TENSE SYSTEM
ti ..-
I
,
Present Simple
Present Continuous
Present Perfect
Present Pert connnuous
Affirmative
Afflrmative
Affirmative
Affirmative
I work
! am woti
j have worked
j have been working
You have worked
You have been working He hasbeen working ete
Negative
Negative
Negative
t don't work You don't work He doesn't work etc
l'm not working
1haven't worked
! haven't
You aren't working
You haven't worked
You haven't been working
He isn't working
He hasn't worked ste
He hasn't been working ate
Interrogative
Interrogative
Interrogative
Interrogative
Do I work? Do you work? Does he work? ete
Am I worl
Have I work ed?
Are you working?
Have you worked? Has he worked? ete
Have I been working? Have you been working? Has he beon working? etc
permanent sltuatlons or states He lives in
temporary sltuatlons She ;s working in Paris
recentty comp!eted acuons.oe fJcvor ..
a caravan.
this week.
permanent truths or laws of nature Water bofls at 1oo·C.
changing Of developlng sltuatlons Mary ls pult/ng on weight.
He hss etA the grasso (The action is comp!ete.
repeated/habitual actlons (especlally with
frequently repeated aetlons with always, constantly,
complete
past actions conneeted te the present
past actlons of certain duratlon naving vislble
frequencyadverbs:
continuallyexpresslng
with
resunsor effects in the
often. usually,
annoyance or criticlsm
time reference
present
always etc) He always
He's always asking stupid questions. (Here "aiways"
He hss sold his car.
He nas been fighfing. Ittet's why he's gat a black eye.
You work He works
.
ete
does his homework.
ls he working?
He has worked
ete
ete
ete
Negative
actions
.sr~
beon workinq
started
in the past
The grass is now cut. -
and cOiltinuing up to the present. He has been washing flis bike for an nour. (He started an hour
evidence
age and he's stili washing it.)
V'I
;€.~••..
in the present)
-.- _~~.,Jnstated·
(Now he has no car.)
ayy.~~E,~~~t-~'~1!!1~~~+.::z::z~.:.·;;:::,::,:·;;t~t~1!-~.~,":~$~~~~'~;!;.~;'~f/;;pfp'#f" revlews/spot1s
cornrnentartes/
aetlons happenlng at or around the moment of
dramatic
speaking
narrative
Pavarotti sings wonderfufly in this opere. tlmetabies/programmes (future
meaning)
The race starls at 3.00. In exclamatory sentences
I have learnt a tot this year.
to express anqer, trrnanon, armoyance, explanatlon or criticism Someone has been Iying to me. (annoyance)
emphasis
Present Pertect Continuou$
personal experlences/ changes
which have
happeneđ
The baby is sleeping the moment. . fixed arrangements
at
In
on number
the near Mure
He has read three novels
normaliy used with for, slnce
I'm seeing Rachel tonight.
this week. She has intefViewed seven
or how long to put emphasls
students this moming.
Here comes the bride!
She has been waiting since 4 o'cioc«.
on duration
Present Simple
Present Continuous
Present Perfect & Present Perfeet Contlnuous
every day/week/month(
now, at the moment, at
just, ever, never, a!ready, yet (negatlons &: questlons),
present,
always,
year, usually,
sometlmes,
always, rarely, never, otten, in the morningl evening/afternoon, at night, on Mondays etc
is
nowa.days,
today, tonlght, always, stil! etc
how long, so tar, recently,
stnce
t=
from a
startlnq point in the past), for (:: over a period of time), today, this weeklmonth etc For and slnce are usual!y used with Prcsent Perfect Continuous to ernphaslse the duration of an action f1ti :J:'" j'~! .:
r .: li\...,'to.,.l r-. t:;~
D\
'I bz>, ,_ J
(!()
t~,
PastSimple, ( VAaMA.O -
~~,
\
o",
_-'~I..:.' ~
-;:
: jJJtĐ'~Jf:'
O/CO ,.~",.~ Past Continuous DU -1<'[\i4.Lo
Past Perteet
Past Perf. Continuous
Af1irmative
Affirmative
Affirmative
Affirmative
I worked You worked He worked ete
I was working You were workinq He was working ete
! had workad You had worked
He had workeo etc
I had been working You had been working He had been working etc
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
! didn't work You didn't work He didn't work etc
I wasn't working You weren't working He wasn't worl\ing ete
[ hadn't worked You hadn't work ed He hadn't worked etc
YOU
lnterroqatlve
!nterrogative
lnterroqatlve
lnterroqatlve
Dld I wcrk? Did you work? Did he work? ete
Was J working'? Were you working? Was ile working? etc
Had I worked? Had you worked? Had he worksd? ete
Had! been working? Had you been wori
past actlons which
action In the mlddle of nappening at a stated past time Iwas liv;ng in soein this time fast yaar, .
