SURVEY OF THE TENSES

SURVEY OF THE TENSES

Question 1 : When does the action take place?

Present, Past or Future

Question 2 : ON that particular moment or BEFORE?Simple or Perfect

Question 3 : Any duration?

Continuous

ADVERBS:

Future :WILL + INF

Perfect :HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

Continuous :BE + ING-form

Present

Simple

He works

Present

Simple

Continuous

He is working

Present

Perfect

He has worked

Present

Perfect

Continuous

He has been working

Past

Simple

He worked

Past

Simple

Continuous

He was working

Past

Perfect

He had worked

Past

Perfect

Continuous

He had been working

Future

Simple

He will work

Future

Simple

Continuous

He will be working

Future

Perfect

He will have worked

Future

Perfect

Continuous

He will have been working

Examples:

When I met you last night, I (dance) for hours.

(past dance= before met duration : Pa pf C)had been dancing

In 2013, I (teach) for 36 years!

(future teach=before 2013 duration : F Pf C)will have been teaching

Last night I felt so ill I (go) to the doctor.

(past ON last night just fact : Pa Si)

wentUse a PERFECT tense with: for (a periode), since (a moment), yet, already.

e.g. Have you studied your tenses yet? No, but I have already read the grammar.

I have been waiting for so long! I have been waiting since 2 oclock.