English Tenses

SIMPLE PRESENT
 It speaks about actions that people repeatedly do as follows: a habit, a hobby, a
daily event, a scheduled event . There are some adverbs of frecuency: often, always
sometimes, never, usually, seldom, barely, narrowly.

 Bear in mind

 I wake up at 6 :00 am
 She does not play tennis.
 Does he play tennis?
 The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.
 The train does not leave at 9 AM.
 When does the train usually leave?
 She always forgets her purse.
 He never forgets his wallet.

-Sequence of actions in the present

To begin with with, i get to the park, warm up and workout for one hour.

Lina peels, cores and choppes the Apple up in slices.

- Facts or Generalizations

The simple present can also indicate the speaker believes that a fact was true
before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It is not important if the speaker is
correct about the fact. It is also used to make generalizations about people or
things.

If I don’t take a shower, I smell terrible . badly

Tunja is a cold city.

If you dont study, you dont learn
Colombian women are the most beautiful
Bogota is bigger than Tunja.

- Scheduled Events

It can speak either Public transportation or social events scheduled

Examples:

 The game between Colombia against Colombia kicks off at 5: 00 sharp

 The train leaves tonight at 6 sharp.
 The bus does not arrive at 11 AM, it arrives at 11 PM.
 My medical appoinment is due for next week

-Alejandra:What time does the party kick off?

-Sofia: The party kicks off at 8 pm.

 When does class begin tomorrow?

- Now (Non-Continuous Verbs) “states” emotions

Believe, doubt, feel, imagine, know, dislike,detest ,abhor, love, hate, prefer,
realize, recognize, remember, see, suppose, think, understand, want, wish,
appear, hear, look, see, seem, smell, sound, taste, agree, deny, astonish,
disagree, impress, mean, please, promise, satisfy, surprise, belong, concern,
consist, depend, fit, involve, lack, matter, need, owe, own, possess, weigh
 Examples:

 I agree with aleida about holding off the meeting for next week.
 The pizza tastes delicious.
 Karen loves going jogging at the weekend.
 I am here now.
 She is not here now.
 He needs help right now.
 He does not need help now..
 The idea sounds interesting

-Instructions

 Open your books at page 34.

 Walk down three blocks , then turn to the left and head to the White big
house.

Head over/ up /down

ACTIVITIES
- Write a personal routine.
- Make up sentences by using zero
conditionals, giving instructions,
facts and whatnot.
- Speak about likes and dislikes
- Personal description
 - Use WH questions such as( what,
where, when, what time,how, how
long, how far, how many, how
much, who, why. Whose, what
kind of .
- Build affirmative sentences and
turn into questions to differenciate
both the auxiliary TO BE and TO
DO.

SIMPLE PAST
Simple Past Uses
- Completed Action in the Past
Use the simple past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a
specific time in the past Some adverbs which can be used are: yesterday, last
night, last weekend, last year and so forth

He told me many kinds of things

Examples:

 I saw a movie yesterday.

 I didn't see a play yesterday.
 As of Tuesday last week , I traveled to Japan.
 Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.
 Did you have dinner last night?
 She washed her car.
 He didn't wash his car.

- Series of Completed Actions

We use the simple past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These
actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.

Examples:

 I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.

 He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00,
and met the others at 10:00.
 Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?

- Duration in the Past “how long”

The simple past can be used to explain the length of an activity: for two years, for
five minutes, all day, all year, etc.

Examples:

 Sofia: How long did you live in Spain?

Judith: I lived in spain for two years.

 Leonardo studied English for two years.

 They sat at the beach all day.
  They did not stay at the party the entire time.
 We talked on the phone for thirty minutes.
 A: How long did you wait for them?
B: We waited for one hour.

-Habits in the Past

The simple past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It
can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking
about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never,
when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.

Examples:

 I studied French when I was a child.

 He played the violin.
 Aleida would study English at the EPC when she lived in Tunja.
 He didn't play the piano.
 Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid?
 She worked at the movie theater after school.
 They never went to school, they always skipped class.

ACTIVITY
-Write a biografy, story or personal routine in past.

-Speak about an anecdote, story or personal routine.

-Ask questions by using WH.

