Ultimate tenses revision

English.
The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.
He never forgets

his wallet.
When does the train usually leaves?

WE USE IT FOR: - regular habits or routines
- permanent situations, scientific facts or general truths
- personal facts or preferences
-state verbs (non-progressive verbs)
- timetables, headlines, jokes

SIGNAL WORDS
Always, never, usually, sometimes, often, hardly ever, seldom, rarely, on the whole, on Tuesdays, in the mornings, at night, on Saturday afternoon, in summer, at New Year’s Eve; every… (day/Saturday/winter); once a…./ twice a…./ three times a… (day/month/year)

now.
- temporary actions
-actions in progress
- annoying habits or complaints (+always)
-

fixed plans for near future

SIGNAL WORDS
At the moment, at present, now, right now, today, tonight, these days, this year, currently, tomorrow, next month, at 5 o’clock, this afternoon, tomorrow morning; Listen!, Watch out!, Look!, Excuse me

EXAMPLES:
You are watching TV.
Are you watching TV?
You are not watching TV.
I am studying to become a doctor.
Isn’t he coming with us tonight?
She is always coming to class late.

started yet.
I have lost my key.
I have never been

to Australia.

WE USE IT FOR: -completed actions at not specific points in the past
-completed actions that started in the past and continued in the present OR that have a connection with the present
-it expresses that the action is permanent (non-progressive verbs)
-completed action that led to a desired result

SIGNAL WORDS
Already, yet, still, just, so far, lately, recently, for, since, never, ever, all my life, once, twice, 3 times….

temporary
-expressing the action that had an unwanted effect
-it emphasizes DURATION
-it

emphasizes continuous course of an action

EXAMPLES:
They have been talking for the last hour.
What have you been doing for the last 30 minutes?
Lisa has not been practicing her English.
What have you been doing?

SIGNAL WORDS
Since, for, all (day/ week/ morning), the whole (day, week, night)

________(not find) any bones yet.
How many books _______ (she/edit) so

far?
He ________ (never/wear) a tie to work.
Dean _________(still/ not find) a job.
How long _________ (you/wait) for the bus? You ______ (look) really annoyed.
Stop doing that! You ________ (not be) very silly today, Paul!
The coat ___________(not fit) me. I need a larger size.
Why _______ (you/look) at me like that? Have I done something wrong?
I _________(not decide) about buying a new bike yet. I _______(think) about it.
Every Easter my granny _______(visit) us and my mum and she ______ (argue) angrily all the time.

definite time in the past
Actions that happened immediately one after

the other in the past

EXAMPLES:
Last year we bought a dog.
Lou took a shower, brushed his teeth and went to bed

at a stated time in the past
Two actions that were

happening at the same time
An action that was in progress (loger action) when another action interrupted it

EXAMPLES:
Yesterday at 4 I was talking to Meg on the phone
Liz was vacuuming while her sons were tidying their room
When I came in, Sue was reading

action in the past
Complete past action that had visible results

in the past

EXAMPLES:
Before we left, we had booked a hotel room.
We felt relieved after they had arrived safely.


I lost so much weight because I had begun exercising.
I had already fallen asleep before ten o’clock.
I had not told him the truth when he asked me.
Had she prepared some food for the kids?

period up to a specific time in the past
Action of

certain duration that had visible results in the past

EXAMPLES:
Pete had been working as a doctor for 25 years before he retired last year.
Mark had been studying Spanish for five years before he moved to Toledo.
Had they been playing tennins?
You had not studied hard.
Had she done her homework?

play _____(already, start).
Last night I ____(dream) about going to the

Moon.
My dad _____(paint) the living room for two hours before my brother______ (come) to help him.
Nora ____(sleep) in a hammock while Phil ______(weed) the garden.
Before the Smiths _____(buy) their new house, they _____(look) for a suitable one for a year.
Laura ____(send) us a postcard from her holiday in Italy.
As Claire ______(dust) the furniture, she _____(break) her mum’s vase.
My sister ______ (never, be) to the circus before last week.
You _____(not, sleep) when I _____(return) last night.
We _____(never, see) the Pyramids before our trip to Egypt in 2007.

the future, in 2050, I think/believe/expect, in my opinion, I’m

sure, I’m afraid, I hope, wish, promise...

WE USE IT FOR:
Far future - you can’t do anything about it.
Personal opinions about the future
Predictions without firm evidence
Spontaneous decisions or offers (while speaking)
Future facts and first conditionals
Requests, wishes, promises, hopes, threats

EXAMPLES:
She will buy a laptop tomorrow.
I will give him a nice gift.
They will not help you.
She will not go to a college.
Will she marry him?
Will he call me tomorrow?

or certain time in the future - already planned or

routines

EXAMPLES:
They will be making preparations for their exam
They will not be getting salary for their job.
Will the boys be eating their meals?
Will you be cooking some food?
They will not be working there.
I will be writing a report.

SIGNAL WORDS
(at) this time next (week), in (6 months’) time, next (weekend), at (8) this (evening), in (20) years

now, by then, by (five years), by the time (you)...,

this time tomorrow, in (ten years’) time, in (four months), soon

FUTURE PERFECT

WE USE IT FOR:
Actions completed by specific or certain time in the future

EXAMPLES:
He will have completed his project by Saturday
The snow will have stopped by April.
By tomorrow, their life will have changed completely.
Next week you will have had this car for twenty five years!
Will you have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.?

car is going to crash.
She passed the exam. She’s going

to university.
I’m going to have dinner with my family tonight.

What time do you finish tomorrow?
The conference finishes at 2.30
The play doesn’t start until 10, so we have plenty of time

I’m visiting my grandparents next week.
We’re playing video games in Michael’s house.
My dad and I are watching the new TV series today.

Present simple

years’ time this pond ______(disappear).
This time next month, we ______

(skii) in Italy.
My friends and I _______ (go) to the cinema at 6 p.m.
I don’t think there ______(be) flying cars in the future.
They ______(not hear) the news by then.
In twenty years, many animal species ______(become) extinct.
The weather forecast says it ________(snow) tomorrow night.
A: It’s so cold in here! B: I _______(close) the window.
_____ you ______(go) to the shop with me?