Present Tenses

Present Simple
Use the present simple for things that are always true or happen regularly:
every day, week, year.

Ex: They work in a bank.

Where do you live?
He doesnt wear glasses.
She usually has cereal for breakfast.
Im never late for work.
Spelling Rules - Third Person Singular (he, she, it)
1. Add -s for most verbs
work
buy
ride
return

works
buys
rides
returns

2. Add -es for words that end in -ch, -sh, -s, -x, or -z
watch
pass
rush
relax
buzz

watches
passes
rushes
relaxes
buzzes

3. Change the y to i and add -es when the base form ends in a consonant +y
study
studies
hurry
hurries
dry
dries
Do not change the y when the base form ends in a vowel +y. Add s.
play
enjoy

plays
enjoys
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 We often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency (always, often,
sometimes, usually, hardly ever, never).
Adverbs of frequency go before the main verb but after be.
Ex: He often goes out.
Shes always late.

(not: He goes often out.)

(not: Shes late always.)

Expressions of frequency (everyday, once a week, etc) usually go at the end of

a sentence.
Ex: I have English classes twice a week.
4. A few verbs have irregular forms.
be
do
go
have

is
does
goes
has

Present Simple - negative

do\does + not + verb

Ex: I do not (dont) study.

She doesnt like chocolate.
Present continuous
be + verb + -ing
Use present continuous for actions in progress at the time of speaking, for
future arrangements and current trents.
Ex: Who are you waiting for?
What are you doing after class?

- Im waiting for a friend

- Im going to the caf.

1. Add -ing to the base form of the verb.

read
reading
stand
standing
2. If a verb ends in a silent -e, drop the final -e and add -ing.
leave
take

leaving
taking
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3. In a one-syllabe word, if the last three letters are a consonant-vowel-consonant

combination, double the last consonant before adding -ing.
sit
run

sitting
running

However, do not double the last consonant in words that end in w, x, or y.

sew
fix
enjoy

sewing
fixing
enjoying

4. In words of two or more syllables that end in a consonant-vowel-consonant

combination, double the last consonant only if the last syllable is stressed.
admit
whisper

admitting
whispering

the last syllable is stressed

the last syllable is not stressed

5. If a verb ends in -ie, change the ie to y before adding -ing.

die

dying

Action and nonaction verbs

-verbs which describe actions, e.g. make, cook, can be used in the present simple
or continuous
-verbs which describe states or feelings (not actions), e.g. like, want, be, are not
normally used in the present continuous.
Ex: What are you cooking tonight?
- Im making pasta.
Great! I really like pasta.
-common non-action verbs are: agree, be, believe, belong, depend, forget, hate,
hear, know, like, love, matter, mean, need, prefer, realize, recognize, seem,
suppose.
-a few verbs have an action and a non-action meaning. The most common is
have.
Ex: I have a big flat. (possession - non action)
I cant talk now. Im having lunch. (an activity - action)
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Present continuous - negative

Ex:
Im not

working

to be (am\are\is) + not + verb +-ing

now

Past Tenses
We use different past tenses to describe moments and periods of time in the past.
When Andrea arrived at work at 9.00.
------ 8.30 --------------------------- 9.00 ---------------------------------------------------her secretary had opened the post.
her secretary was opening the post.
her secretary opened the post.
Past Simple

The Past Simple is used to express:

1. a finished action in the past.

Ex. We met in 2000.

I went to Manchester last week.
John left two minutes ago.
2. actions that follow each other in a story.
Ex. Mary walked into the room and stopped. She listened carefully. She heard a
noise coming from behind the curtain. She threw the curtain open, and she saw
3. a past situation or habit.
Ex. When I was a child, we lived in a small house by the sea. Every day I walked
for miles on the beach with my dog.
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Spelling Rules
1. Most regular verbs add -ed to the base form of the verb.
work
want
help
wash

worked
wanted
helped
washed

2. When the verb ends in -e, add -d.

like
liked
use
used
hate
hated
care
cared
3. If the verb has only one syllable, with one vowel + one consonant, double the
consonant before adding -ed.
stop
plan
rob

stopped
planned
robbed

But we write cooked, seated, and moaned because there are two vowels.
4. The consonant is not doubled if it is -y or -w.
play
show

played
showed

5. In most two-syllable verbs, the end consonant is doubled if the stress is on the
second syllable.
prefer
admit

preferred
admitted

But we write entered and visited because the stress is on the first syllable.
6. Verbs that end in a consonant + -y change -y to -ied.
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carry
hurry
bury

carried
hurried
buried

But we write enjoyed, because it ends in a vowel + -y.

