ENGLISH TENSES 1. Present Simple a) Form:
+ Subject + verb+s (if it is 3rd person singular) - Subject + don’t / doesn’t (if 3 person singular) + verb ? Do / Does (if 3 person singular) + subject + verb rd
Example: + She lives in Edinburgh - She doesn’t live in Edinburgh ? Does she live in Edinburgh?
rd
b) Uses - Usual actions, routines or things we do repeatedly. - Universal truths (things that are always true – or that the speaker believes to be true)
c) Time expressions. Frequency Adverbs: - They are always placed before the main verb – except with the verb TO BE. In this case they follow the verb. Always – Siempre Often – A menudo Usually – habitualmente Sometimes – A veces Rarely – Rara vez Seldom/hardly ever – casi nunca Never - Nunca
Every +
day week month year …
Todos los/las
Días Semanas Meses Años …
Once Twice Three times Four times Five times
a
Una vez Dos veces Tres veces al Cuatro veces a la Cinco veces
day week month year … día semana mes año …
By José Ángel Ballesteros Lorenzo
2. Present Continuous a) Form:
+ Subject + am/is / are + verb - Subject + am not/isn’t/aren’t + verb ? am/is / are + subject + verb
Example:
+ing
+ She is reading a magazine - She isn’t reading a magazine ? Is she reading a magazine?
+ing
+ing
b) Uses -Actions in progress (unfinished) at the time of speaking. Now
The action starts
The action finishes
- Arrangements for the future (planes fijados para el futuro)
c) Time expressions. - Now ahora - At present en el presente, actualmente - In this moment, at the moment en este momento - Today hoy - This week/month… esta semana/mes…
By José Ángel Ballesteros Lorenzo
3. Past simple a) Form: Example:
+ Subject + verb - Subject + didn’t + verb ? Did + subject + verb +ed*
+ She worked in a factory - She didn’t work in a factory ? Did she work in a factory?
* verb+ed Represents the verb + the past morpheme. With regular verbs, the past morpheme adds the suffix –ed to the verb. With irregular verbs, it causes a change in the form of the verb.
b) Uses -Actions that happened at a specific time in the past.
c) Time expressions.
Last
Week
One
hour(s)
Yesterday
Month
Two
day(s)
In 1492
Year
Three
week(s)
Weekend
Four
month(s)
Summer/winter…
Five
year(s)
AGO
In the 15th century …
By José Ángel Ballesteros Lorenzo
4. Past Continuous a) Form:
+ Subject + was/were + verb - Subject wasn’t/weren’t + verb ? Was/Were + subject + verb
Example:
+ing
+ She was reading a magazine - She wasn’t reading a magazine ? Was she reading a magazine?
+ing
+ing
b) Uses -Actions in progress (unfinished) at a specific time in the past. Yesterday at 7 o‘clock
The action starts
Now
The action finishes
c) Time expressions. -Yesterday at 7 o’clock… -WHEN + sentence with verb in the past simple Susan was watching T.V. when Jack arrived.
When Jack arrived
She starts Watching TV
Now
She finishes watching TV
By José Ángel Ballesteros Lorenzo
5. Present Perfect a) Form:
+ Subject + have / has (if 3rd person singular) + verb past participle* - Subject + haven’t / hasn’t (if3rd person singular) + verb past participle ? have / has (if 3 person singular) + subject + verb past participle
Example: + We have studied English - We haven’t studied English ? Have we studied English?
rd
* past participle regular verbs = verb +ed ; Irregular verbs = 3rd column of list.
b) Uses 1- Actions that started in the past and last up to the present. With time expressions 1 2- Actions that happened at an unspecified in the past. With time expressions 2 3- Actions that have happened in a very recent past. With time expressions 3
c) Time expressions. 1
2
3
For + time span (periodo de tiempo)
Yet: always placed at the end of the sentence
Just: Always placed before the main verb.
Since + the time when the action started (el momento en que comenzó la acción)
In negative sentences todavía
I have just seen Mary.
In interrogative sentences ya
Acabo de ver a Mary.
I have lived in Guildford for five years
I haven’t finished my homework yet. No he terminado mis deberes todavía.
I have lived in Guildford since 2007.
Have you eaten breakfast yet? ¿Has desayunado ya?
Already: Always placed before the main verb In affirmatives ya I have already called Joe. Ya he llamado a Joe. By José Ángel Ballesteros Lorenzo
6. THE FUTURE a) Form WILL
BE GOING TO
+
Subject + will + verb (base form)
Subject + am/is/are + going to + verb (base form)
-
Subject + won’t + verb (base form)
Subject + am not/isn’t/aren’t + going to + verb (base form)
¿
Will + subject + verb (base form)
Am/Is/Are + subject + going to + verb (base form)
b) Uses Predictions
Plans or Decisions
General predictions
Spontaneous decisions
Predictions based on present evidence
Previously made.
WILL
BE GOING TO
Promises
Offers
X
X
c) Time expressions
NEXT
Week
In the future
Month
In 2031
Year
In July, in August…
Summer/ Winter… Christmas …
By José Ángel Ballesteros Lorenzo