TENSES REVISION

PRESENT SIMPLE
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
PRESENT PERFECT
AIM: TO REVISE
PRESENT
TENSES
PRESENT
PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

1. Im learning Chinese.
2. Youve walked across the Amazon jungle.
3. It has meant that I can finance my next
expedition.
4. My mum and dad always watch my
documentaries.
5. My agent is waiting for me.
6. Ive always loved travelling.
7. I dont like going with groups.
8. I went to Boston.
9. He was eating apples.
10. I didnt like the juice.

Present Simple

I/you/we/they live
in Belgrade.
He/She/It lives in
Belgrade.

I/you/we/they
dont live in
Belgrade.
He/she /it doesnt
live in Belgrade.
Do I/you/we/they live
in Belgrade?
Does he/she/it live in
Belgrade?

We use the Present Simple to

talk about:
Activities that we repeat regularly (routines, habits).
My mum and dad always watch my documentaries.
Permanent situations and states.
I dont like cheese.
General truths
A doctor works in a hospital.

Common time adverbials:

always, often, usually, sometimes, never
every day, every week, every year ...
twice a week, once a month
regularly, seldom, hardly ever, occasionally

Spelling

Y is lost in verbs
ending in
consonant +y:
fly flies
study studies

We use es with
verbs ending in -s,
-z, -sh, -ch, -s, -x:
watches, teaches,
washes, fixes...
-es where you
wouldnt normally
expect it
does
goes

Present Continuous

I am watching TV.
You/we/they are
watching TV.
He/she/it is
watching TV.

I am not watching TV.

You/we/they are not
watching TV.
He/she/it is not
watching TV.

Am I watching TV?
Are you/we/they watching
TV?
Is he/she/it watching TV?

We use the Present Continuous to

talk about:
Activities that are going on at the time of speaking.
Right now, I am giving a lecture and you are
listening.
Activities that happen regularly but only for a
limited period of time (temporary routines and
habits).
Im studying English a lot these days because we are
having a test next week.

Common time adverbials:

now, at the moment, at present, these days

Spelling

Verbs ending in e
lose the final -e when
ing is added.
phone phoning
make making
change changing

Short verbs ending in

one vowel + one
consonant double the
last consonant.
sit sitting
cut cutting
swim swimming
Verbs ending in ie:
lie lying
tie tying

Present Perfect: have/has +3rd

column

I/you/we/they have
I/you/we/they
not done the
have done the
homework.
homework.
He/she/it has not
He/she/it has
done the
done the
homework.
homework.
Have I/you/we/they done
the homework?
Has he/she/it done the
homework?

We use the Present Perfect to

talk about:
Past events and activities with results or
consequences in the present.
Ive lost my keys and now I cant open the door.
An action in the past when we dont know or are not
interested in when it happened. (to talk about
experience)
Ive been to China.
Things that started in the past and continue up till
now.
Ive always wanted to travel.

Common time adverbials:

never, ever, since, for, already, yet, all my life, always

The use and meanings of time

adverbials
already and yet
We use already in
statements and yet
in questions and
negative
sentences.
Ive already seen
that film.
I havent finished
yet.

since and for

Since tells us about a
point in time when
the activity began.
Weve been friends
since 2003.
For tells us about the
period of time that
the activity has
taken.
Weve been friends for
five years.

SIMPLE PAST

I/you/he/she/it/we
/ they liked
I/you/he/she/it/we
/ they wrote

I/you/he/she/it/we
/ they didnt like
I/you/he/she/it/we
/ they didnt write

Did I/you/he/she/it/we/
they like?
Did I/you/he/she/it/we/
they write?

The Simple Past

We use the simple past to indicate exactly
when an action or event took place in the past.

I visited my sister yesterday.

We went out to dinner last night.

The Simple Past

The simple past is used to describe actions
and/or events that are now completed and no
longer true in the present.

I attended MJC in 1998. (I no longer attend MJC.)

I saw a movie every weekend when I was a
teenager. (I dont see movies very much
anymore.)

SIMPLE CONTINOUS

I/he/she/it was
reading
You/we/ they were
reading

I/he/she/it wasnt
reading
You/we/ they
werent reading

Was I/he/she/it reading?

Were you/we/ they
reading?

The Past Continuous

The past progressive is used to talk about
an activity that was in progress at a specific
point of time in the past. The emphasis is on
the duration of the activity in the past.

I was studying for an exam while my mother was

cooking dinner.
We were walking in the park around 7 p.m. last
night.

The Past Continuous

The past progressive is often used with the
simple past to show that one action was in
progress when another action occurred.

I was taking a bath when the doorbell rang.

They were eating dinner when the neighbors
stopped by for a visit.

Complete the sentences for

situations in the present.

1. Every Monday, Sally (drive)her kids to

football practice.
2. Usually, I (work)as a secretary at ABT, but
this summer I (study)French at a language
school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.
3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep).
4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain).
5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain,
always).
6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you
(say)because everybody (talk)so loudly.

Complete the sentences for

situations in the present.

Ms Smith(work)as a sales representative for

three years.
In her job, she(drive)around a lot to meet
her customers all over the country.
Today she(travel)500 km to meet a
customer.
She(be/probably)tired now.
At the moment, Ms. Smith(stand)in her
hotel room.
She(arrive/just).

Choose the most appropriate answer.

1. She can't come to the phone now because she for

tomorrow's test.
studies is studying has studied has been studying
2. They must be at the sports ground now. They
usually basketball on Fridays.
play are playing have played have been playing
3. I my work already. I'm ready to go for a walk with you.
finish am finishing have finished have been finishing
4. I breakfast right now. Can you call a little later?
cook am cooking have cooked have been cooking
5. I this book. Can I borrow it for a week or so?
don't read am not reading haven't read haven't been reading

6. Maria is good at languages. She French, Spanish and

German.
speaks is speaking has spoken has been speaking
7. So far, he five stories for children.
writes is writing has written
8. We for their answer for two months already.
wait are waiting have been waiting
9. She since Monday.
is sick is being sick has been sick has been being sick
10. She since noon. Should we wake her up?
sleeps is sleeping has been sleeping

Choose the most appropriate answer.

1. Who food in your family when your Mom is away?
cooks is cooking has been cooking cooked
2. Where is John? He his car in the garage.
repairs is repairing has repaired repaired
3. I love this film. I it four or five times already.
see have seen had seen
4. Have you visited any European countries? Yes. I Spain and
Italy two years ago.
visited have visited had visited
5. She the living room when she heard a strange noise in the
kitchen.
has cleaned has been cleaning was cleaning
6. Where is he? I for him since three o'clock!
am waiting have been waiting was waiting had been waiting

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or

present perfect).

I (just / finish) my homework.

Mary (already / write) five letters.
Tom (move) to his home town in 1994.
My friend (be) in Canada two years ago.
I (not / be) to Canada so far.
But I (already / travel) to London a couple of times.
Last week, Mary and Paul (go) to the cinema.
I can't take any pictures because I (not /buy) a new film yet.
(they / spend) their holidays in Paris last summer?
(you / ever / see ) a whale?

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past

or Past Progressive).

The receptionist (welcome) the guests and (ask) them to fill

in the form
The car (break) down and we (have) to walk home.
The boys (swim) while the girls (sunbath) .
My father (come) in, (look) and (tell) me to tidy up my
room.
While one group (prepare) dinner the others (collect) wood
for the campfire.
While the parents (have) breakfast the children (run) about.
Martha (turn) off the light and (go) to bed.