Past Simple - negative

did not + vb.(inf)

Ex. I did not (didnt) work.

Past Continuous ( progressive )

I/he/she/it
was
we/you/they were

was/ were + verb + -ing

playing
doing
working

The Past Continuous is used:

1. to express activities in progress before, and probably after, a particular time
in the past
Ex: At seven oclock this morning I was having my breakfast.
You made a lot of noise last night. What were you doing?
2. for descriptions.
Ex: Jan looked beautiful. She was wearing a green cotton dress. Her eyes were
shining in the light of the candles that were burning nearby.
3. to express an interrupt past activity.
Ex: When the phone rang, I was having a shower.
While we were playing tennis, it started to rain.
4. to express an incomplete activity.
Ex: I was reading a book during the fligt. (I didnt finish it.)
I watched a film during the flight. (the whole film)
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Past Continuous - negative

wasnt
werent

+ vb.(inf) + -ing

Ex: She wasnt working

We werent working
Word order in questions
Questions with do/does/did in present and past simple
In the present simple use the auxiliary verb do/does
In these questions the subject goes after the auxiliary verb.
Use ASI (auxiliary, subject, infinitive) or QUASI (question word, auxiliary,
subject, infinitive) to help you with word order in questions.
Question word

Where
What food

Auxiliary
Do
Does
do
does

Subject
you
Jenny
you
Jenny

Infinitive (=verb)
live with your parents?
like Chinese food?
live?
like?

Questions with be, present continuous, and going to

In questions with be, make questions by inverting the verb and subject
Question word

be

Subject

What
What
Where

Is
are
are
is

Ana
they
you
he

(adjective, noun, verb

+ ing, etc)
a student?
doing?
talking about?
going to live?

If a verb is followed by a preposition (listen to, talk about), the preposition goes
at the end of the question.
Ex: What are you talking about?

(not: About what are you talking)

In the past simple use the auxiliary verb did + S + vb.(inf)

Question word
Where

Auxiliary
Did
did

Subject
you
you

Infinitive (=verb)
work last night?
work last night?
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 In the past continuous

was
were

+ S + vb.(inf) + -ing

Ex: Why were you working?

Was she working when you saw her?
Present continuos

I am
you are
he/she/it is

- Yes, she was.

- No, she wasnt.
future arangements - fixed time/date

+vb-ing

Ex: Hes seeing his friends in the evening.

I m not
you arent
+vb-ing
he/she/it isnt
Ex: He isnt seeing his friends in the evening.
?
am
are
is

+subj

+vb-ing

Ex: Is he seeing his friends in the evening?

Going to

future arangements - withouth fixed time/date ; predictions

I am
you are
+going to +vb. inf
he/she/it is
Ex: I am going to see a movie.

I m not
you arent
+going to +vb. inf
he/she/it isnt
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Ex: You arent going to see a movie.

?
Am
Are
Is

+subj

+going to

+vb. inf

Ex: Is she going to see a movie?

to look for
to look forward
to look after

- try to find something

- wait with pleasure for something
wich is going to happen
- be responsible for or take care
for somebody or something

will/wont + infinitive (predictions)

I
I
- use will/wont + infinitive for future
predictions.
you
you
- the future of:
he
he
there is/are = there will be.
she ll be late she wont be late
I can = Ill be able to
it
it
we
we
they
they

?
I
I
I
you
you
you
he
he
he
Will she be late? Yes she
will
No she wont
it
it
it
we
we
we
they
they
they
- we often use I think/I dont think + will:
Ex: I think hell fail the exam.
I dont think hell pas the exam.

Sometimes, in sentences, with I and we, people use shall, but this is very
formal, for exemple in a business letter.
Ex: I shall write to you when I have studied your case.
will (promises, offers, and decisions)
Decisions
Offers

Promisses

I wont have the fish. Ill have the steak.

