1. Tense How to make When is it used Signals words
Present simple Verb or he/she/it + -s - Talk about facts
- Habits
- Schedules (trains, buses)
Every day, never,
always, usually, often
Present
continuous
Am/is/are + verb + -ing - Something is happening at the moment Right now, at the
moment.
Present Perfect Have/has + past
participle
- Something happened in the past and you can still
see the result.
- Something started in the past and is still going on.
For, since, already, just,
yet, now, ever, never
Present Perfect
continuous
Have/has + been + past
participle
- To describe that an action started in the past and
is still going on in the present. (open past)
- The describe that a habit started in the past and
continuous in the present
- Something that has just stopped and of which the
result is clearly present.
for, since, the whole
day, all day
Past simple Verb + -ed (Regular
verbs)
Catch caught (irregular
verbs)
- Something happened in the past. (closed past) Yesterday, last year, in
2006, last summer
Past
continuous
Was/were + verb + -ing - Something happened at a certain point in the past
- Something that was happening while something
else happened (combination past simple)
While, when
Past Perfect Had + past participle - Something happened in the past before another
action in the past. PP for the earlier events.
After, before, for, since
2. Past Perfect
continuous
Had + been + past
participle
- Something began in the past and continued at a
later moment in the past.
- Something that had just stopped and of which the
result is clearly visible. (explanation)
for, since, the whole
day, all day
Future Will/shall + verb - When you promise to do something (in the future
- When you think something is going to happen in
the future
Tomorrow, next week,
next summer, etc.
Future Am/is/are going to + verb - Plans in the (near) future
- When you are sure something will happen. You
have proof or made the plan.
Tonight, soon
Past continuous present continuous will
Past Present Future
Past perfect present perfect
Past simple present simple be + going to
