.

Did he wrote a letter? Did he write a letter? The main verb is used in the
infinitive form in questions and
negatives.

He didn't wrote a letter. He didn't write a letter. The main verb is used in the
infinitive form in questions and
negatives.

Past continuous common mistakes

Common mistakes Correct version Why?

I waiting for him almost two hours. I was waiting for him almost two To form the past continuous we
hours. usewas/were + ing.

What did he doing when you saw What was he doing when you saw
him? him?

We were playing tennis every We played tennis every morning. We use the past simple for
morning. repeated actions in the past.

They watched TV when I came. They were watching TV when I We use the past continuous when
came. we want to say what was
happening (what was in progress)
at a particular time in the past.

Present perfect simple common mistakes

Common mistakes Correct version Why?

Steven has wrote a new book Steven has written a new book. The past participle of the verb
must be used - wrote is past
simple, written is the past
participle.

Did you have seen him before? Have you seen him before? The helping verb 'have' is used in
the present perfect- it is inverted
with the person ( you
have becomes have you ).

I didn't have seen him before. I haven't seen him before. The helping verb 'have' is used in
the present perfect- to make it
negative we simply add not ( n't ).
I am here since last week.
I've been knowing him for 5 years.
Past perfect simple common mistakes
Common mistakes
I didn't been to London.
When I saw him, I noticed that he
had a haircut.
He told me has been to London.
Future simple common mistakes
Common mistakes
- The phone's ringing.
- OK, I'm going to answer it.
I'm sure he is going to help you.
I won't probably be there.
I promise I'm going to help.
I'll call you when I'll come to my
office.
I have been here since last week.
I've known him for 5 years.
Correct version
I hadn't been to London.
When I saw him I noticed that
he had had a haircut.
He told me he had been to London.
Correct version
Ok - I'll answer it.
I'm sure he will help you.
I probably won't be there.
I 'll probably be there.
I promise I'll help.
I'll call you when I come to my
office.
The present perfect is used to
show an action which continues to
the present (an unfinished action).
Verbs such as know , want , like ,
etc. (stative verbs) suggest
permanent states, not actions, so
are used in the simple form, NOT
the -ing form.
Why?
The helping verb had (negative
- hadn't ) is used in the past
perfect.
The action (haircut) which
happened before another past
action must be put into the past
perfect to make the time order
clear to the listener.
His original words were: ''I have
been to London.'' However, in
reported speech we move the
tense back - the present perfect
( have been ) becomes past perfect
( had been ).
Why?
If the action is decided at the
moment of speaking, we use 'will' /
'will not'.
When we say what we think or
expect, we use 'will'.
The adverbs 'definitely' and
'probably' comes before 'won't' but
after 'will'.
After 'promise' we usually use 'will',
not the 'going to' future.
When we refer to the future in
adverbial clauses, we normally use
 the present simple (after 'when', 'as
soon as' and 'until').

If you will give me your address, I'll If you give me your address, I'll When we refer to the future in
send you a postcard. send you a postcard. conditional clauses, we normally
use the present simple.

I can't see you next week. I will I can't see you next week. I am To show that the decision was
return to Paris. returning/am going to return to made in the past, we use the
Paris. present continuous or the 'going to'
future.

Present tenses used for the future

We use the present simple when we talk about The train leaves at 12.00.
timetables and programmes. What time does the film begin?

We use the present continuous when we talk about I'm going to the cinema this evening.
things we have already arranged to do. I'm not working tomorrow.

'going to' for future common mistakes

Common mistakes Correct version Why?

You know that I'll buy a new car, You know that I am going to buy a We use going to for a future action
don't you? new car, don't you? that has been decided before the
time of speaking.

Look! You will drop your books. Look! You are going to drop your We use going to if we see (and are
books. sure) that the action will happen.