Well take the 6.30 train.
Ill help you with your homework.
Shall I open the window?
Ill always love you.
I wont tell anyone.

Use will/wont + infinitive for making decisions, offering, and promising.

Ex: Ill help you with those bags.
Use Shall I? or Shall we? when an offer is a question.
Ex: Shall I pay?
Shall we call you tonight at 7.00?

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Present perfect (experience) + ever, never

Use the present perfect to talk about past experiences when you dont say
exactly when happened.
Ex. Ive been to London. NOT Ive been to London last year.
My brother has worked abroad.
For regular verbs the past participle is the same as the past simple.
We often use the present perfect with ever (= in your life until now) and never.
Ex. Have you ever been to London? No, Ive never been there.
! Compare the present of go and be:
Hes gone to Paris. = Hes in Paris now.
Hes been to Paris. = He went to Paris and came back.

Ive (I have)
youve (you have)
(he/she/it)s he/she/it has
weve (we have)
theyve (they have)

I havent
you havent
he/she/it hasnt
we havent
they havent

been to London

worked in a bank

?
Have you worked in a bank?
Has he been to London?

Yes, I have
Yes, he has.

No, I havent
No, he hasnt.

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present perfect or past simple?

Conversations often begin in the present perfect (with a general question) and
then change to the past simple (with questions asking for specific details, when,
where, who with, etc.)
Use the past simple to ask/say exactly when something happened.
Ex.
A Have you ever been to Mexico?
When did you go there?
present perfect
no specific time in the past
HAVE/HAS+past participle
Ex. Ive never been to
London.

B Yes, I have.
I went last year.

past simple
a specific/exact time in the past
vb. + ed
Ex. I bought something yesterday.
I worked yesterday.
didnt + vb. inf
Ex. I didnt buy anything yesterday.
? did + s + vb. inf
Ex. Did you buy something yesterday?

Present perfect + yet, just, already

yet
Use yet + the present perfect in and ? senteces to ask if something that you
think is going to happen has happened or to say it hasnt happened.
Put yet at the end of the sentence.
Ex: A. Have you finished your
homework yet?

B. No, no yet. I havent finished

yet.

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just
Use just in sentences to say that something happened very recently.
Put just before the main verb.
B. No thanks, Ive just had one.

A. Would you like a coffe?

already

Use already in sentences to say that something happened before now or

earlier than expected.
Put already before the main verb.
A. Do you want to see this film?
Shall I buy a newspaper?

B. No, Ive already seen it three times

No, Ive already bought one.

Comparative adjectives
Use comparative adjectives to compare people and things.
Ex: My brothers taller than me.
Adjective
short
big

Comparative
shorter
bigger

busy
relaxed
good
well
bad
far

busier
more relaxed
better
better
worse
further

one syllable: + er
one vowel + one consonant: double final
consonant
consonant + y: y -> ier
two or more syllables: more + adjective
irregular

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Opposite adjectives
Adjective
boring
crowded
dangereous
far
modern
noisy
polite
polluted

Opposite
exciting/interesting
empty
safe
near
old
quiet
rude
clean

Comparative adverbs
Use comparative adverbs to compare actions.
Adverb
Regular
quickly
slowly

Comparative
more quickly
less slowly

Adverb
Irregular
hard
well
badly

Comparative
harder
better
worse

You can also use (not) as + (adjective / adverb) + as.

Ex: Im not as tall as my brother.
He doesnt drive as fast as me.
You can also use than + vb.+er /more
/less
superlative (+ ever + present perfect)
Use the + superlative adjectives to say which is the biggest, etc. in a group.
Ex: Its the highest mountain in Europe.
Shes the best in the class.
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 We often use a superlative with the present perfect

Ex: Its the most beautiful church Ive ever seen.
Russia is the coldest place weve ever been to.
Adjective
cold
hot
pretty
beautiful
good
bad
far

Comparative
colder
hotter
prettier
more beautiful
better
worse
further

TheFreeDictionary

Superlative
the coldest
the hottest
the prettiest
the most beautiful
the best
the worst
the furthest

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