Daily routines

1. Is used to describe what we do on a daily basis. Describing daily activities is a

communication need when you want to identify what you do on a daily basis to another
person.

 During the week, in the morning I get up at 6:00 A.M.

 On weekend, I get up late.
 On Saturday, in the evening I go out with friends.

2. It is necessary to learn expressions of time:

 During the week

 On Monday, On Saturday, On Friday
 In the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, at night, at midday
 At 9:00 A.M., Around 9 P.M.
What time is it?

Specific hours O’clock

For example: It’s two o’clock. It’s six o’clock.
Cuartos Quarter
For example: It’s quarter past two. It’s quarter to three.
A la media Half past (hour)
For example: It’s half past four.
Después de Minutes to (hour)
la media For example: It’s 27 minutes to five.

3. Structure for questions and the way to answer

o Do you go to the movies on Sunday? No, I don’t go to the movies on Sunday.
o Do you go to the movies on Sunday? No, I don’t. / Yes, I do.
o Does your father work on Saturday? No, my father doesn’t work on Saturday.
o What do you do on weekends? On weekends I usually get up late, have breakfast
with my family and I sometimes go to the church.
Adverbs of frequency
1. Adverbs that change or qualify the meaning of a sentence Never 0%
by telling us how often or how frequently something happens. Rarely 10-15%

2. Structure: Hardly ever 32%

Sometimes 50%
Subject + Frequency Adverbs + Verb
Often 75%
- I always sleep at 12 o´clock. Usually 85%
- I usually read a book before I go to sleep. Always 100%

Subject + Verb to be (am, is, are) + Frequency Adverbs

- I am never sad.
 - I am hardly ever tired.
- She is sometimes absent.
- Tommy never gets up early on Sundays.
- He usually drives to work.

Verb “to be”

Subject Present Past
1. Ser, estar incluso tener I am Was
You are Were
He / She / It is Was
We are Were
They are Were
2. Compound Times

Subject Simple Informal Future Present Present Conditional

Future Continuou Perfect
s
I will be am going to be am being have been would be

You will be are going to be are being have been would be

He/She/I will be is going to be is being has been would be
t
We will be are going to be are being have been would be
They will be are going to be are being have been would be

3. Common uses of to be
To be is used in many contexts where in Spanish you would use ser, estar, and tener.
o Age: He is angry.
I am twenty years old.
My twin brothers are five years o Occupations and relationships:
old. I’m a doctor.
o Descriptions (the height, weight, They are students.
nationality, color etc of someone Liz is my sister.
or something): She is his grandmother.
I am five feet tall. o The time and date (always deals
I’m one hundred and twenty in third person (it)) is/was:
pounds. It is three o’clock.
I’m French, but he is American. It was four in the morning
Her eyes are green. What date is it today? - Today is
This book is new. July first.
Your shirt is dirty. Today is Wednesday.
o Physical and mental states: o Locations (to talk about the
I’m hungry. location of something or
I’m sleepy. somewhere):
They’re crazy! The book is not on the table.
My house is next to the library.
Present Simple
1. Uses
 For habits and routines, general events, repeated actions or situations,
emotions and permanent desires:
I smoke (habit); I work in London (stay); London is a big city (general fact)
 Talk about things that happen regularly:
I always talk to my mother on Sunday.
He never eats vegetables.
They usually learn something new in class.
 To give instructions or directions:
You walk two hundred meters, then turn left.
Open the door.
Don´t cry.
 To talk about scheduled, present or future events:
Your exam begins at 09.00.
 To refer to the future, behind some conjunctions: after, when, before, as soon
as, until:
He will give it to you when you come next Saturday.
The train leaves at 10:00.
The party is tonight.
Does the festival start tomorrow?
The plane does not [doesn’t] arrive today.
2. Structure

Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences Interrogative Sentences

Subject + verb + Subject + auxiliary verb (to Auxiliary verb (to do) +
complement do) + negative auxiliary subject + main verb +
(“not”) + verb + complement?
complement
I talk. I do not [don’t] talk. Do you talk?
He eats. He does not [doesn’t] eat. Does he eat?
They learn. They do not [don’t] learn. Do they learn?