past action which occurred betore another action or before a stated past time
He had spent alll1is money by the end of the month.
action continuing over a period up to a speclfic time in the past Sile had been trying to get a visa for months before she gJve up.
past action in progress interrupted by another past action, The longer action ls in the Past Contlnuous, the shorter action is in the Past
complete past action which had vislble results In the past He was delighted becsuse he had four.d a new job.
past action of certain duratlon which had vlstble resutts in the past Her fjngers hurt because she had been playing the
happened one immediately after the other He got in the car, started th9 engin,e 81?d drC}ve.QfJ.. b O\iY\\}\.es
'
~
past hablt or stale
,
,
He use« to wafk}walked to work every day. complete action or event which happened at a stated past time
I hadn't been working hadn't been working
He hadn't been working etc
guitar all day_
'~:;$l~*~~~~jt~t?tl~~~~t~~t4!-:~;?!~tt*h~1~~f~~~~.;~: 1.::_-:;,;~~-'i:~~~~;::.;-;:: l~.~:~ ';.-~<:':--'-.,-' "'h'
i
week ("Whenr "l.es:
I
week" . stated past time) complete past actions n.W. S2Dnect~d to the present with a stated or Implied time reference Elvis Pres/ey made lots of records. (Elvis is dead; Ile
won't
record any more. -
period of time now
finished - implied time reference)
,,--
•. ~-~',
•• ;~.~
I was p/aying f6otba/f when I broke myankle.
two or more simuttaneous past actlons of certatn duration
He was cooking while she was s!eeping. or background descriptlon to events in a storyI description They were travelling to Swsnsea..
There was no pudding tett; lie had eaten it all. (Presen! Peiiect: There 's no pudding tett; he hes eaten it
the Past Pertect Cont. is the past equlvalont of the Present Perfeet He stayed in bed that day because he had beef) feeling iii ali week. (Present Petiect: He 's
all.)
stay;ng in beo today
the Past Pertect is the past equlvatent of the
Present Pertect
becsuse hes been fr~eling il! all week.)
Time Expressions usually used with Past Forms Past Simple yesterday, last week ctc, (how long} ag o, tnen, just now, when, lli 1992 ete
Past Continuous
Whire;;~:-~-~k the moment that ete
Pen. Continuous
Past Pertect
Past
for, since, aireaoy, after, just, never, yet, betore, by, by the time etc
fer, since
Futura Simple (Will)
Bc going to
Future conuuocus
Future Pertect
Affirmative
Affirmative
Affirmative
Aftirmative
1will work You will work He will work etc
1am going to work You are going to work He is going to work ete
i will be working You will be working He will be working etc
I wifl have worked etc Negatlve r won't nave worked etc Interroqative
Negative
NegaUve
Negative
Will I have work ed? etc
1won't work You won't work
l'rn not going to work You're not going to work
He won't work etc
He's not going to work etc
You won't be wor~ing He won't be working ete
lnterrogatlve
Interrogat!ve
lnterroqatlve
Shall/WiH I work? Will you work? Will he work? etc
Arn I going to work? Are you going to work? ls he going to work? ste
Will I be workinq? Wi!i you be workinq? Will he be working? etc
i won't be working
Future Perfect Cont. Affirmatlve ! will have beon working etc Negative ! won't have oeen wor\dng etc
InterrogatIve Will I have been working'? etc
deelstons taken at the moment of speaklng (on-the-spot declslons) !t's cold in bere. f'1i tum on the heating.
actlons intended to b{! pertermed in the near future rm going t9 bar sotne new cJothes next week,
actlons in progress at a stated tunrre time l'Ube skiing in the A/ps this Christmas.
