PAST

PAST SIMPLE to talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past use a time adverb to state when it happened (later, soon, yesterday)

Last year I took my exams. I lived in South Africa for two years. PAST CONTINUOUS to describe a past action over a period of time

They were working all day yesterday. I was watching television at 7:30 last night. PRESENT PERFECT (simple) unfinished time always with for and since to talk about a past time, which has very strong meaning for the present have + ed (or irregular verb form)

The weather has gone crazy. They have been there all night. PRESENT PERFECT (continuous)until now is often used (ALWAYS with for or since) to describe how long something has been happening up to now

I've been studying English for four years now. when talking about how long you have been doing your current job or working on unfinished projects

I have been working at Microsoft for 3 years. PAST PERFECT (simple) to go further back in time when we are already talking about the past when describing something that had started and finished in past

had + ed (or irregular verb form)

I had already done the shopping by the time she came home. By the time I arrived, he had already left. I'd visited the city many times before. PAST PERFECT (continuous) always for or since to talk about longer situations that continued up to the moment in the past we are talking about

By the time I left England we had been living in Bristol for five years. I had been singing for a while by the time he came home.

FUTURE
FUTURE SIMPLE: will go to talk about something that will happen in the future

I will go shopping next week. [Present simple can be used to talk about future: - to discuss future events that happen at a set time such as timetables, meetings, itineraries, programmes etc The train leaves at 7:30. The meeting begins at 8:15 tomorrow.] FUTURE CONTINUOUS: will be going to talk about activities that will be happening at a particular time or over a particular time in the future.

Next week we will be having a party. [Present continous can be used to talk about future:

to ask about and discuss future arrangements or plans with just the addition of a future time, but you only use it when these arrangements are certain

Next week I'm working.] FUTURE PERFECT to say that something will have happened by a certain time in the future

This time next year, I will have finished my exams. FUTURE CONTINUOUS to talk about an action in progress in the future

This time next year, I'll be doing my exams. GOING TO - when it has already been planned or decided We are going to fly to Germany. We're going to buy a new car next year. SHALL/WILL when we give information about the future or predict future events that are not certain

I'm not sure, but I think the party will end at 11 p.m. to express planned events and is preferred in formal written English

The meeting will start at 6 p.m.

ZERO CONTIDIONAL
to express planned events and is preferred in formal written English uses present simple if or when

If you heat water to 100C, it boils. An apple falls if you drop it.

FIRST CONTIDIONAL
to express situations based on fact in the present or future (things which may happen) uses present simple+future simple

If you do your homework, I will mark it. I will go shopping if Tom arrives soon.

SECOND CONDITIONAL
to express unreal situations in the present or future often used to express a wish uses past simple

If I won the lottery, I would buy a new house. I would work our more if I had more time.

THIRD CONTITIONAL
to express conditions in the past that did not happen often used to express criticism or regret with would have, could have or should have uses past perfect

If I had worked harder, I would have passed my exam. I would have gone to Italy if I had saved more money.