1.

Present tenses

1.1 Present Simple

FORM
The present simple is formed with the infinitive of the main verb. The negative and interrogative are formed with
the present tense of the verb to do + infinitive.
Examples

I start work at 8.30 a.m.

When do I start work?
I don’t start work until 9.00 a..m. / He doesn’t start work until 9.00 a..m.
( Remember the -s in the third person singular.)

USE

1. For habitual and repeated actions.

I play tennis.

2. With adverbs of frequency: often – usually – sometimes – seldom – rarely – always – occasionally – never
He often arrives late.

3. Certain verbs are usually only used in the (present) simple form.
verbs of the senses: see- hear- smell – notice – recognize
verbs of emotion: want – desire – refuse – forgive – wish – care – love – hate – like –
dislike
verbs of thinking: think – feel – realize – understand – know – mean – suppose –
believe – expect – remember – forget

4. For something that is permanently true.

Water boils at 100 °C.

time diagram

I get up at 8.30 a.m. every day.

PAST NOW FUTURE

1.2 Present Continuous

FORM
This tense is formed with the present tense of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb.
I’m watching television.
What are you doing?
He isn’t coming.

USE
1. For actions happening at the moment of speaking. She’s reading the newspaper.
2. For a temporary state. The company is reorganizing its services.
3. For a definite arrangement in the near future. They’re signing the contract tomorrow.

Some verbs are not usually used in the continuous form:

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1. verbs of senses see – hear – smell – notice - recognize
2. verbs of emotion want – desire – refuse – forgive – wish – care – love – hate – like - dislike
3. verbs of thinking think – feel – realize – understand – know – mean – suppose – believe – expect –
remember - forget
4. verbs of possessing own – owe – belong - possess
5. some other verbs seem – appear (seem) – contain – consist – keep (continue) - matter

time diagram

PAST NOW FUTURE

I’m adjusting the rotation speed.

1.3 Present Perfect Simple

FORM
This tense is formed with the present tense of the verb to have + past participle of the main verb.

I’ve finished.
Where have you been?
I haven’t talked to him.

USE
We use this tense to connect past and present. We use to talk about

1. Actions in the recent past with ‘just, recently, already, at last, lately’
He has just immersed the temperature probe into the molten steel.
2. General experience with ‘ever – never – before – so far’
This is the highest carbon ratio I’ve ever seen.
3. The indefinite past: we are interested in what happened, not in when it happened.
I ‘ve seen the report. (I know what it is about.)
He has sold the company.
They ‘ve had lunch.
4. Actions starting in the past and continuing to the present, with ‘for’ or ‘since”.
The operation has been suspended for two months.
The firm has had a Belgian branch since October last year.

time diagrams

I’ve just arrived.

PAST NOW FUTURE

Have you been to France?

PAST NOW FUTURE

They have revised their report.

PAST NOW FUTURE

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We have conducted experiments on this phenomenon for almost twenty years.

PAST NOW FUTURE

1.4 Present Perfect Continuous

FORM
This tense is formed with the present perfect of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb.
I ‘ve been writing code for our new data-mining program.
Has she been trying to contact me?
She hasn’t been writing at all.

USE

We use this tense for actions started in the past, continuing to the present and probably continuing into the future.
We often use it with “for” or “since”.

I’ ve been trying to persuade him for ten years now.

We ‘ve been practicingthis routine since last Wednesday.

time diagram

I’ve been driving for twenty years.

1982 2002
PAST NOW FUTURE

I’ve driven a Volkswagen for twenty years.

1982 2002
PAST NOW FUTURE

In the first example, we express a strong possibility that the action will continue into the future. In the second
example, we are only interested in the past twenty years.

2. Past tenses

2.1 Past Simple

FORM
This tense is formed by adding -ed to the infinitive. The negative and interrogative are formed with the past tense
of the verb to do + infinitive of the main verb.

They arrived at head quarters an hour ago.

When did he finalize this deal?
I didn’t finish until 12 o’clock.

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USE
We use this tense:

1. For actions completed at a definite time in the past.

We signed the contract last Friday at 2 o’clock.

2. For actions which are already completed in the past: the time is understood but not stated.

Did you arrive in time?

