English

ENGLISH VERB TENSES NAME OF TENSE FORMATION PRESENT I am CONTINUOUS He, she, it is (PROGRESSIVE) We, you, they are +_____ing She’s watching TV.

USE/MEANING 1. right now 2. during this period of time 3. future, if the plan is certain (They are getting married in August) 1. habit (He jogs everyday.) 2. statement of fact (Cats eat meat.) 3. a scheduled future event (The bus leaves at 7:00) 1. a.future plan, b.action that will happen in the immediate future (Look out! You’re going to fall c. prediction 2. promise, offer, prediction

SIMPLE PRESENT

I, you, we, they + base form He, she it + s or es

CLUES & CAUTIONS 1. now 2. today, this week, this semester • Watch out for noncontinuous verbs. • Don’t use DO with BE, Frequency adverbs: everyday, always, usually, often, sometimes,seldom, rarely, never

FUTURE

1.

I am; he, she, it is ; you, we, they are + going + infinitive (She’s going to go.)

Tomorrow, next week, next year • Will is a modal. Don’t use DO with modals • Use only a base form of a verb after a modal (will going , will goes) Dates (1850, 2001), ago, when, yesterday, last night, last week, last month, last year While • Don’t use DID with was or were.2.

will + base form

SIMPLE PAST

PAST CONTINUOUS (PROGRESSIVE)

3. See present and present continuous tenses add ed to base form for regular verbs. For other verbs, see an irregular verb form list. I, he, she, it was We, you, they were +________ing

finished past actions

PAST HABIT

1.

used to + base form

2. I used to live in New York City. 3. would + base form

1.a pastaction that was continuing to go on (I was watching TV last night at 7:00.) 2.a past action that was interrupted (We were eating when the phone rang. 1.for a habitual state, event or action that was true in the past but is no longer true

• • •

When I used to live in New York City, I would always take a taxi to the theater.

2.for expressing actions or events that occurred regularly duringa period in the past

with did, drop the ed. (Did you use to smoke?) Don’t confuse used to with be used to doing Would can’t be used to show location or possession(We would live in New York.)

FUTURE IN THE PAST

1. 2.

was/were going to___ would + base verb

for events or actions that were planned in the past

PRESENT PERFECT

I, you we, they have He, she it has + past participle(ed for regular verbs, for irregular verbs see a list of irregular verbs)

Relates the past to the present time 1. for an action or situation that began in the past and continues into the present (I’ve been sick since Tuesday and I’m still sick. 2. For a repeated past action or for a period of time that is not finished (We’ve had three exams this semester.) 3. For a past action when the specifictime is not mentioned, any time before now (She's found a new job.) 4. For an action completed in the immediate past (They’ve just finished eating.) 1. for an action or situation that began in the past and continues into the present (It has been raining all day long, and it’s still raining now.) 2. for an action that has just stopped within the last few minutes (It’s been raining. It’s not rainingnow, but the streets are still wet.) 1. when telling a story about the past, for an action that happened before the story began 2. for an action that happened before another past action

Examples: We knew the wedding was going to be on June 15, but we didn’t know where it would take place. 1. for, since • You must use for or since for this meaning • use for with length of time and since with aspecific time 2. so far, today, this month, this semester 3. ever, never, already, yet • Don’t use specific time with this meaning (Don’t write “She has arrived yesterday.”) • Yet is only used with questions and negatives 4. just • Don’t use specific time with this meaning Don’t use do or did with present perfect for, since with meaning #1 (same as meaning #1 of present perfect) • Don’t use do...