I.

ENGLISH VERB TENSES

Chart of English verb tenses

Tenses Simple Continuous Perfect Perfect continuous

Present Work/Works Am/is/are working Have/has worked Have been working
Past Worked Was/were working Had worked Had been working
Future Shall/will/going to work Will be working Will have worked Will have been working

1.1 Use of English Verb Tenses

i. Present simple – we use the present simple tense in English…
b) For general facts:
- This shirt costs ten dollars.
- Maputo is a beautiful town
- Mozambicans speak Portuguese

c) For actions that happen regularly:

- I take guitar lessons on Wednesday nights.
- Sarah eats lunch in her office.

Reading and comprehension:

Yolanda Chicane is a singer. She loves to sing. She is in a band. She sings in the Kakana band. She is the lead
singer. Sometimes she plays piano. Jimmy Gwaza is Yolanda's boyfriend. He is also in the band. He stands next
to Yolanda. He plays the electric guitar. Sometimes Jimmy Gwaza sings with Yolanda. Realdo is Jimmy and
Yolanda's friend. He is also in the band. He stands next to Jimmy. He plays bass guitar. Realdo does not sing.
He does not like to sing.

2.0 Present Continuous - Use the present continuous tense for:

a) A continuous action that is in progress at the moment we speak:
- I‘m currently studying biology at university.
- Bill can’t talk on the phone right now, he‘s doing his homework.
- We‘re watching TV at the moment.

b) For future plans/arrangements:

- I‘m having lunch with Jack tomorrow.
- My sister is driving me to the airport on Saturday.
- Tim and Joanna are joining us for dinner next week.

Reading and comprehension:

Today, it is Friday. Mr. Dava and Langa are at the University. They are having English lessons. They are sitting
on the desks. They are reading an English text about present continuous. At this moment, Yara Gume is
listening to them. She is staring at them very carefully. She is sitting near to Mr. Dava. She is also taking notes.
Mr. Langa is Yara's husband. They are living in the same house at Magoanine B. Mr. Langa is working as a
policeman. After lessons, Langa and Yara are going home to have a rest. They are working very hard to finish
their course in four years. They are planning to change their jobs after their formation.

3. Present Perfect - Use the present perfect tense for:

a) actions that happened in the past at an unspecified time:

- I‘ve met several celebrities.
- He‘s been to Australia several times.
- We‘ve already taken the test.

b) actions that began in the past and continue to the present:

- I‘ve lived in this house for five years.
- Harry has worked at the same company since 1992.

c) actions that have never happened:

- I‘ve never broken a bone.
- She‘s never bought a car.
- My parents have never eaten sushi.

Reading and comprehension:

Aira lives in Zona verde in Matola. Her parents live in Munhava, Beira. They have lived in Beira for 3 years.
Aira has not seen her parents in over a year. She has talked to her mother about her new boyfriend through
phone many times. She has also prepared some gifts for her young brothers. They have grown so much since
the last time they visited Matola and she has missed them a lot. Aira has knit scarves and blankets to send to her
brothers in Beira. So far, she has knitted two large blankets for her nephews. She has also knitted a scarf for
each brother.

4. Present Perfect Continuous - for actions that began in the past and continue to the present:
- I‘ve been thinking a lot about the situation recently.
- Laura‘s been studying since 7 AM.
- We‘ve been waiting for you to arrive for over an hour.

Reading and comprehension:

Ruth and Martha are best friends. They have been spending time together since they were young girls. Every
morning, they get dressed and walk to the post office together. They have been walking together to the post
office every morning for the past 10 years.
Lately, Martha has not been feeling well. Ruth has been walking to the post office alone each morning. Then
she visits Martha at home. She has been bringing Martha her mail every morning for 2 weeks. She hopes
Martha feels better soon.
5. Past Simple - for events that started and finished in the past:

- I worked as a research assistant from 2001 – 2003.

- He called me ten minutes ago.
- We went to the Bahamas last summer.