3. The ‘unreal past tense’ is used after the verb ‘to wish’ and after words and phrases such as ‘if only; it’s time;
suppose’ etc. The simple past tense implies that the speaker knows that the wish or the idea is impossible. Note
that the wish refers to the present time.

If I only knew his name.

I wish I were at home now.
If I were in his shoes, I would fix his wagon without much scruples.
It’s time I went home.

time diagram

I arrived at 15.30 sharp.

PAST NOW FUTURE

2.2 Past Continuous

FORM
This tense is formed with the past tense of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb.

I was watching TV at 8 o’clock yesterday.

Where were you looking for my gasses this time?
I wasn’t eavesdropping at all!

USE
We use this tense:
1. To emphasize the continuity of the past action.

She was playing tennis with a friend.

He was discussing production planning for the coming week.
2. To describe an action in progress at a certain time in the past.

At 6 p.m. I was still sleeping.

At a quarter past nine I was having breakfast.
Prices were going up all the time.
3. To describe an interrupted past action.

When he arrived, I was studying the quarterly reports.

4. To express repeated past actions which caused irritation, annoyance. ( with always, forever)

He was always trying to influence the presonnel director.

She was forever paring her nails during meetings.

time diagram

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1. I was working all day yesterday.

PAST yesterday NOW FUTURE

2. I worked all day yesterday.

PAST yesterday NOW FUTURE

While (1) emphasizes the continuity of the action, (2) only indicates that the action took place yesterday.

3. I was watching television at 8.30 last night.

PAST 8.30 NOW FUTURE

4. I watched television at 8.30 last night.

PAST 8.30 NOW FUTURE

Whereas 3. indicates that the action started before and continued after a certain point in time, 4.. indicates that
the action happened at 8.30.

4. I was browsing through your report

when he knocked at my office door.

2.3 Past Perfect Simple

FORM
This tense is formed with the past tense of the verb to have + past participle of the main verb.

I had never seen so many measuring tools.

What assistance had he given?
He hadn’t expected this outcome.

USE

We use this tense to describe one past action happening before another past action.
The customer had left the shop by the time I found his order form.
We use it when necessary to indicate the sequence of two actions.
He had already cleared the screen when I got behind his desk.
We often us it when the second action is understood, but not stated.
I hadn’t realized! (until you told me.)

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time diagram

(1) When I had had dinner, I watched television.

had watched
PAST dinner television NOW FUTURE

(2) I had dinnner before I watched television.

had watched
PAST dinner television NOW FUTURE

In (1) the sequence of actions is expressed by the past perfect tense; whereas in (2) the sequence of actions is
indicated by the use of before.

2.4 Past Perfect Continuous

FORM

This tense is formed with the past perfect tense of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb.

She had been working as a secretary for two years when she was promoted.
What had she been writing all day?
He hadn’t been listening to that tape for that long.

USE

We use this tense to describe a continuous past action happening before another past action. We often use it
with for + time period.
We had been waiting for thirty minutes when they arrived.

We use this tense to emphasize the continuity or duration of the past action.
I had been waiting for my exam results for six weeks. (before I got them.)

time diagram

(1) I had been waiting for ten minutes when she arrived.

PAST ten minutes NOW FUTURE

(1) I waited for ten minutes before she arrived.

PAST I waited she arrived NOW FUTURE

Whereas in (1) the past perfect continuous indicates both the sequence of the actions and the continuity of the
first action; in (2) the sequence of the actions is indicated by before.

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3. Future tenses

3.1 Future Simple (with will)

FORM
This tense is formed with will + infinitive of the main verb.

I’ll see you later

When will you be there?
They won’t like in.

USE

We use this tensze to express a pure future. Actions expressed in the simple future are bound to happen
because of the course of time. This means that the speaker has no power over the events, that he cannot control
what will happen. For this reason this tense is also called the uncertain future.
He will be sixteen years old next Friday.
The baby will be born next month.

1. We often use this tense with particular verbs; such as think – know – believe – suppose – expect – hope to
express beleifs, convictions, hope, expectationn, knowledge and opinions about the future.
I think Brazil will win.
I don’t suppose she will be promoted now.
2. We often use it with particular adverbs such as: probably – possibly –perhaps to express uncertainty about
the future.
He will probably ask the general manager.
This matter will probably not be raised before the commission’s first meeting.
3. The simple present is used in conditional clauses and time clauses. The simple future is used in the main
clause (not in the if-clause).
He ‘ll help you if you ask him.
I ‘ll tell him the news as soon as I see him.
He ‘ll be arrested the moment he sets foot on Schengen soil.

