TENSES ( Elaborated by Mrs.

Mellouli Sameh)

THE SIMPLE PRESENT

USES EXAMPLES

*To describe things that are generally true and permanent

situations . *Water boils at 100 Celsius .
Used sometimes with “ whenever “

*The simple present is used with actions that happen *I always take the underground to work .
regularly ( habits ) using time expressions ;
-always / never / regularly / twice a week / everyday / NB ; Adverbs of definite frequency
occasionally / on Mondays…… twice a week , for exp are placed at the end of
the sentence
Exp; I visit my uncle twice a week .

*It is used in newspaper headlines *Peace talks fail .

*It is used in conditional sentences type 1 *If it doesn’t rain , we will go on a picnic .

*It is used with time expressions when the main clause is in the
future ; *As soon as I finish work, I will go back home .
As soon as / before / when / unless / until/ while /

*It is used with state verbs ; know / feel / think *I love listening to music .

NB .See the different types of state verbs below . *I think it is a good idea to invest in a new logo .

*It is used with a planned future action or a series of actions

. *My We leave London at 10.00 next Tuesday and
( schedules / timetables ) arrive in Paris at 19.30.

NB ; The time of the action must be mentioned ;

 The PRESENT CONTINOUS
USES EXAMPLES

*To describe actions happening at the moment of

speaking . *It is raining heavily now .

*To describe actions in progress around the present

time but not necessarily at the time of speaking . *I am working on the project .

*People are buying CDs these days . They are

*To describe changes and trends . downloading music off the internet .

*To express arrangement / plans in the near future .

NB ; The time of the action must be mentioned ; *I am having an appointment with the dentist
otherwise, there might be confusion between the tomorrow afternoon .
present and the future .

THE PRESENT PERFECT

USES EXAMPLES

*To talk about a single or repeated action in an *Tom has rung up three times this morning .
incomplete time period ( still continuing )
*We have been discussing the whole project this week .

*With these time expressions to indicate unfinished time ; *I have never been late to work.
I have always been early to work .
Recently / lately / so far/ yet / up till now / never / ever
/ always / *I haven’t seen him since November. ( since + a
Since + a point in time or since + clause ( simple past) point in time )
*I haven’t seen him since he left home . ( since +
clause in the simple past )

*There have been some changes recently / lately .

*To talk about a past action that has a present effect *The printer has broken down .( it isn’t working
now; effect)
 THE PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
USES EXAMPLES

*It can used interchangeably with simple present *I have waited / have been waiting for an hour , but he still
perfect to express an action that has just started or hasn’t turned up .
is still continuing in the present .

*It is used for longer or repeated actions . *The economy has been growing steadily for several years .

*When we are interested in the activity / action *I have been writing letters since breakfast .
more than the number of times a thing has been Compare with ;
done . *I have written six letters since breakfast .
Compare the simple present perfect with the
present perfect progressive in these sentences

NB ; The Present perfect progressive is NOT used with state verbs , hence it cannot be used in the ING form

THE SIMPLE PAST

USES EXAMPLES

*To talk about a completed action at a specific time in the *Bill Gates founded Microsoft in 1975 .
past . It is used therefore when the time is stated sentence 1 )
or is obvious from the context . ( sentence 2) *I didn’t need the report for the Board meeting .

*To talk about repeated actions in the past( habit) *Whenever I went to London on business, I stayed
at a hotel .

*To talk about actions that took place over a period of time in *He worked in that bank for three years .
the past Now terminated . ( But I doesn’t work there anymore .)

NB; Compare with the present perfect ;

I have worked in that bank for three years .
( I am still working there )

*Used with the past perfect to talk about 2 actions one before *When I arrived ( action 2) , James had already
the other . left ( past perfect / action 1) the office .

● It is used in conditional sentences type 2. *If I had enough money, I would buy a house
 THE PAST PERFECT

USES EXAMPLES

*When / before I arrived , James had l ( already ) left the

office .
*After James left the office, I arrived .
*To describe an event that happened before
another event using time expressions like ; Action 1 ; James left the office .
before/ after /when …. Action 2 ; I arrived .

NB ; By using “ when “ and two simple past tenses in the

sentence, we imply that the 2 actions happened
simultaneously .

EXP ; When ( as soon as ) he opened the window, the bird

flew out.

*To describe events that happened up to or *By 1999 , the company had established itself in the USA,
before a certain point in the past . Canada and Mexico .

*To describe an action that began before the time *I had lived in that flat for 7 years and had no intention to
of speaking in the past and was still continuing move to another one .
at that time .

*To describe an action that began in the past and *He had served in the army for 10 years; then he retired and
stopped some time before the time of speaking . married .

*It is used with conditional sentences type 3 to *If fuel costs had not been so high, profits would have been
describe a hypothetical action in the past with a bigger .
different outcome .
 THE SIMPLE FUTURE
USES
FORMS EXAMPLES

*What are you going to do when you get

- To talk about plans or intentions about your degree ?
the near future .( with or without a time ( intention)
expression )
* “ be going to “+ *I am going to see the dentist at 8.(
infinitive -To talk about predictions in the future arrangements made )
based on evidence ; there are signs that
something will happen . * It is overcast . The weather report says it is
going to rain in the afternoon .(
predictions about the future )

-To talk about plans or intentions about

the future
*Present continuous ( same as “ be going to ) ; but often used
with time expressions *I am seeing ( meeting) the dentist at 8.
( tomorrow / at ten …. to avoid any ( arrangements made )
confusion between the present and the
future .

-When there is no premeditated -There is somebody knocking at the door .

intention .Decisions are made at the I will go and open it .
” will + infinitive “ time of speaking .
*I think / expect we will reach our targets .
-To make predictions based on personal
opinion using verbs like “ think , “ expect *I will help you .
“
*He won’t resign ( he refuses to resign )
-To express determination .

-To mean “ refuse “

 THE FUTURE CONTINOUS

USES EXAMPLES

*To talk about an action in progress at a specific

time in the future using the following time I will be working on that project for the whole
expressions ; night .

- All night / for the whole month /this time next I will be working this time next week as usual .
week / at 6.pm / during next month
……………..

*To soften the questions and make them more Will you be staying for one night or two , Sir ?
polite

THE FUTURE PERFECT

USES EXAMPLES

*It is used to talk about an action that you think / *By the end of the year, profits will have risen
predict will happen before or at a specific point from 20m $ to an estimated 50m $.
in the future using time expressions like ;

1-By that time, by then , by the end of the year , *I will have finished writing that report in two
by 2020, by 5 .pm…….. weeks .

2-In two weeks, in for months ……..