Tenses

true:
*Water boils at 100 degrees.

Permanent situations (or nearly permanent; true

for a few years at least):
*Julie lives in London.

Habits or things we do regularly:
I drink coffee every morning.

Future events which are part of a timetable:
*My plane leaves at eight tonight.

To talk about the future after certain words
('when' 'until' 'after' 'before' 'as soon as'):
*I'll call you when I get home.

To talk about what happens in books, plays and films:
*At the end of the book, the detective catches the killer.

Present
Simple

in 3rd person singular we use “doesn’t”.
In positive sentences we

add “-s”, “-es”” or “-ies” to the 3rd person singular - he, she, it.

Present Simple rules

To create questions we use “do” and in 3rd person singular we use “does”.

Have - has
Do - does
Go - goes

Questions

Irregular verbs

restaurant every Sunday.
You usually _________(arrive) late.
He normally ________(eat) dinner

at home.
____________ (they/work) late usually?
I __________ (not/drink) coffee very often.

Put the verbs in the correct form

at the moment of speaking:
*The water is boiling now, so

you can put in the pasta.

Temporary situations:
*Julie is living in Paris for a few months (usually she lives in London).

Situations which are slowly changing:
*I'm getting better and better at speaking English.

Temporary or new habits:
*I'm drinking too much coffee these days because I'm so busy at work.

Annoying habits (usually with 'always'):
*My flatmate is always leaving the kitchen in a mess!

Definite future plans:
*I'm meeting John after class today.

To talk about people in pictures and photos:
*In this photo, my mother is walking beside a lake.

Present
Continuous

not playing golf.
I am not playing golf.
They are not playing

golf.

In positive sentences we use construction to be + verb (-ing).

Present Continuous rules

To create questions we put to be first, then the person and then the verb.

Questions

now.
______________ (you/come) to the cinema tonight?
He ________________(not/play) golf now.
Julie ______________(sleep)

now.
What ________________ (you/do) right now?

Put the verbs in the correct form

playing footbal.
Are you going out tonight?
Is he making dinner?
He

wears tie to work.

They are singing a song.

Does she like fish?

She is not doing the dishes.

I don’t like doing the ironing.

We don’t work on Fridays.

the morning. ( to watch)
Listen! Sandy___________________ in the bathroom. (

to sing)
My sister usually _________________in the kitchen. ( to help)
My mother ____________________breakfast now. ( to make)
They often_____________________ the bathroom. ( to clean)
Look! The boys ___________________home. (to come)
Every day his grandfather ___________________for a walk. ( to go)
Cats __________mice. (to eat)
I ________________ with my friends at the moment. (to chat)
Every Monday she _______________ her kids to football practice. (to drive)

Test yourself!

about unfinished actions or states or habits that started in

the past and continue to the present. Usually we use it to say 'how long' and we need 'since' or 'for'.

*I have known Karen since 1994.
*She has lived in London for three years.
*I have worked here for six months.
*I've liked chocolate since I was a child.
*I've been hungry for hours.

Finished Actions
A finished action in someone's life (when the person is still alive: life experience):

*My brother has been to Mexico three times.

A finished action with a result in the present:

*I've lost my keys! (The result is that I can't get into my house now).

With an unfinished time word (this week, this month, today):

*I've seen John this week.

Present
Perfect
Simple

hasn’t done her homework.
person + have/has + verb in

3rd form
She has done her homework

Present Perfect Simple rules

Have/has + person + verb in 3rd form
Has she done her homework?

Questions

food before?
_____________ (it, rain) all day?
He ___________ (not, forget) his

books.
She ____________(steal) all the chocolate.
Who __________(he, meet) recently?
I __________ (know) him for three months.

Put the verbs in the correct form

in the past and continue to the present.
*I've been living

in London for two years.
*She's been working here since 2004.
*We've been waiting for the bus for hours.

For temporary habits or situations.
*I've been going to the gym a lot recently.
*They've been living with his mother while they look for a house.
*I've been reading a lot recently.

