TENSES

INFOGRAPHICS
 ALWAYS TRUE
Two and two make four. PERMANENT SITUATIONS
I live in London.

SHORT ACTIONS NOW

H e takes the ball and scores a goal!

PRESENT
HABITS

She plays tennis every Tuesday.

U se w ith: tw ice a m onth, on

F ridays, often, som etim es.

PRESENT SIMPLE

FUTURE

FUTURE TIMETABLES
O ur train leaves at 11am. FUTURE IN TIME CLAUSES
U se w ith: this even ing, at 10 I won't go out until it stops raining.
o'clock, tom orrow.

U se w ith: until, w hen, as soon as,

after, before.
UNFINISHED ACTIONS NOW
I'm working at the moment.

U se w ith: now , at the m om ent.

TEMPORARY SITUATIONS
I'm living in London.

Use with: at the m om ent, for a few

w eeks, for a couple of m onth s.

PRESENT

TEMPORARY HABITS
H e's eating a lot these days.

U se w ith: at the m om ent, these

days.

ANNOYING HABITS
PRESENT You're forever losing your keys!

CONTINUOUS U se w ith: alw ays, forever,

constantly.

FUTURE

DEFINITE FUTURE PLANS

I'm meeting my father tomorrow.

Use with: tomorrow, later, at 7pm

tonight, on T uesday.
 UNFINISHED

HOW LONG

I've known Karen since 1994.

PRESENT She's lived in London for three years.
PERFECT SIMPLE
U se w ith: since 2010, since July,
for ten years, for three days.

UNFINISHED TIME WORD

I haven't seen her this m onth.
FINISHED
U se w ith: this w eek, today, this
m onth, this year.

PRESENT RESULT
I've lost my keys (so I can't get into my
house).
LIFE EXPERIENCE
I've been to Tokyo.

U se w ith: ever, never.

NEWS / RECENT EVENTS
T he Q ueen has given a speech.

Use with: just / yet / already / recently.

 PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

FINISHED

PRESENT RESULT
I've been working (that's why I'm tired).
UNFINISHED

HOW LONG
TEMPORARY SITUATIONS
I've been living in London for two years.
She's been w orking here since 2004. I've been going to the gym a lot recently.

U se w ith: recently.
U se w ith: since 2010, since July, for
ten years, for three days.
FINISHED TIME WORD
I w ent to the cinema yesterday.
U se w ith: yesterday, last night, in
2003, 6 m onths ago.
FINISHED TIME PERIOD
Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa.

PAST
DETAILS OF NEWS
I've hurt my leg. I fell off a ladder.

U se w ith: the present perfect.

ACTIONS IN STORIES

PAST SIMPLE H e sat dow n and ordered a coffee.

U se w ith: the past continuous.

PR E SE NT / UNREAL / IMAGINARY THINGS

FUTURE
If I won the lottery, I would buy a house.

U se w ith: w ish, it's tim e, second

conditional.
 OVERLAPPING ACTION
I was walking to the station when I
m et John.

U se w ith: w hen + past sim ple,

tw o o'clock, 7pm . STORY BACKGROUND
The birds w ere singing and the sun
was shining. Amy sat down.

U se w ith: the past sim ple.

SOME PAST HABITS

She w as constantly singing.

U se w ith: alw ays, forever,

constantly, at that tim e, in those
days. PAST
CONTINUOUS

EMPHASIS OF LENGTH OF ACTION

I was working in the garden all day.

U se w ith: all day, all evening, for hours.

ACTION FINISHED BEFORE ANOTHER PAST ACTION
When we arrived, the film had started.

U se w ith: w hen + past sim ple, June, last T uesday.

HOW LONG TO A POINT IN THE PAST

W hen he graduated, he had been in London for six years.

U se w ith: w hen + past sim ple, for + tim e.

PAST
PERFECT

UNREAL THINGS IN THE PAST

I wish I hadn't gone to bed so late!

U se w ith: third conditionals, w ish.

 PAST PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

HOW LONG TO A POINT

IN THE PAST
She had been w orking at that company
for a year w hen she m et Jam es.

Use with: when + past simple, for

+ time. RESULT AT A TIME IN THE
PAST

The pavem ent w as w et. It had been

raining.

U se w ith: the past sim ple.

FUTURE PREDICTION
The sun will rise at 7 am.
I think the Conservatives will win the
next election.

PROMISES / REQUESTS /
REFUSALS / OFFERS
I'll help you with your homework.

WILL FUTURE CONDITIONALS

If it doesn't rain, we'll go to the park.

U se w ith: the first conditional.

homework.

FUTURE SIMPLE PLANS AND INTENTIONS

A: We've run out of milk.
B: I know. I'm going to buy some.

BE GOING FUTURE PREDICTION

TO
The sky is getting darker and darker. It's
going to rain.
 FUTURE
CONTINUOUS

OVERLAPPING ACTION
I'll be waiting when you arrive.

U se w ith: w hen + present sim ple, at 8pm .

FUTURE AS A MATTER OF COURSE

The government will be making a statement later.

U se w ith: later, tonight, next w eek on the 2nd of Septem ber.

 HOW LONG TO A POINT IN THE FUTURE
When we get married, I'll have known Robert for four years.

U se w ith: w hen + present sim ple, by the tim e +

present sim ple, for + tim e.

FUTURE
PERFECT SIMPLE

ACTION FINISHED BEFORE A POINT IN THE FUTURE

By ten o'clock, I will have finished my homework.

U se w ith: by three o'clock, by Friday, when + present sim ple, by the tim e
+ present sim ple.
 HOW LONG TO A POINT IN THE FUTURE
In April, she will have been teaching for twelve years.

U se w ith: w hen + present sim ple, by the tim e + present

sim ple, for + tim e.

FUTURE
PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

ACTION FINISHED BEFORE A POINT IN THE FUTURE

When I see you, I'll have been studying, so I'll be tired.

U se w ith: w hen + present sim ple, by the tim e + present sim ple.