Reading and comprehension:

Last night, George was at a restaurant with Clara, Charlie, and Katherine. After dinner, George announced his
engagement to Clara. George stood next to Clara. He raised his glass. He announced the engagement to his
friends. He looked very happy! Clara was also at the restaurant. She sat at the table next to George. She smiled
when he announced the engagement. She showed her friends her ring. It was very beautiful. Clara also looked
very happy! Charlie and Katherine also sat at the table. They were excited for their friends. Charlie
congratulated George and Clara. He shook George's hand. Katherine looked at Clara's ring. She hugged Clara.
She was happy for George and Clara!

6. Past Continuous - use the past continuous tense for events that were in progress in the past (often when
another one-time event happened):
- Sorry I didn’t pick up the phone – I was taking a shower when you called.
- He was sleeping on the couch when I got home.
- When I saw Tina and Sam at the park earlier today, they were arguing.

Reading and comprehension:

Mitch was always driving his motorcycle too fast. Yesterday after work, Matusse was driving his motorcycle
home. While everyone else was driving slowly, he was speeding through the streets. He wasn't paying attention
and was driving too fast when he saw the police officer.
While the police officer was directing traffic, he saw Matusse speeding down the street. The police waved his
arms signalizing to Matusse to stop. The police officer was fining Matusse for speeding. Matusse was not
feeling happy when he arrived home.

7. Past Perfect - Use the past perfect tense for past events that happened BEFORE other past events:

- By the time we arrived at the train station, the train had already left.
- When I woke up, I saw that my husband had made breakfast.
- Five minutes after leaving my house, I realized I’d forgotten to lock the front door.

Reading and comprehension:

Last night, Dane and Emily danced in a competition. They danced Pandza dance. They had practiced for 6
months before they danced in the competition. They had danced very well.
Dane and Emily's friends were in the audience. Before that night, they had never seen Dane and Emily dancing.
In fact, Dane and Emily had never danced in front of anyone before the competition. After everyone had
danced, the judges announced the winners. Dane and Emily had won! They were the best dancers in the
competition. Emily said she had never practiced so hard before! She was glad that they had won the first prize.

8. Past Perfect Continuous - use the past perfect continuous tense for past actions that continued up to another
point in the past:

- Before I lost my job, I had been working on some important projects. (“working” was a continuous
action until the point I lost my job)
- They had been hoping Pat would make a full recovery after the accident, but he died. (“hoping” was a
continuous action until Pat died)
- She‘d already been studying English by herself for several years by the time she started taking classes.
(“studying” English by herself was a continuous action until the time when she started classes)

Reading and comprehension:

Lisa slept because she had been feeling very sick. In fact, Lisa had not been feeling well for three days. Her
mother knew something was strange because Lisa had not been acting normal. She had not been finishing her
meals for the past two days. She had not even been playing with her friends. The doctor visited Lisa. He had
been visiting many children since the sickness arrived. He examined Lisa. He gave Lisa medicine. He talked to
Lisa's mother. Lisa's mother had been praying for a week when Lisa woke up. Lisa looked much better. She did
not feel sick anymore. Everyone was happy that Lisa was better.

9. Future Simple - There are two ways to form the future simple tense in English.

Use the “going to” form of the future simple tense…

a) For plans, arrangements, and predictions:

- After I graduate from college, I’m going to study for a Master’s degree.
- We’re going to move to a different city next year.
- I think the current president is going to be reelected.

b) Use the “will” form of the future simple tenses for promises, offers, predictions, and decisions made in
the moment of speaking:
- Promise: I‘ll call you later.
- Offer: We‘ll give you a ride home.
- Prediction: I have a feeling that this new singer will become very popular.
- Decision made in the moment: I‘ll have the spaghetti and a side order of salad.

Reading and comprehension:

There is going to be a wedding today. At 4 o'clock this afternoon, Alima and Alfredo Fogo are going to get
married. After today, they will be Mr. and Mrs. Fogo.
It is going to be a huge celebration. Everyone will be there! They are going to serve dinner and dessert. The best
man will give a speech. Then everyone will dance. The dance will last until midnight. The day after the
wedding, Alima and Alfredo are going to leave for their honeymoon. They are going to travel to Ponta de Ouro.
They are going to stay there for 7 days. They will have a good time in Ponta de Ouro.

