Master the English Tenses

Course Handbook Study File

Summary of English Tenses
SIMPLE

PRESENT
Fact, regular action, habit
Do you play tennis?
Yes, I play tennis once a week, but I
dont play very well.

CONTINUOUS*

Action in progress at present

Can you see him? What is he doing?
He is playing tennis, but he isnt
playing very well.

PERFECT

Action completed until now

Have you played tennis this week?
Yes, we have played tennis once this
week, but we havent played any
matches.

PERFECT
CONTINUOUS*

Action that has already started

and still continues (or has just
stopped).
How long has she been playing tennis?
She has been playing tennis for 2
months. She hasnt been playing very
long.

PAST
Completed action at a specified
time in the past
Did you play tennis yesterday?
Yes, I played yesterday morning, but I
didnt play in the afternoon.
Action in progress at a specified
time in the past
What was he doing when you saw him
yesterday?
He was playing tennis but he wasnt
playing very well.
Action completed before a
specified time in the past
Had you played tennis before lunch
yesterday?
Yes, we had played before lunch, but
we hadnt played a match.
Action that had already started
and still continued (or had just
stopped) at a specified time in the
past
How long had she been playing when
it started raining?
She had only been playing for 10
minutes. She hadnt been playing
very long when it started raining.

FUTURE
Possible action in the future /
decision at the time of speaking
What will you do if its sunny tomorrow?
I will play tennis. I wont play if it rains.
Action in progress at a specified
time in the future
What will he be doing at this time
tomorrow?
He will be playing tennis, but he wont
be playing with me.
Action completed before a specified
time in the future
How many matches will you have
played by the end of this week?
We will have played 4 matches, but we
wont have watched any matches.
Action that will have already started
and will still continue (or will have
just stopped) at a specified time in
the future
She started playing at 9:00 this
morning. By 4:00 this afternoon, She
will have been playing for 7 hours, but
she wont have been playing with me.

Special Tenses:
going to = 1. A certainty: Im sure hes going to win! 2. A decision already made for the future: Im going to spend Christmas at home.
present continuous + future time marker = An arrangement for the future: Im flying back to Paris on Friday.
present simple + future time marker = A fixed timetable in the future: My flight leaves at 4:00 p.m.
* Avoid putting State Verbs in continuous tenses, e.g. like, have(=own), think(=believe), understand, exist, know, etc.
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