Tenses

Past Simple

use:

• action started and finished in the past

• habits

• repeated actions

Communicative functions:

• single/ completed action in the past

  • generally time-indicated

• sequence of actions in the past

• repeated actions in the past

• a state in the past

• habit ended in the past

• past generalization no longer true

Past Continuous

use:

• actions ongoing in the past

• ongoing actions interrupted in the past

• 2 ongoing actions in the past, happening at the same time

Communicative functions:

• action in progress at a point of time in the past

• action in the past that was ongoing was interrupted

• express 2 / more ongoing situations at the same time

• describe past arrangements: arrangement may/ may not have taken place (similar to future in past)

• to make requests, suggestions and questions more polite

• for/ to express duration of sth in the past

Past perfect

use:

• completed actions in the past

• express duration of completed actions in the past

• talk about completed actions in the past, before other action in the past

Communicative functions:

• show a completed action in the past before another action happened

• sequence in the past

• indirect/ reported speech

• with ‘if’: conditional clauses

• unfulfilled intentions

Past Perfect Continuous

use:

• to express an action started in the past and continued until sth else happened in the past

Communicative functions:

• to express an event started in the past and continued in the past

• to explain past results → situation/ appearance

• use when focus on duration

• express sth happened in the past and continued until sth else happened in the past

Used to/ would

Communicative functions:

• past habits

• past states

Present Simple

use:

• used to talk about habits, regular occurrences, generalizations and scheduled events

• (not to talk about right now → present continuous)

Communicative functions:

• state truths and describe things which (we feel) are facts/ permanent situations

  • generalizations

• repeated event/ actions and habits

  • adverbs of frequency (always, usu., often, sometimes, never) and expressions of frequency (every…, once in a while…)

• series of events and actions → instructions and directions

  • often w/ impersonal ‘you’, imperative is similar but more abrupt

• express immediacy of event

  • think sport commentaries (fast and over before description finishes)

• express some future time after conjunctions

  • when, after, before

• wish to give past anecdote more immediacy (esp. speech)

  • think newspaper headlines

• informal speech/ writing for certain actions

• talk about fixed events in the future

Present Continuous

use:

• actions/state happening right now

• may be ongoing near future

• express future already arranged plans

Communicative functions:

• sth happening right now

• sth happening around now, likely to stop

  • temporary → not habitual

  • common adverbs: just, now, still, at the moment

• talk planned action in the future

  • arrangements in the future

• live, work, study and stay if action is temporary

• thing which are changing

  • think trends, weather…

• repeated actions/ events → over a long period of time

  • usu. if they happen within temporary period

• series of events, action in progress throughout speaking

  • think sport events

• present simple +  present continuous to give more immediacy to past events

  • actions form a background

Present Perfect

Use:

• to talk about past action, time not indicated (unless other words specifically express that)

• talk about actions started in the past, linked to present

Communicative functions:

• states started in the past and still continuing in the present

  • prepositions for (+period of time) and since (+point in time)

• when we use ‘since’ as conjunction → use past simple after

• talk about actions happened in past and may happen again

  • period of time unfinished so may be repeated or may only have happened once

• sth has happened several times → repeated action

• talk about experience or accomplishment

• talk about action completed in past and still some relevance

• when time is indefinite → not stated

• use it to introduce a new topic of conversation

• time clauses w/ future reference

  • after, when

Present Perfect Continuous

Use:

• to talk about an action/ state started in the past and is continuing in present

Communicative functions:

• talk about ongoing state/action which began in past and still continuing now/ has just finished

  • common to use since/for

• can suggest state/ action may change → temporary

  • adverbs: lately/ recently

• explain a present result → focus on activity rather than result

  • situation/ appearance

Future

Use:

• talk about future choice → prediction

• expressing intention

• talking about arrangement

Communicative functions:

1. Expressing a pure future (facts)

• Simple future: will + verb

  • e.g. : tomorrow will be Saturday

2. Talking about an action going on in the future

• Future Continuous: will + to be + main verb -ing

  • e.g. : don’t call me at 3, I’ll be having a bath

3. Talking about a routine event in the future

• Future continuous

  • e.g. : I’ll be seeing him at the court tomorrow, he’s always there on Saturdays

4. Talking about an action completed by a particular time in the future

• Future perfect: will + have + past participle

  • e.g. : By 8 the kids will have gone to bed

5. Expressing how long an action will have been going on by a certain time in the future

• Future perfect continuous: will + have + past participle + verb-ing

  • e.g. : By 2 they will have been dancing for hours

6. Making a prediction

• Simple future: will + verb, based on guesswork, analysis, experience

  • e.g. : He has committed a murder, he will be going to prison for years

• to be+ going to+ infinitive, based on present evidence

  • e.g. : Look at those black clouds, it’s going to rain soon

7. Expressing decisions/intentions

• Decision made at the moment of speaking (unpremeditated)

  • e.g. : You look tired, I’ll cook dinner tonight

• Decision made before moment of speaking (premeditated, intention)

  • e.g. : He’s going to study law next year

8. Expressing an arrangement

• long-term engagement

  • e.g. : We’re seeing a musical next Saturday

• official arrangement

  • e.g. : The president is to hold an official reception for the visitors

• tactful way of asking about someone’s plans/ refusing an invitation

  • e.g. : What will you ba having sir?

  • e.g. :  I can’t come as I’ll be working then

9. Referring to timetable

• e.g. : the train leaves at 5.45pm.

• e.g. : the plane is due to arrive at four

10. Expressing the near/immediate future

• e.g. : the check-in is about to close

• e.g. : he’s on the point of losing his temper

• e.g. :  some species are on the verge of extinction