10. Future Continuous

Use the future continuous tense for actions that will be in progress at a time in the future:

- Don’t call me at 6, because I’ll be driving home from work.

- At 10:30 tomorrow morning, we’ll be giving a presentation in English class.
- He’ll be watching the football game tonight at 8.

Reading and comprehension:

Brad likes to fish. He fishes whenever he can. This weekend, he will be fishing at the lake. It is his favorite
place to fish. Mark is Brad's friend. Mark likes to fish too. He also fishes whenever he can. This weekend he
will be fishing at the lake with Brad. They will be camping at the lake all weekend. Mark will be picking Brad
up at 8 o'clock Friday night. Brad will be ready when Mark arrives. They will be driving all night before they
get to the lake.
They are excited about the weekend because they have taken some Impala bottles with them. They will be
drinking impala while fishing. Brad and Mark both love to fish. They will be fishing together. Hopefully they
will be eating their fish at the lake!

11. Future Perfect

Use the future perfect tense for actions that will be completed before a future time:

- I will have written a book before I’m 40.

- We’re late. By the time we get to the theater, the movie will have started already.
- We will have traveled to 12 different countries by 2015.

Reading and comprehension:

Brett is in the army. Tomorrow, he will leave home to join his troops in Palma for one year months. He will
have trained for six months in Munguine by the time he leaves. He will have worked very hard by the time he
comes home. He will have been missing home for 18 months. His wife will have worried about him all that
 time. They will have written many letters by the time he comes home. She will have been rejoicing when
he returns safely.

12. Future Perfect Continuous - Use the future perfect continuous tense for actions that will continue up to
a future time:
- By the time she graduates, she will have been studying for 7 years.
- By 7 PM, I will have been working on this project for eight hours straight.
- By this time next year, they will have been living in Japan for two decades.
Note: BY and BY THE TIME are commonly used with the future perfect continuous

Reading and comprehension:

Everyone is at church. They are listening to the minister. By the time the minister finishes his sermon, the
people will have been listening to him preaching for over an hour. They will have been sitting on the hard
benches for over an hour. The minister is giving the sermon. It is a long sermon. He will have been talking for
over an hour by the time he finishes. He will have been standing behind the pulpit for over an hour.

Exercises:

i. Complete the following blank spaces with appropriate verb tenses using the words in brackets, as
indicated in the following five examples:
1. Dinner tastes great! (you, take) have you been taking cooking lessons lately?
2. My husband and I want to know what (you, do) you will do for dinner tonight.
3. Sorry I wasn’t available. I (wait) was waiting for the metro when you called.
4. The company (have) has been having financial difficulties for the last two years.
5. If the client (cancel) cancels tomorrow, we will have to postpone our trip to Spain.
6. People who live in Asia (call) ………………………. Asians.
7. When we leave Xai-xai next week (live) ……………………………..here for four years.
8. My wife and I (wait) ……………………for over an hour by the time the plane arrived.
9. Tomorrow, John (transfer) ………………………all of his documents to my hard drive.
10. Next year John (go) …………………Beira for good. He says he really loves living there.
11. My father (travel, already) ………………………to over fifty countries before he retires.
12. I don’t care if you (understand, not) ……………………the software. It’s not necessary.
13. John (be) …………………late for work too many times. We’re going to have to fire him.
14. Hopefully, when I go the job interview tomorrow, the company (hire) ………………me.
15. This summer, my family (spend) ……………………two weeks on a beach in Thailand!
16. I (work) ……………………….for several companies, but this one is by far my favourite.
17. In the last five years, our company (sign) ………………………….over sixty new clients.
 18. When I got to the office, my boss (prepare, already) ……………………the file.
19. The interview was very tense, but at the end I (be) ………………………..offered the job.
20. Life (change) …………………………………..a lot since I took the job in Italy.
21. If the client needs to contact me, I (stay) ……………………………at the Gloria Hotel.
22. On Sundays, I (like) ………………to watch football and drink beer at my favourite bar.
23. By this time I finish this course, I (improve) …………………………………my English.
24. I (wait) …………………………for the new job opportunity for over six years!
25. What (do) are you going to do if you (choose, not) …………………….for the new job?
26. Mark (work) ……………………………….with this client for over seven years before the company
fired him! I really hope the client (decide) ……………………to hire him.
27. I love to read. If I (relax, not) …………………………..in a coffee shop with a book, I (browse)
………………… my favourite book store or (order) ordering books online.
28. Recently my wife and I (think)…………………………. about selling house because we (……….) are
getting older and climbing the stairs (get, not) will not be getting any easier.
29. I (date) …………………………………Susanne for three years before she gave me the ultimatum:
30. ‘You (marry)………………………to me this year or I (leave) …………………..you!’
31. My boss (install) …………………….some software updates when he unintentionally (delete)
……………..his entire hard drive. I (stay) …………………at work late to fix it.
32. Right now, I (work) ………………………….on a performance evaluation for John.
33. You (reach) ………………………… the office of Macamo. Our office hours (be)
………………..Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 7:00. Please (leave) …………………. a message
and I (return) will return your call as soon as I (can) can.
34. When I (retire) retire next year, my wife and I (move) will move to Sri Lanka and I (learn, finally)
………………………how to scuba dive.
35. Lately, my wife and I (think) …………….about taking the children out of their school and moving to
another city where the education system (be)……………… better.

