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Basic Tenses in Active Voice
- 1. Tenses in Active Voice ByPiret Lehiste
- 2. Present Simple • Usedfor scientific facts, permanent truths • Used for habitual or customary actions • Used for future reference (for timetables) E.g. Water boils at 100 degrees by Celsius. I play tennis every Tuesday. The plane leaves at 14:00 tomorrow.
- 3. Present Simple Positive: I, you,we, they watch TV He, she, it watches TV Negative: I, you, we, they do not (don’t) watch TV He, she, it does not (doesn’t) watch TV Question: Do you watch TV? Does he watch TV?
- 4. Present Simple Time expressionsto use with the Present Simple: always, usually, normally, sometimes, often, every day, every year, seldom, rarely, at weekends, on Saturdays, etc. E.g. John tries to exercise every day. I don’t normally drink tea with milk. Does she work on Sundays?
- 5. Present Continuous • Usedfor actions happening right now or in progress at the moment of speaking • Used for planned actions in the future E.g. You are reading this sentence right now. I’m taking English grammar this term. I’m meeting my friends tonight.
- 6. Present Continuous Positive: I amwatching TV He, she, it is watching TV We, you, they are watching TV Negative: I am not watching TV He, she, it is not watching TV We, you, they are not watching TV Question: Am I watching TV? Is he watching TV? Are you watching TV?
- 7. Present Continuous Time expressionsto use with the Present Continuous: now, at the moment, at present, today, etc. E.g. I’m working on my essay today. Listen! They are singing out national anthem now. It isn’t raining at the moment.
- 8. Present Perfect • Usedfor actions beginning in the past and continuing to the present moment • Used for actions which happened at an unspecified time in the past but have present effects E.g. He has written five novels so far. I have lost my keys. I cannot get into the house.
- 9. Present Perfect Positive: I, we,you, they have + watched (III pf.) TV He, she, it has + watched (III pf.) TV Negative: I, we, you, they have not (haven’t) + watched He, she, it has not (hasn’t) + watched Question: Have you watched TV? Has he watched TV?
- 10. Present Perfect Time expressionsto use with the Present Perfect: already, since, just, yet, for 5 years, never, etc. E.g. I have just eaten breakfast. She has never been to England. We haven’t packed our bags yet.
- 11. Past Simple • Usedto talk about an activity that began and ended at a particular time in the past E.g. I saw a really good film yesterday. I learnt to swim when I was young. She graduated from university in 2008.
- 12. Past Simple Positive: I, you,he, she, it, we, they watched TV II pf. Negative: I, you, he, she, it, we, they did not (didn’t) + watch TV Question: Did you watch TV?
- 13. Past Simple Time expressionsto use with the Past Simple: yesterday, last week, two minutes ago, etc. E.g. My sister reached home two hours ago. I finished school last summer. He didn’t call me last night.
- 14. Past Continuous • Usedto talk about actions in progress in the past • Used to talk about actions which were in progress when something else happened E.g. We were playing tennis at 7 p.m. last night. He was driving very fast when the accident happened.
- 15. Past Continuous Positive: I, he,she, it was watching TV We, you, they were watching TV Negative: I, he, she, it was not watching TV We, you, they were not watching TV Question: Was he watching TV? Were you watching TV?
- 16. Past Continuous Time expressionsto use with the Past Continuous: while, this time yesterday, etc. E.g. The accident happened while he was driving home. This time yesterday I was having breakfast. I wasn’t sleeping when you called.
- 17. Past Perfect • Usedwith reference to ‘an earlier past’, that is to describe the first of two or more actions E.g. She suddenly realized that she had left her textbook home. He got a bad grade because he had made too many mistakes in the test.
- 18. Past Perfect Positive: I, he,she, it, we, you, they had + watched TV (III pf.) Negative: I, he, she, it, we, you, they had not (hadn’t) + watched TV Question: Had she watched TV?
- 19. Past Perfect Time expressionsto use with the Past Perfect: already, for, since, by the time, after, etc. E.g. By the time we arrived, the meeting had ended. When I reached home, my brother had already left. After she had finished her work, she went out.
- 20. Future Simple • Usedto make predictions about the future or about people’s plans • Used for promises or on-the-spot decisions E.g. The weather will probably be sunny tomorrow. Mum, we haven’t got any milk. – Alright, I will go and buy some.
- 21. Future Simple Positive: I, you,he, she, it, we, they will watch TV Negative: I, you, he, she, it, we, they will not (won’t) + watch TV Question: Will you watch TV?
- 22. Future Simple Time expressionsto use with the Future Simple: tomorrow, next year, soon, in the future, etc. E.g. Do you think it will rain tomorrow? You will be a great musician one day. I promise I will be back soon.