Tenses

Nguyen Thi Cam Ha

ESP Department - CFL

Contents
Present and Past
Present Simple vs. Present Continuous
Past Simple
Past Continuous

Present Perfect and Past

Present Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous vs. Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Past Perfect Continuous

Future
Will
Will, V-ing and Be going to
Future Perfect vs. Future Perfect Continuous

1. Present and Past

Present Simple vs. Present Continuous

Past Simple
Past Continuous

Present Simple

vs. Present Continuous

S + V (s/es)

S + am/is/are + V-ing

S vic ni chung, hnh ng

thng xuyn din ra, lp i lp
li, s tht hin nhin

Hnh ng din ra vo thi im

ni hoc ang trong qu trnh
vn cha kt thc

Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

Everyday the population of the world
increases by about 200,000 people.
Tnh hung vnh vin
My parents live in London. They
have lived there all their lives.
John isnt lazy. He works hard most
of the time.

The water is boiling. Can you turn it off?

The population of the world is
increasing very fast.
Tnh hung tm thi
Im living with some friends until I
find a place of my own.
Youre working hard today.

Present Simple

vs. Present Continuous

ng t c ngha trng thi khng dng th tip din: like,

love, hate, need, prefer, know, realize, suppose, understand,
believe, contain, consist, fit, belong, seem, exist, matter,
sound, smell, taste, hear, etc.
E.g. Ann doesnt seem very happy at the moment. (not Ann isnt
seeming happy at the moment)
Mt s ng t va c ngha trng thi (stative meanings)va
c ngha tip din (progressive meanings): smell, think, see,
taste, look, appear, feel, have, remember, etc.
E.g. These flowers smell good.
Hiroki is smelling the flowers.
She thinks Roberto is a kind man.
She is thinking of giving up her job
(She is considering it).
Sam appears to be asleep.
My favorite actor is currently appearing at the Paramount.
Ann has a car.
I am having a hard time, but Olga is having a good time.

Present Simple

vs. Present Continuous

AM/IS/ARE + BEING + ADJECTIVE

E.g. He is selfish. He never thinks about other people.
I cant understand why he is being so selfish. He isnt usually like
that.
She is quiet. She doesnt talk much.
Theres something different about Tom today. Hes being so quiet.
Dng ch hnh vi, cch c x tm thi ca ai .
Khng ni:
Its being hot today.
Sarah is being tired.

Past Simple
S + V (ed/2)
(a) I walked to school yesterday.
(b) John lived in Paris for ten years but
now he lives in Rome.
(c) I bought a new car three days ago.

Nhng hnh ng
hoc tnh hung
din ra v kt thc
trong qu kh.

(d) Rita stood under a tree when it

began to rain.
(e) When Mrs. Chu heard a strange
noise, she got up to investigate.

Vi nhng cu cha
when v th QK
c hai mnh ,
hnh ng trong
mnh when xy
ra trc.

Past Continuous
S + was/were + V-ing
(a) This time last year I was living in
Brazil.
(b) What were you doing at 10 oclock
last night?

Nhng hnh ng
ang din ra ti mt
thi im trong qu
kh.

(c) While I was studying in one room of

our apartment, my roommate was
having a party in another room.

Hai hnh ng din

ra ng thi.

(d) I was walking down the street when

it began to rain.
(e) Matt phoned while we were having
dinner.

Kt hp QK v
QKTD m t mt
hnh ng xy ra v
ct ngang mt hnh
ng khc. Th
QKTD ch hnh
ng din ra trc,
th QK ch hnh
ng xy ra sau.

2. Present Perfect and Past

Present Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous vs. Present
Perfect
Past Perfect
Past Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect

time?

S + HAS/HAVE +PP
(a) They have already moved into a new
apartment.
(b) Ive just cut my finger.
(c) The road is closed. Theres been an
accident.
(d) Ive lost my key.

Thng bo mt tin mi, mt

hnh ng hoc tnh hung va
mi din ra: (a), (b), (c).
Hnh ng xy ra trong qu
kh c lin h vi hin ti (d).
Khng cn bit thi im c
th.

(e) We have had four tests so far this

semester.
(f) I have been to China twice.
(g) She has never read Hamlet.
(h) Its the first time he has driven a car.
(i) This is the second time Sarah has lost
her passport.

