The Simple Present Tense The Present Progressive The Simple Past

Expresses a habit or often repeated This tense is used to describe an We use the simple past to
action. Adverbs of frequency such as, action that is occurring right now indicate exactly when an action
often, seldom, sometimes, never, etc. (at this moment, today, this year, or event took place in the past.
are used with this tense. etc.). The action has begun and is
still in progress. ___x__________________
______x____x_________x__________
_________________x________________
I visited my sister yesterday.
She goes to work everyday. We went out to dinner last
They always eat lunch together. She is typing a paper for her class. night.
He can’t talk. He is fixing the sink
This tense also expresses general right now. The simple past is used to
truths or facts that are timeless. describe actions and/or events
that are now completed and no
The present progressive can also longer true in the present.
__x_____x_________x____x_______ be used to describe an action that
is occurring in the present, but is _____x____________________
temporary.
I attended MJC in 1998. (I no
_________x______x____....._____________ longer attend MJC.)
Snow falls in December in Minnesota. I saw a movie every weekend
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. John is living in Modesto, but he when I was a teenager. (I don’t
might move soon. see movies very much
anymore.)
 The Past Progressive The Present Perfect The Present Perfect Progressive
The past progressive is used to talk The present perfect is used to talk This tense is used to describe
about an activity that was in progress about an event that began in the the duration of an action that
at a specific point of time in the past. past and continues up to the began in the past and continues
The emphasis is on the duration of the present. into the present.
activity in the past. x
x
__x_________________________ __x____x__x________________ ______x__________________

I was studying for an exam while my He has lived in Modesto for two He has been studying grammar
mother was cooking dinner. years. for an hour.
We were walking in the park around 7 (He began living in Modesto two She has been cooking all day.
p.m. last night. years ago and he still lives there.) (He is still studying and she is
still cooking.)
The past progressive is often used with The present perfect is also used to This tense is also used to
the simple past to show that one talk about an event that was describe events that have been
action was in progress when another completed in the past, but the in progress recently and are
action occurred. specific time of the event is not rather temporary.
important. x
__x_________x_BOOM!______________ ___x_.........___________________ ______x_________________

I was taking a bath when the doorbell I have seen that movie before. She has been living in Taiwan
rang. He has already visited Vietnam. for the last two months, but she
They were eating dinner when the (Specific dates and times are not plans to move soon.
neighbors stopped by for a visit. mentioned.)
 The Past Perfect Past Perfect Progressive The Future
This tense describes completed events This tense is used to emphasize Will and be + going + to are
that took place in the past before the duration of an action that was often used to describe future
another past event. completed before another action actions.
or event in the past.
___________________x_______
Had been Found the
driving right office
Had
Thomas will graduate in June.
hit
received Maria is going to go to Mexico
___x_____________x___________
___x__________x_________________ next week.

The simple present and present

progressive are also used to
express future time. These are
often used in connection with
She had been driving around the
The Titanic had received many schedules.
city for three hours before she
warnings before it hit the iceberg.
finally found the right office.
I had already eaten when my friend
stopped by to visit. ____________________x______

She is meeting a new client at

eleven o’clock.
The train leaves at 6:00 a.m.
tomorrow.
 The Future Progressive The Future Perfect The Future Perfect Progressive
This tense is used to describe an event This tense is used to describe an This tense is used to emphasize
or action that will occur over a period event or action that will be the duration of an action that
of time at a specific point in the future. completed before another event will be completed before
or time in the future. another action or event in the
10: am
tomorrow
future.
Will have Class
finished ends

___________x______________x__
__________________x__.......________ Will have
Zumba
been
class
exercising
ends

_________x_____________x___
We will have finished the exam by
I will be teaching ESL 40 at 10 a.m.
the time class ends tomorrow.
tomorrow.
They will be moving their furniture out I will have been exercising for 2
of the house by the time you arrive hours by the time the time the
tomorrow. Zumba class ends tomorrow.
 The Simple Present Tense The Present Progressive The Simple Past

