PRESENT

FORMS
(Affirmative - A/Negative - N
- Q)
A: I

work.
works.
work.

He/she/it
You/we/they

do not (dont) work.

He/she/it
does not (doesnt) work_.
You/we/they do not (dont) work.

Q: Do

Does
Do

USE

TIME PHRASES

1-to talk about general truth and

permanent actions(facts):

always, every
day/month/year
never, often,
normally,
seldom,
sometimes,
usually, twice a
week/day,
all the time

Question

N: I

I
work?
he/she/it
work_?
you/we/they work?

The Earth rotates round its axis.

It rains a lot in autumn.
I speak English and French.

2-to talk about repeated,

customary actions:
He gets up at 8 oclock every
morning.
They never listen to their teacher.

3-to talk about a planned future

action (a timetable or schedule )

PAST

The train leaves at 3 tomorrow.

Regular verbs + ed : worked, played,

Irregular verbs II column:
went, ate
A: I

worked /went.
worked/went.
worked/went .

He/she/it
You/we/they
N: I

He/she/it
You/we/they

did not (didnt) work_/go.

did not (didnt) work_/go.
did not (didnt) work_/go.

Q: Did I

Did he/she/it
Did you/we/they
FUTURE

INDEFINITE (SIMPLE)

TENSES

work_/go?
work_/go?
work_/go?

1-to talk about actions

performed in the past
(with finished time expressions):
I met my friend yesterday.
Did you go to the seaside last
summer?

2-to talk about a succession of

past actions (stories):
He opened the door, switched on the
light and fed his cat.

3- to talk about an action taking

place in the middle of another
action:
He fell asleep while the teacher was
explaining new grammar rules.

1-to talk about future actions:

A: I/we

He/she/it
You/they
N: I/we

He/she/it
You/they
Q: Shall/will

shall*/ will
will
will

work.
work.
work.

shall not (shant) * work

will not (wont)
work.
will not (wont) work.
will not (wont) work.

I/we
work?
Will
he/she/it
work?
Will
you/they
work?
*NOTE!!!
Shall is used mostly in the
questions shall I?/shall we?
In spoken
English we normally use Ill and well.

yesterday, 2
minutes/hours/
days/years ago,
in 1970,
the other day,
last
month/year/
week/ Sunday

Ill call you tomorrow.

Mary will get a present next month.

2-to predict the future

(with probably, I expect...,
I'm sure..., (I) think..., don't
think, I wonder..., perhaps)
I think it will rain tomorrow.
Perhaps she'll be late.
I don't think the exam will be very
difficult.

3- to express intention at the

moment of decision:
Do you like these shoes?
- Yes, I'll buy them.

4-in the 1 st type of

conditional sentences
If the weather is fine, well go to
the country.

tomorrow,
the day after
tomorrow,
one of these
days,
next
week/month/
year etc.,
soon,
in the near
future,
some day,
in two
days/five
minutes/a
month etc.

FORMS
(Affirmative - A/Negative - N
Question - Q)

TPRESEN

to be (am/is/are) + verb + -ing

A: I

He/she/is
You/we/they

am (Im) working.
is (hes) working.
are (were) working.

N: I

am not (Im not) working.

He/she/it
is not (isnt)
working.
You/we/they/ are not (arent) working.

Q: Am

I
he/she/we
you/we/they

PAST

Is
Are

working?
working?
working?

to be(was/were) + verb +
-ing
A: I

He/she/it
You/we/they

was
was
were

working.
working.
working.

N: I

was not (wasnt) working.

He/she/it
was not (wasnt) working.
You/we/they were not (werent) working.

Q: Was

I
he/she/it
you/we/they

Was
Were
FUTURE

CONTINUOUS (progressive)

TENSES

working?
working?
working?

shall/will + be + verb +ing

A: I/we

He/she/it
You/they
N: I/we

shall*/will be working.
will
be working.
will
be working.

shall not (shant) *be working.

will not (wont)
be working.

He/she/it will not (wont)

You/they will not (wont)
Q: Shall/will

Will
Will

be working.
be working.

I/we
be working?
he/she/it be working?
you/they be working?

*NOTE!!!
Shall is used mostly in the questions shall
I?/shall we?
In spoken English we normally use Ill
and well.

USE

1-to talk about actions that are

happening now, at the moment of
speaking:
Look! The boys are playing football. Hurry
up! The train is coming.
2- to talk about actions that
are happening around now, but
not exactly at the moment of
speaking:
We are studying very hard these days.
We have to prepare for our exams.
3-to speak about what you have
already arranged to do:
-What are you doing on Saturday?
-I am meeting my friend at the station.
She is arriving at 8 pm.
1-to talk about a temporary action
taking place at a given moment in the
past:
What were you doing at 6 oclock
yesterday?
2-two or more actions happening at
the same time in the past:
She was cooking dinner and her kids
were watching TV.
3- action interrupted by another
shorter action in the past:
I was working on computer when the
telephone rang.
4- background information in a story:
The sun was shining and the birds
were singing

1- to talk about an action at a

particular moment in the future.
The action will start before that
moment but it will not have
finished at that moment:
I will be playing tennis at 10am
tomorrow.
This time on Sunday I'll be bathing in
the sea.
When you arrive, he will be waiting for
you.

