BASIC USES OF THE ENGLISH TENSES

TENSES USES EXAMPLE

Present Simple  Use the Simple Present to express  The train leaves every morning at 8
the idea that an action is repeated or am.
usual. The action can be a habit, a hobby,
a daily event, a scheduled event or
something that often happens. It can also
be something a person often forgets or
usually does not do.
 It is also used to make  Cats like milk.
generalizations about people or things
 Sometimes speakers use the Simple  He needs help right now.
Present to express the idea that an action
is happening or is not happening now.
This can only be done with Non-
continuous Verbs.

Present Continuous  Use the Present Continuous with  You are learning English now.
Continuous Verbs 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.
 Sometimes we use the Present  I am studying to become a doctor.
Continuous to say that we are in the
process of doing a longer action which is
in progress; however, we might not be
doing it at this exact second.
 Sometimes, speakers use the  I am meeting some friends after work.
Present Continuous to indicate that
something will or will not happen in the
near future.

 The Present Continuous with words  He is constantly talking. I wish he
such as "always" or "constantly" would shut up.
expresses the idea that something
irritating or shocking often happens.
Notice that the meaning is like Simple
Present but with negative emotion.
Remember to put the words "always" or
"constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing."
Present Perfect  We use the Present Perfect to say  I have seen that movie twenty times.
that an action happened at an unspecified
time before now. The exact time is not
important. You CANNOT use the Present
Perfect with time expressions such as
"yesterday," "one year ago," "last week,"
"when I was a chlid," "when I lived in
Japan," "at that moment," "that day" or
"one day." We CAN use the Present
Perfect with expressions like "ever,"
"never," "once," "many times," "several
times," "before," "so far," "already" and
"yet."(Experience)

 We use the Present Perfect to show  I have had a cold for two weeks.
that something started in the past and has
continued up until now. "For five minutes,"
"for two weeks" and "since Tuesday" are
all durations which can be used with the
Present Perfect.
Present Perfect Cont.  We use the Present Perfect  They have been talking for the last
Continuous to show that something hour.
started in the past and has continued up COMPARE:
until now. "For five minutes", "for two  I’ve been painting the garden fence
weeks", and "since Tuesday" are all all morning. (my hands are still dirty & it’s
durations which can be used with the not clear whether I’ve finished the job or
Present Perfect Continuous. You can not)
often seen some evidence now.
 I’ve painted the garden fence. (the job
NOTE: The Present Perfect Continuous
is definitely completed)
emphasizes the action itself: duration,
difficulty, etc. Whilst the Present Perfect
Simple indicates the action is completed.

 You can use the Present Perfect  Recently, I have been feeling really
Continuous WITHOUT a duration such as tired.
"for five minutes", "for two weeks", and
"since Tuesday". Without the durations,
the this tense gives a more general
meaning of "lately". We often use the
words "lately" or "recently" in the
sentence to strengthen this meaning.
Past Simple  Use the Simple Past to express the  I saw a movie yesterday.
idea that an action started and finished at  I lived in Brazil for two years.(I don’t
a specific time in the past. Sometimes the live there any more)
speaker may not actually mention the
 I studied French when I was a child.
specific time, but they do have one
specific time in mind.
 We use the Simple Past to list a  I finished work, walked to the beach,
series of completed actions in the past. and found a nice place to swim.
These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th...
Past Continuous  Use the Past Continuous to indicate  I was watching TV when she called.
that a longer action in the past was
interrupted. The interruption is usually an
action in the Simple Past. Remember this
can be a real interruption or just an
interruption in time.

 In USE 1, described above, the Past  Last night at 6 p.m., I was eating
Continuous is interrupted by an action in dinner.
the Simple Past. However, you can also COMPARE:
use a specific time as an interruption.  Last night at 6 p.m., I ate dinner.
COMPARE: (I started eating at 6 p.m.)
 In the Simple Past a specific time is  Last night at 6 p.m., I was eating
used to show when an action began or dinner.
finished. (I started earlier and at 6 p.m. I was in the
 In the Past Continuous a specific time process of eating dinner.)
only interrupts the action.
 When you use the Past Continuous  I was studying while he was making
with two actions in the same sentence, it dinner.
expresses the idea that both actions were
happening at the same time. The actions
are parallel.
 In English we often use a series of  When I walked into the office, several
Parallel Actions to describe atmosphere in people were busily typing, some were
the past. talking on the phones, the boss was
yelling directions, and customers were
waiting to be helped.
  The Past Continuous with words such  He was constantly talking. He
as always or constantly expresses the annoyed everyone.
idea that something irritating or shocking
often happened in the past. The concept
is very similar to the expression used to
but with negative emotion.
Past Perfect  The Past Perfect expresses the idea  I had never seen such a beautiful
that something occurred before another beach before I went to Kauai.
action in the past. It can also show that
something happened before a specific
time in the past.

 With Non-progressive Verbs and  We had had that car for ten years
some non-progressive uses of Mixed before it broke down.
Verbs, we use the Past Perfect to show
that something started in the past and
continued up until another action in the
past.

Past Perf. Cont.  We use the Past Perfect Continuous  They had been talking for over an
to show that something started in the past hour before Tony arrived.
and continued up until another time in the
past. "For five minutes" and "for two
weeks" are both durations which can be
used with the Past Perfect Continuous.
Notice that this is related to the Present
Perfect Continuous; however, the duration
does not continue until now.

 Using the Past Perfect Continuous  Jason was tired because he had been
before another action in the past is a good jogging.
way to show cause and effect.

NOTE:  I was reading when my roommate

If you do not include a duration such as returned.
"for five minutes," "for two weeks" or Emphasizes the interruption of "reading."
"since Friday", many English speakers  I had been reading for an hour when
choose to use the Past Continuous. There my roommate returned.
is also a difference in meaning. Compare Emphasizes the amount of time "for an
the examples below. hour."
Going to  "Be going to" expresses that  He is going to spend his vacation in
something is a plan. It expresses the idea Hawaii
that a person intends to do something in
the future.
 Both "will" and "be going to" can  John Smith will be the next President.
express the idea of a general prediction John Smith is going to be the next
about the future. Predictions are guesses President.
about what might happen in the future.
Will  "Will" often suggests that a speaker  A: I'm really hungry.
will do something voluntarily. A voluntary B: I'll make some sandwiches
action is one the speaker offers to do for
someone else. Often we use "will" to
respond to someone else's complaint or
request for help.
 "Will" is usually used in promises.  I will call you when I arrive.
Future Continuous  Use the Future Continuous to indicate  I will be watching TV when she
that a longer action in the future will be arrives tonight.
interrupted. The interruption is usually an
action in the Simple Future. Remember
this can be a real interruption or just an
interruption in time.
 In USE 1, described above, the  At midnight tonight, we will still be
Future Continuous is interrupted by an driving through the desert.
action in the Simple Future. However, you
can also use a specific time as an
interruption.

Future Perfect  The Future Perfect expresses the  By next November, I will have
idea that something will occur before received my promotion.
another action in the future. It can also
show that something will happen before a
specific time in the future.