 SIMPLE FUTURE
-To Express a Voluntary Action

"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary

action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Examples:

 I will give you a hand after I finish the homework

 I will send you the information when I get it.
 If I finish this work, I will get around to helping you out with the chores
 As soon as I get home , I will help you out in the  will translate the email, so
Mr. Smith can read it.social science test.

 I
 Will you help me move this heavy table?
 A: I'm really hungry.
B: I'll make some sandwiches.

-Rapid descisions

I am tired, I will take a nap

I am shivering. I will put a jacket.

I am sleepy. I will take a catnap/ nap

I just spained my ankle .I will take a taxi

-To Express a Promise

"Will" is usually used in promises.

Examples:

 I will call you when I arrive.

 As soon as I get home, I will give you a call / I will call you up
 If the students work efficiently, the teacher Leo will buy some snacks for
them .
 Don't worry, I'll be careful.
 I won't tell anyone your secret.

I ended up watching a movie

Hire

she appealed to him and viceversa

I began to work when the movie had just finished

-"Be going to" to Express a Plan

"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a
person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is
realistic or not.

Examples:

 After the class is over , i am going to buy a pizza

 George is going to buy some candies for us.
 I am going to visit my children at quarter past four .
 He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.
 A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?
B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.

 I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.

- "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction

Predictions are guesses about what might happen in the future. In "prediction"
sentences, Examples:

 The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.

 The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.
 Daniel looks sick!!!!!I think that my namesake is not going to be in class
tomorrow .
 There are dark clouds looming on the horizon , I think it s going to rain.
 It s
  George will be the next President.
 George is going to be the next President.

-“Be Going to “ inevitable sign

-I drank too much licor and feel a malaise right now. I am going to throw up.
When the situation is more likely to happen
Predictions
Cloudy ,v some dark clouds looming on the horizon.

ACTIVITY
Write sentences by thinking about plans,
promises, prediction
-kahoot

She took the cat in without my permission.

I didn’t like the cat at first, but then , I grew fond of him.
Find /found

PRESENT
CONTINUOUS
- Now

Hang out hung

To express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can
also be used to show that something is not happening now.
(Right now, now, at the moment, still, look out/watch out , look)

Examples:

 You are learning English now.

 You are not swimming now.
 Are you sleeping?
 I am sitting here right now.
 I am not standing.
 Is he sitting or standing?
 They are reading their books.
 They are not watching television.
 What are you doing?
 Why aren't you doing your homework?

Longer Actions in Progress Now

In English, "now" can mean: this second, today, this month, this year, this century,
and so on.

Activities that might not be doing it at this exact second.

This action is in progress and hasn’t finished.

 I am reading a great book.
. It refers to this moment of my life. I have started reading this book and I haven’t
finished it)

 I am staying at a local hotel because the roof of my house was damaged

during the storm.
(This situation is temporary.)

 Jack is learning Italian.
(It doesn’t necessarily mean he is learning the language right now at a desk with all
of his language books. It refers to this moment of his life.)

PAST CONTINOUS
- Interrupted Action in the Past

Use the past continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted.
The interruption is usually a shorter action in the simple past. Remember this can
be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.

Use the conjunction “When”

 Examples:

 We were playing kahoot, when pocho opened the door.
 I was practicing taekwondo when somebody knocked at the door

 I was watching TV when she called.

 When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.

Camila: What were you doing when the earthquake started?

Aleida: I was reading a book when, all of a sudden/suddenly, everything

rocked in my apartment.

I was sleeping, when the alarm went off.

 I was listening to my iPod when Sara came up to me to say hello.

 You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off.
I was working on some topics with the students when suddenly pocho glanced
around jthe window to tell me that the class had finished

-Specific Time as an Interruption telling stories.

In USE 1, described above, the past continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in

the simple past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

Examples:

Juanita: What were you doing last night?

Sonia: Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.

Yesterday at 8 pm, I was watching el man es german.

My mother woke me up

When somebody scared us.

My mother woke me up at 5 00 am

When I was watching el man es german, the tv exploded

I ate at 7 00 pm

Sofia was running to the library when an angry dog bit her .

Receiving

Hinder process

Partners

 At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.

 Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.

IMPORTANT
In the simple past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or
finished. In the past continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.

Examples:

I started eating at 6 PM. Past simple

 Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.

I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner.

