English Verb Tense Review

Simple Present Tense

 Simple Present Tense is used:
! Habitual actions--actions that you always or
never do
always usually often sometimes hardly ever never everyday
Rarely occasionally frequently
-They always eat lunch together
-She doesn’t often go shopping

! When you are referring to general truths/facts/

states
-The Earth turns around the Sun
-I live in New York
-I feel hungry
 Form
I/YOU/WE/THEY INFINITIVE
HE/SHE/IT INFINITIVE -S *
I/YOU/WE/THEY DON’T INFINITIVE

HE/SHE/IT DOESN’T INFINITIVE

DO I/YOU/WE/THEY INFINITIVE ? YES, I DO.
NO, THEY
DON’T
DOES HE/SHE/IT INFINITIVE ? YES, HE
DOES
NO, SHE
DOESN’T
 3rd person (he, she, it)

! Verbs ending in: -o, -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x = -es

! Verbs ending in: consonant + y = -ies
-goes, focuses, kisses, crashes, watches, fixes

-studies, cries
The Present Progressive Tense

Sometimes called the

Present Continuous Tense
The Present Progressive Tense
is Used:
! When an activity is in progress now at the moment of
speaking
-I’m explaining something to the class right now.
! When an activity began before now and continues into
the future without stopping.
-He’s taking an English course this year.
! When an activity is temporary.
-She’s living in Valencia this month
! When an activity is developing and changing.
-The population is growing in this city.
Right now, now, at the moment, this year, week, still…
 Form
I AM
INFINITIVE -ING
YOU/WE/THEY ARE
HE/SHE/IT IS
I AM NOT

YOU/WE/THEY AREN’T INFINITIVE -ING

HE/SHE/IT ISN’T
AM I Yes, I am
No, I’m not

ARE I/YOU/WE/THEY INFINITIVE -ING ? Yes, they are

No, we aren’t

IS HE/SHE/IT Yes, he is

No, she isn’t

Present Progressive Tense

Verbs ending in...

! Consonant + -e (hide)= remove the –e > hiding

! -ie= replace –ie with –y (die) > dying
! -l (travel)= double the l > travelling
! Monosyllabic verb ending with consonant + vowel +
consonant (get)= double the final consonant > getting
! Verb of +2 syllables with a stressed final syllable ending
with consonant + vowel + consonant (forget) >
forgetting
Simple Past Tense
The Simple Past Tense is Used:

! When an activity or situation began and ended at a

particular time in the past--in other words, when an
activity or situation is completed in the past
- He was late to class yesterday.
-We arrived three weeks ago.

! To refer to past habits

-She always wrote a letter to her mother on
Sunday night.
Last night, week, month, year, Saturday…
Ago
Yesterday
 Form

I/YOU/WE/THEY INFINITIVE -ED

HE/SHE/IT

I/YOU/WE/THEY DIDN’T INFINITIVE

HE/SHE/IT

DID I/YOU/WE/THEY INFINITIVE ?

HE/SHE/IT

! 2nd column irregular verbs

Simple Past Tense

Verbs ending in...

! -e = +d > phoned
! Consonant + y= -ied > studied
! -l = -lled > travelled
! Monosyllabic verb ending with consonant + vowel +
consonant= double the final consonant > stopped
! Verb of +2 syllables with a stressed final syllable ending
with consonant + vowel + consonant= double the final
consonant > admitted
Past Progressive

! This tense is used to refer to activities continuously in

progress around a time in the past.
-They were eating dinner at 10pm last night.
! 2 or more actions are happening at the same time.
-While my mum was reading my sister and I were
having a coffee.
! When an action was happening and another one
interrupted it. (WHILE + PAST CONT./ WHEN + PAST SIMPLE
-While I was doing my homework, the phone rang.
-When the phone rang, I was doing my homework.
! Form: was or were + verbing
 The Present Perfect

A tense very commonly used in

English to refer to the past!
The Present Perfect is
Used:
! When an activity happened at an unspecified time in
the past (before the present)
-I have been in London.
! When an activity has been repeated several times
before now
-I have seen this film many times.
! Past actions or states that continue in the present.
-I have lived in New York for 26 years.
! With already, just, still, yet, never, ever, for, since, how
long.
 Form 


I/YOU/WE/THEY HAVE
INFINITIVE -ED
HE/SHE/IT HAS

I/YOU/WE/THEY HAVEN’T
INFINITIVE -ED
HE/SHE/IT HASN’T
HAVE I/YOU/WE/THEY
INFINITIVE -ED ?
HAS HE/SHE/IT

! 3rd column irregular verbs

Present Perfect Tense

Present Perfect Progressive

! This tense is used to describe actions that have been

continuously in progress before now. These actions are
not completed.
! Emphasis on the duration of the activity.
-I have been waiting here for the last two hours.
! Form: have or has + been + verbing
Past Perfect (the past of the
past)
! The past perfect tense refers to activities that
happened before a specific time in the past.
-He had visited her many times before she died.
! Form: had + past participle (3rd column irregular verbs)
Past Perfect Progressive

! This tense is used when an activity was continuously in

progress before a specific time in the past.
! Emphasis on the duration of the activity.
-I had been thinking about her before she called.
! Form: had + been + verbing
Future Tense
Will

! General predictions about the future.

-He thinks it will rain tomorrow.
-I think our team will win the match tomorrow.
! Promises.
-Don’t worry mum. I will arrive on time.
! Offers.
-I will carry the bag for you.
! Decisions made in the moment we are speaking.
-I like this T-shirt very much, so I will buy it.

Tomorrow, next Saturday/week/month/year…

 Form

I/YOU/HE/SHE/IT/ WILL INFINITIVE

WE/THEY
I/YOU/HE/SHE/IT/ WON’T INFINITIVE
WE/THEY
WILL I/YOU/HE/SHE/IT/ INFINITIVE ?
WE/THEY

Future
Be going to

! Future plans and intentions.

-I’m going to give up smoking. (Intention. Not
sure if I will make it and I don’t know when I’m
going to do it.)

! Predictions about hte future based on evidence we

have now.
-Look at those clouds... It’s going to rain soon.
-That car over ther is going to crash against the
wall if it doesn’t slow down.

Future
 Form
I AM GOING TO
YOU/WE/THEY ARE GOING TO
INFINITIVE

HE/SHE/IT IS GOING TO

I AM NOT GOING TO

YOU/WE/THEY AREN’T GOING TO INFINITIVE

HE/SHE/IT ISN’T GOING TO

AM I
ARE I/YOU/WE/THEY
GOING TO INFINITIVE ?

IS HE/SHE/IT

Future Tense
Present Continuous

! Definite plans and arrangements in the future. We

usually include a specific time and place.
-We’re meeting at the cinema at 7 o’clock.
(Arrangement. I’m sure I will make it.)

Present Simple
! For future events that are part of a timetable.
-Our train arrives at ten o’clock.
Future Perfect

! The future perfect expresses the idea that an activity

will occur before some future time.
-She will have finished dinner before the game
starts.
! Form: will + have + past participle (verbed/3rd column
irregular verbs)
Future Progressive Tense

! This tense is used to refer to activities that will be in

progress around some future time.
-We will be flying over New York at noon
tomorrow.
! Form: will + be + verbing
Future Perfect Progressive

! This tense is used to refer to activities that will be

continuously in progress before a future time.
! Emphasis on the duration of the action.
-He will have been working for 3 hours before you
arrive.
! Form: will + have + been + verbing