BACHILLERATO: REVIEW OF VERB TENSES

TENSE USE KEY WORDS EXAMPLES

PRESENT SIMPLE • Habits and routines Frequency adverbs; time I often play football
I eat / he eats • Objective facts, universal expressions: once a week, He goes to the cinema once a week
I don’t eat / he doesn’t eat truths on Sundays, every day…; Water boils at 100ºC
Do you eat? / Does he eat? • Future meaning: events feelings, likes, dislikes. I don’t remember his name
on a timetable
• Stative verbs

PRESENT CONTINUOUS • Actions happening now. now, at the moment He is writing some e-mails now
I am / They are / He is eating • Actions in progress. this week, this year We are studying Bachillerato this year.
I’m not / They aren’t / He • Future arrangements. next Monday, tonight, They aren’t coming to my birthday
isn’t eating tomorrow… party next weekend.
Am I / Are they / Is he
eating?

PAST SIMPLE • Actions that started and yesterday Yesterday we went to the cinema
I worked / I ate finished in the past, there last week We didn’t come to class last Friday
I didn’t work / eat is no connection with the two days ago; when They arrived 20 minutes ago
Did you work / eat? present.

PAST CONTINUOUS • Unfinished past action. at eight o’clock yesterday, We were watching TV at 8 yesterday.
I was eating / You were • Action in progress in the while, as While/As I was having a shower, the
eating past. phone rang.
I wasn’t eating / You weren’t • Action interrupted by While I was reading a book my sister
eating another past action (in was talking on the phone.
Was I eating? / Were you the past simple).
eating? • Actions taking place at
the same time in the
past.

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Bachillerato. Revision of Verb Tenses
PRESENT PERFECT • Action that started in the how long How long have you waited for me?
I have / he has worked past and continues up to ever Has he ever been to the USA?
I have / he has eaten the present- never We have just finished homework.
• Action that started and just My brother hasn’t arrived yet.
I haven’t / he hasn´t worked finished in the past but it already/ yet I have learnt English for 7 years.
I haven’t / he hasn’t eaten is still relevant in the for/ since I haven’t seen him recently.
present. recently, lately
Have I / has he worked?
Have I / has he eaten?
(En español muchas veces
se traduce como presente o
con la expresión “llevar +
gerundio)

PAST PERFECT • Past action that took after After we had had lunch, we washed up.
I had worked / eaten place before another past before By the time he arrived, I had already
I hadn’t worked / eaten action. by the time left.
Had you worked / eaten? already
pretérito pluscuamperfecto en
español (había + participio)

PRESENT PERFECT • Same uses of the how long How long have you been waiting for
CONTINUOUS Present Perfect, but with for/ since me?
I have been working an emphasis on the recently She has been learning English for 7
I haven’t been working action and its duration lately years.
Have you been working? rather than result. all day long I’ve been studying all night long.
all night long

PAST PERFECT • Same uses of the Past for hours When you arrived, I had been studying
CONTINUOUS Perfect, but with an all morning for 2 hours.
I had been working emphasis on the past when, before By the time she stopped for lunch, she
I hadn’t been working action and its duration. had been working all morning.
Had I been working?

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Bachillerato. Revision of Verb Tenses
FUTURE SIMPLE • Future preditions based tomorrow / in an hour I’m sure that you will pass your exams
I will work on personal opinions. I think/ I’m sure I’m very tired. I’ll go to bed.
I won’t work • Spontaneous decisions. this evening/ later I’ll show you how this app works.
Will you work? • Promises. next Tuesday
• Offers.

BE GOING TO • Future plans and tomorrow / in an hour We are going to have a party
I am going to work intentions. this evening / later tomorrow.
I’m not going to work • Predictions based on next weekend Look at those black clouds. It’s going to
Are you going to work? present evidence. rain.

FUTURE PERFECT • Finished action in a by the end of… By the end of November, we will have
I will have worked / eaten future time. by this time next… taken lots of exams.
I won’t have worked / eaten in four months In four months, we will have finished
Will you have worked / the second term.
eaten?

FUTURE CONTINUOUS • Action in progress in a at this time tomorrow At this time next month, we will be
I will be working future time. at this time next… celebrating Christmas.
I won’t be working • Future plans. on Friday... This time tomorrow, I will be sitting on
Will you be working? the beach. I can’t wait!
At three o’clock tomorrow, we will be
getting ready to go out.

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Bachillerato. Revision of Verb Tenses