Present Present Present Perfect Present Perfect

Simple/Indefinite Continuous/Progressive Continuous/Progressive

V to be (am, is, are) + Ving Have/has +Ved/III Have/has been + Ving
V+s/es (ch,sh,x,s,ss,o)

Do NOW, at the moment Ever, never, just, A period of time, still

Does + V Planned action for the already, yet ongoing action
nearest future RECENT action, For, since, all
Bothering general action finished
Do not I am writing. We have already written You have been writing this
Does not + V Am I writing? the book. book for a month.
always, usually, often, I am not writing. Have we written the Have you been writing this
seldom, every…. You are writing. book? book for a month?
Timetable Are you writing? We haven’t written the You haven’t been writing
GENERAL ACTION You are not writing. book. this book for a month.
He is writing. He has finished the
Is he writing? book.
He is not writing. Has he finished the
You write books. book?
Do you write books? He has not finished the
You don’t write book yet.
books.
Past Past Past Perfect Past Perfect
Simple/Indefinite Continuous/Progressive Continuous/Progressive
V+ed/ II Was/were + Ving Had + Ved/ III Had been + Ving
Did + V A moment in time in the Action finished before Action lasting for a period of
Did not + V past, yesterday at 5, when another action (time) in time and still in progress
he came yesterday… the past, by
Yesterday, ago, last… Yesterday at 5 I was He had finished the We had been writing for a
We wrote a book last writing a book. book before I arrived. month when they told us
year. Was he writing a book Had he finished the they did not need the book.
Did we write a book yesterday at 5? book before..? Had you been writing for a
last year? He was not writing He had not finished the month?
We didn’t write a book yesterday at 5. book before… You had not been writing…
last year.
Future Future Future Perfect Future Perfect
Simple/Indefinite Continuous/Progressive Continuous/Progressive
Will/shall + V Will/shall be + Ving Will/shall have + Will/shall have been + Ving
Ved/III
General action in the Action at a moment in time in Future action A future action in progress
future, action taken at future. – in progress finished before (for a period of time)
the moment another action/time For, since, all
in future.
By, before, this
time next year
She will spend her Don’t call him tomorrow at 5. She will have By next May she will have
holidays in Africa. He will be having a meeting. finished this book been working for this
Will she spend her Will he be having a meeting by next Monday. company for 3 years.
holidays in Africa? tomorrow at 5? Will she have Will she have been
She will not spend her He will not be having a finished…? working…?
holidays in Africa. meeting tomorrow at 5. She will not have She will not have been
finished… working…