B21.01.

14 Tenses Chart 1 RAINBOW OF EDUCATION

SIGNAL EXAMPLES EXAMPLES EXAMPLES

TENSE USE FORM INTERRO
WORDS AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
GATIVE

always  Something happens repeatedly.

never  How often something happens.
sometimes  One action follows another. Infinitive Do I work?
I work. I don’t work. Does he work?
PRESENT every day  Things in general.
He works. He doesn’t work. Do I go?
SIMPLE usually  With verbs like (to love, to hate, to He/she/it
I go. I don’t go. Does he go?
seldom think, etc.)
often  Future meaning: timetables, He goes. He doesn’t go.
Infinitive + s
first…then programs.

now Something is happening at the time of I’m not working.

PRESENT be (am,are,is) + I’m working. Am I working?
at the speaking or around it. He isn’t working.
Infinitive + ing He’s working. Is he working?
moment Future meaning: when you have already I’m not going.
CONTINUOUS I’m going. Am I going?
Look! decided and arranged to do it. (fixed plan, He isn’t going.
He’s going. Is he going?
Listen! date).

last…
…ago Action took place in the past, mostly regular: I worked. I didn’t work. Did I work?
PAST SIMPLE In 1987 connected with an expression of time (no infinitive + ed He worked. He didn’t work. Did he work?
yesterday connection to the present) Irregular: I went. I didn’t go. Did I go?
varies per word. He went. He didn’t go. Did he go?

B21.01.14 Tenses Chart 1 RAINBOW OF EDUCATION