ii. Complete the text with the correct present, past or future form of the verbs in brackets.
Sometimes there is more than one possible answer.
I 1 (want) …………………to be a vet ever since I was little. I 2 (not have)………………… any brothers or
sisters and so I 3 (do)………….everything with my dog, Goldie, when I 4 (grow up)……………..Goldie was
my best friend! These days we 5 (have)…………… another dog, Sparkle, a cat, two rabbits and two
budgerigars, and I 6 (look)………….. after them all. At the moment the cat isn’t well, so I 7
(let)……………….her sleep in my room so I can take care of her. When I…………………..8 (wake) up this
morning she 9 (sleep)…………………. on my bed and she 10 (look)……………. very happy! Next month I 11
(start)…………………. working on a farm one day a week. I 12 (work)…………………. with cows, sheep and
 horses and I hope that I 13(gain)……………… some useful experience with farm animals by the time I go to
university.

iii. Complete the story. Use the verbs in the brackets.

Last year I went (go) on holiday. I ……………… (drive) to the sea with my friend. On the first day we
……………… (look) at the beautiful buildings and ……………. (eat) in lots of restaurants. The next day
……………… (be) very hot so we …………….. (drive) to the sea. We ……………….. (leave) our clothes in
the car and ………………… (sunbathe) and ……………. (swim) all day. At six o’clock we ……………….
(walk) to our car, but the car ……………(be) there. We ……………… (buy) some clothes and ……………….
(go) to the Police Station. The police ……………. (be) nice and we …………….. (sleep) in the police station.

iv. Fill in the blanks with the past tense of the verbs in brackets.

Benjamin Franklin …… was born ….. (be born) in Boston in 1706. He ………………… (be) was the fifteenth
of the seventeen children of a poor candle maker. He …………………(go ) to school only one year. He
………… (begin) to work when he was twelve. At the age of fourteen he …………… (decide) to be a writer.
He …………. (copy) the great stories of famous writers and later he ……………… (become) the best known
writer in his time. When he …………….. (be) seventeen, he ……………… (leave) Boston and ……………
(arrive) in Philadelphia with only a few pennies in his pocket. He …………… (get) a job as a publisher of a
newspaper and ………………. (retire) from business as a very rich man at forty-two. Then he
…………………. (spend) the next forty years for his government. He …………………. (play) an important
role in the founding of the USA. Franklin ……………… (be) also an important scientist and inventor. He
……………. (draw) electricity from a cloud on a kite string. He ……………………… (write) one of the first
text books on electricity. He …………… (invent) a simple lightning rod and many other practical tools. He
……………… (make) a study of water and …………. (discover) many principles of hydrodynamics. He even
…………… (invent) bifocal glasses when he was seventy-eight and …………… (need) them himself. Franklin
……………… (do) all these things and many more because he ……….……… (believe) he ………………
(can).