PRESENT TENSE SIMPLE

Affirmative form: SUBJECT+VERB (the dict. form) +S\ES for the third person singular:
he, she , it S-verbs ending in consonant / ES-verbs ending in vowel
e.g. I go to school every afternoon at 12 oclock.
They drink milk every evening.
She goes to work every morning.
He sings at the National Opera every Sunday.
Negative form: SUBJECT+DO\DOES+NOT+VERB (short form: dont\doesnt )
e.g.I do not go to work every day.
She does not go to school every day.
Interrogative form: DO\DOES+SUBJECT+VERB
e.g. Do you go to work every day?
Does he eat meat every Sunday?
VALUES-IT EXPRESSES:
1) A repeated, habitual action; frequently asked by adverbs like: generally
usually
often
always
never
every day\week\month\year\etc.
e.g. I always watch T.V in the evening.
2) General truths.
e.g. The Sun rises in the East and follows in the West.
3) Momentary actions completed almost at the same time they are performed: enumeration
in demonstrations
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in cooking
in T.V. commentaries
in headlines.
e.g. She adds three cups of sugar mixes continuously and puts the bowl in the fridge next
two hours.
4) Future actions planned in the present but part of a program.
e.g. Tomorrow we have lunch at 9oclock at Pizza Hut.
5) Actions required by the temporal and conditional clauses.
e.g. Ill go to the theatre if it doesnt rain.

PRESENT TENSE CONTINUOUS\PROGRESSIVE

Affirmative form: SUBJECT+TO BE (auxiliary in the Present) +VERB+ING
e.g. I am eating water melon.
Negative form: TO BE( auxiliary in the Present)+NOT+VERB+ING
e.g. I am not speaking to you.
Interrogative form: SUBJECT-AUXILIARY INVERSION+VERB
e.g Are you cooking?
VALUES-IT EXPRESSES:
1) An action taking place in the moment of speaking, with adverbs like: now
right now
in this moment
e.g. I am writing right now.
2) An action that extends over the period of speaking.
e.g. I am reading a novel by Dickens.
3) A temporary limited action.
e.g. I go to school by tram but today Im walking.
4) An action planned in the present, performed in the future implying the speaker will.
e.g. I am going to the movie tomorrow.
5) A frequently repeated action that annoys.
e.g. She is always playing the piano in the morning.
6) A situation that changes gradually.
e.g. Its getting colder and colder.
7) Actions required by subordinated clauses of time or condition.

VERBS THAT ARE NOT USED IN THE CONTINUOUS ASPECT:

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a)Verbs of perception :to see

to smell
to hear
to taste
to feel
to notice
to observe
b) Verbs of mental activities: to mean
to recognize
to know
to understand
to think (a crede)
to realize
to remember
c) Verbs of affection, feelings and emotions: to like
to love
to hate
to fear
to desire
to adore
to mind
to detest

d) Verbs of possession: to belong

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to have
to own
to contain
to consist of
to seem
to matter
to cost in
e) Verbs of existence: to be
to exist
EXCEPTIONS:
These verbs can be used in the continuous aspect when- we want to express a temporary action
E.g. How are you feeling?
I am feeling all right.
-they change their meaning
E.g. I am seeing you off. (Te conduc.)
He is having a shower. (Face baie.)

PAST TENSE SIMPLE

Affirmative form: for regular verbs-SUBJECT+THE VERB(dict.)+ED, e.g. dance-danced
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:for irregular verbs:-SUBJECT+THE SECOND FORM OF THE VERB(dict.)

e.g.be-was\were-been
have-had-had
go-went-gone
Negative form: SUBJECT+DID (aux .in the past tense simple)+NOT+VERB
E.g. I did not go to work today.
They didnt invite me to their party.
Interrogative form: DID (aux.)+SUBJECT+VERB
E.g. Did you have dinner?
Did she come back from school?
VALUES OF PAST TENSE SIMPLE:
1) It expresses an action that began and finished in the past.
-used with the adverbs: different combinations of -last-: last week, last month; yesterday
different combinations of -ago-: two days ago, six years ago.
e.g. They went to the Zoo yesterday and returned ten minutes ago.
2) Its high time and - Its about time -require past tense simple.
e.g. Its about time we left.
3)-d rather + different subjects asks for past tense simple
e.g. Id rather you wrote this exercise.
4) In conditional clauses of type 2.
5) WISH-to express the present or the future-asks past tense simple
e.g. I wish she was here.
PAST TENSE CONTINUOUS
Affirmative form: SUBJECT+BE (in the simple past)+VERB+ING
e.g. She was reading yesterday morning.
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Negative form: SUBJECT+BE(in the simple past)+NOT +VERB+ING

e.g. They were not playing football Friday.
Interrogative form: SUBJECT-AUXILIARY INVERSION+VERB+ING
e.g. Were you washing the dog ..
VALUES-IT EXPRESSES:
1) An action that began in the past and was in progress at a certain moment in the past or when
another action in the past happened. The moment must be specified.
e.g. He was reading at ten oclock yesterday.
She was watching T.V. when her brother came home.
2) A gradual development in the past.
e.g. It was getting darker and darker.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

