ENGLISH TENSES

Aspe
ct

S
I
M
P
L
E

PRESENT

PAST

FUTURE

I/you,we,they work.
He,she,it works in the garden.
Do you (we, they, I) work?
Does he (she, it) work?
I (you, they, we) dont work.
He (she, it) doesnt work.
He, (she, it) washes the car.
HE matches , Mary goes ,
dad passes, Joe (try) tries
on,
Nick (say)says,
Adverbs: usually, on week
days, generally, every,
occasionally, once, twice,
as a rule, often, regularly
on Mondays

Vb+ed
I,you,he travelled last
year.
applied for university
yesterday
threw the boomerang
Did you travel 3 years ago?
She didnt agree.
When did you call Jack?
We drank coffee at 5
oclock.
Any was born in 1990
Adverbs: yesterday, last,
ago, when, in 2002

I, you
He, she
will + vb
They, we
They will be ready next
Sunday
Will you lend me some
money ?
I will not =wont [uunt]
say a word the following
class.
Adverbs: next (month,
week
Tomorrow, The day after)
tomorrow, In 3 days
time,
The following (day,

Aspe
ct

C
O
N
T
I
N
U
O
U
S
be

P
E
R
F
E
C
T

PRESENT

PAST

FUTURE

BE (present)+ VBing

BE (past)-(was/were)+
VB-ing
I (he, she, it) was
stopping.
You (they, we) were
improving Spanish.
Was he(she, it) setting
goals?
I (he, she, it) wasnt
standing.
Adverbs: until/till, All the
time, the whole evening,
from 5 to 6, At that time
, yesterday,
Past Cont./When +Past
Simple

WILL BE + VB-ING
I(you, he) will be +
sending news.
Will you be preparing
salad?
Mary wont (will not) be
attending classes.
Adverbs: till, until,
since, for

I am cleaning the board

now.
You are planning a trip
now. (plan)
Are you planning a trip
now?
He (she, it) is flying the
plane just now.
Are they skipping the rope
at the moment?
She isnt (is not) thinking
about it now.
Look! ..
(rain)
Listen! .
HAVE (PRESENT)+ III F
I have collected stamps.
She has been in Chili.(S.Am)
Have you begged pardon?
I havent had journeys in Sudan
Has he understood the matter?
Adverbs: At last, all these
years, yet (neg. ?), the last
few day, soon, Now that, This
weekend, Several times,
several times, lately , So far,
Recently, today, sometimes,
always, rarely, just, Till now,
seldom, Up to now, Often,
until now ever, On holidays,

HAVE (PAST)+ III F

I had collected stamps.
She had been in Chili.(S.Am)
Had you begged pardon?
I hadnt had journeys in
Sudan
Had he understood the
matter?
Adverbs:
By the end of, before
PAST PERFECT / WHEN + PAST
SIMPLE

WILL HAVE+ III F

I, (you, we, he, she, it, they,)
will have colored the fence
by evening.
Will you
have kept pills in a dry
place by next month?
Mary wont (will not) have
walked by 11 o clock
tomorrow.
Adverbs: by

never, How long?usually,

already, Early,

P
F.
C
O
N
T
I
N.

HAVE BEEN+ vb-ING

I have been walking
He has been stressing
Have been building
Has she been training
The weeds havent been
growing
The Smiths hasnt been
moving

WILL HAVE BEEN

waiting

HAD BEEN+ vb-ING

You had been waiting
PAST PERFECT / WHEN + PAST
SIMPLE

You will have been

waiting

VERBS NEVER USED IN CONTINUOUS

1. 5-senses: to feel, to hear, to notice, to see, to smell, to taste
2. mental activity:

(Im thinking)

to agree, to believe, distrust, to doubt, to find, to foresee, to

forget, to guess, to imagine, to know, to mean, to mind, to remember, to

recognize, to recollect,
3. desires

to regard, to suppose, to suspect, to understand

: to desire, to intend, to want, to wish

4. possession: to belong, to have, to hold, to keep, to owe, to own, to

possess
5. emotions:

to abhor, to adore, to detest, to dislike, to displease, to

like, to love, to hate, to please, to prefer

6. state:

to appear, to be, to have (NB! Meals, shower), to consist of, to

contain, to differ, to deserve, to equal, to exist, to resemble, to

seem, to suit
VERBS NEVER USED IN CONTINUOUS
1. 5-senses: to feel, to hear, to notice, to see, to smell, to taste
2. mental activity: to agree, to believe, distrust, to doubt, to find, to foresee, to forget,
to guess, to imagine, to know, to mean, to mind, to remember, to recognize, to
recollect, to regard, to suppose, to suspect, to understand
3. desires

: to desire, to intend, to want, to wish

4. possession: to belong, to have, to hold, to keep, to owe, to own, to

possess

5. emotions:

to abhor, to adore, to detest, to dislike, to displease, to

like, to love, to hate, to please, to prefer
6. state: to appear, to be, to have (NB! Meals, shower), to consist of, to
contain, to differ, to deserve, to equal, to exist, to resemble, to
seem, to suit
VERBS NEVER USED IN CONTINUOUS
1. 5-senses: to feel, to hear, to notice, to see, to smell, to taste
2. mental activity: to agree, to believe, distrust, to doubt, to find, to foresee, to forget,
to guess, to imagine, to know, to mean, to mind, to remember, to recognize, to
recollect, to regard, to suppose, to suspect, to understand
3. desires

: to desire, to intend, to want, to wish

4. possession: to belong, to have, to hold, to keep, to owe, to own, to

possess
5. emotions:

to abhor, to adore, to detest, to dislike, to displease, to

like, to love, to hate, to please, to prefer
6. state: to appear, to be, to have (NB! Meals, shower), to consist of, to
contain, to differ, to deserve, to equal, to exist, to resemble, to
seem, to suit
VERBS NEVER USED IN CONTINUOUS
1. 5-senses: to feel, to hear, to notice, to see, to smell, to taste
2. mental activity: to agree, to believe, distrust, to doubt, to find, to foresee, to forget,
to guess, to imagine, to know, to mean, to mind, to remember, to recognize, to
recollect, to regard, to suppose, to suspect, to understand
3. desires

: to desire, to intend, to want, to wish

4. possession: to belong, to have, to hold, to keep, to owe, to own, to

possess
5. emotions:

to abhor, to adore, to detest, to dislike, to displease, to

like, to love, to hate, to please, to prefer
6. state: to appear, to be, to have (NB! Meals, shower), to consist of, to
contain, to differ, to deserve, to equal, to exist, to resemble, to
seem, to suit