TENSE SIGNAL

WORDS
USE FORM EXAMPLES
AFFIRMATIVE
EXAMPLES
NEGATIVE
EXAMPLES
INTERROGATIVE
SIMPLE
PRESENT
Every day

Sometimes

Always

Often

Usuall y

Never
For repeated or regular actions in the present
time period.
(I take the train to the office)
For facts.
(A dog has four legs)
For habits
(I get up early every day)
For things that are always / generally true.
(It rains a l ot in winter)
For Scheduled Events in the Near Future
(The train leaves tonight at 6 PM)




Infinitive

*He/She/It + verb-s*


I work

He works

I go

She goes




I dont wor k

He doesnt work

I dont go

She doesnt go


Do I work?

Does he work?

Do I go?

Does she go?
PRESENT
CONTINUOUS

Now

At the
moment

Look!

Listen!
Now
(You are learning English now)
Longer Actions in Progress Now
(I am studying to become a doctor)
Near Future
(I am not going to the party tonight)
Repetition and Irritation with "Always"
(He is constantly talking. I wish he would shut up)



To be (am, are, is) +
infinitive+ -ing

I am working

He is wor king

I am going

She is going

I m not working

He isnt working

I m not going

She isnt going

Am I working?

Is he working?

Am I going?

Is she going?
SIMPLE PAST


Last

ago

In 1990

Yesterday

Completed Action in the Past
(I saw a movie yesterday)
A Series of Completed Actions
(He arrived fr om the airport at 8:00, checked into
the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00)
Duration in Past
(I lived in Brazil for two year s)
Habits in the Past
(I studied French when I was a child)
Past Facts or Generalizations
(He didnt like tomatoes before)


Regular
Infinitive + -ed

Irregular
(2
nd
column of table
of irregular verbs)


I worked

He worked

I went

She went


I didnt work

He didnt work

I didnt go

She didnt go


Did I work?

Did he wor k?

Did I go?

Did she go?
PAST
CONTINUOUS
While
When
Interrupted Action in the Past
(I was watching TV when she called)
Parallel Actions
(I was studying while he was making dinner)
Repetition and Irritation with Always
(He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone)
Atmosphere
(When I walked into the office, several
people were busily typing, some were talking on
the phones, the boss was yelling directions, and
customers were waiting to be helped)



was /were +
infinitive + -ing


I was wor king

He was wor king

I was goi ng

She was going

They were going


I wasnt working

He wasnt working

I wasnt going

She wasnt going

They werent going


Was I working?

Was he wor king?

Was I working?

Was she working?

Were they working?
PRESENT
PERFECT


Just
Yet
Never
Ever
Already
So far,
Up to now,
Since
For
recently
Unspecified Time Before Now
(I have seen that movie twenty times)
Experience
(I have been to Fr ance)
Change Over Time
(You have grown since the last time I saw you)
Accomplishments
(Doctors have cured many deadly di seases)
An Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting
(James has not finished his homewor k yet)
Multiple Actions at Different Times
(She has talked to several specialists about her
problem, but nobody knows why she is sick.


Have/Has/ +

-Infinitive+ -ed

-past participle (3
rd

column of table of
irregular verbs)


I have worked

He has wor ked

I have gone

She has gone



I havent worked

He hasnt worked

I havent gone

She hasnt gone


Have I worked?

Has he wor ked?

Have I gone?

Has she gone?
SIMPLE
FUTURE

WILL
Express a Voluntary Action
(I will send you the information when I get it)
Express a Promise
(I will call you when I arrive)
Express a Prediction
(The year 2222 will be a very interesting year)

Will + infinitive I will work

He will work

I will go

She will go

I wont work

He wont work

I wont go

She wont go
Will I work?

Will he work?

Will I go?

Will she go?
SIMPLE
FUTURE

BE GOING TO
Express a Plan
(He is going to spend hi s vacation in Hawaii)
Express a Prediction
(The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting
year)


Be (am, is, are) +
going to + infinitive
I am going to work


He is goi ng to
work


I am not going to
work

He isnt going to work



Am I going to wor k?

Is he going to work?
FIRST
CONDITIONAL
There is a real possibility that the condition
will happen
If we take John, he'll be really pleased.

If you give me some money, I'll pay you back
tomorrow.

If they tell us they want it, we'll have to give it to
them.

If Mary comes, she'll want to drive.




IF (condition)=
Present Simple

Result= will +
infinitive