VERB TENSESTime has three basic divisions

TIME

FUTUREPRESENTPAST

We can look at each division of time to see:

what is in process at a specific moment

(Continuous)

what happened before a specific moment

(Perfect)

or the two together.

However, we look at what happens in these divisions in different ways.

In this course, we have discussed the uses of

the present forms, the past perfect, past continuous, past

simple forms, and the different ways the future is talked

about.

So, let’s have a quick review of each of these tenses.

Present Perfect

nownow

THE PRESENT TENSE

PRESENT

Present Perfect Continuous

....

Present Continuous

XXX

Present Simple

XX X X X

The simple present tense is used to describe general truths and facts, and actions and situations

that are usual, routine.

Water boils at 100º C.

Ronaldo plays soccer.My aunt lives in Rio.

The earth is round.

The present continuous describes actions and situations which are in process, temporary, not

finished.

He is playing soccer.

She is eating.

He is swimming.

My aunt is visiting New York.

The present perfect expresses actions that happened before now, at na indefinite time in the past.

He hasn´’t combed his hair yet.

He has fallen asleep in the train.

I have visited New York twice.

The boy hasn’t finished his breakfast.

The present perfect continuous describes an action that happened for a period of time at an

indefinite time in the past. It can also describe na action that started in the past and continues to the

present.

She’s been living in this house for 35 years,

He’s been working for five hours

The boy has been playing with the dog all morning.

She’s been talking on the phone for 45 minutes.

THE PAST TENSE

PAST

Past Simple

X

now

Past Continuous

XXX

now

Past Perfect

now

The past simple is used to describe an action that happened in the past but is now finished.

He walked to work yesterday.

The baby fell asleep early last night.

She went to Rio last January.

My father lived on a farm as a child.

The past continuous expresses an action that happened for a period of time in the past.

He was reading the paper when they called his name.

He was riding his bike when he fell.

They were having a class from 2 to 4 yesterday.

The past perfect is used to describe na action that started and finished before another action, and

both actions happened in the past.

They had picked most of the apples before we arrived there.

The plane had left by the time we got to the airport.

My friends had finished dinnerwhen I arrived at the restaurant.

THE FUTURE TENSE

FUTURE SIMPLE

WILL

xnow

GOING TO

xnow

“Will” is used to express a prediction or a future fact. It is also used to express a decision made at

the moment of speaking.

Earth will be a wonderful place to live in 50 years. (prediction)

Your plate is chipped. I will change it for you. (decision at the moment of speaking)

We will go on vacation tomorrow. (future fact)

“Going to” expresses a future plan or intention or a prediction based on a present fact.

He’s going to travel.(plan or intention)

She’s going to have a baby.(prediction based on a present fact)

It’s going to rain.(prediction based on a present fact)