3.2 Future with going to

FORM

This tense is formed with the present tense of the verb to be + going to + infinitive of the main verb.

I’ m going to watch this football match on TV tonight.

What are you going to do about this ?
She isn’t going to give this party next week.

USE

We use this tense to talk about present intentions and plans for future actions.

I ‘m going to pass my exams next month.

I ‘m going to spend two weeks in Spain this summer.
We also use going to in order to express subjective certainty on the part of the speaker.
This boat is going to sink.
It’s going to rain, by the look of it.

3.3 Future with Present Continuous

FORM
This tense is formed with the present tense of the verb to be+ present participle of the main verb.

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She is getting married next Friday.
What are you doing next weekend?
They’re not coming home tonight.

USE

We use this tense to indicate definite future arrangements, actions planned in the near future. We nearly
alwys use a future time expression with it.

He ‘s starting his new job next Monday.

I’ m taking the 11 o’clock train to Berlin.

Note: do not confuse intention ( to be + going to + verb) and arrangement (to be + present participle).
I’m going to stay in London. = intention
I’m going to London next weekend = arrangement

3.4 Future with Present Simple

FORM
This tense is formed with the infinitive of the main verb. The negative and interrogative are formed with the
present tense of to do + infinitive.

The plane takes off at 7.30 local time.

The match begins at 14.00 hours.
You leave from Kennedy airport at noon, and arrive in Paris at 15.00 hours GMT.

USE

We use this tense to talk about planned future actions. We usually use it to describe travel plans, time tables,
departures, arrivals.

The bus leaves at 15.30.

The reception starts at 19.00 hours.
The ferry leaves Dover at 12.30 tomorrow and we arrive at Calais at 13.15.

3.5 Future Continuous

FORM
This tense is formed with the future simple of to be + present participle of the main verb.

We’ ll be flying to Rome this time next week.

What will you be doing this time next week?
They won’t be sitting in the classroom at 6 o’clock tomorrow.

USE

We use this tense for actions that will be in progress at a certain time in the future.

At 11.45 next Friday, I ‘ ll be doing my chemistry exam.

I’ ll be hiking through the States this time next year.

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time diagram

This time next week, I’ll be taking my driving test.

PAST NOW next week FUTURE

The future continuous is also used to express long-term arrangements, especially for travelling.
The band will be travelling through Scandinavia at the end of the month. They will be
giving three performances there.
The future continuous is also used to ask very polite questions about future activities. By using the future
continuous tense, the speaker asking the questions shows that he does not want to influence the other person’s
decision in any way at all.
Where will you be having dinner, Sir? (secretary to boss)
What will you be having, Madam? (waiter to customer)
The future continuous is also used to make deductions about what is happening at the moment of speaking.
He will be working in his garden now. Otherwise, he would have heard the phone.
She hasn’t begun making up the beds. She will still be doing the washing up.

3.6 Future Perfect Simple

FORM
This tense is formed with will + have + past participle of the main verb.

They ‘ll have finalized their business by noon.

Will they have copied all that material by Friday morning?
They won’t have organized this course by the end of this year.

USE
We use this tense to describe actions which we know will (or will not) be completed by a certain time in the
future.
I ‘ll have finished this book by the end of the week.

time diagram

By the end of next week, I’ll have finished my exams.

PAST NOW end of next week FUTURE

3.7 Future Perfect Continuous

FORM
This tense is formed with the future perfect tense of to be + present participle of rthe main verb.

By the end of this year, we ‘ll have been experimenting with this for more than three months.
How long will you have been living there by the end of this year?
I won’t have been living living here for five years till the end of this year.

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USE

We use this tense to describe continuous and repeated actions which begin befor a certain time in the future
and will probably continue after that time.

By the end of the next academic year, I’ll have been teaching for 26 years.

time diagram

By the end of the next academic year, I’ll have been teaching for 26 years

PAST 26 years NOW FUTURE

end of next academic year

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1. Put the verbs into a suitable present tense.
Situation: Martin is worried about his health so he goes to see his doctor. He first meets the doctor’s
receptionist.