Hnh ng xy ra nhiu ln
(hoc cha bao gi xy ra) t
trc n nay. C th lin quan
n kinh nghim, tri nghim.
Dng vi its the (first) time

(j) I have been here since seven oclock.

(k) I have had this same pair of shoes for
three years.
(l) I have liked cowboy movies ever since I
was a kid.
(m) Ive known him for many years.

Mt tnh hung bt u trong

qu kh v tip din ti hin
ti.

Dng th hon thnh vi khong thi gian khng xc nh. Nu hnh

ng xy ra trong mt thi im c th th dng th QK.
E.g. She passed away last night. (not She has passed away last night)
He graduated in 1999. (not He has graduated in 1999).

Th hin ti hon thnh thng i vi nhng trng t nh ever, never,

already, yet, still, just.
ch thi gian trong th hon thnh, dng since, for. Dng for vi
khong thi gian, dng since vi mc thi gian.
For = how long ; since = when
For
two hours a long time
six months
ages
20 minutes
years

a week
five days
50 years

8 oclock
Monday
12 May

Since
April
lunchtime
1985
we arrived
Christmas
I got up

Present Perfect Continuous

S + HAS/HAVE + BEEN + V-ING
(a) Youre out of breath. Have you been
running? (you are out of breath now)
(b) Paul is very tired. Hes been working
very hard. (he is tired now)
(c) Where have you been? Ive been
looking for you everywhere.

Hnh ng va mi ngng li,

c nh hng ti hin ti.

(d) How long have you been learning

English?
(e) Tim is still watching TV. Hes been
watching TV all day.
(f) It has been raining all morning. It is still
raining right now.
(g) This company has been producing
glass for 100 years.

Nhn mnh qu trnh ca hnh

ng bt u trong qu kh v
tip tc cho ti hin ti, thng
i km vi cc t ch thi gian
nh for, since, all morning, all
day, all week.

(h) I have been thingking about changing

my major.
(i) My back hurts, so I have been sleeping
on the floor lately.

Hnh ng vn ang din ra

gn y, nu khng nhc n
thi gian.

Present Perfect Continuous vs. Present Perfect

S + have/has been + V-ing
Nhn mnh qu trnh ca hnh
ng, khng quan tm n vic
hnh ng kt thc hay cha.

Kate clothes are covered in paint.

She has been painting the ceiling.
My hands are very dirty. Ive been
repairing the car.
Dng vi how long
How long have you been reading
that book?
Lisa is still writing letters. Shes been
writing letters all day.

S + have/has +PP
Nhn mnh kt qu ca hnh
ng. Hnh ng kt thc

The ceiling was white. Now it is red. She

has painted the ceiling.
The car is OK again now. Ive repaired it.
Dng vi how much, how many,
how many times
How much of that book have you
read?
Lisa has written ten letters today.

Present Perfect Continuous vs. Present Perfect

ng t c ngha trng thi khng dng th hin ti hon
thnh tip din: like, love, hate, need, prefer, know, realize,
suppose, understand, believe, contain, consist, fit, belong,
seem, exist, matter, sound, smell, taste, hear, etc.
E.g. Ive known about it for a long time. (not Ive been knowing)
Vi mt vi ng t nh live, work, teach, c th dng c hai
th ny (s dng since, for) vi ngha khng i.
E.g. I have been lived here since 1995.
I have been living here since 1995.
She has work at the same store for ten years.
She has been working at the same store for ten years.

Past Perfect

Ann got there

Sam left

S + HAD +PP
(a) Sam had already left by the time
Ann got there.
(b) The thief simply walked in.
Someone had forgotten to lock
the door.
(c) The man sitting next to me on
the plane was very nervous. He
hadnt flown before.
(d) I didnt know who she was. Id
never seen her before.

Present Perfect (have/has PP)

Past Perfect (had PP)

had seen

have seen
past

Hnh ng din ra trc

mt hnh ng khc
hoc mt thi im trong
qu kh.

now

Who is that woman? Ive never seen her before.

We arent hungry. Weve just had lunch.

past

now

I didnt know who she was. Id never seen her

before.
We werent hungry. Wed just had lunch.