Futllf'C Perfect action finlshed betore a stated tuture time They will have (inished
building
their house by May,
hopes, fears, tnreats, onere, promlses, warnlngs, predietions, requests, comments etc, esp. with: expect, hope, believe, I'm sure, I'm afrald, probably
planned actlons or intent!ons Now that she's rich, sbe'» going to travel round the
actlons which are the result of a routtne (instead of Present Continuous)
world.
tomorrow,
f'1f be going
to the bank
ff go there every Friday - i(S\p~lrtof my
Note: by or not ... until/tili
are used with Puture Peri, Until/tm are normaUy used with Future Pei1ect only in negative sentences. She will hav€! wr~uen ~t.by next
until tomorrow, actlons Of predlctlons which may (not) happen In the tuture She'lI probabfy wit». or actions which we cannot control and will
evidence that somethlng will definltely happen in the near futura Il tooss. fike the plane
is
going
to
lake
off now, I think t'm going
to ne
sick!
Inevitab!y happen The baby wiil IJe bOrTI after Cflri.stmas.
when we ask potitely about people's arranqements to sea if they can do sth for us er because we want to ofter to do sth for thern. you tie driving into town /his
wm
eiternooti?
Futura Pertect Cont. duration of an action up to a certaln time in the future By this time next month he will
nev«
been studying
the pieno tor 2 years.
Ccm you give me
cl lift? thlnqs we are not yet sure about or we haven't declded to do yet Maybe !'lI buy
a car,
Note: Shali is used with l/we in questions, suggestions,
otters or
when askinq for advice Shali we p!ay tennis?
thir.gs we are sure about or we have a!ready decidad to do in the near tuture Thev ere going to
Present Simple with tuture meantnq
Present Conttnuous with future meaning
tlmetab!esipmgrammes
otter the job to Ann. (It hes been oecioeo.)
o 'ctock in the morning.
fixed arranqernent in the near tuture !'m having dinner with
The boat
!caves
at 8
Jane this eveoina. (tt's oete.)
B
Shali is used:
Will is used:
with I/we in questions, SU9gestions,offers asking for advlce, Shali we go for a wafk? Who shali f invite?
or wnon
to express
otters, threats, prornlses, predtctlons,
warnlnqs, requests, hopes, tears, on-the-spot .declstons, comrnents (mainly with: think, expect, betieve, l'm sure, hope, know, suppose and probably). I'm sure John will pass his drMng test.
. '\C;:o.·t;~·;11~;:~r.lt~~·~:'·.Y:;~f·~ri.~~:~itJt~l,tl;.ns;;:y'~~'~';~i!h;r{f'~.: .:'. "0
Futura S!mple& Be going to
Futura Pertect
tomorrow, tonight, next weekJm
.~"
Future Pertect Cont.
in two(three etc days, the day after tomorrow,
before, by, by then, by the time, (until ls used only In
soon, In a weekJmonth ete
negative sentences with
by ... for
this tense)
STATE VERBS SIMPLE
~INK COME J?_EE
_ .
. ..
HAVE
I-~E
_~__
-
'"";.'--l-=
~Inlon was born, live in understat'\d ~ossess _~ identity I character
SMELL
;,<
T ASTE
perception -
WEIGH
meosuremenr
~I
==r=-CONTINUOUS
+
mental"ac_t_iv_it..LY __ travel,....;.f_r_o_m~.