Finished actions
Actions which have recently stopped (though the whole action can be unfinished) and have a result, which we can often see, hear, or feel, in the present.
*I'm so tired, I've been studying.
*I've been running, so I'm really hot.
*It's been raining so the pavement is wet.

Present
Perfect
Continuous

hasn’t been working all day.
person + have/has + been +

verb (-ing)
She has been working all day.

Present Perfect Continuous rules

Have/has + person + been + verb (-ing)
Has she been working all day?

Questions

recently.
_____________________(it, rain)?
You _______________(sleep) for 12 hours.
_______________(they, live) here

for a long time?
I _________________ (swim) for two hours today.
How long _________________(you, study) Italian?

Put the verbs in the correct form

annoyed.
He never ___________(wear) a tie to work.
In winter, what

___________(you/wear)?
The coat ___________(not/fit) me. I need a bigger size.
The dog ____________(dig) all the morning, but it ______________(not/find) any bones.
How many books ____________________(she/edit) so far?
You are a great cook! The cake __________(taste) wonderfully.
See you later. I ____________(leave) in a minute.
Henry still _________________ (not/find) a job.
I _______________(drive)! You can sit in the back with Martin.
Why _______________(you/look) at me like that? Have I done something wrong?
This is an exam. Why ________________(you/talk)?
We _________________(walk) the whole day. Let’s have a rest.

habits in the past.
I went to the cinema yesterday.
We spent

a lot of time in Japan in 2007.

Adding details
I've hurt my leg. I fell off a ladder when I was painting my bedroom.
I've been on holiday. I went to Spain and Portugal.

General knowledge
Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa.
The Vikings invaded Britain.

Unreal or imaginary things in the present or future.
If I won the lottery, I would buy a house.
I wish I had more time!

Past
Simple

two burgers today.
person + past verb
She ate two burgers today.
Past

Simple rules

Did/was/were + person + verb (infinitive)
Did she eat two burgers today?

Questions

his mother for Christmas?
I _________________(not/drink) any beer last night.
She _____________

(get on) the bus in the city.
What time ______________(he/get up) yesterday?
We ________________(wake up) very late.

Put the verbs in the correct form

past which overlaps another action or a time.
I was walking

to the station when I met John. (I started walking before I met John, and maybe I continued afterwards.)
At three o'clock, I was working. (I started before three o'clock and finished after three o'clock.)

For the background of a story.
The birds were singing, the sun was shining and in the cafés people were laughing and chatting. Amy sat down and took out her phone.

Temporary habits or habits that happen more often than we expect in the past.
He was always leaving the tap running.
She was constantly singing.

To emphasise that something lasted for a while.
I was working in the garden all day.
He was reading all evening.

Past
Continuous

sleeping when I came.
person + was/were + verb (-ing)
She

was sleeping when I came.

Past Continuous rules

Was/were + person + verb (-ing)
Were they sleeping when I came?

Questions

at lunchtime.
What __________________(you/ do)?
Why ___________________(she/not/run)?
Put the verbs in the correct

form

at the party, who ___________ (be) there?
Susie _______________(watch) a film

when she ___________(hear) the noise.
Yesterday I ______________(go) to the library, next I ___________(have) a swim , later I _____________(meet) Julie for coffee.
We ____________(play) tennis when John __________(hurt) his ankle.
What _______________(they/do) at 10pm last night - it was really noisy?
He ______________(take) a shower when the telephone ___________(ring).
When I ____________(walk) into the room, everyone __________(work).
It ___________(be) a day last September. The sun ____________(shine) and the birds _____________(sing). I ______________(walk) along the street when I _____________(meet) an old friend.

Test yourself!

__________(get) to the station, we _____________(wait) on the platform.
He ____________(be)

so annoying! He ____________(always leave) his things everywhere.
On holiday we ____________(visit) Rome, ___________(see) the Vatican, and ____________ (spend) a few days at the beach.
Why ___________(you/ stand) on a chair when I __________(come) into the room?
They _____________(live)in Germany when they ______________(be) young.
When I __________(leave) the house, it _____________(snow).
He _________work) in a bank when he ___________(meet) his wife.
What __________(you/do) when I _____________(call) you last night?

