Tenses

When you talk about… What tense to use Example

1. habits and routines 生活習慣 simple present I get up at six.
She swims every day.
2. things true now 現在事情是真 simple present You like ice cream.
的 She sings well.
3. things always true 事情總是真 simple present Angry people make mistakes easily.
的 Water boils at 100℃.
4. things happening right now present continuous I am watching TV.
現在發生的事情
5. things happening around now present continuous He is working harder.
現在發生的事情
6. things in photos present continuous He is jumping in the photo.
照片中的東西
7. things of the future 未來的事 simple future We will meet again.
8. things of the near future that be going to (a) It’s going to rain.
近期的事情 (b) I’m going to work harder.
(a) you are quite sure of 你很確
定
(b) you plan to do 你打算做
9. things of the past with a clear simple past I met him last week.
time 時間清晰的過去的事情 I finished my work an hour ago.
10. things of the past without a present perfect I have finished my work already.
clear time 沒有明確時間的過 I have met him before.
去的事情 (often used with
unclear time words like
already, just, yet, ever, lately,
recently)
11. things that started in the past, present perfect I have waited for an hour.
continue up to now, and may I have waited since 2pm.
go on in the future 過去開始的 Note: for + a period of time
事情，一直持續到現在，將 since + a point of time
來可能還會繼續
(often used with since and for)
12. something happening in the past continuous (a) I was sleeping at noon yesterday.
past 過去發生的事情 (b) It was raining all morning
(a) at a point of time 在某個時間 yesterday.
點 (b) throughout a period of
time
在一段時間內
13. two actions that happened in the past at the same I was having dinner when you called
time: 過去同時發生的兩個動作： me.
- the shorter action 較短的動作 → simple past
- the longer action 動作越長 → past continuous
14. two actions that happened in the past, one after the I had finished my homework before
other: 過去發生的兩個動作，一個接一個： I went to bed.
- the earlier action 較早的行動 → past perfect
- the later action 後來的行動 → simple past