Unit (2) Revision of tenses

• Present Simple: States, habits, systems and processes.

e.g. He sails around the world every three months.
My cousin works on the “LOVEBOAT”.
The Captain thinks there is a stowaway in the holds.
The sun sets in the West.

• Present Continuous: Present actions, current trends, descriptions, questions.

e.g. The Chief Engineer is demonstrating the problems of this valve.
They are not building very large tankers now.
What are you doing here? I’ m sorting out my papers.

Past Simple: Past events, telling a story.

e.g. Captain Fokas went on board two hours ago.
The Captain first met his wife when he was eighteen.

• Past Continuous: (continuous actions interrupted by simple past, parallel past actions)
e.g. The vessel was entering [the] harbour when we heard the explosion.
The Engineer was overhauling pump No. 1 while No. 2 was operating.

• Future: Shall/will (offers, promises, predictions, etc.),

e.g. Wait here! I’ ll be back in a minute.
The meal will soon finish.

• Going to: For intentions, plans and visible evidence.

e.g. The Omega Shipping Company are going to order a new container ship.
Look at those storm clouds. It’s going to rain.

• Present Perfect Simple: (unfinished past + for/since), already, never, ever.

e.g. The First Engineer has been on board for a month.
The AB has already launched lifeboat no. 12.

Notes:
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PRACTICE Unit (2) Tenses

" Revision Exercises
(2.1) Put in the correct form of the verbs in parenthesis:
Yesterday I _______________ (enter) the engine room, the Third Engineer (still, work)
________________ on the main condenser. He said that he _____________________ (stop) in a few

7
 minutes. I asked him why it ___________________ (take) him such a long time and he (explain)
___________________ that he __________________ (replace) the packing and ferrules otherwise the
leakage _________________ (stop) otherwise. He added that even then he (not, be) _______________
100% certain that it _______________ (stop).

(2.2) Put the verbs into the correct tense.

John: Where is the Cadet Engineer?
Nick: He’s in the engine room with the Third Engineer. They ______________ (check) the lub-
oil for contaminants.
John: How often _______________ (you, check) the lub-oil?
Nick: Every time we _______________ (clean) the purifier.
John: How long _______________ (the Cadet, be) on board?
Nick: Well, _______________ (let) me see! Over four months, I _______________ (think).
When he first came he _______________ (not, know) many things but he (make) _______________ a
lot of progress since then.
John: When _______________ (he, go) back to the Academy?
Nick: As soon as we _______________ (reach) Piraeus.

(2.3) Put the following verbs in the right form (tenses, the imperative, the passive etc., in the negative or
interrogative).
expect close run load sail move know belong

“Shall we get through?”

”Sure, this channel __________ not_________________ to navigation. “
“Will the weather improve?”
”No, we ___________________ better weather before this evening.”
Keep off [the] coast all the time! ____________________ to high seas at all!
There must be something wrong with the engine. It ___________________ smoothly.
Whose is the tanker outside the port? I ___________________ who it belongs now, but it _______________
to “Omega Shipping” when I worked on it.
The vessel had finished __________________ by 06.00 and we were able ___________________ 2 hours
later.