 En la tercera persona del singular, el verbo siempre termina en -s: he wants, she
needs, he gives, she thinks.
 Para las formas negativa e interrogativa, se emplea DOES (= tercera persona del
auxiliar 'DO') + el infinitivo del verbo: He wants ice cream. Does he want
strawberry? He does not want vanilla.
 Verbos que terminan en -y : en la tercera persona del singular, se cambia la -y por
-ies: fly --> flies, cry --> cries
 Excepción: cuando una vocal precede a la -y: play --> plays, pray --> prays
 Añadimos -es a los verbos que terminan en: -ss, -x, -sh, -ch: he passes, she
catches, he fixes, it pushes.
 Present Continuous
1. Uses
 To describe an action that is taking place right now:
You are using the Internet.
You are studying English grammar.
Is it raining?
 To describe a trend or action that is currently happening:
Are you still working for the same company?
More and more people are becoming vegetarian.
 To describe a future action or event that is already scheduled:
We're going on holiday tomorrow.
I'm meeting my boyfriend tonight.
Are they visiting you next winter?
 To describe a temporary situation or event:
He usually plays the drums, but he's playing bass guitar tonight.
The weather forecast was good, but it's raining at the moment.
 With "always, forever, constantly", to describe and emphasize a succession
of repeated actions:
Harry and Sally are always arguing!
You're constantly complaining about your mother-in-law!
2. Structure

Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences Interrogative Sentences

Subject + auxiliary verb (to Subject + auxiliary verb (to Auxiliary verb (to be) +
be) + verb + ing + be) + negative auxiliary subject + verb + ing +
complement (not) + verb + ing + complement?
complement
I am talking. I am not talkin. Are you talking?
He is eating. He is not eating. Is he eating?
They are learning. They are not learning. Are they learning?

3. Temporary markers:
 At the moment
 Now, just now, right now
 Listen!
 Look!

 Si el infinitivo termina en -e, es necesario eliminar esta vocal antes de añadir -ing. En el
caso de -ee, -oe o -ye, la e se mantiene: come – coming…agree - agreeing
 En palabras con una vocal de pronunciación corta antes de una consonante final, se
duplica la consonante final. Esto no es así con las consonantes finales -w, -y, o -x.: sit –
sitting (no aplica con todos: fix-fixing)
 En inglés británico, hay que duplicar la l final tras una vocal. Esto no es así en inglés
estadounidense: travel – travelling (inglés británico), traveling (inglés estadounidense)
 Los verbos que terminan en -ie reemplazan estas vocales por una y antes de añadir la
terminación –ing: lie – lying.
Present Perfect Simple

1. Uses
The present perfect tense is used for actions that occurred at a non-specific time before
now. Specific time is not important. Therefore, we do not usually use specific time
expressions ("this morning", "yesterday", "last year" ...) with the perfect present. The
perfect present can be used with non-concrete expressions of time ("never", "ever", "many
times", "for", "since", "already", "yet" ...).
 To describe an experience. We do not use it for specific actions.
I have never flown in a plane.
He has worked in many different museums.
We have been to Río de Janeiro.
 The present perfect is used for a change in time.
I have become more timid in my old age.
Their English has improved a lot this year.
He has learned to be more patient.
 Used for successes or achievements.
Our football team has won the championship three times.
Dan has finished writing his first novel.
Scientists have succeeded in curing many illnesses.
 For actions that have not yet happened.
The plane hasn’t arrived yet.
Our team still hasn’t won a championship.
You haven’t finished your homework yet?
 To talk about actions at different times in the past. The use of the present
perfect in these cases indicates that more actions are possible in the future.
We have spoken several times, but we still can’t reach an agreement.
Our team has played 4 games so far this year.
I love New York! I have been there 5 times already and I can’t wait to go back.
 In general, we use the present perfect continuous for situations that have
started in the past but continue in the present.
How long has Michael been in Barcelona?
I have loved you since the day I met you.
2. Structure

Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences Interrogative Sentences

Subject + auxiliary verb (to Subject + auxiliary verb (to
have) + past participle have) + “not” + past
participle
I have talked to Peter. I haven’t talked to Peter.
She has gone to work. She hasn’t gone to work.
We have been to London. We haven’t been to
They have learned English. London.
They haven’t learned
Auxiliary verb (to have) +
subject + past participle ...?
Have you talked to Peter?
Has she gone to work?
Have you been to London?
Have they learned English?
 English.

