TENSE FORM MEANING Example

S + V(s/es) a 1
S + don’t / doesn’t + V(0) b 2
Present simple
Do / Does + S + V(0)?
c 3
S + is/are + V-ing e 4
Present S + isn’t/aren’t + V-ing m 6
continuous Is/are + S+ V-ing?
i 7
S + V(ed) j 5
S + did/didn’t + V k 8
Past simple
Did + S + V?
l 11
S + was/were + V-ing h 9
Past continuous S + wasn’t/weren’t + V-ing
q 13
Was/Were + S + V-ing?
S + have/has + P2 p 12
S + haven’t/hasn’t + P2 o 14
Present perfect
Have/Has + S + P2?
d 16
S + have/has been + V-ing d 18
Present perfect S + haven’t/hasn’t been + V-ing
Have/ Has + S + been + V-ing?
f 19
continuous
g 15
S + had + P2 n 10
Past perfect S + hadn’t +P2
Had + S + P2?
a) Talk about routines or habits (often with adverbs of time, e.g. always, sometimes,
never).
b) Talk about facts and general truths.
c) With verbs that describe states: believe, hate, have, know, like, need, prefer, see,
seem, think, understand, want.
d) Talk about actions that began in the past but continue up to the present often with
for and since.
e) Describe an action that is happening now, or around now (often with time
expressions, e.g. right now, at the moment).
f) Talk about an action that has happened repeatedly in the past and that is still
happening now.
g) Talk about a very recent action which has either just finished, or which had just
been interrupted.
h) Describe a scene in the past or an action that was happening at a particular time.
i) Describe irritating habits (often with always).
j) Talk about a completed action that happened in the past.
k) Describe two or more actions that happened one after the other.
l) Talk about two connected actions that happened at around the same time.
m) Describe a temporary, changing or developing situation.
n) Talk about something that had happened before something else in the past.
o) Talk about experiences with never, already, just, and yet.
p) Talk about actions that happened at some unspecified point in the past.
q) Talk about a longer action that happens at the same time as a shorter action or
longer action that is interrupted by a shorter action.
1. Does your school always celebrate “We day? – Yes, it does. / No, it doesn't.
2. We meet many difficult challenges in life, but we don't always overcome them.
3. I think that global poverty is the most important issue in the world today.
4. He's always checking his text on his mobile phone.
5. Did you travel to the USA last year? – Yes, I did. / No, I didn't.
6. Today we're collecting money for an important charity.
7. Is your local community becoming more co-operative? - Yes, it is. / No, it isn’t.
8. He climbed over the wall and jumped in through the window.
9. I remembered her name while she was talking.
10. He couldn't read and write because he had never been to school.
11. When we saw the fire, we called the emergency services.
12. She was waving at us, but we weren't looking at her.
13. Were you listening to the radio when you heard the news? – Yes, I was. / No, I wasn't.
14. How long have you been part of this organization? - I’ve been a member for 15 years.
15. He's been campaigning for change in policy for six years.
16. She's experienced many extraordinary things in her life.
17. You look tired have you been working hard? - Yes, I have. /No, I haven't.
18. They've already raised $5000 for charity, but they haven't achieved their target yet.
19. We haven’t been sitting idly at home we've been working to improve the situation.