Affirmative form: SUBJECT+ HAVE (aux.i n the present tense simple) +THE PAST
PARTICIPLE (the third form of the verb in the dictionary or the ED form)
e.g. I have written the exercise.
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Negative form: SUBJECT+HAVE (aux. in the present tense simple)+NOT+THE PAST

PARTICIPLE
e.g. We havent been to the cinema this week.
Interrogative form: AUXILIARY-SUBJECT+THE PAST PARTICIPLE
e.g. Have you always walked to school?
VALUES-IT EXPRESSES:
1) The resultative perfect(the result of a past event is still felt at the present time).It emphasis
the result of the action of the verb.
e.g. I have written the exercise.
She has recovered from her illness.
2) Continuative perfect (the action extends over a period including the present moment).
e.g. Weve lived in this town since 1980.
3) The perfect of experience (what has happened once or more than once to the speaker)
e.g. I have always walked to school.
We have been to the cinema twice this week.
USED WITH ADVERBS OF INDEFINITE TIME:
I.

never

seldom

ever

already

always

just

- placed between the auxiliary and the verb

often

II. yet
lately

-placed at the end of the sentence.

recently

already - in interrogative sentences is used when we are surprised that the action is finished.
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yet - in interrogative sentences is used to ask for more information.

III. since-for the moment

for - the period.
4) Questions with:- how many
- how much - require Present Perfect Simple.
e.g .How many films have you seen?
5) Its the first
Its the most

- ask for Present Perfect Simple

Its the last

e.g. Its the first time Ive ever skated.
6) Because - asks Present Perfect simple
e.g. I cant write anymore because my pen has run out of ink.
7) In time clauses for a previous action.
e.g. He will come after he has finished his homework.
IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ITS=IT IS AND
ITS=IT HAS BEEN.
e.g. Its two weeks since we met. (it has been)

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Affirmative form: SUBJECT+HAVE (aux. in the present tense simple) +BEEN +VERB
+ING
e.g. I have been peeling potatoes.
Negative form: SUBJECT+HAVE (aux. in the present tense simple)+NOT+BEEN+VERB
+ING
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e.g. I have not been peeling carrots.

Interrogative form: AUXILIARY (have)-SUBJECT INVERSION+BEEN+VERB+ING
e.g. Have you been peeling apples?
VALUES-IT EXPRESSES:
1)An action which began in the past, was in progress for a certain period of time and is still
going on, and may continue. It emphasis \ stresses duration. Its used with SINCE and FOR.
e.g. I have been reading a novel by Dickens.
2) It can be used to describe a very recent activity where the result can be seen.
e.g.Why is Mary crying?
Because she has been chopping onions.
3)For actions which are just coming to an end.
e.g. I have been walking to school up to now but from now on Ill drive.
4) When we talk about continuous change or development even if it is permanent.
e.g. The science men believe that the universe has been expanding since the begining
of time.
5) HOW LONG-asks for Present Perfect Continuous.
e.g. How long have you been waiting?

PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

Affirmative form: SUBJECT+HAD (have-in the past)+THE THIRD FORM OF THE VERB
e.g.I had walked..
Negative form: SUBJECT+HAD+NOT+THE THIRD FORM OF THE VERB.
e.g.She had not gone..
Interrogative form: SUBJECT-HAD INVERSION+THE THIRD FORM OF THE VERB
e.g.Had you been

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VALUES-IT EXPRESSES
1) An action which began in the past and finished in the past before a past moment or action.
ADVERBS:-no sooner..than
-hardly.when

-require inversion subject-auxiliary.

-scarcely..when.
PREPOSITIONS:-by
-when
-till

-can be used with PAST PERFECT orPAST TENSE.

-as soon as
-after
e.g. When the Carpathia arrived many people had already lost their lives.
2) A past action which had just finished before another action in the past.
e.g. Hardly had he entered the house when the phone rang.
3) WISH - when it refers to a past action asks Past Perfect.
e.g.I wish he had come.
4) In conditional clauses, type III.