Past Perfect Continuous

S + HAD + BEEN + V-ING

came

had been waiting

(a) The police had been looking for

the criminal for two years before
they caught him.
(b) Eric finally came at 6.00. I had
been waiting for him since 4.30.
(c) When the boys came into the
house, their clothes were dirty
and one of them had a black
eye. Theyd been fighting.

Present Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous

Had been running

has been running

past

Nhn mnh qu trnh ca

mt hnh ng tip din
lin tc trc mt hnh
ng khc hoc mt thi
im trong qu kh.

now

James is out of breath. He has been running.

past

now

James was out of breath. He had been running.

3. Future

Will + bare inf. / Be going to/ V-ing

Future Continuous
Future Perfect
Future Perfect Continuous

Will + bare inf.

(a) According to the weather

report, it wont rain tomorrow.
(b) Be careful! Youll hurt
yourself!

D on s vic,
hnh ng trong
tng lai.

(c) That bag looks heavy. Ill

help you with it.
(d) - Can you give Tom this
book?
- Sure, Ill give it to him when
I see him this afternoon.
(e) Thanks for lending me the
money. Ill pay you back on
Friday.
(f) Will you please turn the
stereo down?

- ngh gip ,
s sn lng.
- ng .

- Ha.
- Yu cu ngi
khc.

Will + bare inf. / Be going to/ V-ing

Will + bare inf.

Be going to

V-ing

Quyt nh c a ra
vo thi im ni.

nh, k hoch lp
t trc nhng vn
cha sp xp c th
thc hin.

nh, k hoch c
nhn lp t trc v
sp xp c th
thc hin.

Oh, Ive left the door open.

Ill go and shut it.

I hear Sarah has won

some money. What is she
going to do with it?

Im leaving tomorrow at
1.30. Ive got my plane
ticket.
Alex is getting married
next month.

D on s vic sp xy
ra da vo tnh hung
hin ti.
Look at those black
clouds! Its going to rain.
The economic situation is
bad now and things are
going to get worse.

Hnh ng lm ngay sau

khi ni, thng dng
vi go/come/leave.
- Tina, are you ready yet?
- Yes, Im coming.
.

S dng Present Simple cho thi gian biu,

lch trnh chc chn (gi tu chy, gi chiu phim)
E.g.
My train leaves at 11.30, so I need to be at the station by
11.15.
What time does the film begin this evening?
Tomorrow is Wednesday.

Future Continuous
Will be V-ing
(a) I will begin to study at
seven. You will come at
eight. I will be studying
when you come.
(b) Right now Im sitting in
the class. At the same time
tomorrow, I will be sitting in
class.

Hnh ng tip din

ti mt thi im
trong tng lai.
Ch : Trong mnh
when ng t
chia th HT ch
khng phi th TL.

Future Perfect
Will have PP
(a) I will graduate in June. I
will see you in July. By the
time I see you, I will have
graduated.
(b) I will have finished my
homework by the time I go out
on a date tonight.

Hnh ng hon tt
trc mt hnh
ng khc hoc mt
thi im trong
tng lai.
Ch : by the time
m u mnh ch
thi gian. Th HT
(ch khng phi
TL) c s dng
mnh thi
gian.

Future Perfect Continuous

Will have been V-ing
(a) I will go to bed at ten p.m.
Ed will get home at midnight.
At midnight I will be sleeping. I
will have been sleeping for
two hours by the time Ed gets
home.
(b) When Professor Jones
retires next year, he will have
been teaching for 45 years.

Nhn mnh qu
trnh ca mt hnh
ng tip din lin
tc trc mt s
vic khc hoc mt
thi im trong
tng lai.
Ch : by the time
m u mnh ch
thi gian. Th HT
(ch khng phi
TL) c s dng
mnh thi
gian.

Simple Present

Tom studies
everyday.

Simple Past

Tom studied last

night.

Simple Future

Tom will study

tomorrow.

Present
Continuous

Present Perfect

Present Perfect
Continuous

Tom has already

studied Chapter One.

Tom has been studying

for two hours.

Past Continuous

Past Perfect

Past Perfect
Continuous

Tom was studying

when they came.

Tom has already

studied Chapter One
before he began
studying Chapter Two.

Future Continuous

Future Perfect

Tom will be studying

when you come.

Tom will already have

studied Chapter One
before he studies

Tom is studying right

now.

Tom has been studying

for two hours before his
friends came.

Future Perfect
Continuous

Tom will have been