TIME
PHRASES

now,
at the
moment,
at present;
Look!,
Listen!
these
days,
this
morning,
today

at 6 oclock
yesterday,
from 3 to 6
On Monday,
when Mum
came, while

at 5 oclock
tomorrow,
this time on
Sunday,
when I come

FORMS
(Affirmative - A/Negative - N
Question - Q)

perfect

PRESENT

Perfect continuous

PRESENT

TENSES

TENSES

-is always connected with the

have/has +participle II
FORMS
regular verbs +ed
worked,
(Affirmative - A/Negative - N
asked
Question - Q)
-irregular verbs-III column
A: I/we/you/they
have
worked/gone.
gone, eaten
He/she/it
has
worked/gone.
N: I/we/you/they have not (havent) worked/gone.
not
(hasnt)
A: IHe/she/it
we/you/they has
have
been
working.worked/gone.
He/she/it
has been working.
Q: Have
I/we/you/they
worked/gone?
he/she/it
worked/gone?
N: Has
I/we/you/they have
not (havent)
been working.
He/she/it
has not (hasnt)
been working.

PAST PAST

Q: Have
Has

FUTUREFUTURE

USE

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

been working?
been working?

had +participle II
- regular verbs
+ed :
worked, asked
-irregular
verbs-III column: gone, eaten
A: I /we/you/they
had been working.
A: I/you/we/they
had
worked/gone.
He/she/it
had been
working.
He/she/it
had
worked/gone.
N: I/we/you/they
had not (hadnt) been working.
N: He/she/it
I/we/you/we/they had
hadnot
not(hadnt)
(hadnt)been
worked/gone.
working.
He/she it
had not (hadnt) worked/gone.
Q: Had I/we/you/they been working?
Q: Had
worked/gone?
Had I/you/we/they
he/she/it
been
working?
Had he/she/it
worked/gone?

A: I/we shall/will
shall/will+* have
have been working.
He/she/it
+participle
will
II have been working.
You/they
will
have been working.
A: I/we
shall*/will have worked/gone.
N:He/she/it
I/we shall
been working.
willnot (shant)*
have have
worked/gone.
not
You/they will
will

(wont)
have worked/gone.

will
not
(wont)* have
have been
working.
N: He/she/it
I/we
shall
not
(shant)
worked/gone.
You/theywillwill
(wont) have been working.
notnot
(wont)

Q:He/she/it
Shall/willwill not
I/we(wont) have been working?
You/they
will he/she/it
not (wont) have
have been
worked/gone.
Will
working?
Will
you/they
have been working?

Q: Shall/will
Will
Will

I/we
he/she/it
you/they

have worked/gone?
have worked/gone?
have worked/gone?

TIME
PHRASES

already, ever,

present and the only thing which

just, never,
matters here is the result: the time
not yet,
so
TIME
when the action took
USEplace is of no
far,
till
now,
PHRASES
importance:
I have lost my keys. I cant open the
up to now , of
door.
lately,
1-to say how long things have been late,
for,
since;
1-to talk about a completed action
continuing up to now:
recently;
with
How
connected with the present:
Ive been learning English for six
for long?
and since;
I have seen this film and I can
years.
discuss it with you now.
with This is
Its been raining all day.
2-questions in the Present Perfect
2-to say how we have been filling
never start with when:
our time (up to now)
When did you see this film?
-Your hands are dirty.
-Ive been painting the walls.
3-with this morning/evening, today
this week, this year (when the time
periods are not finished at the time
of speaking):
Have you called you mother today?

the first time

this
morning/
evening,
today, this
week, this
year

1-denotes an action completed

when I
before a certain moment in the
entered, by 5
past; it is not used to denote a
1-denotes an action which began oclock
since, for
succession of actions (Past
before a definite moment in the
yesterday,
Simple):
past, continued up to that moment
She has already finished her work
(with the
and was still going on at the
when he came.
same
moment:
But: When I wrote the letter, I
We could not go out because it had adverbs as
posted it.(Past Simple
been raining for two hours.
Present
succession of actions)
2-denotes an action which was no
By the time the police arrived ,he
Perfect but in
longer going on at a definite
had already disappeared.
moment in the past, but which had the past
2-with the
been in progress not long before: context); no
conjunctions(hardly/scarcely/
The babys face was red and wet. He sooner
nearly/barely + when)
had been crying.
I had hardly done it when they
than
came.
1-denotes
an action
whichthan
will begin
for
No
sooner had
they arrived
it
beforetoarain.
definite moment in the
started
future, will continue up to the
moment and
will becompleted
going on at thatby this time
1-denotes
an action
moment:
before
a definite moment in the
You will have been waiting for more tomorrow, by
future:
2 oclock
than
two
hours
when her
She
will
have
finished
thisplane
work finally
by
arrives.
tomorrow,
2 oclock tomorrow.
In the
beenstarted
studying when you
The
filmfall
willI will
havehave
already
for 2 we
years.
byhere
the time
come .Hurry up!
He will be tired when he arrives. He come back
will*NOTE!!!
have been travelling for 24
hours.
Shall is used mostly
in the questions shall I?/shall
we?
In spoken English we
normally use Ill and well.

have/has + been + verb + -ing

NOTE!!! We dont use Present

Perfect Cont. with be, know , have
and other non-progressive verbs:

How long have you had

your car? (Present Perfect)

had + been + verb + -ing

shall/will + have + been+ verb + -ing

*NOTE!!!
Shall is used mostly in the
questions shall I?/shall we?
In
spoken English we normally use Ill
and well.