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Content
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Present: Simple Present
Use
Describing routines, regular events or facts, feelings or states
Structure
- I/you/we/they + Infinitive
- he/she/it + Infinitive + s
Signal words
always, never, often, seldom, rarely, sometimes, usually, normally, regularly, etc.
every day, every week, every month, …Positive statement
I walk, she walks, they take, he takesNegative statement
I don’t walk, she doesn’t walk, they don’t take, he doesn’t takeQuestion
Do I walk? Does she walk? Do they take? Does he take? - I/you/we/they + Infinitive
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Present: Simple Present Progressive
Use
Describing things that happen at the moment of speech or things that happen exceptionally; talking about a plan that happens in the near future
Structure
am/are/is (simple present form of to be) + Infinitive + ingSignal words
at the moment, right now, just, now, at present, currently, Look!Positive statement
I am walking, she is walking, they are taking, he is takingNegative statement
I am not walking, she isn't walking, they aren't taking, he isn't takingQuestion
Am I walking? Is she walking? Are they taking? Is he taking? -
Past: Simple Past
Use
Talking about things that happened in the past and are completed or over at the moment of speech
Structure
- Regular verbs: Infinitive + ed
- Irregular verbs: simple past form
Signal words
yesterday, the other day, in 2009, when, at that time
two days ago, a week ago, a month ago, …
last night, last week, last month, …Positive statement
I walked, she walked, they took, he tookNegative statement
I didn't walk, she didn't walk, they didn't take, he didn't takeQuestion
Did I walk? Did she walk? Did they take? Did he take? - Regular verbs: Infinitive + ed
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Past: Past Progressive
Use
Describing actions or things that were in progress in the past, even if something else suddenly interrupted this progress
Structure
was/were (simple past form of to be) + Infinitive + ingSignal words
whilePositive statement
I was walking, she was walking, they were taking, he was takingNegative statement
I wasn't walking, she wasn't walking, they weren't taking, he wasn't takingQuestion
Was I walking? Was she walking? Were they taking? Was he taking? -
Past: Present Perfect Simple
Use
Emphasising the result of something, talking about things that happened at an unknown time in the past, describing things that happened in the past and are not yet completed or over at the moment of speech
Structure
have/has (simple present form of to have) + past participleSignal words
since, for, already, yet, before, ever, never, still not, so far, just, up to now, recently, until nowPositive statement
I have walked, she has walked, they have taken, he has takenNegative statement
I haven't walked, she hasn't walked, they haven't taken, he hasn't takenQuestion
Have I walked? Has she walked? Have they taken? Has he taken? -
Past: Present Perfect Progressive
Use
Emphasising the duration of something, describing things that started happening in the past and are still going on at the moment of speech and/or influence the present
Structure
have/has (simple present form of to have) + been + Infinitive + ingSignal words
for, since, how long, all day, all day long, the whole day/week/month/yearPositive statement
I have been walking, she has been walking, they have been taking, he has been takingNegative statement
I haven't been walking, she hasn't been walking, they haven't been taking, he hasn't been takingQuestion
Have I been walking? Has she been walking? Have they been taking? Has he been taking? -
Past: Past Perfect Simple
Use
Emphasising that something in the past stopped or was over when something else began, describing the fact that something happened before a certain time
Structure
had (simple past form of to have) + past participleSignal words
already, until that day, never, justPositive statement
I had walked, she has walked, they had taken, he had takenNegative statement
I hadn't walked, she hadn't walked, they hadn't taken, he hadn't takenQuestion
Had I walked? Had she walked? Had they taken? Had he taken? -
Past: Past Perfect Progressive
Use
Emphasising the progress or duration of something, describing things that happened in the past and stopped or were over at a certain time later in the past
Structure
had (simple past form of to have) + been + Infinitive + ingSignal words
for, since, how long, all day, after, beforePositive statement
I had been walking, she had been walking, they had been taking, he had been takingNegative statement
I hadn't been walking, she hadn't been walking, they hadn't been taking, he hadn't been takingQuestion
Had I been walking? Had she been walking? Had they been taking? Had he been taking? -
Future: Will-Future
Use
Describing things that will certainly happen in the future, talking about expectations, hopes or assumptions, spontaneous decisions
Structure
will + InfinitiveSignal words
tomorrow, next week/month/year, in 2011, expect, believe, hope, suppose, think, probablyPositive statement
I will walk, she will walk, they will take, he will takeNegative statement
I won't walk, she won't walk, they won't take, he won't takeQuestion
Will I walk? Will she walk? Will they take? Will he take? -
Future: Going to-Future
Use
Describing plans and aims in the future, implications, talking about things that will happen in the near future
Structure
am/are/is (simple present form of to be) + going to + InfinitiveSignal words
tomorrow, next week/month/year, in 2011Positive statement
I am going to walk, she is going to walk, they are going to take, he is going to takeNegative statement
I am not going to walk, she isn't going to walk, they aren't going to take, he isn't going to takeQuestion
Am I going to walk? Is she going to walk? Are they going to take? Is he going to take? -
Future: Future Progressive
Use
Describing things that will be in progress in the future, talking about things that usually happen in the future
Structure
will + be + Infinitive + ingSignal words
tomorrow, next week/month/year, in 2041Positive statement
I will be walking, she will be walking, they will be taking, he will be takingNegative statement
I won't be walking, she won't be walking, they won't be taking, he won't be takingQuestion
Will I be walking? Will she be walking? Will they be taking? Will he be taking? -
Future: Future Perfect
Use
Talking about things that will be completed or over at a certain time in the future
Structure
will + have + past participleSignal words
until, before
by the end of the day, by the end of the week, by the end of the month, …Positive statement
I will have walked, she will have walked, they will have taken, he will have takenNegative statement
I won't have walked, she won't have walked, they won't have taken, he won't have takenQuestion
Will I have walked? Will she have walked? Will they have taken? Will he have taken?
Source: http://www.learning-english-online.net/areas/grammar/tenses-and-verb-forms/tenses/past-tenses/past-perfect/
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