VERB TENSES

1. SIMPLE TENSES
Habits, routine and facts
Remember to use the S in the present tense with the third person
singular (he-she-it).
Infinitive = to + verb
Bare infinitive = verb without to
TENSE

USE

PATTERN

EXAMPLE

Simple present routines

Bare infinitive
tense
facts
(without to)
(things that are true
and habitual)

While I exercise every morning, my

sister plays tennis in the afternoons.

Simple past

Last year she opened this store.

(regular verb)

Future simple

things or events that

are finished,
anything that
happened before
now (2 seconds or
2 year ago)

Regular verbs:
add ed
Irregular verbs
change the form.

events that will

will + bare verb
happen after now,
no connection with
the now

Quito is the Capital of Ecuador.

Yesterday I bought a car.

(irregular verb)
Tomorrow I will come early.
(this is for the future)

2. CONTINUOUS (PROGRESSIVE) TENSES

This tense is also known as progressive

 Events that are longer in duration

formed by the appropriate tense of the verb to be + the main
verb + ing.
TENSE

USE

Present
continuous

Events that are

longer in duration
and are
happening now
(not in the past
not in the future)

Past
continuous

An event in the
past (longer in
duration)

PATTERN
is
+ verb + ing
are

EXAMPLE
I am taking French classes in
this semester.
She is planning to go on
vacation.
(this actions are happening
now)

was
+ verb + ing
were

I was calling you yesterday

but you didnt answer the
phone.
She was exercising in the
park yesterday when I saw
her.

3. PERFECT TENSES
Show actions already completed.
perfect = made - complete or completely done
formed by the appropriate tense of the verb to have + the participle
of the verb.

TENSE

USE
Events that
begun in the past
and are
connected to the
present

Present
Perfect

PATTERN

EXAMPLE
She has lived here since 2011.

have
+ participle
has

(she still lives in the same

place, she begun to live in this
place in 2011)
I have been a teacher the last
21 years.
(I am still a teacher)

4. PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSES

Present perfect continuous:
Used to show that an action started to happen in the past and is
continuing to happen until now.
We can use time expression like: since last week, lately, recently, since
yesterday
Pattern

Example
Mary has been waiting for her friend since this morning.

has
+ been + verb + ing
have

Mary begun to wait her friend in the morning and she is

still waiting her.

5. MODAL VERBS
Used to show that we believe something is certain, probable or possible
VERB

USE

PATTERN

EXAMPLE

may
might
could

show things that are

possible in the future
but not certain

modal verb
+
bare infinitive

They may call later.

They might come early.
If we don't hurry we could be late.

may have
might have
could have

show that something

modal verbs
was possible now or at +
some point in the future participle

They may have called by now.

She might have gone by this time.
I could have bought a house next
month.

show general
statements about what
is possible

can
+
bare infinitive

It can be cold this winter.

(It is sometimes cold)
She can wear long dress tonight.
(she can wear long or short dress)

cant
can not

show impossibility

cant - can not

+
bare infinitive

That can't be true.

You can not be serious!

could
(past of can)

statements about what

was possible

could
+
bare infinitive

It could be cold this winter

(sometimes it was very cold)
She could wear long dress, but she
preferred the short one.

couldnt
could not

show impossibility in
the past

couldnt could not

+
bare infinitive

We know it could not be true.

Obviously he was joking, he could not
be serious.

when we are sure

something is true and
we have reasons for
our belief.

must
+
bare infinitive

It`s getting dark, it must be very late.

used for the past

must have
+
participle

They hadn't eaten all day, they must

have been hungry.

a) suggest that
something is true or will
be true in the future
b) show you have
reasons for your
suggestion

should
+
bare infinitive

You should study for the test to get a

good grade.

used for the past

have
+
participle

They should have arrived by now.

can

must

must have

should

should have

6. AUXILIARY VERBS
The auxiliary verbs have no meaning for their own UNLESS they are
acting as main verbs.
They allow us to do negative sentences, questions and passive forms
They help the main verb and give the time.

DO - DOES - DID

HAVE - HAS - HAD

IS - ARE - WAS - WERE

Is the plane flying high?

Question
present

Do you want to
leave?

Have you seen

that?

Question
past

Did you want to

leave?

Had you seen that? Was the plane flying high?

Negative sentence
present

She doesn't want

to leave.
I don't want to
leave.

No, I haven't seen

that

She didn't want to

leave.

No she hadn't
seen that

Negative sentence
past

Are the planes flying high?

Were the planes flying

high?
No, it is not flying high.
No, they are not flying high.

No, she hasn't

seen that

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxASqg4BtUE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcR4YkplHuU

No, it was not flying high.

No, they were not flying
high.