Need some more?

before a second point in the past.
When we arrived, the

film had started (= first the film started, then we arrived).
I'd eaten dinner so I wasn't hungry.
It had snowed in the night, so the bus didn't arrive.

Something that started in the past and continued up to another action or time in the past.
When he graduated, he had been in London for six years. (= He arrived in London six years before he graduated and lived there until he graduated, or even longer.)
On the 20th of July, I'd worked here for three months.

To talk about unreal or imaginary things in the past.
If I had known you were ill, I would have visited you.
She would have passed the exam if she had studied harder.
I wish I hadn't gone to bed so late!

Past
Perfect
Simple

hadn’t rained.
person + had + verb in 3rd form
She had

been to Rome.

Past Perfect Simple rules

had + person + verb in 3rd form
Had it rained?

Questions

_____________(eat) the shellfish, they began to feel sick.
If you

____________(listen) to me, you would have got the job.
Julie didn’t arrive until after I __________(leave).
_____________(I/read) the book before the class?
______________(it/be) cold all week?

Put the verbs in the correct form

hadn’t been sleeping.
person + had + been + verb (-ing)
She

had been sleeping.

Past Perfect Continuous rules

had + person + been + verb (-ing)
Had she been sleeping?

Questions

out.
She _________________(not/work) but she was tired anyway.
_____________________(it/rain) when you left

the restaurant?
We __________________(eat) all day, so we felt a bit ill.
He was in trouble with the teacher becase he ________________ (not/go) to classes.
There was water everywhere. What ________________________(the children/do)

Put the verbs in the correct form

handbag to find that I ________________(forget) my wallet.
When we

____________(arrive) at the station, the train had already left.
We got home to find that someone _____________(break) into our the house.
They ______________(study) all day so when we ___________(meet) them they were exhausted.
The bos ______________(talk) to clients on Skype for hours so she ___________(want) to take a break.
I _______________(drink) coffee all morning. By lunchtime, I _____________(feel) really strange!
I opened the fridge to find that someone _____________(eat) all my chocolate.

Test yourself!

play ________________(already, start).
Last night I ___________(dream) about going to the

Moon.
When Ginny __________(see) me yesterday, I _____________(cross) the street.
My dad _____________(paint) the room for two hours before my brother __________(come) to help him.
As Claire _____________ (dust) the furniture, she ____________(break) her mum’s vase.
My sister ____________________(never, be) to the circus before.
Pam and I _______________________(study) for the history exam when the lights _____________(go) off.
You _____________(not/sleep) when I ______________(return) last night.
When ___________________(they/visit) you last time?
Yesterday at this time, Karen ______________________(write) a letter to her mum.
When we ______________________(go) out for a walk lst Sunday, the sun ________________(shine) and it __________(be) quite warm.

We use it when we talk about:

Future facts and

things that are less certain.
The sun will rise at 7am.
I think the Conservatives will win the next election.

Promises / requests / refusals / offers.
I'll help you with your homework.
Will you give me a hand?
I won't go!

We use the simple future with 'will' in the first conditional, and in other sentences that have a conditional feeling.
If it doesn't rain, we'll go to the park.
Let's arrive early. That will give us time to relax.

Future
Simple

buy some on my way to work.
The sky is

getting darker and darker. It’s going to rain.
Will you come to the party?
It won’t be very cold next week.
I am going to cook tonight.
I will write a letter to my best friend.
I won’t stay at this hotel.

meet him later.
person + will + verb (infinitive)
I will

meet him later.

Future Simple rules

Will + person + verb (infinitive)
Will I meet him later?

Questions

place at 6pm.
I’m afraid I __________(not/be) able to come tomorrow.
If

it rains, we _________(not/go) to the beach.
When ___________(you/get) back?
_________________(they/come) tomorrow?
________________(David/ be) at home this evening?
In my opinion, she __________(not/pass) the exam.

Put the verbs in the correct form

future that overlaps another, shorter action or a time.
I'll be

waiting when you arrive.
At eight o'clock, I'll be eating dinner.

Something that will happen if everything happens as we expect.
The Government will be making a statement later.
When will you be leaving? (This is more polite than 'when will you leave?' because it's definitely not a request for you to leave.)

