Past Perfect - Use

Past Perfect - Use 1) Together with the Simple Past The lesson had started when we arrived. 2) the past equivalent of the Present Perfect He had played hockey.

Signal words no unambiguous ones

Form had + past participle

Examples Affirmative sentences: I had played hockey. I'd played hockey.

You had played hockey. You'd played hockey.

Negative sentences: I had not played hockey. I'd not played hockey. I hadn't played hockey.

You had not played hockey. You'd not played hockey. You hadn't played hockey.

Questions: Had you pl played hockey?

Had you pl played ho hockey?

Past Progressive/continuous Progressive/continuous - Use Use 1) actions were in progress at special time in the past Peter was reading a book yesterday evening. 2) two actions were happening at the same time (the actions do not influence each other) Anne was writing a letter while Steve was reading the New York Times. 3) together with the Simple Past While we were sitting at the breakfast table, the telephone rang. 4) repeated actions irritating the speaker (with always, constantly, forever) Andrew was always coming in late.

Past Progressive - Signal words while, when

Past Progressive - Form to be (was, were) + infinitive + -ing

Past Progressive - Examples Affirmative sentences: I was playing football.

You were playing football.

Negative sentences: I was not playing football. I was't playing football. Questions:

You were not playing football. You weren't playing football.

Was I playing football?

Were you playing football?

Present Perfect - Use 1) Result of an action in the past is important in the present I have cleaned my room. 2) Recently completed actions He has just played handball. 3) Actions beginning in the past and still continuing We have lived in Canada since 1986. 4) together with lately, recently, yet I have been to London recently.

Signal words  just, yet, never, already, ever, so far, up to now, recently, since, for

Form have/has + past participle

Examples Affirmative sentences: I have played football. I've played football.

You have played football. You've played football.

Negative sentences: I have not played football. I've not played football. I haven't played football.

You have not played football. You've not played football. You haven't played football.

Questions: Have I played football?

Have you played football?

Present Perfect Progressive - Use 1) Actions beginning in the past and still continuing (focus is on the action) - mostly with since (point of time) or for (period of time) I have been waiting for you for three hours. (It was a long time.) 2) Recently completed actions (focus is on the action) She has been watching too many videos. (It was too much time.)

Signal words all day, the whole day, since, for Questions with how long

Form have/has + been + Infinitiv + -ing

Examples Affirmative sentences: I have been playing handball. I've been playing handball. Negative sentences:

You have been playing handball. You've been playing handball.

I have not been playing handball. I've not been playing handball. I haven't been playing handball.

You have not been playing handball. You've not been playing handball. You haven't been playing handball.

Questions: Have I been playing handball?

Have you been playing handball?

Simple Past/Past Simple - Brief version Use 1) action finished in the past I visited Berlin last week. 2) series of completed actions in the past First I got up, then I had breakfast 3) together with the Past Progressive/Continuous - The Simple Past interrupted an action which was in progress in the past. They were playing cards when the telephone rang.

Signal words yesterday, last week, a month ago, in 2002

Form - with regular verbs: infinitive + -ed - with irregular verbs: 2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs

Examples Affirmative sentences: regular verbs

irregular verbs

I played football.

I went to the cinema.

We visited Alaska last year.

We were in Rome yesterday.

Negative sentences: You must not negate a full verb in English. Always use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of to do) for negations. I

played

football.

I

didn't

play

football.

He

didn't

play

football.

Questions: Use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of to do). Did you play football?

Going to-future Use 1) planned actions in the future We are going to sing at the party. 2) You are certain that sth. is going to happen in the future. Look at this car! It is going to crash into the yellow one.

Signal words no unambiguous ones

Form to be (am, are, is) + going to + infiniti ve

Examples Affirmative sentences: I am going to play handball. I'm going to play handball.

You are going to play handball. You're going to play handball.

Negative sentences: I am not going to play handball. I'm not going to play handball.

You are not going to play handball. You're not going to play handball. You aren't going to play handball.

Questions: Am I going to play handball?

Are you going to play handball?

ATTENTION!! Do not mix up with the Present Progressive! Progressive ! going to-future

Present Progressive

He's going to read the book.

He's reading the book.

Will-future Use 1) Future actions happen without the speaker's intention The sun will shine tomorrow.

2) Predictions, assumptions I think Sue will arrive in Paris at 6 pm.

3) Spontaneous actions Hang on! I'll have a word with you.

Signal words no unambiguous ones

Form will + infinitive

Examples Affirmative sentences: He will play football. He'll play football. Negative sentences: He will not play football. He won't play football. or He'll not play football. Questions: Will he play football?

Be and Continuous Tenses (is being being)) The verb be can be an auxiliary verb (Marie (Marie is learning English) English) or a main verb (Marie (Marie is French). French). On this page we look at the verb be as a main verb. Usually we use simple tenses with the verb be as a main verb. For example, we say: •

•

•

London is the capital of the UK. (not London is being the capital of the UK.) Is she beautiful? (not Is she being beautiful?) Were you late? (not Were you being late?)

Sometimes, however, we can use the verb be with a continuous tense. This is when the real sense of  the verb be is "act" or "behave". Also, of course, the action is temporary. Compare the examples in the table below:

Here is the structure of the verb be in the continuous present tense: I am being  You are being He, she, it is being We are being  They are being

Mary is a careful person. (Mary is always careful - it's her nature.)

 John is being careful. (John is acting carefully now, but maybe he is not always careful - we don't know.)

Is he always so stupid? (Is that his personality?)

 They were being really stupid. (They were behaving really stupidly at that moment.)

Andrew is not usually selfish. (It is not Andrew's character to be selfish.)

Why is he being so selfish? (Why is he acting so selfishly at the moment?)

Notice that we also make a difference between "to be sick" and "to be being sick": •

She is sick (= she is not well)

•

She is being sick (= she is vomiting)