English Tenses

tense
Simple Present

Affirmative/Neg./Interrogative
He always studies. He does not study. Does he study?

Use
action in the present taking place once, never or several times; habits, hobbies, generalizations, facts, frequency, timetables;

Signal Words
always, never, normally, often, seldom, only, sometimes, usually, rarely, every(day, week, etc) at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!, now, right now

auxiliary DO/ DOES(IIIsg.)

Present Continuous auxiliary BE (am, is, are) He is studying now. He is not studying. Is he studying? Simple Past Two years ago, I studied English in England. Did you study English? I didnt study English. action taking place in the moment of speaking; longer actions taking place currently; near future- personal plans; completed action in the past; actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action;

auxiliary DID

yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday

Past Continuous

auxiliary BE (was/were)

I was reading when you called yesterday. Were you reading when I called? I wasnt reading.

action going on at a specific time in the past; action in the past that is interrupted by another action; parallel actions in the past emphasis on the result; action that is still going on or stopped recently; finished action that has an influence on the present; unspecified time before now emphasis on the course or duration (not the result); action that recently stopped or is still going on; finished action that influenced the present/ is relevant to the current situation;

when, yesterday, last year, one week ago

Present Perfect Simple

I have studied English in several different schools. Have you ever studied English? Ive never studied English. attn! I went to France last year.(Past S) I have been to France in the last year. (PPS)

already, just, ever, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now, before, many times, in the last year , for, since recently, lately, all day, for 4 weeks, since 1993, how long?, the whole week

Present Perfect Continuous I have been studying English for five years. Have you been studying English for a long time? Sorry Im late! Have you been waiting long? Ive been waiting for an hour and he still hasnt turned up.

Past Perfect Simple

I had studied a little English before I moved to England. She had never been to the Opera before last night. I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Hawaii. I had been studying English for 5 years before I moved to England. Matt was tired because he had been jogging. (cause & effect)

completed action before a certain time in the past sometimes interchangeable with past perfect continuous, putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration) (emphasis on)duration before a certain time in the past; it stops before smth. else in the past; cause of smth. in the past

already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day

Past Perfect Continuous

for, since, the whole day, all day

Future Simple

I think I will start learning French. Will you help me do my homework?

a voluntary action in the future ; spontaneous decision; request for help; a promise; a prediction

in a year, next , tomorrow assumption: I think, probably, perhaps

Future Simple (going to)

I am going to study French next year.

decision made for the future express a plan, an intention

in one year, next week, tomorrow

Future Continuous

I will be studying when you arrive tonight. Tonight at 6pm, I am going to be eating dinner. ( I will be in the process of doing smth.)

action that is going on at a certain time in the future; action that is sure to happen in the near future

in one year, next week, tomorrow, tonight

Future Perfect Simple

I will have studied every tense by the time I finish this course. attn! never use Future in time clauses.

completed action before something will happen in the future

by Monday, in a week , by next November, by the time she leaves

Future Perfect Continuous

I will have been studying English for over two hours by the time you arrive. Matt will be tired when he gets home because he will have been jogging for over an hour. (cause & effect)

duration before a certain time in the future putting emphasis on the course of an action

for , the last couple of hours, all day long