This document summarizes different tenses in English including the present simple, present continuous, and past simple tenses. It provides examples of how to use each tense, including common words used with each tense and when they are typically used. For the present simple, it discusses using it for facts, habits, and routines. For the present continuous, it discusses using it for actions happening now and future arrangements. For the past simple, it discusses using it for completed actions in the past and provides time expressions used with it like yesterday or last week.

1. Tenses (PDC)
Tense Use Useful words Examples
Present
simple
 am / is / are  He is hungry.
 They aren’t at school. They are at home.
 Are you tired? –Yes, I am.
 The weather in Britain is cold and rainy.
 have got / has got  We have got three books but she hasn’t got any
pens.
 Have they got time for this? Yes, they have.
 facts and permanent states  Snow melts at 0ªC.
 Water freezes at 32º Fahrenheit.
 Horses don’t fly.
 Do parrots speak? –Yes, they do.
 habits and routines
 stative verbs are not used in the
pres. continuous (see, hear, like,
think, want, hope, feel, believe,
know, understand…)
how often…?
always / sometimes /
often / never / usually /
seldom… / on Sundays
every day / once a week
/ twice a month…
 Andy lives in Manchester.
 David watches television every day.
 We often have lunch together.
 How often does your mother drive to Madrid?
 She doesn’t play tennis on Monday.
 We don’t usually come by bus.
Present
continuous
 actions happening now now / at the moment  He’s watching television at the moment.
 They aren’t playing football now.
 Are you thinking about the problem? –Yes, I am.
 I am reading this photocopy.
 future arrangements-definite plans
in the defined future
a future time expression  Liz is having lunch with her mum tomorrow.
 Mark and Tony are playing football on Sunday.
 We aren’t travelling to Lugo this afternoon.
 Are you reading the book tonight?
Past simple  was / were  The weather was very good yesterday.
 You were very thirsty this morning.
 My friends weren’t with us. Only Mary was here.
 Who was here? –She was.
 for completed actions in the past when
yesterday / last week / in
1993
 She didn’t go to the cinema last Saturday.
 I was having a shower when the bell rang.
 They bought a new detached house in 2001.
 We didn’t finish the exam yesterday.
 He didn’t give us the list of books to read.
 When did you finish the race?
 Did you like it? –No, I didn’t.