Simple Present

We use the Simple Present to: Expressions used:

- describe routines and regular/habitual actions or permanent states;
always usually
- express a present state or a truth (scientific actions or facts). often
sometimes
To form the affirmative form we use the infinitive without to (love) never
and to form the 3rd person singular in the affirmative form we add s but:
- vowel + y - add s
- consonant + y - i and add es
- o, ss, sh, ch, x - add es

In the negative and interrogative we use the auxiliary To do, in the Simple Present (do or does):
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
subject + main verb subject + auxiliary (neg) + main verb auxiliary verb + subject + main verb ?
(don't / doesn't) (infinitive) (do / does) (infinitive)
I work I don't work Do I work?
You work You don't work Do you work?
He / She / It works He / She / It doesn't work Does he / she / it work?
We work We don't work Do we work?
You work You don't work Do you work?
They work They don't work Do they work?

Present Continuous
We use the Present Continuous to: Expressions used:
- describe actions happening now (at the moment of speaking);
now at the/this moment
- describe repeated and annoying actions; this… at present
- express fixed arrangements in the near future (arranged previously). tomorrow

To form the affirmative, negative and interrogative forms we use the auxiliary To be, in the Simple
Present, and the gerund of the main verb (infinitive + ing):
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
subject + auxiliary + main verb subject + auxiliary (neg) + main verb auxiliary verb + subj. + main verb
(am/are/is) (gerund) (am/are/is not) (gerund) (am/are/is) (gerund)
I am working I'm not working Am I working?
You are working You aren't working Are you working?
He / She / It is working He / She / It isn't working Is he / she / it working?
We are working We aren't working Are we working?
You are working You aren't working Are you working?
They are working They aren't working Are they working?
 Simple Past

We use the Simple Past to: Expressions used:

- talk about past actions, finished at a definite time;
yesterday
- describe regular actions in the past;
… ago
- express something that you think is unlikely to happen. last…

To form the affirmative form we have to make a distinction between regular and irregular verbs:
- ending in e - add d only
- vowel + y - add ed
- consonant + y - i and add ed

Irregular verbs:
Regular verbs: (2nd column of the list)
- add ed to the infinitive but:

In the negative and interrogative forms we use the auxiliary To do, in the Simple Past (did), both for
regular and irregular verbs:
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
subject + main verb subject + auxiliary (neg) + main verb auxiliary verb + subject + main verb
(didn't) (infinitive) (did) (infinitive)
I worked / came I didn't work / come Did I work / come?
You worked You didn't work Did you work?
He / She / It worked He / She / It didn't work Did he / she / it work?
We worked We didn't work Did we work?
You worked You didn't work Did you work?
They worked They didn't work Did they work?

Past Continuous
Expressions used:
She was sleeping when the accident happened.
when while While she was sleeping, the accident
We use the Past Continuous to: happened.
- describe an action happening at a particular time in the past;
- describe actions taking place at the same time in the past;
- describe an event which was happening when another one happened (the action in course was
interrupted by another one in the past)
(something was happening when something else happened // while something was happening something else happened) .

To form the affirmative, negative and interrogative forms we use the auxiliary To be, in the Simple
Past, and the gerund of the main verb (infinitive + ing):
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
subject + auxiliary + main verb subject + auxiliary (neg) + main verb auxiliary verb + subj. + main verb
(was/were) (gerund) (was/were not) (gerund) (was/were) (gerund)
I was working I wasn't working Was I working?
You were working You weren't working Were you working?
He / She / It was working He / She / It wasn't working Was he / she / it working?
We were working We weren't working Were we working?
You were working You weren't working Were you working?
They were working They weren't working Were they working?
 Present Perfect
We use the Present Perfect to:
- describe actions which started in the past and continue to the present, with results in the present.
Ex: I have eaten eggs for breakfast since I was a child. Where’s the key? I don’t know. I’ve lost it. (I
haven’t got it now.)
- talk about a recent action.
Ex: The road is closed. There has been an accident. Expressions used:
Still - negative sentences ever (alguna vez) never
(between the subject and the auxiliary verb)
just (recien)
Yet (todavia) - negative and interrogative sentences
(at the end of the sentence) already yet still
Already (ya)) - affirmative and interrogative sentences since for this…
(between the auxiliary verb and the main verb)
For - + a period of time (por) Since - + a point in time (desde) To form the affirmative, negative
and interrogative forms we use the auxiliary To have, in the Simple Present, and the past participle
(3rd column (irregular verbs) or ed (regular verbs)):
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
subject + auxiliary + main verb subject + auxiliary (neg) + main verb auxiliary verb + subj. + main verb
(has/have) (p.p.) (has/have not) (p.p.) (has/have) (p.p.)
I have worked I haven't worked Have I worked?
You have worked You haven't worked Have you worked?
He / She / It has worked He / She / It hasn't worked Has he / she / it worked?
We have worked We haven't worked Have we worked?
You have worked You haven't worked Have you worked?
They have worked They haven't worked Have they worked?