3. Temporary markers:
We often use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to the recent past:

Just Already Yet Still

"Just" is used for "Already" refers to "Yet" is used for We use "still" for
actions that have something that has something we actions or events
occurred a short happened before or expected to that have not yet
time ago and sooner than happen, but has not occurred, especially
translates to "acaba expected and is yet happened. We when we hope they
de" or "justo." "Just" translated as "ya". tend to use it in have already
comes before the “Already” generally negative and occurred. It is
verb or between the goes between the interrogative translated as "aún”
auxiliary and the auxiliary verb and sentences. In or “todavía"."still"
verb in the the verb. negative phrases it always comes
sentence. can be translated as before the verb,
Examples: "aún" or "todavía" regardless of the
Examples: They have already and in questions verb tense we use.
  I just ate, but I'm finished their like "ya". “Yet” goes
already hungry homework. to the end of the Examples:
again. Jacob has already sentence. I took two pills, but I
  Where’s Jacob? left work. still have a
He's just left. The train has I'm really hungry. I headache.
  Beth has just already arrived. haven't eaten yet. Is Jacob still
moved to New York. Jacob hasn’t left his working at the
job at the hospital hospital?
yet. They still haven't
Have they finished finished their
their homework yet? homework.
 Has the train
arrived yet?

But Pero
For Since Or O
"For" indicates duration or a
"Since" is used to indicate So Entonces
period of time, so it can bethe beginning of a period of
Because Porque
translated as "Durante" in time that follows the
Although A pesar
Spanish. present. As such, it can be
de que
translated as "desde" in
Ever Alguna
Spanish and used as a
vez
specific time point in the
Never Nunca
past.
one minute, a few hours, an 10 o’clock, Monday, March,
hour, two weeks, five last year, 2005, this
months, 3 days, 12 years, morning, the beginning of
a long time… the year, you called…
 Past Simple
1. Uses
The simple past is used in English to identify:
 Past actions:
Last month a girl from China joined our class.
She showed us where she was from on a map.
 A succession of actions in the past;
She came in, introduced herself, and began to talk about her country.
 Interruption of a course of action;
While she was talking about her home town, the school bell suddenly rang.
 Conditional sentences built with if, for which in Spanish the imperfect
subjunctive is used.
If I spoke Chinese, I would like to go on holiday to China.
2. Structure verbs

Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences Interrogative Sentences

Subject + verb in past + Subject + auxiliary verb Auxiliary verb (did) +
complement (did) + negative auxiliary subject + verb +
(“not”) + verb + complement?
complement
I talked with her mom. I did not[didn’t] talk. Did you talk?
He ate vegetables. He did not [didn’t] eat. Did he eat?
They learned maths. They did not [don’t] learn. Did they learn?

3. Structure to be
Subjec Past
Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences Interrogative Sentences
t
Subject + was / were Subject + was not / were Was / were + subject +
I Was
not …?
You Were
I was cold. I was not cold. Was I cold?
He / Was You were tired. You were not tired. Were you tired?
She / It It was rainy. It was not rainy. Was it rainy?
We Were They were friends. They were not friends. Were they friends?
They Were
4. Temporary markers:
 Time expressions: yesterday, two minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last
Friday, etc.
 Frequency adverbs: always, often, sometimes, rarely, never, etc.
 Conditional sentences with if: If I talked, ...
 Algunos verbos, sin ser totalmente irregulares, modifican su escritura al añadir la
terminación de pasado -ed.
 Cuando el verbo acaba en e, se añade simplemente una –d: love – loved
 Después de una vocal de pronunciación corta, se dobla la consonante final: admit –
admitted
 En inglés británico la l final siempre se dobla cuando va detrás de una vocal, lo que no
ocurre en inglés americano: travel – travelled (inglés británico), traveled (inglés
americano)
 Si un verbo termina en y, esta se transforma en i antes de añadir la terminación –ed: hurry
– hurried

Used to
We use the modal verb “used to” to indicate something that used to happen or happened
ithe past. Also, it is used for something that was previously true but is no longer true. As
with the other modal verbs, "used to" is followed by the base form of the verb (the infinitive
without "to").

Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences Interrogative Sentences

Subject + “used to” + verb Subject + did not + “use to” Did + subject + use to +
+ verb verb?
We used to go to the beach I didn’t use to like Didn’t he use to smoke a
every summer when I was mushrooms, but now I do. lot?
young. Food didn’t use to be so Did you use to live here?
He used to smoke a pack expensive. Did they use to go to the
of cigarettes a day, but he We didn’t use to go away beach in the summers?
quit last year. on holiday very often when
I used to like mushrooms, I was young.
but not anymore.
There used to be a great
restaurant here, but it
closed a few years ago.

Past Continuous
1. Uses
 An action in progress that takes place in the past;
Lucy was sitting on the beach at six o’clock yesterday.
 Actions that occur simultaneously in the past;
While Lucy was relaxing on the beach, Laurence was sailing.
 An action in progress in the past that is interrupted by another. This second
is expressed in past simple.
Lucy was watching the sunset when Laurence passed by on his boat.
2. Structure

Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences Interrogative Sentences

Subject + auxiliary verb (to Subject + auxiliary verb (to Auxiliary verb (to be) +
 be) + verb + ing + be) + negative auxiliary subject + verb + ing +
complement (“not”) + verb + ing + complement?
complement
I was talking. I was not talking. Were you talking?
He was eating. He was not eating. Was he eating?
They were learning. They were not learning. Were they learning?

3. Temporary markers:

 while, as long as

 Si el infinitivo termina en -e, es necesario eliminar esta vocal antes de añadir -ing.
En el caso de -ee, -oe o -ye, la e se mantiene: come – coming, agree - agreeing
 En palabras con una vocal de pronunciación corta antes de una consonante final,
se duplica la consonante final. Esto no es así con las consonantes finales -w, -y, o
-x. sit – sitting (pero: mix – mixing)
 En inglés británico, hay que duplicar la l final tras una vocal. Esto no es así en
inglés estadounidense: travel – travelling (inglés británico), traveling (inglés
estadounidense)
 Los verbos que terminan en -ie reemplazan estas vocales por una y antes de
añadir la terminación –ing: lie – lying

Vocabulary
Agreement/Contra Acuerdo/Contra Law firm Firma de
ct to abogados
Appeal Apelación On bail En libertad bajo
Alibi Coartada fianza
Breach Incumplimiento On parole En libertad
Covenant Convenio condicional
Court Corte Statement Declaración
Conviction Condena Suspect Sospechoso
Crime Crimen
Criminal law Derecho penal
Custody Custodia
Deed Escritura
Defendant Acusado
Defender Defensor
Duty Deber
Evidence Evidencia
Family law Derecho familiar
Fine Multa
Guilty Culpable
Hearing Audiencia
Innocent Inocente
Judge Juez
Law Ley
Lawyer Abogado
Table of Verb Tenses in English Grammar

Verb tenses show us when an action takes place: in the present, past or future. Each of

the three main tenses has a progressive, perfect and perfect progressive aspect which
give us more information about the time, progression or completion of
an action.

This table of tenses in English grammar provides an overview of the

12 different verb tenses with examples in
the positive, negative and interrogative or question form. You will also
find tips on the usage of each tense and common signal words to help
you recognise the tenses. For a detailed lesson including exercises,
click on the name of the tense.

