PAST TENSE

SIMPLE
Actions happening
one after another in
the past.

PAST
PAST TENSE
PAST PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
SIMPLE
Actions happening at the Action taking place
same time in the past.
before a certain time
in the past.

Ex. She came home,

switched on the
computer and
checked her e-mails.

Ex. Simon was playing

on the computer while
his brother was
watching TV.

New actions
happening in the
past.

Action already in
progress in the past.

Ex. My mobile
phone rang.

Ex. I was talking to my

mother , (when my
mobile phoe rang).

Action taking place

in sometime in the
past.

PAST PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
Action taking place before
a certain time in the past.

Sometimes
interchangeable with
past perfect
continuous.

Sometimes
interchangeable with past
perfect simple.

Action taking place at a

certain time in the past.

Putting emphasis
only on the fact (not
the duration).

Putting emphasis on the

duration or course of an
action.

Ex. Tom played

tennis yesterday.

Ex. Tom was playing

tennis at five oclock
yesterday.

*already, just, never,

not yet, once, until
the day.
If sentence type II
(If I had talked)

*for, since, the whole day,

all day.

A: He spoke.
N: He did not spoke.
Q: Did he speak?

A: He was speaking.
N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?

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

A: He had been speaking.

N: He had not been
speaking.
Q: Had he been speaking?

PRESENT TENSE
SIMPLE
Actions which
happen regularly.

PRESENT
PRESENT TENSE
PRESENT
CONTINUOUS
PERFECT SIMPLE
A temporary action
Result how much,
happening now.
how often, what.

PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
Duration how long.

Ex. Mr. John always

eats chocolate in the
morning.

Ex. Mr John eats chocolate

in the morning, but now he
is eating an apple.

Ex. I have written 2

letters.

Ex. I have been

writting letters, for two
hours.

To express future for

timetables, sheduels,
itineraries.

To express future for

futureplans and
arrangements.

Emphasis on
completion .

Emphasis on duration.

Ex. The plane takes

off at 6 oclock

Ex. We are leaving to the

seaside this weekend.

Ex. I have done my

homework my
homework is done.

Ex. I have been doing

my homework I spent
the whole day doing it.

To express general
activity.

To express current projects.

Desired result.

Unwanted side effect.

Ex. I work for Open

University. We
provide Internet
based education
courses.

Ex. At the moment we are

preparing a
videoconferencing couse on
mathematics.

Ex. I have washed

the car it is clean
now.

Ex. Why are you wet?

I have been washing
the car.

A: He is speaking.
N: He is not
speaking.
Q: Is he speaking?

A: He speaks.
N: He does not speak.
Q: Does he speak?

A: He has spoken.
N: He has not
spoken.
Q: Has he spoken?

A: He has been
speaking.
N: He has not been.
speaking.
Q: Has he been
speaking?