English tenses

Tense Description Structurs Example Signal words
Simple Present *something happens repeatedly
*how often something happens
*one action follows another
*facts
*things in general
S+ simple verb + Complement He speaks.
N: He does not speak.
Q: Does he speak? every day, always
sometimes, usually
often
seldom, never
first ... then
Present Continuous *something is happening at thesame time of speaking or around it
*future meaning: when you have already decided and arranged to do it (a fixed plan, date)
S+ Verb to be (am/are/is) + Gerund+
Complement
He is speaking.
N: He is not speaking.
Q: Is he speaking? now
At the moment
Look!
Listen!
Simple Past *action took place in the past, mostly connected with an expression of time

S+ verb in past+ ComplementHe spoke.
N: He did not speak.
Q: Did he speak? last ...
... ago
in 1990
yesterday
Past Continous * Action happened in the middle of another action
*someone was doing sth. at a certain time (in the past) - you do not know whether it was finished or not

S+ was/were + Gerund+ Complement He was speaking.
N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?
-While he was walking in themountains, Henry saw a bear
-The students were playing a game when the professor arrived just , yet ,
as long as
never, ever
already, so far,
up to now, since,
for , recently
When, While
Present Perfect *Action with finished past with undefined star, express progress
*Action started in the past and continues up in the present S+ Auxiliary have/has + Verb in participle + Complement
Hehas spoken.
N: He has not spoken.
Q: Has he spoken?
-I have live in Morelia since i was 3 years old
-I have never gone to Acapulco just , yet
never, ever
already, so far,
up to now, since
for , recently
Present Perfect continous *action began in the past and has just stopped
+Action that is in progress beginins in the past but continues to the present
S+ Auxiliary have/has +been + Gerund He has been speaking.
N: He has not been speaking.
Q: Has he been speaking?
-I have been living in Morelia for 5 years
all day , the whole day , how long
since , lately
for, never
Past Perfect *mostly when two actions in a story are related to each other: the action which had already happened is put into Past Perfect, the other action into Simple Past
*Finished action in thepast before an specific moment also in the past, it does not have a clear star S+ Auxiliary had + Verb in past participle+ Complement + sentences in the simple past

He had spoken.
N: He had not spoken.
Q: Had he spoken?

-I had alredy finished doing my homework when my dog ate it already
just, not yet, once
never, until that day
for, since
Past Perfect Continuos *how long somethinghad been happening before something else happened
* Action with a non specific start in the past, it is in progress and continues to an specific moment in the past S+ Auxyliary had + been + Gerund + Complement+ Sentences in simple past He had been speaking.
N: He had not been speaking.
Q: Had he been speaking?

-alejandro and I has been arguing for two hours when our boss arrived and firedus how long
By the time
since
for
Used to /did not use to Form used to express action that you did in the past but not more now

Or did not use to: you don’t used to do this action but now you start S+ Used to+ simple verb+ complement

S+did not use+ simple verb+ c I used to go to clubs every Saturday

I did not use to clean my room
Simple Future I • assumption with regard tothe future
• spontaneous decision
• probably 90% or less S+Auxliary +will/wont+ present verb+ c
Shall: very formal or questions I will study for my exam
I won’t study for my exam
Will I sutdy…?
*won´t can be use for things that don’t work in a year, next year tomorrow

Simple Future II • assumption with regard to the future
• plans, meetings, appointment
• probably 90% or more sure...