- Parallel Actions

When you use the past continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it
expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. Examples:

 I was studying while he was making dinner.

 While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.
 Were you listening while he was talking?
 I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I made several
mistakes.
 What were you doing while you were waiting?
 Trustworthy
 I didn’t have the impetus
 I didnt pay attention
 I decided to study English thereafter ,
 Everybody has somebody to look up to

Skip

-Atmosphere

In English, we often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere at a

particular time in the past.

Example:

 When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were

talking on the phones, the boss was yelling directions, and customers were
waiting to be helped. One customer was yelling at a secretary
 and waving his hands. Others were complaining to each other about the bad
service.

FUTURE
CONTINUOUS
It speaks about the exact time we are going to be doing something.

Plan

I am going to be teaching at the EPC at 2:05 tomorrow.

Possibility.

If it does not rain, I think I will be training at the athletics track at 8 30 am.

Activity
Explain you your partner what are you going to be doing 

Tomorrow   at 7.
Saturday   midday
Sunday afternoon
Holiday
December 24 
December 31
 PRESENT PERFECT
-Something that happened in the past and continue in the present. If we don’t
want to specify the time , we can omit this information

I have lived in Tunja “for 9 years”.

I have lived in Tunja since 2010

- Experience

You can use the present perfect to describe your experiences.

Key adverbs :Ever, always, never

Examples:

 Nicolas has had a lot of girlfriends

 I have been to Cartagena.
 I have travelled to Cartagena by plane many times.

 Leo has spoken English with many native speakers

 I think I have seen that movie before.
 He has never traveled by train.
 Have you ever got into an abandon house at midnight?
Have you ever considered living in another country?
Have you ever told a white lie?
Have you ever broken a promise?
Have you ever felt remorse about something?
Have you ever lost something valuable?

http://www.canada-esl.com/lessonsmain/haveyouever.pdf have you ever

-An Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting

We often use the present perfect to say that an action which we expected has not
happened.

Examples:

Erick: did you already finish your homework?

Nicolas: no dude! I haven’t finished my homework yet. However, as soon as I finish

it, I will call you up.

 Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but she can get by .

 The rain hasn't stopped in tunja .

- Multiple Actions at Different Times

The process is not complete and more actions are possible.

Examples:

 I have taken a taxi twice this week.

 The army has attacked that city five times.

  I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.
 We have had many major problems while working on this project.
 She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but nobody knows
why she is sick.

- Accomplishments

We often use the present perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and
humanity. You cannot mention a specific time.

Examples:

 Real Madrid has won the champions league thirteen times.

 Man has walked on the Moon.
 Our son has learned how to read.

 Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.

 Scientists have split the atom.

Change Over Time

We often use the present perfect to talk about change that has happened over a
period of time.

Examples:

 You have grown since the last time I saw you.

 The government has become more interested in arts education.
 Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at the university
since the Asian studies program was established.
 My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.
 PRESENT PERFECT AND
PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
We use the present perfect tense to talk about things where there is a connection
between the past and the present.

 He’s written 16 books.

He started writing books at some time in the past. So far, he has written 16 books.
He may write more books.

As well as the present perfect simple, we can use the present perfect

continuous tense to talk about events with a connection to the present.

1 Look at these 2 sentences:

 I’ve been decorating the house this summer. The focus is on the action –
decorating – and the action is unfinished.

 I’ve painted the living room blue.  The focus is on the finished result. The
activity is finished but we can see the result now.

We use the present perfect continuous when the focus is on an activity that is

unfinished.

2 Look at these two sentences.

 I’ve read that book you lent me.  I finished it yesterday.

 I’ve been reading that book you lent me. I’ve got another 50 pages to read.

The present perfect simple (I’ve read) gives the idea of completion while

the present perfect continuous (I’ve been reading) suggests that something is
unfinished.

3 Look at these two sentences.

 She’s been writing emails for 3 hours.

 She’s written 10 messages.

The present perfect continuous (has been writing) talks about how long

something has been happening. The present perfect simple (has written) talks
about how much/how many have been completed.

4 Look at these two sentences.

 I’ve worked here for thirty years.

 I usually work in London but I’ve been working in Birmingham for the last 3
weeks.

We can use the present perfect simple to talk about how long when we view
something as permanent. But the present perfect continuous is often used to
show that something is temporary.