Contents

Present simple .....................................................................................................................................2

Present continuous ..............................................................................................................................4
Past simple ...........................................................................................................................................6
Past continuous....................................................................................................................................8
Future simple .......................................................................................................................................9
Future continuous ..............................................................................................................................11
Present perfect ..................................................................................................................................12
Present perfect continuous: ..............................................................................................................14
Past perfect ........................................................................................................................................15
Past perfect continuous .....................................................................................................................16
Future perfect ....................................................................................................................................17
Future perfect continuous .................................................................................................................18
Present simple

Main verb + s/es in 3rd person

Using for:
Habits and routines:
I go to work every day.
She does yoga on Thursdays.
Facts:
He watches a lot of sports.
Water boils at 100 degrees centigrade.
Generalisations:
Children like ice cream.
People enjoy watching movies.

Scheduled near future events:

The match starts at 8 pm.
The party starts at 7 pm on Sunday.

Events happening now with non-continuous verbs:

I like this cake.
I think so.

Negative forms:
Do/Does not + main verb
I don't want to go.
She doesn't come from Turkey.
Question forms:
Do I + main verb
Do you + main verb
Does she/he /it + main verb
Do we/you/they + main verb

I ja we my

You ty you wy

He/She/It on/ona/ono they oni/one

I am we are

You are you are

He/She/It (s/es) Is they are

Present continuous

To be + present particle + ing

Using for:
To talk about events happening at the time of speaking:
I am making a dinner.
They are watching TV.

To talk about events happening at this time in your life:

I'm studying for a PhD.
She is working in the primary school.

To talk about near future events that have already been arranged:
I am meeting with Sally on Thursday.
We are going to France next week.

Irritating repetition: (with always, constantly, continuously, permanently,

forever)
My neighbours are always having parties at weekends (it is noisy).

Negative forms:
To be + not + verb +ing
I am not laughing.
We are not getting married.

Question forms:
Am I + verb+ing
Are you + verb+ing
Is she/he/it + verb +ing
Are we / you / they +verb+ing
Past simple

Form: Verb + ed or irregular verb

Uses: To talk about an action completed in a past time
I watched the movie last night.
He went to Spain last summer.
They taught in Spain in the eighties.
He died last century.

To talk about a series of completed actions

I had a bath, watched TV and went to bed.
I cut the onions, fried them and put them in the pan.

To talk about past duration

I worked there for two years.
I married her six years ago.

To talk about past habits

I smoked 20 a day.
I played football every day after school.

To talk about past facts

Krakow was the capital of Poland.
Most of Spain was under Muslim control.

Negative form: Didn't + verb (most verbs) or Was/were not for verb 'to be' ,
e.g.
I didn't like him.
They didn't win.
I wasn't late.
Past continuous

Form: Was/were + present participle (ing)

Use
Interrupted past action I was watching TV when the phone rang.
He was eating dinner when I arrived.
To say what you were doing at a specific past time
At 6pm last night, I was playing tennis.
This time last year, she was living in Madrid.
Simultaneous or parallel actions
I was drinking a beer and watching the match.
While I was cooking, she was setting the table.

Setting the scene or providing atmosphere

The kids were screaming, the TV was blaring, my wife was shouting and I was
going mad.
Displaying irritation about past repetitive events using always, constantly etc
My parents were always telling me what to do.

Negative form: Was/were + not + verb (ing), e.g.

She wasn't sleeping.
We weren't enjoying the film.
Future simple

Form 1: Will + verb

Uses
To talk about a voluntary action
I will help you.
He will make breakfast.

To promise
I will always love you.
I will be there on time.

To predict the future

I think they will win the league next year.
By 2050, people will travel regularly to space.

Negative form: Will + not + verb, e.g.

They won't know what to do.
He will not be there.
Form 2: To be + going to + verb

Uses:
To talk about a plan
I am going to open a business next year maybe.
She is going to be a doctor when she grows up.

To predict the future based on evidence

It's going to rain. (dark clouds)
They are going to win the league. (There are only a few games left and they
have a big lead)

Negative form: Be + not + going to + verb, e.g.

