VERB TENSES

Time has three basic divisions

TIME

PAST

PRESENT

FUTURE

However, we look at what happens in these

divisions in different ways.
We can look at each division of time to see:
what is in process at a specific moment
(Continuous)
what happened before a specific moment
(Perfect)
or the two together.

In this course, we have discussed the uses

of
the present forms,
the past perfect, past continuous, past
simple forms, and
the different ways the future is talked
about.
So, lets have a quick review of each of
these tenses.

THE PRESENT TENSE

PRESENT

Present Perfect
Continuous
now

....

Present
Perfect

now

Present
Continuous

Present
Simple

XXX

X
XXXX

The simple present tense is used to describe

general truths and facts, and actions and situations
that are usual, routine.

Water boils at 100 C.

The earth is round.

Ronaldo plays soccer.

My aunt lives in Rio.

The present continuous describes actions and

situations which are in process, temporary, not
finished.
She is eating.
He is swimming.
He is playing soccer.

My aunt is visiting New York.

The present perfect expresses actions that happened

before now, at na indefinite time in the past.
I have visited New York twice.
He has fallen asleep
in the train.

The boy hasnt finished his breakfast.

He hasnt combed his hair yet.

The present perfect continuous describes an

action that happened for a period of time at an
indefinite time in the past. It can also describe na
action that started in the past and continues to the
present.
Shes been living in this house for 35 years,

The boy has been playing with the dog all morning.

Hes been working for five hours

Shes been talking on the phone for 45 minutes.

THE PAST TENSE

PAST

Past Perfect

Past Continuous

now

Past Simple
now

now

XXX

The past simple is used to describe an action that

happened in the past but is now finished.

He walked to work yesterday.

The baby fell asleep early last night.

She went to Rio last January.

My father lived on a farm as a child.

The past continuous expresses an action that

happened for a period of time in the past.
They were having a class from 2 to 4 yesterday.

He was riding his bike when he fell.

He was reading the paper

when they called his name.

The past perfect is used to describe na action that

started and finished before another action, and
both actions happened in the past.
They had picked most of the apples before we
arrived there.

My friends had finished dinner

when I arrived at the restaurant.

The plane had left by the time we got to the airport.

THE FUTURE TENSE

FUTURE
SIMPLE

WILL
now

GOING TO
now

Will is used to express a prediction or a future

fact. It is also used to express a decision made at
the moment of speaking.
Earth will be a wonderful place to live in 50 years.
(prediction)

We will go on vacation tomorrow.

(future fact)

Your plate is chipped. I will change it for you.

(decision at the moment of speaking)

Going to expresses a future plan or intention or a

prediction based on a present fact.
Hes going to travel.
(plan or intention)

Its going to rain.

(prediction based on a present fact)
Shes going to have a baby.
(prediction based on a present fact)