VERB TENSES

AFFIRMATIVE

PRESENT
SIMPLE

STRUCTURE

S+V+C

EXAMPLE

He often sings opera

She is always happy
The train leaves at
2:30pm

NEGATIVE

INTERROGATIVE

S + AUX do/does +NOT+V+C AUX + S + V + C + ?

They don't watch TV on
Sunday.
He doesn't clean the house.

Does she sing everyday?

Do you read magazines?
Are you always in the park?

S + TO BE + V-ing + C

S + TO BE+NOT+ V-ing + C

TO BE + S + V-ing + C+ ?

He is singing opera right

now

He isn't studying today.

Are you singing tonight?

S + AUX did + NOT+V + C

AUX did + S + V + C+ ?

TRANSLATION A menudo canta pera

STRUCTURE
PRESENT
EXAMPLE
CONTINOUS

PAST
SIMPLE

TRANSLATION

Est cantando pera justo

ahora

STRUCTURE

S + V-ed + C

EXAMPLE

He sang with Pavarotti

I stayed in her house
yesterday night.

TRANSLATION l cant con Pavarotti

PAST
CONTINOUS

He didn't sing with Pavarotti

Did he sing with Pavarotti?

l no cant con Pavarotti

Canto l con Pavarotti?

STRUCTURE

S + past TO BE + V-ing + S + past TO BE + NOT + VC

ing + C

Past TO BE + S + V-ing + C
+?

EXAMPLE

He was singing in the

shower

Was he singing in the

shower?

TRANSLATION

l estaba cantando en la
ducha

While he was having lunch, I

was having a shower.

TIME
EXPRESSIONS
Frecuency adverbs
(S + Adv + V
*but S + TO BE +
Adv)
once/twice a week
three times a year...
in the morning...
on Sunday...

USES

-Habits, routines
-Timetables...
-True facts
-In general

At the moment,
this evening...
now, right now
today,
tonight, at 7:00
just

-Action happening at
the present time, in
the moment of
speaking.
-In particular

Yesterday,
in 1987...
last week...
3 days ago...
at 9 o'clock...

-Finished action in
the past.
-Short action.
-Actions taking place
one after another
-An action taking
place in the middle of
another action

While,
as, as long as.
at 3:00 pm

-Action going on at a
certain time in the
past
-Actions taking place
at the same time
-Action in the past
that is interrupted by
another action

VERB TENSES
AFFIRMATIVE

NEGATIVE

INTERROGATIVE

STRUCTURE

S+HAVE/HAS+Vpp

S+HAVE/HAS+NOT+Vpp

HAVE/HAS+S+Vpp+?

EXAMPLE

He has already sung

He hasn't sung yet

Has he sung yet?

TRANSLATION l ya ha cantado

l no ha cantado todava

Ha cantado l ya?

STRUCTURE

S + WILL + V + C

S + WON'T + V + C

WILL + S + V + C + ?

EXAMPLE

He will sing the first.

He won't sing the first.

Will he sing the first?

in a year, next ,
tomorrow

l no cantar el primero.

Cantar l el primero?

assumption: I think,
probably, perhaps

PRESENT
PERFECT

FUTURE
WILL

TRANSLATION l cantar el primero.

FUTURE
TO BE
GOING TO

TIME
EXPRESSIONS

STRUCTURE

S+TO BE present +
GOING TO + V

S+TO BE+NOT+GOING
TO+V

TO BE+S+GOING TO+V+?

EXAMPLE

He's going to sing.

He's not going to sing

Is he going to sing?

l no va a cantar

Va l a cantar?

TRANSLATION l va a cantar

already, ever, just,

never, not yet,
so far, till now,
up to now

in one year, next

week, tomorrow

USES
-Putting emphasis on
the result
-Action that is still
going on
-Action that stopped
recently
-Finished action that
has an influence on
the present
-Action in the future
that cannot be
influenced
-Spontaneous
decision
-Assumption with
regard to the future
-Predictions
-Intentions, plans
-Decision made for
the future
-Conclusion with
regard to the future