SIMPLE (present, past, future)

The Present Simple is the most basic and common tense in the English language. It expresses:

1. Facts, generalizations and universal truths

 Water boils at 100 degrees Celcius. Universal Truths
 The Earth goes around the Sun. Universal Truths, Facts
2. Habits and routines
 We leave for work at 7:30 AM every morning. Routine
 My husband watches the TV in the evening. Habit, Routine
3. Permanent situations
 I live in Boston
 He works as a fireman.
4. Events that are certain to happen
 My grandmother turns 100 this July.
 Winter starts on 21 December.
5. Arrangements that we can't change (e.g. timetables, official meetings)
 The meeting starts at 4 PM.
 The train leaves at the noon.
6. State verbs (e.g. be, have, suppose, know)
7. Narrations (e.g. telling a joke), instructions or commentaries
 A man goes to visit a friend and is amazed to find him playing chess with his dog. He watches the
game in astonishment for a while [...]

We use the Past Simple to talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past. The actions can
be short or long. There can be a few actions happening one ofter another.

USE
1. Events in the past that are now finished
 John cut his finger last week.
 I went to college 3 years ago.
2. Situation in the past
 I lived in New York for 10 years (I don't live there anymore).
3. A series of actions in the past
 He entered a room, lit a cigarette and smiled at the guests.

The Future Simple is used in many situations such as when making promises or predictions.

USE
1. Promises
 I promise I will buy you this toy.
 Promise you will never leave me!
2. Unplanned actions (spontaneous decisions)
 Don't worry! I will help you with this problem.
 I will close the window. It's starting to rain.
3. Predictions based on experience or intuition
 It will rain in a moment.
 It will get more difficult.

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 CONTINUOUS (present, past, future)
The Present Continuous is mainly used to express the idea that something is happening at the moment
of speaking. The Present Continuous also describes activities generally in progress (this means that they
don't have to take place right now). Another use of the tense is to talk about temporary actions or future
plans.

USE
1. Present actions
 He is eating a dinner.
 Mary is talking with her friends.
2. Temporary actions
 I'm riding a bike to get to work because my car is broken. Temporary Action (His car will soon be
repaired)
 They are not talking with each other after the last argument. Temporary Action (They will soon
make up)
3. Longer actions in progress
 They are working hard to earn money.
 I am training to become a professional footballer.
4. Future (personal) arrangements and plans
 I'm meeting Katie in the evening.
 He's flying to Rome in September.
5. Tendencies and trends
 The Internet is becoming less of a novelty.
 The Universe is expanding .
6. Irritation
 She is continually complaining about everything!
 My boss is contantly critising me!

We usually use the Past Continuous to talk about activities that lasted for some time in the past. The
actions can be interrupted by something or can be happening at the same time.

USE
1. Duration in the past
 I was watching TV yesterday in the evening.
 She was sleeping on the couch.
2. Interrupted actions in progress
 I was talking with James when the telephone rang.
 While Angelica was playing tennis, the plane crashed .
3. Actions in progress at the same time in the past
 I was watching TV and Barbara was reading a book.
 While Barbara was reading a bok was eating the dinner and talking.
4. Irritation
 She was always coming late for dinner!
5. Timid / polite question
 I was wondering if you could open the window.
 I was thinking you might help me with this problem.

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 We mainly use the Future Continuous to indicate that we will be in the middle of doing something in a
specified time in the future.
USE
1. Future actions in progress
 In an hour, I will be sitting in front of my TV.
 In the evening, I will be baking a birthday cake.
2. Guesses about the present or the future
 He won't be coming any time soon. He is still at the office.
 Beatrice will be getting married very soon.
The Present Perfect Continuous:
USE
1. Actions that started in the past and continue in the present
 He has been painting the house for 5 hours. He's still painting it
 I have been working as a fireman since 1973. I still work as a fireman
2. Actions that have recently stopped
 I have been waiting for you for half an hour! >I'm not waiting anymore because you have come
 Look at her eyes! I'm sure she has been crying. She stopped crying when she saw them
3. Temporary actions and situations
 I have been living in Boston for two months.
 I have been working as a waitress for the past week.

PERFECT
The Present Perfect is used to express actions that happened at an indefinite time or that began in the
past and continue in the present. This tense is also used when an activity has an effect on the
present moment.

USE
1. Actions which happened at an indefinite (unknown) time before now
 I have already had a breakfast.
 He has been to England.
2. Actions in the past which have an effect on the present moment
 He has finished his work. (so he can now rest)
 I have already eaten the dinner. (so I'm not hungry)
3. Actions which began in the past and continue in the present
 Mary has worked as a teacher for over 25 years.
 Patrick has achieved a lot in his life.

Use the following time expressions with the Present Perfect:

 Already, yet, before, never, recently, at last, ever, just, lately, since, for

We use the Past Perfect tense to emphasize that an action in the past finished before another action in
the past started. This tense is also used in reported speech, third conditional sentences, or to show
dissatisfaction with the past.

USE
1. Completed action before another action in the past
 I had finished my homework before I went playing football.
 John had never been to London before we went there last year.

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2. Third conditional sentences
 If we had gone by taxi, we wouldn't have been late.
 If Mary had studied harder, she would have passed the exam.
3. Reported speech
 Mary said she had already seen this film.
 He asked if I had read Harry Potter.
4. Dissatisfaction with the past
 I wish I had taken more food. I'm hungry now.
 If only I had taken more food. I'm hungry now.

We use the Future Perfect tense to talk about actions that will be finished before some point in the future.
We also use this tense to express situations that will last for a specified period of time at a definite moment
in the future. The last use is to express certainty that an action was completed.

USE
1. Completion before a specified point in the future
 Before they come, we will have cleaned up the house.
 John will have eaten the whole cake, by the time the birthday party starts!
2. Actions or situations that will last in the future (for a specified time)
 By the next year, I will have known Monica for 30 years.
 Patrick will have lived in Hong Kong for 20 years by 2012.
3. Certainty that an action was completed
 The train will have left by now. We have to look for another way to get there. (I'm sure the train
has left)
 The guests will have arrived at the hotel by now. (I'm sure the guests have arrived at the hotel)