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The 12 Tenses: Structure, Uses and Key Words
|Simple |Past |Present |Future |
|Structure |S + verb “ed” |S + verb |S + will + base verb |
|Uses: | | | |
| |Actions at a specific time in the past |Facts |Making decisions at the time of speaking |
| | | | |
| |I ate fish last night |The sky is blue |Maybe I’ll watch a movie tonight |
| | |I am English | |
| |Finished actions | |Making offers |
| | |Routines/habitual actions | |
| |Edison invented the light bulb. | |I’ll mail the letter for you. |
| | |I always drink tea in the morning. | |
| | | |Making promises |
| | | | |
| | | |I promise I’ll cut the grass |
| | | | |
| | | |Making predictions: opinions |
| | | | |
| | | |I think that the weather will be warmer in the future |
| | | | |
| | | |Stating future facts |
| | | | |
| | | |Tomorrow will be Thursday |
|Key Words: |specific time in the past |Every/each |I don’t know, maybe I’ll… |
| |When did you…? |Adverbs of frequency: usually…sometimes…never |I don’t know, I’ll probably… |
| |ago |once/twice/3, 4, 5…times |In my opinion it will…, I think that it will…, I belive |
| |for | |that it will… |
| |…when I was young/a child | |at + specific time, night |
| | | |on + day, date, the weekend |
| | | |in + time of day, season, year |
|Continuous |Past |Present |Future |
|Structure |S + was/were + verb “ing” |S + is/am/are + verb “ing” |S + will be + verb “ing” |
|Uses: | | | |
| |One action was occurring when a second action happened |Describing a present action |Describing an activity at a specific time in the |
| |Use with Simple Past | |future |
| | |I am reading this sentence | |
| |I was watching TV when the phone rang | |I’ll be teaching at 9 this evening |
| | |Describing unfinished projects | |
| |Ordering stories/actions | | |
| | |I am renovating my house | |
| | | | |
| | |Describing temporary situations | |
| | | | |
| | |We are using a rental car at the moment because our car is| |
| | |at the garage. | |
| | | | |
| | |Describing current trends | |
| | | | |
| | |Gas prices are going up at the moment. | |
| | | | |
| | |Describing future fixed arrangements | |
| | | | |
| | |I’m meeting my boss at 3 on Thursday | |
|Key Words: |while/as + Past Continuous |at the moment |at + specific time, night |
| |when + Simple Past |currently |on + day, date, the weekend |
| |before/after |presently |in + time of day, season, year |
| | |temporarily | |
|Perfect |Past |Present |Future |
|Structure |S + had + past participle |S + has/have + past participle |S + will have + past participle |
|Uses: | | | |
| |One action occurred before another action in the past |The past with no time |One action will occur before another time in the |
| |Use with Simple Past | |future |
| |1st action = Past Perfect |I’ve visted Australia |Use with future time |
| |2nd action = Simple Past | |1st action = Future Perfect |
| |Ordering stories/actions |Describing life experiences |2nd action = Future time |
| | | |Ordering stories/actions |
| |I had eaten my dinner before the phone rang |I’ve visited lots of countries | |
| | | |I will have finished the report before Friday |
| | |Duration of activities: How long: past to the present | |
| | | | |
| | |We’ve lived in Montreal for 9 years | |
| | | | |
| | |Frequency of past activities: How often/How many times | |
| | | | |
| | |She’s been to Toronto 6 or 7 times | |
| | | | |
|Key Words: |before/after |How long…? |by + future time |
| |by the time… |How often/How many times…? |before/after |
| |when |since/for | |
| | |ever/never | |
| | |already/yet | |
| | |so far, up to now, | |
| | |just, always, still | |
|Perfect Continuous |Past |Present |Future |
|Structure |S + had been + verb “ing” |S + has/have been + verb “ing” |S + will have been + verb “ing” |
|Uses: | | | |
| |Duration of one action before another action in the |Focus is on on the activity |Duration of one action before another action in the |
| |past | |future |
| |Use with Simple Past |Why are you so dirty? |Use with by + future time |
| |1st action = Past Perfect Continuous |Oh, I’ve been working in the garden | |
| |2nd action = Simple Past | |I will have been teaching for 25 years by 2015 |
| | |Duration of activities: How long: past to the present | |
| |I had been teaching for 10 years before I moved to | | |
| |Montreal |I’ve been teaching since 1990 | |
| | | | |
| | |Describing trends | |
| | | | |
| | |House prices have been going up over the last couple of | |
| | |years | |
|Key Words: |for/since |How long…? |by + future time |
| |before/after |since/for |for |
| |by the time… | | |
| |when | | |
Notes:
S = Subject: I, you, we, they, he, she, it
Base Verb = eat, drink, sleep… (present verb, no “s” on the end)
“Continuous” can also be called “Progressive”: Present Continuous = Present Progressive
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