Tense Use Structure Time expressions

Present
Present Simple Facts, routines S Vs/es Every day, usually, always, sometimes,
seldom, in the morning, at the weekend…
Present Actions happening at or S am/is/are Ving At the moment, now,
Continuous around the moment of Look! Listen! …
speaking
Past
Past Simple Finished actions in the past S Ved/2 Last …, … ago, in 2012, yesterday, the
(we know when) day before yesterday …
Past Continuous Actions that were in S was/were Ving While, when, as, …
progress at some time in
the past, or when another
action took place
Present and Past
Present Perfect Events that finished in the S have/has Ved/3 Ever, never, just, already, yet, since, for,
past (without saying so far, up to now …
when), or their result in
the present
Future
Future Simple Predictions and on-the- S will V Next…, tomorrow, the day after
spot decisions tomorrow,
in 2050…
“be going to” General plans and S am/is/are going to
predictions based on V
evidence in the present
(see)
Present Fixed arrangements in the S am/is/are Ving
Continuous near future
Present Simple Timetables, schedules S Vs/es

Mixed Tenses