Afirmativa/Negativa Marcadores
Tiempo verbal Uso
/Interrogativa temporales

 una acción que se

repite en el presente always, every…,
 A: He
Present Simple  hechos de validez never, normally,
speaks.
permanente often, seldom,
 N: He does
Present  acciones sucesivas sometimes, oración
not speak.
 acciones futuras condicional tipo I (If I
 I: Does he
(presente) previstas (horarios, talk, …)
speak?
calendarios,
programas)
Present  acción que tiene lugar
Continuous  A: He is en el momento del
at the moment, just,
speaking. habla
Present  N: He is not  acción limitada a un just now,, Listen,
Progressive speaking. marco temporal Look!, now, right
 I: Is he  acciones futuras ya now
(estar + speaking? planeadas o
gerundio) acordadas
Simple Past A: He spoke.  una acción pasada yesterday, 2 minutes
N: He did not  acciones sucesivas ago, in 1990, the
 Afirmativa/Negativa Marcadores
Tiempo verbal Uso
/Interrogativa temporales

other day, last

pasadas
Preterite speak.  una acción que Friday
I: Did he speak? interrumpe otra que oración condicional
(pasado) ya estaba en curso tipo II (If I talked, …)

Past Progressive

Preterite  una acción pasada

A: He was
Continuous que se desarrolla en
speaking.  el tiempo
Past Continuous N: He was not  acciones simultáneas while, as long as
speaking.  una acción que
I: Was he mientras se
(estar en speaking? desarrolla es
pretérito interrumpida por otra
imperfecto +
gerundio)
 el resultado de una
acción
 acción que se
prolonga hasta el
Present Perfect presente
A: He has spoken.  acción que acaba de already, ever, just,
N: He has not tener lugar never, not yet, so
Perfect
spoken.  acción pasada con far, till now, up to
I: Has he spoken? repercusiones en el now
(pretérito presente
perfecto)  acción que nunca/una
sola vez/más de una
vez ha tenido lugar
hasta el momento del
discurso
Present Perfect  acción pasada que se
Progressive ha extendido en el
A: He has been
tiempo
speaking. all day, for 4 years,
Perfect  acción que ha durado
Continuous N: He has not been hasta el momento since 1993, how
speaking. presente long?, the whole
(estar en I: Has he been  acción ya realizada week
pretérito speaking? pero con
perfecto + repercusiones en el
gerundio) presente
Past Perfect A: He had spoken.  acción anterior a un already , just, never,
N: He had not momento not yet, once, until
Pluperfect spoken. determinado del that day
 Afirmativa/Negativa Marcadores
Tiempo verbal Uso
/Interrogativa temporales

pasado
 se puede reemplazar
Past Anterior por el Past Perfect
Progressive Oración condicional
(pretérito I: Had he spoken?  enfatiza sólo el hecho tipo III (If I had
pluscuamperfect de que algo tuvo talked, …)
o) lugar antes de un
determinado
momento del pasado
Past Perfect
Progressive
 acción anterior a un
Pluperfect A: He had been momento del pasado
Continuous speaking.  se puede
N: He had not been intercambiar con for, since, the whole
Past Anterior
speaking. el Past Perfect day, all day
Continuous Simple
I: Had he been
speaking?  pone de relieve la
(estar en acción o la duración
pretérito de la acción
pluscuamperfect
o + gerundio)
in a year, next …,
 sucesos futuros sobre tomorrow 
A: He will speak. los que no se puede Oración condicional
Future (will) N: He will not influir de tipo I (If you ask
speak.  una decisión her, she will help
(futuro simple) I: Will he speak? espontánea you.)
 suposiciones acerca suposición: I think,
del futuro
probably, perhaps

A: He is going to
speak.  intención respecto al
Future (going to) N: He is not going futuro in one year, next
to speak.  conclusión lógica week, tomorrow
(futuro próximo) I: Is he going to sobre un suceso
speak? futuro

Future A: He will be  acción que ocurrirá in one year, next

Progressive speaking. en un momento week, tomorrow
N: He will not be determinado del
Future speaking. futuro
Continuous I: Will he be  acontecimientos que
speaking? sucederán con
(estar en futuro seguridad o que son
 Afirmativa/Negativa Marcadores
Tiempo verbal Uso
/Interrogativa temporales

simple + obvios
gerundio)
A: He will have
Future Perfect spoken.
N: He will not have  acción que ya habrá by Monday, in a
(futuro spoken. concluido en el futuro week
compuesto) I: Will he have
spoken?

