GRAMMAR TENSE STRUCTURES
Tense
Present Simple
[infinitive]
Present Continuous
[is/am/are + ing]
Present Perfect Simple
[have/has +/past participle]
Present perfect Continuous
[Have/has +been+ing]
Past Simple
[past simple form]
Past Continuous
[was/were+ing]
Rule Example Sentence
 Nancy works in a restaurant downtown.
 Nancy trabaja en un restaurante del centro.
1. a habit  Does Nancy work in a restaurant downtown?
 ¿Nancy trabaja en un restaurante del centro?
2. a fact or something true
 No, she doesn't work in a restaurant
3. timetables downtown
 No, ella no trabaja en un restaurante del
centro.
1. an activity now  She has been working
 Ella ha estado trabajando
2. a temporary activity
 She’s been working
3. an arranged future  Ella ha estado trabajando
 I have met that girl before.
 He conocido a esa chica antes.
1. an action that occurred in the past and connects to now  Have you seen Lacy today? (The day is not
2. a past experience over yet.)
 Adverbs (for/since/ just/never/ever /yet/still)  ¿ Has visto a Lacy hoy? (El día aún no ha
 Time expressions (today / recently / this morning..) terminado.)
 They have lived here for ten years.
 Han vivido aquí durante diez años.
 I have been driving = I've been driving
 He estado conduciendo = He estado
conduciendo
 I have not been driving = I haven't been
driving
 No he estado conduciendo = No he estado
1. an activity that started in the past but continues up to now. conduciendo
 He has been sleeping = He's been sleeping
 Ha estado durmiendo = Ha estado durmiendo
 He has not been sleeping = He hasn't been
sleeping
 No ha estado durmiendo = No ha estado
durmiendo
 I was in London in 1999.
 Yo estaba en Londres en 1999.
 Were you in London last year?
1. a finished action in the past
 Estuviste en Londres el año pasado?
 I wasn't in Paris in 1999.
 Yo no estaba en París en 1999.
 Yesterday evening I was watching a film,
when someone knocked on the door.
1. an activity /activities in the past /
 Ayer por la tarde estaba viendo una película,
2. an activity in progress when another action took place.
cuando alguien llamó a la puerta.
 Where were you going, this morning at 7:30?

Past perfect Simple
[had + past participle]
Past Perfect Continuous
[had+been+ing]
Future Simple
[will+infinitive]
Future simple
[going+to+infinitive]
Future Continuous (time)
[will+be+ing]
Future Perfect Simple
[will+been+past participle]
Future Perfect Continuous
[will+have+been+ing]
 ¿A dónde ibas , esta mañana a las 7:30?
 We weren't playing cards.
 No estábamos jugando a las cartas.
 I had worked.
 Yo he trabajado.
 You had worked.
 Habías trabajado
 I had not worked.
 Yo no habia trabajado
1. the past of the past (before / after / when)
 You had not worked.
 No habías trabajado.
 had I worked?
 habia trabajado
 had you worked?
 habías trabajado?
 You had been working.
 Habías estado trabajando
 You had not been working.
1. a past activity of a past action (before / after/when)
 No habías estado trabajando.
 Had I been working?
 ¿Había estado trabajando?
 I will open the door. Someone is ringing the
bell.
1. future facts  Yo voy a abrir la puerta. Alguien está tocando
2. predictions el timbre.
3. spontaneous decisions  Will you buy a computer?
4. promises, offers, threats  ¿Comprarás una computadora?
 I will not stay at home if I finish the homework.
 No me quedaré en casa si termino la tarea.
 She’s going to be in Thailand next summer.
 Ella estará en Tailandia el próximo verano.
1. plans & decision made before speaking  She’s not going to buy the house.
2. predictions made with present evidence  Ella no va a comprar la casa.
 What are you going to do next weekend?
 ¿Qué harás el próximo fin de semana?
 I will/'ll be watching TV.
 Estaré viendo la televisión.
 I will not/won't be watching a football match.
1. an activity in the future
 No voy a ver un partido de fútbol.
 Will you be watching TV?
 ¿Estarás viendo la televisión?
 I will / 'll have finished.
 Lo habré terminado.
 I won't have finished.
1. an action will be completed sometime in the future (by / in)
 No habré / no habré terminado.
 will you have finished?
 habrás terminado?
 I will have been teaching
1. an activity will be completed sometime in the future (by/ in)  Habré estado enseñando
 I will not/won't have been teaching.
 No habré enseñado
 will you have been teaching?
 ¿habrás estado enseñando?