This document describes the 8 main verb tenses in English: 1) Present Simple - describes habits, routines, or general facts and can express opinions. It uses time expressions like always, often, never, etc. 2) Past Simple - describes completed actions or situations that occurred at a specific time in the past. It uses time expressions like yesterday, last week, etc. 3) Present Continuous - describes activities that are happening now or plans for the future. It uses time expressions like now, today, these days, etc. 4) Present Perfect - has different meanings like describing actions that occurred at an unspecified time in the past or repeated past actions. It uses time expressions like already, just

1. 1
Can describe habits, routines, or events that happen regularly. It
can also express opinions or make general statements of fact.
Time expressions such as the following often appear with this
tense: always, often, never, rarely, sometimes, usually, every
day, in general.
12

2. 2 11

3. 10 3
It describes actions or situations that began and ended in the
past. Time expressions such as these often appear with this
tense: yesterday, last Monday (week, year), or two days (a week)
ago.

4. 4 9
It expresses future intentions. Is used to express predictions,
requests, offers, and promises.
It refers to an activity or situation completed before another event or
time in the past. It’s more common in written English than in spoken
English. Time expressions such as the following appear with this tense:
before (1950), by (May), by then, by that time, ever, never, already, still,
yet.

5. 8 5
Can describe activities that are happening at the moment of
speaking, activities that are currently in progress, or plans for the
future. Time expressions such as these often appear with this
tense: now, right now, at the moment, today, this week (month),
these days, nowdays.
It has different meanings. It can describe actions or situations
that occurred at an unspecified time in the past. It also refers to
repetead past actions. Time expressions like already, just,
recently, still, yet, so far, up to now, once, twice, three times,
often appear with this tense. With specific past times (1985,
yesterday), the simple past is used.

6. 6 7
Describes activities that were happening or in progress in the
past: in the recent past, at a specific time in the past, during a
period of time in the past. It describes or “sets” a scene. Time
expressions such as just a momento, week (month, year) ago, at
that time, at this time last week (month, year), or in (during, by)
the summer (June, etc.). Often appear this tense.
Normally describes actions that will be in progress in the future. This
means that they will begin before, and perhaps continue after, a
specific time in the future. Specific time expressions such as at 3:00
(noon), at that time, at this time tomorrow (next week), the day after
tomorrow, a week (month) from today often appear with this tense.
Be going to + verb often expresses specific future plans or
intentions. It is common in conversation and often sounds like
“gonna” or “gunna”.