ENGLISH TENSES

5 uses of Present Simple

1. Habits or repeated actions

2. Permanent situations

3. Facts or generally accepted truths

4. Give instructions and directions

5. Tell stories and talk about films, books and plays

4 uses of Present Continuous

1. Temporary situations

2. Happening at the moment of speaking

3. Trends or changing situations

4. Happen more often than expected, often to show envy or to criticise with words like always, constantly, continually, forever

What is a state verb? 4 categories of State verbs

The meaning of the verb itself is a general truth rather than something temporary.

4 categories:

1. Thoughts: agree, assume, believe, disagree, forget, hope, know, regret, remember, suppose, think, understand

2. Feelings: adore, despise, dislike, enjoy, feel, hate, like, love, mind, prefer, want

3. Senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste

4. Possession: belong, have, own

5. Description: appear, contain, look, look like, mean, resemble, seem, smell, sound, taste, weigh

4 uses of Past Simple

1. Single past completed actions, often the time is mentioned

2. a series of actions in the order that they happened

3. Past repeated actions (used to and would can be used)

4. Long-term situations in the past which are no longer true (used to can be used)

2 uses of Past continuous

1. Provide the background to an action or event, often use words like when, while, as

(It is possible to have more than one background)

2. Emphasise the activity without focusing on its completion

Used to and Would

to talk about past repeated action

Used to: permanent situations that are usually no longer true

(Do not use used to for how long the situation lasted)

Would is unusual jn negative and Yes/No; Do not use Would with state verbs

4 uses of Present Perfect

1. talk about a time period that is not finished

2. something happened at some point in the past before noun (We don't state when it happened)

Time expression: ever, never, before, up to now, still, so far

3. a present situation which started in the past

4. something that happened at an unstated time in the past but is connected to the present

Time expression: recently, just, already, yet

The use of Present Perfect Continuous

how long a situation or activity has been going on

• Emphasise how long

• Focus on the activity itself (it does not show whether the activity is completed or not)

3 uses of Past Perfect

1. talking about the past and want to mention sth that happened earlier (use with just, already)

2. with words like when, as soon as, by the time, after, to show the order of the event.

3. talk about an indefinite time before a particular point in the past (use with always, sometimes, never, before, by + fixed time)

The use of Past Perfect Continuous and Grammar extra: Unfulfilled hope

focus on how long an activity continued or to focus on the activity itself

👉Grammar extra

talk about past disappointments or things that did not happened as expected

The use of Present Continuous in Future tense

talk about plans or definite arrangements for the future

5 uses of Future Simple (will)

1. make predictions, based on our opinions or past experience.

2. talk sbout future events we haven’t arranged yet

3. future events or facts that are not personal

4. talk about something we decide to do at the time of speaking

5. make offers, promises, or suggestions

2 uses of Be going to

1. talk about events in the future we have already thought about and intended to do

2. make predictions when there is present evidence

2 uses of Present Simple in Future tense

1. timetables or schedules

2. after when, as soon as, after, before, until, as long as (other present tenses are also possible)

The use of Be about to

talke about sth likely to happen in the immediate future

⚠ The negative form suggests the speaker has no intention of doing sth

2 uses of Future Continuous

1. describe or predict events or situations continuing at a particular point in the future or over a period of time in the future

2. talk about events that are planned or already decided (similar to the present continuous for future arrangement)

The use of Future Perfect

talk about a future event that will finish before a specified time in the future, often with before, by + fixed time, or in + amount of time

The use of Future Perfect Continuous and Grammar Extra: The future in the past

show how long an activity or situation has been in progress before a specified time in the future (usually mention the length of time)

👉Grammar extra: