Simple Present:
Use
| Describing routines, regular events or facts, feelings or states
|
Structure
|
|
Signal words
| always, never, often, seldom, rarely, sometimes, usually, normally, regularly, etc.
every day, every week, every month, … |
Positive statement
| I walk, she walks, they take, he takes |
Negative statement
| I don’t walk, she doesn’t walk, they don’t take, he doesn’t take |
Question
| Do I walk? Does she walk? Do they take? Does he take? |
Present: Present Progressive
Use
| Describing things that happen at the moment of speech or things that happen exceptionally; talking about a plan that happens in the near future
|
Structure
| am/are/is (simple present form of to be) + Infinitive + ing |
Signal words
| at the moment, right now, just, now, at present, currently, Look! |
Positive statement
| I am walking, she is walking, they are taking, he is taking |
Negative statement
| I am not walking, she isn't walking, they aren't taking, he isn't taking |
Question
| Am I walking? Is she walking? Are they taking? Is he taking? |
Past: Simple Past
Use
| Talking about things that happened in the past and are completed or over at the moment of speech
|
Structure
|
|
Signal words
| yesterday, the other day, in 2009, when, at that time
two days ago, a week ago, a month ago, …
last night, last week, last month, … |
Positive statement
| I walked, she walked, they took, he took |
Negative statement
| I didn't walk, she didn't walk, they didn't take, he didn't take |
Question
| Did I walk? Did she walk? Did they take? Did he take? |
Past: Past Progressive
Use
| Describing actions or things that were in progress in the past, even if something else suddenly interrupted this progress
|
Structure
| was/were (simple past form of to be) + Infinitive + ing |
Signal words
| while |
Positive statement
| I was walking, she was walking, they were taking, he was taking |
Negative statement
| I wasn't walking, she wasn't walking, they weren't taking, he wasn't taking |
Question
| Was I walking? Was she walking? Were they taking? Was he taking? |
Past: Present Perfect Simple
Use
| Emphasising the result of something, talking about things that happened at an unknown time in the past, describing things that happened in the past and are not yet completed or over at the moment of speech
|
Structure
| have/has (simple present form of to have) + past participle |
Signal words
| since, for, already, yet, before, ever, never, still not, so far, just, up to now, recently, until now |
Positive statement
| I have walked, she has walked, they have taken, he has taken |
Negative statement
| I haven't walked, she hasn't walked, they haven't taken, he hasn't taken |
Question
| Have I walked? Has she walked? Have they taken? Has he taken? |
Past: Present Perfect Progressive
Use
| Emphasising the duration of something, describing things that started happening in the past and are still going on at the moment of speech and/or influence the present
|
Structure
| have/has (simple present form of to have) + been + Infinitive + ing |
Signal words
| for, since, how long, all day, all day long, the whole day/week/month/year |
Positive statement
| I have been walking, she has been walking, they have been taking, he has been taking |
Negative statement
| I haven't been walking, she hasn't been walking, they haven't been taking, he hasn't been taking |
Question
| Have I been walking? Has she been walking? Have they been taking? Has he been taking? |
Past: Past Perfect Simple
Use
| Emphasising that something in the past stopped or was over when something else began, describing the fact that something happened before a certain time
|
Structure
| had (simple past form of to have) + past participle |
Signal words
| already, until that day, never, just |
Positive statement
| I had walked, she had walked, they had taken, he had taken |
Negative statement
| I hadn't walked, she hadn't walked, they hadn't taken, he hadn't taken |
Question
| Had I walked? Had she walked? Had they taken? Had he taken? |
Past: Past Perfect Progressive
Use
| Emphasising the progress or duration of something, describing things that happened in the past and stopped or were over at a certain time later in the past
|
Structure
| had (simple past form of to have) + been + Infinitive + ing |
Signal words
| for, since, how long, all day, after, before |
Positive statement
| I had been walking, she had been walking, they had been taking, he had been taking |
Negative statement
| I hadn't been walking, she hadn't been walking, they hadn't been taking, he hadn't been taking |
Question
| Had I been walking? Had she been walking? Had they been taking? Had he been taking? |
Future: Will-Future
Use
| Describing things that will certainly happen in the future, talking about expectations, hopes or assumptions, spontaneous decisions
|
Structure
| will + Infinitive |
Signal words
| tomorrow, next week/month/year, in 2021, expect, believe, hope, suppose, think, probably |
Positive statement
| I will walk, she will walk, they will take, he will take |
Negative statement
| I won't walk, she won't walk, they won't take, he won't take |
Question
| Will I walk? Will she walk? Will they take? Will he take? |
Future: Going-to-Future
Use
| Describing plans and aims in the future, implications, talking about things that will happen in the near future
|
Structure
| am/are/is (simple present form of to be) + going to + Infinitive |
Signal words
| tomorrow, next week/month/year, in 2011 |
Positive statement
| I am going to walk, she is going to walk, they are going to take, he is going to take |
Negative statement
| I am not going to walk, she isn't going to walk, they aren't going to take, he isn't going to take |
Question
| Am I going to walk? Is she going to walk? Are they going to take? Is he going to take? |
Future: Future Progressive
Use
| Describing things that will be in progress in the future, talking about things that usually happen in the future
|
Structure
| will + be + Infinitive + ing |
Signal words
| tomorrow, next week/month/year, in 2041 |
Positive statement
| I will be walking, she will be walking, they will be taking, he will be taking |
Negative statement
| I won't be walking, she won't be walking, they won't be taking, he won't be taking |
Question
| Will I be walking? Will she be walking? Will they be taking? Will he be taking? |
Future: Future Perfect
Use
| Talking about things that will be completed or over at a certain time in the future
|
Structure
| will + have + past participle |
Signal words
| until, before
by the end of the day, by the end of the week, by the end of the month, … |
Positive statement
| I will have walked, she will have walked, they will have taken, he will have taken |
Negative statement
| I won't have walked, she won't have walked, they won't have taken, he won't have taken |
Question
| Will I have walked? Will she have walked? Will they have taken? Will he have taken? |
Take a look at the following examples:
- I was listening to music peacefully when you interrupted me with your quarrelling.
- Mary called me on the phone while she was taking out the dog.
- What was it you were doing at that time?
In the exercise below you can test your understanding of the past progressive. Put the words in brackets into the past progressive!
For example:
- Toby _____ the dishes, when Marc suddenly entered the room. (to wash)
Toby was washing the dishes, when Marc suddenly entered the room.
Now let's do something a little bit more difficult! In the second exercise, you will have to choose between simple past and past progressive. Think about what you read above and decide which tense would be better in the context!