I AM I AM + ing I/he/she/it WAS

He/she/it IS He/she/it IS + ing We/you/ they WERE
We/you/they ARE We/you/they ARE + ing I/you/he/she/it
We/they DID
I/you/we/they/ DO Aff: I AM talking to you RIGHT
He/she/It DOES NOW. Regular verbs -ED /D
They ARE having dinner AT Walk WALKED
Aff: We play soccer every Saturday THE MOMENT. Waste WASTED
She WATCHES T.V. twice a Irregular verbs From List
Week. Neg: I’M NOT talking to you Take TOOK
RIGHT NOW.
Neg: We DON’T PLAY soccer every They AREN’T having dinner Aff: She SENT me 100
Saturday. AT THE MOMENT. Messages LAST WEEK.
She DOESN’T WATCH T.V.
Twice a week. Int: AM I talking to you Neg: She DIDN’T SEND me
RIGHT NOW? 100 messages LAST
Int: DO you PLAY soccer every ARE they having dinner WEEK.
Saturday? AT THE MOMENT?
DOES she WATCH T.V. twice a Int: DID she SEND me 100
Week? Messages LAST WEEK?
 The Past Progressive The Present Perfect The Present Perfect progressive

I/he/she/it WAS + ing He/she/it HAS + PAST He/she/it HAS + BEEN +

We/you/they WERE + ing PARTICIPLE ing.
I/we/you/they HAVE + PAST I/we/you/they HAVE + BEEN
Aff: I WAS living in London 2 YEARS PARTICIPLE + ing.
AGO.
Since Origin Since Origin
Neg: I WASN’T living in London 2 For Amount of For Amount of
YEARS AGO. Time. Time.

Int: : WERE you living in London 2 Aff: He HAS WRITTEN many Aff: We HAVE BEEN studying
YEARS AGO? books about cats SINCE English FOR 6 years.
1994.
Neg: We HAVEN’T BEEN
Neg: He HASN’T WRITTEN any studying English FOR 6
books about cats SINCE Years.
1994
Int: HAVE you BEEN studying
Int: HAS he WRITTEN any books English FOR 6 years?
about cats SINCE 1994?
 The Past Perfect The Past Perfect Progressive The Future

I/you/he/she/it HAD + PAST I/you/he/she/it HAD + BEEN + I/you/he/she/it

We/they PARTICIPLE We/they ing We/they WILL/ WON’T

Since Origin Since Origin I AM + GOING TO

For Amount of For Amount of He/she/it IS + GOING TO
Time. Time You/we/they ARE + GOING TO

Aff: They HAD WALKED to school Aff: I HAD BEEN working FOR 2 Aff: You WILL graduate from
FOR a year before they bought a hours when you called me School in 4 years.
car. Yesterday. She IS GOING TO travel
To Europe.
Neg: They HADN’T WALKED to Neg: I HADN’T BEEN working
School FOR a year before they FOR 2 hours when you Neg: You WON’T graduate
Bought a car. Called me yesterday. From school in 4 years.
She ISN’T GOING TO
Int: HAD they WALKED to school Int: HAD you BEEN working travel to Europe.
FOR a year before they bought FOR 2 hours when I
A car? Called you yesterday? Int: WILL you graduate
From school in 4
Years?
IS she GOING TO
Travel to Europe?
 The Future Progressive The Future Perfect The Future Perfect Progressive

I/you/he/she/it WILL/ WON’T+ BE + I/you/he/she/it WILL/WON’T + I/you/he/she/it WILL/WON’T +

We/they ing We/they HAVE + PAST We/they HAVE + BEEN +
PARTICIPLE ing
Aff: You WILL BE sleeping by 9:pm Since Origin
Tonight. Aff: I WILL HAVE FINISHED my For Amount of
Work by the time my kids Time.
Neg: You WON’T BE sleeping by Arrive home.
9:pm tonight. Aff: By June this year I WILL
Neg: I WON’T HAVE FINISHED HAVE BEEN working at
Int: WILL you BE sleeping by 9:pm My work by the time my Miss Cutu Bilingual Help
Tonight? Kids arrive home. For 4 years.

Int: WILL I HAVE FINISHED my Neg: By June this year I WON’T

Work by the time my HAVE BEEN working at
Kids arrive home? Miss Cutu Bilingual
Help for 4 years.

Int: By June this year WILL I

HAVE BEEN working at
Miss Cutu Bilingual
Help for 4 years?