Future
Continuous

be reading various kinds of books.
They will be playing football

in that field.
What will you be doing at 10pm tonight?
What will you be doing when I arrive?
She will not be sleeping when you telephone her.
They won't be watching TV at 9pm tonight.

won’t be cooking.
person + will + be + verb

(-ing)
I will be sleeping.

Future Continuous rules

Will + person + be + verb (-ing)
Will I be cooking?

Questions

o’clock tomorrow she __________________(sleep).
When she arrives, I ______________________(not/wait).
When they arrive,

David __________________(not/cook).
When the boss comes, ____________(John/use) the computer?
When she comes in, _____________(you/talk) on the phone?
At 8pm, where ___________________(I/wait)?

Put the verbs in the correct form

should recognise her easily. She _____________(wear) a red skirt.
At 11pm

I ________________(sleep).
I suppose the weather ______________(be) good.
She ______________(send) Bruno the letter when she has time.
Tomorrow at this time, I _____________________(attend) the conference.
They work hard. They ________________(get) good marks at the end of the school.

Test yourself!

for an action that starts before and continues up to

another action or time in the future.
When we get married, I'll have known Robert for four years.
At 4 o'clock, I'll have been in this office for 24 hours.

Talk about an action that will finish before a certain time in the future, but we don't know exactly when.

By 10 o'clock, I will have finished my homework. (= I will finish my homework some time before 10, but we don't know exactly when.)
By the time I'm sixty, I will have retired. (= I will retire sometime before I'm sixty. Maybe when I'm fifty-nine, maybe when I'm fifty-two.)

Future
Perfect
Simple

have raged by the time we arrive.
Will you have married

Jerome by then?
Will Mom have cooked our favorite meal?
Will the plant have grown by then?
I will not have eaten by then.
Henry will not have ran by ten o'clock.
Jenny will not have saved enough money yet.

3rd form
I won’t have finished this book.
person + will

+ have + verb in3rd form
I will have finished this book.

Future Perfect Simple rules

Will + person + have + verb in 3rd form
Will I have finished this book?

Questions

work by seven.
When __________________(you/complete) the work?
They _______________(arrive) by dinner

time.
______________________(she/get) home by lunch?
He _________________(not/complete) the project by July.
______________(you/do) everything by seven?

Put the verbs in the correct form

for an action that continues up to another point in

the future.
In April, she will have been teaching for twelve years.
By the time you arrive, I'll have been cooking for hours!

To talk about something that finishes just before another time or action (in this case, in the future).
When I see you, I'll have been studying, so I'll be tired.

Future
Perfect
Continuous

company for three years.
At five o'clock, I will have been

waiting for thirty minutes.
When I turn thirty, I will have been playing piano for twenty-one years.
By our 40th anniversary, this plant will have been growing for 35 years.
Will he have been sleeping for four hours by midnight?

verb (-ing)
I won’t have been working.
person + will + have

+ been + verb (-ing)
I will have been working.

Future Perfect Continuous rules

Will + person + have + been + verb (-ing)
Will I have been working?

Questions

Sunday night.
How long ___________________(you / wait) when you finally get

your exam results?
Julie _________________________(not / eat) much, so we'll need to make sure she has a good meal when she arrives.
__________________(she / wait) long by the time we get there?

______________________(he / play) computer games for ten hours when he finally stops?

Put the verbs in the correct form

the station when you arrive.
By the end of this year

I ___________________(visit) Brazil.
What ________________(you/do) tomorrow at 3 p.m.?
Sue and Jack _____________(finish) their project by tomorrow afternoon.
By the end of the course we _________________(learn) to communicate in Spanish.
Mark thinks we __________________ (not/win) the match with the Winston High School.
Look at Jessica. She _____________(jump) from the wall.
Dave _________________(not/play) chess with me next Saturday.
At this time next week, Sandra _______________(take) her driving test.
Pamela looks sad. She _______________(cry).
We _________________(have) a picnic next weekend. Would you like to come?
The baby _____________(sleep) when you call Mrs. Stevenson.