Enseignante Cirine Zouaidi Fezai 2019-2020

I begin with a simple presentation of the simple, continuous/progressive, and the perfect form
according to each tense
Simple tenses Continuous tenses
Simple present I listen Present continuous I am listening
I don’t listen You aren’t listening
Does he listen? Is she listening?
Simple past I listened Past continuous I was listening
She didn’t listen She wasn’t listening
Did they listen? Were they listening?
Simple future I will listen Future continuous I will be listening
They won’t listen
Will you listen?
Perfect tenses Perfect continuous tenses
Present perfect I have listened Present perfect continuous I have been
He hasn’t listened listening
Have you listened?
Past perfect I had listened Past perfect continuous I had been
listening
Future perfect I will have listened Future perfect continuous I will have
been listening

Now let’s move to the usage of the tenses and the difference among each of them. I’ll try to walk
you through as if we are in class.
Present: simple, perfect, and progressive/continuous
1- Use the simple present for routines (everyday) , habits (usually), and things that are true
(vérité générale)
 He takes the bus to go to work
2- Use the present progressive when there is an action in progress OR sometimes we use it
to talk about a FUTURE action (I’ll explain it in the future section)
 He is working at the office. (at the moment of speaking)
 We are going to have a meeting tomorrow (in the future)
-We can also use the present progressive to talk about trends and changes (for example graph
description).
 The demand for organic production is growing.

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Enseignante Cirine Zouaidi Fezai 2019-2020

3- Use the present perfect when a situation happened in the past and have a connection to
the present
 He has already received an e-mail. (the e-mail was sent and he has received it now)
PS: since (+point in time), just, yet, ever, never, for/ over/ in the last (+ period of time)
 I’ve worked here since January/ for a month.
 Have you seen Helen at work today? (it is still today)
4- Use the present perfect progressive for an action over a period of time up to now.
 The economy has been progressing for seven years.
 She has been checking her e-mail since 9:30 a.m. (Elle est entrain de vérifié son
e-mail depuis le matin jusqu’à présent. Il n’y a aucune indication que l’action est
fini)
 I’ve been waiting for three years to cease this chance
Past: simple, perfect, and progressive
! When we say past always be careful of regular and irregular verbs!
1- Use the simple past for an action in the past (FINIS)
 The meeting took place last week
PS: yesterday, in 1990, just, recently, once, earlier, then, next, after that
The Simple past and Present perfect can sometimes be confusing.
Keep in mind: -the past talks about an action that took place in the past and finished in the past.
-the present perfect is an unfinished action that started in the past and continues
 I’ve checked my e-mail yesterday at 10p.m. (simple past)
Checked it yesterday and no more!
 She has already checked her e-mail (present perfect)
Checked it and will check it later
2- Use the past progressive when there is an action in progress in the past

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Enseignante Cirine Zouaidi Fezai 2019-2020

 She was travelling all week

(she was travelling all week vs. she travelled all week)

A period of time Finished action

--Sometimes we encounter sentences where you have to use either tenses or both of them; I’ll
explain. look at these sentences:
 She was checking an e-mail when/ as the alarm rang (une action qui prend du temps
interrompu soudainement par une autre action rapide)
 While she was checking an e-mail, the alarm rang.
 She was checking an e-mail while I was leaving the office (2 actions simultanées qui
se passe au meme temps )
3- Use the past perfect for an action before a past time
 They had come to an agreement by midnight ( ils ont conlclue un accord zone
minuit)
(Simple past vs. past perfect)

-When the boss arrived, the meeting began -When the boss arrived, the meeting had begun
(The boss arrived and then the meeting began) (The meeting began, before the boss’ arrival)
Le meeting n’as commencé que lorsque le boss Le meeting a commencé et après le boss est
est venue venue
4- Use the past perfect progressive when talking about an action over a period up to a past
time.
 The arrested driver had been drinking.

Let me show you two sentences and you will see what I mean:

I had been checking the results and felt tired. I had checked the results and they looked fine.
(past perfect continuous) (past perfect)

Focus on the action taking place Focus on the result