English tenses
Simple Present
AffirmativeShe drinks.
NegativeShe does not drink.
InterrogativeDoes she drink?
FormI, you we they play | he, she, it plays
Uses
  • action in the present taking place once, never or several times
  • facts
  • actions taking place one after another
  • action set by a timetable or schedule
Present Progressive
AffirmativeHe is reading.
NegativeHe is not reading.
InterrogativeIs he reading?
FormTo be (in the simple present) + verb + ing
Uses
  • action taking place at the moment of speaking
  • action arranged for the future
Simple Past
AffirmativeI cried.
NegativeI did not cry
InterrogativeDid I cry?
FormRegular verbs: Verb + ed | Irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart. This is a list of irregular verbs
Uses
  • action in the past taking place once, never or several times
  • actions taking place one after another
Past Progressive
AffirmativeHe was driving.
NegativeHe was not driving.
InterrogativeWas he driving?
Formto be (in the simple past) + verb + ing
Uses
  • action going on at a certain time in the past
  • actions taking place at the same time
  • action in the past that is interrupted by another action
Present Perfect Simple
AffirmativeThey have slept.
NegativeThey have not slept.
InterrogativeHave they slept?
FormHave / has + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart. This is a list of irregular verbs)
Uses
  • emphasis is on the result (not the duration)
  • action that started in the past & is still going on
  • action that stopped recently
  • finished action that has an influence on the present
Present Perfect Progressive
AffirmativeHe has been thinking.
NegativeHe has not been thinking.
InterrogativeHas he been thinking?
Formhave or has + been + verb + ing
Uses
  • putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result)
  • action that recently stopped or is still going on
  • finished action that influenced the present
Past Perfect Simple
AffirmativeShe had won.
NegativeShe had not won.
InterrogativeHad she won?
Formhad + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart. This is a list of irregular verbs)
Uses
  • action taking place before a certain time in the past
  • sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive
  • putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration)
Past Perfect Progressive
AffirmativeHe had been waiting.
NegativeHe had not been waiting.
InterrogativeHad he been waiting?
Formhad + been + verb + ing
Uses
  • action taking place before a certain time in the past
  • sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple
  • putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action
Future Simple
AffirmativeI will open the door.
NegativeI will not open the door.
InterrogativeWill you open the door?
Formwill + verb
Uses
  • We use the simple future for instant decisions.
  • We use the simple future when we predict a future situation
  • We use the simple future in conditional sentences type one. (More on conditional sentences here)
Future Plan
(going to)
AffirmativeHe is going to clean the car.
NegativeHe is not going to clean the car.
InterrogativeIs he going to clean the car?
Formto be (in the simple present) + going + to + verb
Uses
  • to express the future when we intend to do something or have decided to do something but did not arrange it. It is just an intention.
  • predictions in the future
Future Plan
(Present Progressive)
AffirmativeHe is traveling to Egypt next week.
NegativeHe is not traveling to Egypt next week.
InterrogativeIs he traveling to Egypt next week?
Formto be (in the simple present) + verb + ing
Uses
  • when we say what we have planned and arranged to do at a specific time in the future. These are fixed plans with definite time and/or place.
Future  Progressive
AffirmativeShe will be listening to music.
NegativeShe will not be listening to music.
InterrogativeWill she be listening to music?
Formwill + be + verb + ing
Uses
  • action that is going on at a certain time in the future
  • action that is sure to happen in the near future
Future Perfect
AffirmativeHe will have spoken.
NegativeHe will not have spoken.
InterrogativeWill he have spoken?
Formwill + have + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart. This is a list of irregular verbs)
Uses
  • action that will be finished at a certain time in the future
Future Perfect Progressive
AffirmativeYou will have been studying.
NegativeYou will not have been studying.
InterrogativeWill you have been studying?
Formwill + have + been + verb + ing
Uses
  • action taking place before a certain time in the future
  • putting emphasis on the course of an action
Conditional Simple
AffirmativeWe would relax.
NegativeWe would not relax.
InterrogativeWould we relax ?
Formwould + verb
Uses
  • action that might take place
Conditional Progressive
AffirmativeHe would be writing.
NegativeHe would not be writing.
InterrogativeWould he be writing?
Formwould + be + verb + ing
Uses
  • action that might take place
  • putting emphasis on the course / duration of the action
Conditional Perfect
AffirmativeHe would have written.
NegativeHe would not have written.
InterrogativeWould he have written?
Formwould + have + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart This is a list of irregular verbs)
Uses
  • action that might have taken place in the past
Conditional Perfect Progressive
AffirmativeShe would have been sleeping.
NegativeShe would not have sleeping speaking.
InterrogativeWould she have been sleeping?
Formwould + have + been + verb + ing
Uses
  • action that might have taken place in the past
  • puts emphasis on the course/duration of the action

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple present or present progressive)

  1. Look! Sara (go)  to the movies.
  2. On her right hand, Sara (carry)  her handbag.
  3. The handbag (be)  very beautiful.
  4. Sara usually (put)  on black shoes but now she (wear)  white trainers.
  5. And look, she (take)  an umbrella because it (rain)   

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or past perfect)

  1. When he (wake up)  , his mother (already /prepare)  breakfast
  2. We (go)  to London because our friends (invite)  us
  3. He (hear)  the news, (go)  to the telephone and (call)  a friend.
  4. When she (start)  learning English she (already /learn)  French.
  5. Jane (already / type)  three pages when her computer (crash)  .
  6. By the time the doctor (arrive)  at the house the patient ( die)  .
  7. Before that day we (never / think)  of traveling to Japan.
  8. I (know)  him a long time before I (meet)  his family.
  9. They (not / know)  where to meet because nobody (tell)  them.
  10. It (be)  cloudy for days before it (begin)  to rain.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect).

  1. I (just / finish)  my homework.
  2. Mary (already / write)  five letters.
  3. Tom (move)  to his home town in 1994.
  4. My friend (be)  in Canada two years ago.
  5. I (not / be)  to Canada so far.
  6. But I (already / travel)  to London a couple of times.
  7. Last week, Mary and Paul (go)  to the cinema.
  8. I can't take any pictures because I (not /buy)  a new film yet.
  9. (they / spend)  their holidays in Paris last summer?
  10. (you / ever / see )  a whale?

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

  1. The receptionist (welcome)  the guests and (ask)  them to fill in the form
  2. The car (break)  down and we (have)  to walk home.
  3. The boys (swim)  while the girls (sunbath)  .
  4. My father (come)  in, (look)  and (tell)  me to tidy up my room.
  5. While one group (prepare)  dinner the others (collect)  wood for the campfire.
  6. While the parents (have)  breakfast the children (run)  about.
  7. Martha (turn)  off the light and (go)  to bed.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple future or future perfect)

  1. Tomorrow I think I (start)   my new project.
  2. I (finish)  it by the end of this month.
  3. The teacher (probably/assign)  a test to his students next Monday.
  4. He (correct)  it by the end of next week.
  5. My friend (certainly/get)  a good mark.
  6. By 9 o'clock, we (finish)  our homework.
  7. They (leave)  the classroom by the end of the hour.
  8. I think I (start)  my trip tomorrow

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