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Affirmative form: SUBJECT+HAD (aux.in the Past Perfect Simple)+BEEN+VERB+ING
e.g.She had been waiting for 8 minutes.
Negative form:SUBJECT+HAD+NOT+BEEN+VERB+ING
e.g.She had not been waiting..
Interrogative form:INVERSION SUBJECT-AUXILIARY+BEEN+VERB+ING
e.g.Had she been waiting

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VALUES-IT EXPRESSES
1)It is used to stress the continuous or the recent nature of an earlier past action.
e.g.The baby is crying.She had been crying for ten minutes when I entered the
room.
2)It may also indicate a previous action whose result was obious at a certain past moment.
e.g.Why was the grass wet?
e.g.Because it had been raining.

FUTURE

IN ENGLISH THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF EXPRESSING FUTURE:

-FUTURE SIMPLE:
Affirmative form:1 SUBJECT+SHALL(for the first person)\WILL(for the rest)+VERB
e.g.I shall leave tomorrow.
She will go next month.
Negative form:SUBJECT+SHALL\WILL+NOT+VERB
e.g.They will not leave tomorrow.
In interrogative form: SHALL-expresses an offer,sugestion.
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e.g.Shall I read?
-is also used in disjunctive questions for the first person in the
imperative.
e.g.Lets go swiming,shall we?
WILL-is used to express a request
e.g.Will you help me?
FUTURE also can be formed with the help of:2 SUBJECT+TO BE(present)+GOING
TO+VERB
e.g.We are going to eat cherries next month.
3 SUBJECT+TO BE(present)+TO+VERB
e.g.John is to arrive tomorrow evening.
4 SUBJECT+TO BE(present)+ABOUT+TO
e.g.He is about to lose her money.
5 SUBJECT+TO BE(present)+DUE+TO
e.g.This plane is due to arrive in the evening.
1) WILL, SHALL-are used to express a future action which is part of a program habitual action.
They are used for remote future actions. It is replaced by Present in conditional clauses, type I
and in time clauses for a simultaneous action.
e.g. Well have visitors next summer.
2) GOING TO-is used to express a near future action which appears inevitable due to present
causes. It expresses the subjects prevent, premeditated intention.
e.g.We are going to have visitors next Monday.
She has solved all the problems in her test. Shes going to get a good mark.
3) BE TO-is used when we want to refer to some previous arrangement.
e.g. Mother is to arrive tomorrow.
4) BE ABOUT TO-is used when we refer to an event that we expect to happen soon.
e.g. She is about to lose her job.
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5) BE DUE TO-refers to an event that is scheduled to happen at a given time.

e.g. This ship is due to arrive in the morning.

FUTURE TENSE CONTINUOUS

Affirmative form:SUBJECT+SHALL\WILL+BE+VERB+ING.
e.g.He will be eating at 12oclock tomorrow.
Negative form:SUBJECT+SHALL\WILL+NOT+BE+VREB+ING
e.g.He will not be eating..
Interrogative form:INVERSION SUBJECT SHALL\WILL+BE+VERB+ING
e.g.Will he be eating..?
VALUE:It expresses an action in progress at a certain moment in the future. The moment must
be specified.
e.g.He will be playing football at ten oclock tomorrow.

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FUTURE PERFECT SIMPLE

Affirmative form:SUBJECT+SHALL\WILL+HAVE(present)+THE THIRD FORM OF
THE VERB
e.g.She will have gone.
Negative form:SUBJECT+SHALL\WILL+NOT+HAVE(present)+THE THIRD FORM
OF THE VERB
e.g.She will not have gone
Interrogative form:SUBJECT SHALL\WILL INVERSION+HAVE+THE THIRD
FORM OF THE VERB
e.g.Will she have gone.?
VALUES-it indicates a future action completed before a future moment,(BY=nainte de).
e.g.By the end of the month he wil have finished the book.
-HOW MANY asks Future Perfect Simple, (when refering to a future action).
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FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Affirmative form:SUBJECT+SHALL\WILL+HAVE+BEEN+VERB+ING
e.g.He will have been teaching
Negative form:SUBJECT+SHALL\WILL+NOT+HAVE+BEEN+VERB+ING
e.g.He will not have been teaching
Interrogative form:SUBJECT SHALL\WILL
INVERSION+HAVE+BEEN+VERB+ING
e.g.Will he have been teaching.?
VALUES- it expresses a future action in progress at a certain moment in the future, which
began before another future action.
e.g.When the bell rings Mrs. Brown will have been teaching for 15
minutes.
-HOW LONG asks also Future Perfect Continuous, (when referring to a future
action).

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