Review of Verb Tenses
TIP from Torrie:
After reviewing each section why not go to the grammar links listed in the right side of this blog and practice?
Present Simple: Occurs in the Present
Uses: Facts, routines, habits
To give instruction or directions
Signal Words:
every day/week/month; twice a day/week/month, often, usually, sometimes, never
I watch the news every day.
Form: Root verb, e.g. study
With 3rd.person singular, the endings are –s; or –es
I read;
He /She reads
I study; He /She studies
Questions & Negatives: ‘do’; ‘don’t’; ‘does’ & ‘doesn’t’
Present Continuous (Progressive): Is Occurring in the Present
Uses: To describe an action that is going on at the moment
To describe a temporary event of situation
With always, forever, constantly to describe and emphasize a continuing
series of repeated actions
Nature: Temporary, in progress
Signal words: at the moment, right now, still, just, while
I am watching a good film at the moment.
Form: Root verb + (–ing) end study studying
[am / is/ are] + [verb + -ing]
Present Perfect Simple: Has occurred relative to the Present
Creates a bridge between the past and now at some unspecified time
Uses: A present situation that started in the past
A past event that caused a present situation
A repeated action in an unspecified period between the past & now
As a conversation opener, in order to establish the topic of conversation or
to introduce a story; for example:
Have you ever been to Scotland?
Have I ever told you about the time I went.....
Used to locate an action in time up to now
Signal words: up to now; until now; so far; since; often, yet, already, before, ever, just
Form: [has/have] + [past participle verb form]
She has worked at HTW since 1998.
Time expressions:
Present perfect is never used with definite time expressions; i.e. time expressions which describe
fixed points in the past (finished time).
In 1999; when I was five; yesterday; before I left school; last week; at 7am; two minutes ago; last
term; at Christmas – Use past simple
Present perfect can be used with some indefinite time expressions which describe time up-to-now:
this year; since I was six; this week; recently; ever; yet; for the last few days; within the last week.
Past Simple: Occurred in the Past
Uses: Is used to talk about a completed action at a time before now, duration is
not important, the time of the action can be in the recent or distant past.
Used when it was some event or incident in the past and you have moved
on and are no longer interested.
You always use the simple past when you say when (a definite point in
time) something happened, so it is associated with certain past time
expressions:
Frequency: often, sometimes, always,
A definite point in time: last week, yesterday, six weeks ago
An indefinite point of time: ages ago, along time ago
(It happened a long time ago; that was ages ago!)
Chronological order: The door opened slowly and a man came in...
Form: [VERB + ed] Regular or Irregular past form of the verb
Three years ago, I studied German in Berlin.
When the phone rang, I washed my hair.
Details: When we want to give or receive (ask for) details involving the past,
then we use the past simple. (WHEN; WHERE; WHO; WHY)
I will call you back as soon as possible
To express an instant decision
What would you like to drink? - I‘ll have a large orange juice
To indicate or announce a definite future decision
To express a prediction
When making a general prediction about the future
Form: [WILL] + [VERB] I will help him later; I will never help him
When using a verb tense with more than one part (will help), adverbs (never);
adverbs come between the 1st and 2nd. part.
Time Reference: No future form in time clauses
Like all future forms, the future simple cannot be used in clauses beginning with
‘when’, ‘while’, ‘before’, ‘after’, ‘by the time’, ‘as soon as’, ‘if’ and ‘unless’
When you arrive tonight, we will watch a film. – CORRECT
When you will arrive tonight, we will study English. – WRONG
A specific time can be used to show the time that an action will begin.