Future Perfect
Progressive A: He will have
been speaking.
Future Perfect  acción que ya habrá for …, the last
N: He will not have concluido en el futuro
Continuous couple of hours, all
been speaking.  recalca la duración de day long
I: Will he have been la acción
(estar en futuro speaking?
compuesto +
gerundio)
Conditional I

Subjunctive II A: He would speak. Oración condicional

Present N: He would not tipo II
 acción que es
Form of speak. (If I were you, I
probable que ocurra
Possibility I: Would he speak? would go home.)

(condicional
simple)
Conditional I
Progressive

Subjunctive II
Continuous A: He would be
(Present) speaking.  acción que es
N: He would not be probable que ocurra
Continuous
speaking.  pone de relieve la 
Form of acción o la duración
Possibility I: Would he be
speaking? de la acción

(estar en
condicional
simple +
gerundio)
Conditional II A: He would have  acción que habría Oración condicional
 Afirmativa/Negativa Marcadores
Tiempo verbal Uso
/Interrogativa temporales

Subjunctive II spoken.
(Past) N: He would not ocurrido en el pasado tipo III
Perfect Form of have spoken. en otras (If I had seen that, I
Possibility I: Would he have circunstancias would have helped.)
spoken?
(condicional
compuesto)
Conditional II
Progressive

Subjunctive II A: He would have

Continuous  acción que habría
been speaking.
(Past) ocurrido en el pasado
N: He would not en otras
Continuous have been circunstancias 
Perfect Form of speaking.  pone de relieve la
Possibility I: Would he have acción o la duración
been speaking? de la acción
(estar en
condicional
compuesto +
gerundio)

Present Simple
Present Continuous
Present Perfect Simple
Present Perfect Continuous

Past Simple
Past Continuous
Past Perfect Simple
Past Perfect Continuous

Future Simple - will

Future Simple - going to
Future Continuous
Future Perfect Simple
Present Perfect Continuous
1. Uses
The present perfect continuous is similar in use to the present perfect simple, with the
difference that in this way it is expressed that an action continues in progress or that it has
not finished, or the development of an action itself is highlighted. The use of the present
perfect continuous can be summarized as follows:
 Express a recent past action highlighting the action itself and not the result of it;
- Aaron has been changing tires all morning.
 Express the continuity of a particular action that began at a time in the past and
has not yet ended in the present;
- I've been working in this garage for ten years.
- He continues to work in the workshop, so it is considered that the action
has not finished.
 Express recurring actions that began at a time in the past and continue to occur in
the present.
- Aaron has been repairing cars since he was sixteen years old.

2. Structure verbs

Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences Interrogative Sentences

Subject + Auxiliary verb (to Subject + auxiliary verb (to Auxiliary verb (to have) +
have) + “been” + verb-ing have) + negative auxiliary subject + “been” + verb-ing
(“not”) + “been” + verb-ing +?
They have been talking for They haven’t been talking Have they been talking for
three hours. for more than a few a long time?
She has been studying minutes. Have you been waiting
English since she was 16. She hasn’t been studying long?
I have been waiting for you English for very long.
for over an hour! Don’t worry, I haven’t been
waiting long.

