TENSES of SENTENCES
PRESENT
SIMPLE:
habit, routine, fact in the
xxxx
CONTINUOUS:
action in the middle of the
xxxx
PERFECT:
action IN THE PAST of the
xxxx. Maybe the action
finished, maybe the action
didn’t finish.
(We don’t know ((and we
don’t care))….) The
emphasis is what already
happened in the past.
PERFECT CONTINUOUS:
action IN THE PAST of the
xxxx. THE ACTION DID NOT
FINISH
The emphasis is what
already happened in the
past.
He writes reports.
He is writing reports.
PAST
Or
He has written reports.
He has been writing reports.
PAST FUTURE
SIMPLE: habit, routine, fact in SIMPLE: habit, routine, SIMPLE:
the present fact in the past habit,
routine,
He is a doctor. He was a doctor. fact in
the
He writes reports. He wrote reports. future
CONTINUOUS: action in the
middle of the present
He is writing reports.
PERFECT: action IN THE PAST of
the present. Maybe the action
finished, maybe the action
didn’t finish.
He has been a doctor.
He has written reports.
PERFECT CONTINUOUS: action
IN THE PAST of the present.
THE ACTION DID NOT FINISH.
He has been writing reports.
_______________________
NOW FUTURE
or
 To be other verbs

Simple present He is a doctor. He writes reports.

Present continuous ------------------ He is writing reports.

Present perfect He has been a doctor. He has written reports.

Present perfect continuous ------------------- He has been writing reports.

To be other verbs

Simple present He is a doctor. He writes reports.

Yes/no? Is he a doctor? Does he write reports?

Yes, he is a doctor. Yes, he writes reports.

Yes, he is. Yes. He does.

No, he isn’t a doctor. No, he doesn’t write reports.

No, he isn’t. No, he doesn’t.

Info? What is he? What does he write?

He is a doctor. He writes reports.

Present continuous ------------------ He is writing reports.

Yes/no? Is he writing reports?

Yes, he is writing reports.

Yes, he is.

No, he isn’t writing reports.

No, he isn’t.

Info? What is he writing?

He is writing reports.
Present perfect He has been a doctor. He has written reports.

Yes/no? Has he been a doctor? Has he written reports?

Yes, he has been a doctor. Yes, he has written reports.

Yes, he has. Yes, he has.

No, he hasn’t been a doctor. No, he hasn’t written reports.

No, he hasn’t. No, he hasn’t.

Info? What has he been? What has he written?

He has been a doctor. He has written reports.

Present perfect continuous ------------------- He has been writing reports.

Yes/no? Has he been writing reports?

Yes, he has been writing reports.

Yes, he has been. (grammatically CORRECT)

((( Yes, he has. ))) (INFORMAL in speaking)

No, he hasn’t been writing reports.

No, he hasn’t been. (grammatically CORRECT)

((( No, he hasn’t. ))) (INFORMAL in speaking )))

FORMULAS

To be other verbs

Simple present He is a doctor. He writes reports.

Sub + VERB(base form/3rd person singular)

Present continuous tense ------------------ He is writing reports.

AUX (to be) of the CONTINUOUS

Sub + AUX (to be present) + VERB (present participle form = “-ing” form)

Present perfect tense He has been a doctor. He has written reports.

AUX (have/has) of the PERFECT

Sub + AUX (have/has) + VERB (past participle form)

Present perfect continuous ------------------- He has been writing reports.

Sub + AUX (have/has) + AUX (to be) of the CONTINUOUS (past participle form) + VERB (present participle form

He has been writing.

TENSE of the SENTENCE FORM of the VERB

They go home simple present tense base form

They didn’t go home. Simple past tense base form

They will go home. Simple future tense Base form

Go (goes) went gone going

So far = until now

Bob arrives 8:00 Mary arrives 8:10

8:05 = BOB to TOM

“ I have been waiting for 5 minutes.” = present perfect continuous = the action DIDN’T STOP.

“ I have been here for 5 minutes.” = present perfect = action until now

“I have been here since 8:00.” = present perfect = action until now

8:10 = BOB to MARY

“I have waited for 10 minutes,” = present perfect =

8:10 = “I have waited for you since 8:00 until now. Since = time begin until = time finish

8:30 “I have waited for you for 30 minutes so far.”

I have worked since 2002.

I have worked since I got married.

He has taught since 8:30.

He has taught since the second student arrived to class.

Present perfect simple past

He has worked since 2002.

Has he worked? Has he worked since 2002?

He has worked since he got married.

Has he worked? Has he worked since he got married?

This is the first time.

Is this the first time?

This is the first time that you have worn glasses. This is the first time (that) you have worn glasses.

This is the first time you have worn glasses.

Is this the first time you have worn glasses?

Is this the first time you’ve worn glasses?