1__.__
various activities
I
behaviour
I
-I --l
consult
I
J
I
_
act of perception mecsurement
~~!-J~~.. ~:~~:.::~~ '.~. ~~~=~~~"!on' .:_...~!:~~.~~~,tffi!fvrry: .:~':C~
{~~~ ... ---...---------..-- :~fi:~: "--j--nove a soff tex+ure
f-------. MIND
_r;>EPEND ON FIT
APPEAR EXPECT
__
o
HURT
ACHE
..__~ake care of
!equire .. be t.he..!:!.9~t.E~e._
__ ._ reiy_!:!pon
__
seem su~po:,e ._
ENJOY - general! specific preference ,
FEEL (experience)
touch --------4
._object to _~
SEE - LOOK AT HEAR - LISTEN TO
LOOK (cppeoronce)
ex~~~~tnce--·-----
o
r J.
__~~ toke port be preqncnt
_
. __
THE FUTURE It has been often said that English dQeS nntJJm a future tense as many other languages do. Instead, there are several forms which express future events, and which one the user selects depends on how he or she sees the avent as much as its certainty or nearness to the present The main forms are given heta in order of frequency:
cc=
Future Sjmpl~
.-._~.-_~
1. simple predictions or expectations..e...:1 ljĆ('. +('Ćj j The sun will rise at 6.30 tomorrow morning.
i.J(-SS .
The Queen willopen the new hospital next Thursday. 2. spontaneous or instant decisions and intentions aboot the immediate future. The phone is ringing. I will answer rU
What a lovety shitt! ni buy il
[II.
Going to Futura
\):'Yfpi"-~'e-d'
=:::-------..
- \) --!
~------]
'+D b(~~ <)C:i\j
l.·; .." ..j~(~
1. ~~~editated intentionsand plans '---.. -, -,: After Christmas, I am going to get a job and save up. I am going to decorate the bathroom this weekend. 2. predictions based on evidence of knowfedge. My nose is tickJing. I am going to sneeze. Theyre looking very angry. I think they are going to start throwing
stones.
[m.
Present Continuous
The Present Continuous is used to 1refef to Mure actions of event which have already been arranged (usually for the near Mure). We are spending the summer with our friends in Greece. Are you doIng anything interesnog this weekend?
Rememberl
/--~--",.~
The Present Continuous cannot be used to express a Mure event that h~Snot<:'j been arranged ~ human beings. <. ~// It is raiRiRg tomorrow The sun ls tising at 5.00 tomorrow morning.
[JY..
The Present Si!"ple
The Present Simple is used to express a Mure event which is seen as beiog certain because of a timetable, schedule or calendar, What time does the film start:? My train gets in at 11.00. The Cup Final takes place on April 17.
[v.--=The
Future
~ontinuous__
.
Form: S .•.be + Present Participle of the main verb
1. events or actions that
wm be in progress
around a specific time in the future.
This time tomorrow. I will be travelling through France. This time next week, we will be thinking about the holidays and not future forms. 2. actions that will occur in the natura' CQUrseof evef!t§.. independentJy of the will ar intention of anyooe directly coocemed. This tense can also be used to predict future trands. developments or tendencies. In a few minutes we will be landlng at pleso Airport. In the 2~ century peop1e will be IlvIng to the age of 130. The bus will be leaving any minute: Hurry upi 3. casual or polite question abou! someone's futura pIans. The speaker is trying not to impose hislherwiU in anyway. Will you be using the car tonight? ff not. couk1l have it?
Will you be brlnging Kate to the party? (I am just a'Sking.) [VI.
- The Future Perfect Simple and Continuous
arthe
vero
Form: S + will + have+-F'asfPaiticiple mahl (SimJlte) -. -.. -.- .. -.s + will + have + been + Present Participle of the main verb (Continuous) The Future Per1ect expresses an action that will have finished before a definite time in the future. . I will have finished my work by the time you gat back. By the year 2007. you will have left your grammar schooI. On Saturday we will have been livlng hera for ttvee years. HOTES
1. Shali is sometimes used mstead of will after I and we. 2. Shali must be used to start a question which are suggestions and offers, Shali we phone to soo what time the film starts? Shali Icarry that heavy case for you? OTHER WAYS OF REFERRING TO THE FUTURE 1. To be about to + infinitive This is used to talk about acaons ar events which we expect to happen in the imrnediate futura. I must huny - the train is about to leave. 2. To be on the point of + Present ParticipJe of the main verb The train is on the point of Jeaving. CIose the doors!
..-