R: Good morning, Sir. You (to make) an appointment?

M: Yes, my name is Martin Jones.
R: Ah yes. Gpo straight in, Mr. Jones.
Dr.: Good morning, Mr. Jones. How are you?
M: Well, doctor, I (to get) a pain in my chest for several days and I (to have)
a lot of bad headaches in the last two weeks.
Dr.: I see. How long the headaches (to last)?
M: They usually (to continue) for two to three hours.
Dr.: And when they (to start)?
M: They generally (to begin) when I (to get) home from work at 5.30 p.m.
Dr.: I see, and what you (t take) to ease the pain?
M: I always (to take) two aspirins, but very often they not (to help) at all.
Dr.: And this pain in your chest. Exactly how long it (to trouble) you?
M: I (to have) it since Monday.
Dr.: Mm, two days. Your chest (to hurt) now?
M: No, not at the moment. It generally (to give) me most pain while I (to
work).
Dr.: You ever (to feel) this pain before?
M: No.
Dr.: And you ever (to suffer) from regular headaches before?
M: Well, I always (to have) the occasional headache, but I never (to
experience) so many in such a short time before. Is it serious, doctor?
Dr.: No, but I would like to have some detailed tests done at the hospital.

2. Put the verbs in the brackets into the past simple, present perfect simple or present perfect
continuous.
Situation: It is the beginning of the winter holiday period. London Airport is surrounded by thick fog.
Two strangers meet in the departure lounge.

A Excuse me. Is this seat taken?

B No, go ahead.
A Thanks. You (to wait) long?
B Yes, since the fog (to start)
A When they (to stop) outgoing flights?
B At about 4.30 this afternoon. How log you (to wait)?
A Oh, I only just (to arrive). I (to come) by taxi and it (to be) so foggy on the roads that I nearly not
(to get) here at all.
B Yes, I never (to see) it so foggy and I never (to know) the authorities to close the airport since we
(to have) that bad winter ten years ago.
A When you (to expect) to take off?
B I (to expect) to take off seven hours ago, but I (to sit) here drinking cups of coffee since they (to
announce) there would be no more departures till further notice.
A You ever (to have) wait so long before?
B No! I never (to wait) more than two hours since I (to start) travelling by plane when I (to be)
twelve years old. It’s ridiculous.
A Mm. I only (to fly) once before, so this waiting is new to me, too.

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3. Put the verb in the brackets into a suitable past tense.
Situation: This is part of a spy novel called ‘Modern Spy’.

Chapter 3

David Lang (to wait) patiently in the shadow of a wall. It (to rain) steadily; in fact, it
(to rain) since he (to arrive) two hours earlier. For the hundreth time, he (to check) his
watch, (to look) up and down the street and (to complain) to the dark about American
agents who (to be) always late.
He (to start) thinking about the events of the day and why he (to arrive) in Central
Europe with no money and no gun. At ten o’clock that morning, his boss (to call) him
into his office and (to tell) him about the radio message the Americans (to receive)
from their Central European agent. After that, Lang (to have) one hour to reach the
airport. His flight (to land) at four o’clock in the afternoon and he (to take) a taxi to
the corner of the street where he now (to stand).
He (to check) his watch again when he suddenly (to hear) a man enter the street. He
(to move) slowly back into the shadow when something hard (to hit) him on the neck.
He (to remember) nothing more until he (to come) round ten minutes later and (to
realize) he (to travel) by car through the streets of the capital with three armed men.

4. Put the verb in brackets into the future simple, future continuous, or future perfect simple
Situation: Two passengers, trapped in a crashed Underground train, are talking to each other while
waiting for the rescue services to reach them.

A How long do you think it (to take) them to reach us?