3. Temporary markers:
  all day, the whole week
 for 4 years, since 1993, how long?
 lately

 Si el infinitivo termina en -e, es necesario eliminar esta vocal antes de añadir -ing.
En el caso de -ee, -oe o -ye, la e se mantiene. (come – coming) (agree – agreeing)
 En palabras con una vocal de pronunciación corta antes de una consonante final,
se duplica la consonante final. Esto no es así con las consonantes finales -w, -y, o
-x. (sit – sitting)
 En inglés británico, hay que duplicar la l final tras una vocal. Esto no es así en
inglés estadounidense. [ travel – travelling (inglés británico), traveling (inglés
estadounidense) ]
 Los verbos que terminan en -ie reemplazan estas vocales por una y antes de
añadir la terminación -ing. (lie – lying)
Past Perfect Simple
1. Uses
A. We use the perfect past to refer to an action or event that started in the past and
that is prior to another action also in the past. The action that occurred first is in the
perfect past and the one that follows in the simple past.
 I'd read the book before I saw the movie.
 Donna had just left when you called.
 Had you ever flown before the trip to France?
B. It is used for actions that occurred before a specific time in the past.
 I had already woken up when the alarm clock rang at 7am.
 I hadn’t been to France before the trip in 2008.
C. Also, as in the present perfect tense, with some verbs we use the perfect past
tense for situations that started in the past and continued to a specific point in the
past.
 She had only owned one car before she bought her new BMW.
 I'd been depressed for a long time before I changed jobs.
Past Perfect Simple is used in English to express:
 a past action prior to a given moment in the past or another past action;
- Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet after she had made herself some
porridge.
- She had not eaten much of her porridge when a spider frightened her away.
 Type III conditional subordinate clauses, expressing actions that have not
occurred.
- If the spider had not frightened her, she would have finished her porridge
sitting on her tuffet.
2. Structure verbs

Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences Interrogative Sentences

Subject + “had” + past Subject + “had” + “not” + “Had” + subject + past
 participle
I had visited the Louvre
before, so I knew where the
Mona Lisa was.
They had studied English
before they went to
London.
Henry changed careers
because he had worked as
an accountant for many
years and was bored.
past participle
I had not visited the Louvre
before so I didn’t know
where the Mona Lisa was.
They had not studied
English before they went to
London.
Henry changed careers
even though he had not
worked as an accountant
for long.
participle + ?
How did you know where
the Mona Lisa was? Had
you visited the Louvre
before?
Had they studied English
before they went to
London?
Had Henry worked as an
accountant for long before
he changed careers?

3. Temporary markers:
 already, just
 never, not yet
 once, until that day
 subordinada condicional de tipo III (If I had talked, …)
Algunos verbos, sin ser totalmente irregulares, modifican su escritura al añadir la
terminación -ed. Estas son las pautas que debes tener en cuenta:

 Cuando el verbo acaba en se añade simplemente una. love – loved (y no: loveed)
 Después de una vocal de pronunciación corta se duplica la consonante final.
(admit – admitted)
 En inglés británico, hay que duplicar la l final tras una vocal. Esto no es así en
inglés estadounidense. [ travel – travelled (inglés británico), traveled (inglés
estadounidense) ]
 La final de un verbo se transforma en i antes de añadir. (hurry – hurried)

Past Perfect Continuous

1. Uses
a. We use the past perfect continuous to refer to something we had been doing (in
process) when another action interrupted it. The continuous perfect past is used for
action in progress and the simple past for interrupting action. When we refer to
something that we have been doing in a period of time, therefore, we usually use
the prepositions of time "for" or "since".
- I'd been working for hours when I fell asleep at my desk.
- Frank bought a new car. He’d been looking for one since last year.
- We’d been arguing for days when Elizabeth found a resolution.
b. It is used to demonstrate cause and effect in the past.
- She was tired because she’d been working too much.
- They were angry because they’d been waiting for me for hours.

2. Structure verbs

Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences Interrogative Sentences

Subject + “had” + “been” + Subject + “had” + “not” + “Had” + subject + “been” +
verb- ing “been” + verb- ing verb- ing + ?
 I had been studying English
for 2 years when I went to
London.
Lindsay had been working
at the store since 2005
when it closed
They were surprised when
the airline lost their
baggage as they had been
traveling for weeks without
a problem.
3. Temporary markers:
 for …, since …
 the whole day, all day
 lately
I had not [hadn’t] been Had you been studying
studying English long when English for a long time
I went to London. before you went to London?
Lindsay had not [hadn’t] Had Lindsay been working
been working at the store at the store for a long time
for long when it closed. when it closed?
They had not been Had they been traveling for
traveling long before they a long time when the airline
had their first problem. lost their luggage?