Present Perfect Continuous

We use the Present Perfect Continuous to:
- describe an action which ended recently, with a close relation to the present time;
Ex: You’re out of breath. Have you been running? (you are out of breath now)
- Is it raining? - No, but the ground is wet. It has been raining.
- describe actions which started in the past and are still happening.
Ex: Where have you been? I have been looking for you for an hour.
It is raining now. It began raining two hours ago and it is still raining. It has been raining for two hours.

The Present Perfect Continuous is usually used with for and since to describe repeated actions, expressing anger or criticism.
For (por) Since(desde)
two hours a week 8 o’clock 1977
20 minutes 50 years Monday Christmas
five days a long time 12 May lunchtime
six months ages April he was at school

To form the affirmative, negative and interrogative forms we use the auxiliary To have, in the Simple
Present, plus the past participle of the verb To be (been) and the main verb in the gerund (-ing):
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
subject + auxiliary + been + main verb Subj. + auxiliary in the neg.+ been + main verb auxiliary verb + subj.+ been + main verb?
(has/have) (p.p. to be) (ing) (hasn’t/haven’t) (p.p. to be) (ing) (has/have) (p.p. to be) (ing)
I have been working I haven't been working Have I been working?
You have been working You haven't been working Have you been working?
He / She / It has been working He / She / It hasn't been working Has he / she / it been working?
We have been working We haven't been working Have we been working?
You have been working You haven't been working Have you been working?
They have been working They haven't been working Have they been working?

Has Painted is the present perfect simple.

The action is finished. We are interested in the result of the action, not in the action itself.
Ex: The ceiling was white. Now it is blue. Ann has painted the ceiling.
Has been painting is the present perfect continuous.
We are interested in the action. It doesn’t matter if the action was finished or not, but it is usually unfinished.
Ex: Ann’s clothes are covered in paint. She has been painting the ceiling.
Complete the sentences with the Simple Present, the Present Continuous, the Simple Past, the Past
Continuous or the Present Perfect of the verbs in brackets and put the adverbs in the correct place.
1. Portuguese banks _______________ (to open) at 8 o'clock.
2. They always _______________ (to play) the piano in the evening.
3. Yesterday she ___________ (not/to be) in a good mood because she__________ (to lose) her keys.
4. Last year she _______________ (to spend) most of her time on the beach.
5. I _________________ (not/to eat) fish since I was eleven.
6. I ________________ (to listen) to music when you _______________ (to phone) last night.
7. ______________ (she/to go) to Spain two years ago?
8. She _______________ (usually/to go) to school by bus.
9. She ________________ (to give) him a watch yesterday but he _________________ (already/to lose) it.
10. I _________________ (not/to buy) a carpet yet.
11. He _________________ (to swim) three miles every day.
12. Let's go away! We _________________ (to be) here for more than half an hour.
13. Where _________________ (you/to go) for a holiday last year? I _____________ (go) to London.
14. She is very tired because she _________________ (not/to sleep) for two days.
15. My mother _________________ (just/to go) to the market.
16. Mr. Morgan is the tallest man I _________________ (ever/to know).
17. My mother _____________ (not/to like) vegetables and so we _____________ (not/to eat) soup very often.
18. She usually ________________ (to go) to work by car but this week she _______________ (to go) by bus.
19. Peter can't come to the phone right now. He _________________ (to have) a shower.
20. While they _________________ (to have) dinner, someone ______________ (to knock) at the door.

Fill in the blanks with the Present Perfect Simple or the Present Perfect Continuous of the verbs in
brackets. Put the adverbs in the correct place when necessary.
1. This room is a mess! What _________________ (you/to do) all day?
2. Look at that man over there. He _________________ (to stand) there for hours.
3. He _________________ (to clean) the windows and he _________________ (not/to finish) yet.
4. The magazine _________________ (to publish) a report on English-speakers. It’s excellent!
5. The teacher was late. When he arrived, the students said “We _________________ (to wait) for you for
half an hour, teacher!”.
6. The teacher was late. When he arrived, someone told him “The students _________________ (to wait)
for you for half an hour and then they have gone! You were so late!”.
7. They _________________ (to live) there for ages but they moved last week.
8. They _________________ (to live) here for ages and they love this place.
9. Peter _________________ (to finish) his book at last.
10. They _________________ (to queue) since midday and they are still waiting for their turn.
11. She _________________ (to wait) for one hour but she has left because they had to go to work.
12. He _________________ (to play) golf for ten years but then he stopped due to health problems.