B Not long. They probably (to be) here in half-an-hour. In an hour’s
time, we (to sit) up in bed and we (to chat) to the nurses at the
hospital. How are your legs?
A Well, I can’t feel anything. Do you think I ever (to be ) able to walk
again?
B Yes, of course. The doctors soon (to get) you well again. In a few
days, you (to walk) round the hospital and you (to make) a real
nuisance of yourself. By the end of next week, you (to forget) all
about this accident.
A I’m not so sure. I think the doctors (to keep) me in hospital for quite a
long time; I probably (to have) to have several operations; even after
six months in hospital, they problably not (to cure) me completely.
B Nonsense. They (to let) you leave the hospital by the end of next
week. In two weeks’ time, you (to lead) a normal life again; you (to
run) up and down the stairs with no trouble. And you (to be) back at
work in no time at all.
A Well, I hope you are right.
B Of course I am. You soon (to be) completely fit again. By the end of
the month, you (to tell) your friends the story of this accident a
hundred times; they (to hear) it so often that they probably (to be )
able to repeat it word for word.

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5. Put the verb in brackets into the present continuous, future simple, future continuous of future
perfect simple.
Situation: Richard has managed to get a well-paid job abroad. He is talking to Paul, his colleague
about his new job.

R So everything is arranged; I (to fly) to New York next Saturday; my

new boss (to meet) me at the airport; and I (to start) work at 8.30 on
Monday morning.
P Do you think you (to have) any trouble getting used to a new way of
life?
R Well, I probably (to feel) a bit lost at first, but I think I (adjust) fairly
quickly. By the end of the first month, I (to forget) all about England.
P Or you (to start) wishing you had stayed here!
R No, Paul. This time next month, I (to think) like an Amùerican. I (to
live) like an American; and I (to talk) like an American.
P I don’t think you ever (to lose) your English accent. Living in
America probably (to make) it even stronger. What time you (to leave)
on Saturday?
R The taxi (to collect) me at 9 o’clock. At exactly 12.15, I (to take) my
last look at England from one of the aircraft’s windows.
P Do you think you (to come) back for a holiday now and then?
R Oh, yes. I hope I (to be) able to come back two or three times a year.
Where you (to go) for your holidays this year?
P I haven’t decided yet. I expect I (to spend) a week in Scotland.
R Why don’t you come and see me in the States?

6. Put the verbs into a suitable present tense.

Situation: This is part of a television news programme.

And here are the main points of the main news again. The inflation rate (to
come) down for the third month in succession; inflation now (to run) at a figure
of eight percent. The third anti-nuclear power conference (to begin) in
Helsinki; national representatives (to spend) the first day of the conference
preparing the agenda for the week. And finally ... Excuse me .... We just (to
receive) news of a serious mid-air collision over the Irish Sea. Apparently two
planes (to crash) near the Irish coast. Rescue forces already (to leave) Dublin
and all ships in the area now (to sail) to the disaster point. Two air-sea rescue
helicopters (to take off) from their base in Wales and they now (to search) the
area for survivors.

7. Put the verb in brackets into a suitable past tense.

Situation: Dan and Robert have just finished their final exam at the university. As soon as they come
out of the exam hall, they start discussing the last paper.

D Well, I not (to like) that at all. What you (to think) of it, Robert?
R I (to think) the questions (to be) not too bad, but after I (to read) them all
carefully, I (to realize) I (to revise) the wrong subjects.
D Mm. I know what you mean. I (to expect) a question on the First World War and
I (to study) it for weeks, but the examiner not (to include) any questions on it at
all. When I (to check) the questions twice and I finally (to understand) that there
(to be) only two questions I (can) answer, I (to feel)à like giving up.

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8. Put the verbs in brackets into the present continuous, future simple, future with going to or
future perfect simple.
Situation: It’s Monday morning. The Cooper family are having breakfast.

A I (to go) into town this morning, James. Sarah (to meet) me at 10
o’clock and we (to do) some shopping. You (to do) anything at 12.30?
Perhaps we can have lunch together?
J Well, I (to see) a client at 12.30, but we probably (to finish) by one
o’clock. That (to be) too late for you?
A No, that’s fine. Where we (to go)?
J How about the Steak House, or do you think it (to be) too crowded
there?
A No, there not (to be) many people there at this time of year.
J You (to go) anywhere near the bank?
A Yes, I (to call) in there actually.
J What time do you think you (to get) there?
A Well, we (to start) in Commercial Street; we probably (to spend) an
hour in the shops; then I expect we (to have) a coffee somewhere; so I
probably (to reach) the bank at about 11.30. Why?
J Well, the manager (to expect) to see me this afternoon; and I not (to
be) able to keep the appointment if I take lunch with you.

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