1. Simple tenses (past/present)
Tense Time Use Form Examples Examples: Examples
(tiempo expression Affirmative Negatives Interrogatives
verbal)
Every day, something happens infinitive I work. I don't work. Do I work?
Simple repeatedly
sometimes,
Present always,
how often something
happens
he/she/it
He works. He doesn't work. Does he work?
or often, one action follows
another Verb + -s
usually,
Present seldom,
things in general I go. I don't go. Do I go?
after the following
Simple never, verbs (to love, to
hate, to think, etc.) He goes. He doesn't go. Does he go?
first ... Then.
future meaning:
timetables,
programmes
last ... action took place regular: I worked. I didn't work. Did I work?
Simple infinitive + -ed
... ago in
Past in 1990 the past, mostly He worked. He didn't work. Did he work?
Irregular:
or yesterday connected with an
expression of time
Past (no
I went. I didn't go. Did I go?
Simple connection to the
He went. He didn't go. Did he go?
present)

2. Continuous tenses
Tense Time Examples Examples
expression
Use Form Examples:
(tiempo Affirmative Negatives Interrogatives
verbal)
Present now something is to be I'm working. I'm not working. Am I working?
Continuous happening at the (am/are/is)
at the same time of +
He's working. He isn't working. Is he working?
moment speaking infinitive
or around it +
I'm going. I'm not going. Am I going?
Look! future meaning:
–ing
when He's going. He isn't going. Is he going?
Listen! you have already
decided and You`re going
arranged to do it (a You aren’t going Are you going?
fixed plan, date)
Past an action happened in was/were I was working. I wasn't working. Was I working?
while the middle of another
Continuous +
action He was working He wasn't working Was he working?
someone was doing
sth. at a certain time infinitive Was I going?
(in the past) - you do + I was going. I wasn't going.
not know whether it -ing Were you going?
was finished or not You were going. You weren't going.

3. Perfect simple tenses
Tense Time Examples Examples
expression
Use Form Examples:
(tiempo Affirmative Negatives Interrogatives
verbal)
just you say that sth. has have/has I have worked. I haven't worked. Have I
Simple yet happened or is + past
worked?
Present never finished in the past participle*
He has
ever and it has a *(infinitive
Perfect already connection to the + -ed) or worked. He hasn't Has he
or so far, present.
(3rd
column of
worked. Worked?
Present up to table of I have gone.
now, Action started in the irregular I haven't gone. Have I gone?
Perfect since past and continues up verbs) He has gone.
for to the present
He hasn't gone. Has he gone?
recently
already mostly when two had + past I had worked. I hadn't worked Had I
Simple Participle.
actions in a story are worked?
Past related to each (regulars or
He had He hadn't worked
Perfect just other: irregulars)
worked Had he
the action which had
or already happened is
worked?
Past Never put into Past
I hadn't gone
I had gone. Had I gone?
Perfect Perfect,
He hadn't gone..
the other action into
(Simple) Simple Past He had gone. Had he gone?
the past of the
Present Perfect

4. Perfect Continuous tenses
Time
Tense Use Form Examples Examples: Examples
expressio
(tiempo Affirmative Negatives Interrogatives
n
verbal)
Present all day action began in the have/has I have been I haven't been Have I been
Perfect past and has just + been + working. working. working?
Progressive the whole stopped infinitive
day how long the + -ing He has been He hasn't been Has he been
or action working. working. working?
how long
has been
Present happening He has been He hasn't been Has he been
since
Perfect going. going. Going?
Continuous emphasis: length
for!
of
time of an action
Past Perfect how long how long had + I had been working I hadn't been Had I been
Progressive something going.. working?
since had been been + He had been
or happening working. I hadn't been Had he been
For before something infinitive working. working?
Past Perfect else + ing I had been going.
Continuous happened He hadn't been Had he been
Going. Going?

5. Complete with the Present Perfect Simple/Progressive or the
Past Perfect Simple/Progressive
• 1. They have been living (live) in Australia since 1989.
2. He has been waiting (wait for) for hours.
3. She has been working (work) in this company for ten years.
4. They had gone (go) on a trip to Jamaica before moving to Paris.
5. She had cut (cut) her hair but she didn't like it.
6. Where have you been (be/you) ?
7. They had been studying (study) Spanish for 5 years when at university.
8. He had worked (work) here since last spring when he had an accident.
9. He hadn't gone (not go) to Spain since 1981 but he did last year.
10. I have been reading (read) this book for 4 hours
11. My car has been stolen (to steal).
12. They hadn't come (not come) to his party because they were sick.
13. He hadn't taught (not teach) French since 2002 when he was asked to do so.
14. She has been writing (write) good books for years.

6. Complete the sentences with the past or
present perfect simple or continuous.
• 1. When I went to the car park, I found that my car had been stolen .(to steal)
2. John had been livingin Paris for 4 years before he could speak French fluently.
(to live)
3. I have been learning English for 5 years now. (to learn)
4. The locals were amazed because they had never seen a horse before. (never,
to see)
5. They wouldn't let him in because he had forgotten his membership card. (to
forget)
6. They said : 'You can't come in because you have forgotten your membership
card.' (to forget)
7. Have you see n the new film by Spike Lee? (you, to see)
8. They had drunk a lot of champagne by the time the party ended. (to drink)
9. They were angry because they had been waiting for too long. (to wait)