She isn't going to win.
I am not going to go on holiday this year.
Future continuous

Form: Will + be + present participle (ing) OR be going to be + present participle

(ing)
Uses
Interrupted future action
I will be watching the match when you get home.
She is going to be sleeping when he gets in.

To say what you were doing at a given future time

This time tomorrow, I will be lying on a beach.
At 2pm tomorrow, they are going to be eating dinner.

To create atmosphere talking about parallel events

The birds will be singing, the waiters will be bringing drinks and I will be sitting
on the lounger.
My husband will be making the dinner and I will be starting the barbecue.

Negative form: Will not (or won’t) + be + verb (ing) OR Be + not + going to be +
verb (ing), e.g.
I won't be helping him tomorrow.
You are not going to be sleeping at this time tomorrow.
Present perfect

Have/has + past particle

Using for:
Unspecified time before now / talking about experiences:
I have been to China.
He has driven a truck.
Change over time:
I have got older.
The weather has become cooler.
Accomplishments:
I have passed my driving test.
I have published a book.
He has raised six children alone.
Multiple actions at different times:
I have been to Europe three times.
He has eaten three times today.

Negative forms:
Have/has + not + past particle
I haven't finished yet.
They haven't won the competition.

Question forms:
Have + I/you/we/they + past particle
Has + she/he/it + past particle
Have you been to France?
Has he finished the lesson?
Present perfect continuous:

Form: Have/has + been + present participle (ing)

Use Examples
Duration from past until now: with for + period of time or with since + specific
past time
I have been living in Spain for six months.
I have been learning English since 2006.
To say that something has just finished (there should be evidence of the activity
having taken place)
It has been raining! (The ground is wet)
You have been drinking. (The person looks drunk or is staggering/singing)

To give the idea of recently or lately

I have been sleeping really well.
I have been working too hard.

To say that something has happened several times in the present timeframe
The phone has been ringing all morning.
He has been missing penalties all season.

Negative form: Have/has + not/never + been + present participle (ing), e.g.

They haven't been getting on!
I haven't been drinking, officer!
She has never seen the sea.
(Note: 'See' is a state verb so does not have a continuous form)
Past perfect

Form: Had + past participle

Uses:
To talk about a completed past action before a specified / understood past
event
I had been to Spain alone before I went with my husband.
I didn't buy milk because I had forgotten to bring any money.

To talk about duration before a past event with non-continuous verbs

I had thought he was stupid before he explained himself.
I had liked him until I discovered he was racist.

Negative form: Had + not + past participle, e.g.

He was very tired because he hadn't slept well.

They hadn't met anyone like him.
Past perfect continuous

Form: Had + been + verb (ing)

Uses
Duration before a specified or understood past event
I had been living in Spain for two years before I moved to Portugal.
She had been driving for two hours before she took a break.

To say that an activity caused an event or situation

My friend was tired because she had been working all day.
I crashed the car because I had been drinking.

Negative form: Had + not + been + verb (ing), e.g.

They hadn’t been listening and couldn’t answer his questions.

Future perfect

Form: Will + have + past participle OR Going to + have + past participle

Uses
To say an action will be completed before a given future time
By this time next year, I will have done my driving test.
We will have finished the work by 6pm.
They are going to have built the new bridge before the winter.
They are going to have completed the project two weeks before the deadline.

Duration before a future time with non-continuous verbs

I will have been in Spain for two years by 2024.
They will have known each other for exactly eight years before they get
married next week.

Negative form: Will + not + have + past participle OR Not + going to + have +
past participle, e.g.
They will not have been asleep for long enough to stop feeling tired.
They are not going to have completed the project in time.
Future perfect continuous

Form: Will + have + been + verb (ing) OR Be going to + have + been + present
participle (ing)

Uses
Duration before future event
I will have been living in America for two years by next Christmas.
They are going to have been governing for 12 years by the next election.

Cause of a future event

I will be tired because I will have been working all day.
She will be very drunk because she will have been drinking for nine hours
before the party.
I will be poor because my husband will have been shopping all day.

Negative form: Will + not + have + been + present participle (ing), e.g.
I won’t be invited to the Christmas party as I will not have been working here
long enough by December.