Pr.

Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University

Tenses: Form and Usage

1. Expressions of Time
Past Present Future
Yesterday Today Tomorrow
Last week This week Next week
An hour ago Now In an hour
Recently As we speak Soon
A little time ago At this moment In the near future
A long time ago These days Way off in the future
In the past Nowadays Eventually
This morning At this time Later this evening

Time expressions usually go at the end or at the beginning of a sentence:

Yesterday I went to school.

I went to school yesterday.

This week I'm going to New York.

I'm going to New York this week.

Other popular time expressions:

In the morning

- When I wake up in the morning, I like to drink coffee.

- What do you drink in the morning?
During the day
- During the day, they go to school.
- What do you do during the day?
At night
- The stars and the moon come out at night.
- Most people sleep at night, but cats usually stay out late.
In the afternoon
- In the afternoon, I come home from school and do my homework.

Using time expressions with the correct verb tense will improve your English:

- Last week I went to the movies. (past tense. )

- This week I'm working early in the morning.(present continuous tense to describe
the entire week)
- Next week I'm going to take a trip to California. (The "going to" future)

1
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage

2. Simple Present Vs Present Continuous

A. Simple Present: To be – to do – to have

Affirmative Negative interrogative Interro-negative

I am I am not am I? Am not I?
He/she/ it is He/she/ it is not is He/she/ it? is not He/she/ it?
You/ we/ they are You/ we/ they are are You/ we/ they? are not You/ we/
not they?

Affirmative Negative interrogative Interro-negative

I/ you/ we/ they I/ you/ we/ they do I/ you/ we/ Do not I/ you/ we/
do do not they? they?
He/ she/ it does He/ she/ it does does he/ she/ it? does not he/ she/
not it?

Affirmative Negative interrogative Interro-negative

I/ you/ we/ they I/ you/ we/ they Have I/ you/ we/ Have not I/ you/
have have not they? we/ they?
He/ she/ it has He/ she/ it has not Has he/ she/ it? Has not he/ she/
it?

Notes:
- With the pronouns I, you, we, and they, we just add the verb without “to” except the
verbs: to be and to have
- With he, she , and it (3rd person singular), there are three rules except the verbs: to be
and to have
B. Simple Present Other Verbs – affirmative, negative, interrogative, and
interro-negative forms
- Affirmative Form
1. If the verb ends in “o, x, ss, sh, ch, or z”, we add “es”
Examples: to go, to mix, to kiss, to wish, to watch, to buzz
I, you, we, they go mix kiss wish watch buzz
He, she, it goes mixes kisses wishes watches buzzes

2. If the verb ends in “y” preceded by a consonant, we drop “y” and add
“ies” examples: to study, to cry

I, you, we, they study cry

He, she, it studies cries

2
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage
3. Except the two previous mentioned rules, we just add “s”. Examples: to
learn, to obey, to work, to see, to travel, to drive
I, you, we, they learn obey work see travel drive
He, she, it learns obeys works sees travels drives

- Negative Form: verb to do in simple present- negative + verb without “to”. Example:
to work

I, you, we, they Do not/ don’t work

He, she, it Does not/ doesn’t work

- Interrogative Form: verb to do in simple present- interrogative + verb without “to”.

Example: to work

Do I, you, we, they work?

Does he, she, it work?

- Interro-negative Form: verb to do in simple present- interro-negative + verb without “to”.

Example: to work

Do not/ don’t I, you, we, they work?

Does not/ doesn’t he, she, it work?

C. Usage: The simple present is used:

1. To give your opinion - I like ice cream. I do not like spicy food.
2. To talk about schedules - The library opens at eight. It doesn't open at 7.
3. To talk about daily habits (routine actions) - Sara eats a cheese for breakfast
every day. She doesn't eat cereal.
4. To give facts - The earth circles the sun. The moon does not circle the sun.
5. To say that something happens all the time or repeatedly – Muslims pray five
times a day. I usually go away at weekends.
6. To talk about things in general – Nurses look after patients in hospitals.

A. Present Continous – Affirmative:

Form: to be in simple present + verb + ing. Example: to work, to learn, to read, to cook

I am/ I’m working learning reading cooking

You, we, working learning reading cooking
they’re/ are
He/ she/ it’s/ is working learning reading cooking

3
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage
Notes: - Stative (or state) verbs are not usually used in continous tenses

like know belong love realise

fit hate suppose contain want
mean consist need understand seem
prefer believe depend agree remember
matter mind recognise see own
appear look (=seem) sound taste smell
hear astonish deny disagree please
impress satisfy promise surprise doubt
think (have an feel (have an measure (have weigh (=have concern
opinion) opinion) length etc) weight)
dislike be have deserve involve
include wish imagine possess lack
owe

- Some verbs can be both stative and dynamic:

Be: is usually a stative verb, but when it is used in the continuous it means 'behaving' or
'acting'

- you are stupid = it's part of your personality

- you are being stupid = only now, not usually

Think
- think (stative) = have an opinion= I think that coffee is great
- think (dynamic) = consider, have in my head
what are you thinking about? I'm thinking about my next holiday

Have
- have (stative) = own Example: I have a car
- have (dynamic) = part of an expression
I'm having a party / a picnic / a bath / a good time / a break

See
- see (stative) = see with your eyes / understand Example: I see what you mean
I see her now, she's just coming along the road
- see (dynamic) = meet / have a relationship with
I've been seeing my boyfriend for three years
I'm seeing Robert tomorrow

Taste

4
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage
• taste (stative) = has a certain taste
This soup tastes great
The coffee tastes really bitter
• taste (dynamic) = the action of tasting
The chef is tasting the soup
('taste' is the same as other similar verbs such as 'smell')

- If the verb ends in single “e”, it is dropped before adding “ing”. Examples: to write, to
invite, to smile, to drive

I am/ I’m writing inviting smiling driving

You, we, writing inviting smiling driving
they’re/ are
He/ she/ it’s/ is writing inviting smiling driving

- If the verb ends in “ie”, it is changed to “y” before adding “ing”. Examples: to die, to
lie, to tie, to vie

I am/ I’m dying lying tying vying

You, we, dying lying tying vying
they’re/ are
He/ she/ it’s/ is dying lying tying vying

Negative Form: To be in simple present – negative + verb +ing. Examples: to dance, to

follow, to cry, to explain

I’m not/ am dancing following crying explaining

not
You, we, they’re dancing following crying explaining
not/ are not
He/ she/ it’s dancing following crying explaining
not/ is not

Interrogative Form: to be in simple present – interrogative + verb + ing. Examples: to sing,

to build, to destroy, to teach

Am I singing? building? destroying? teaching?

Are you/ we/ singing? building? destroying? teaching?
they
Is he/ she/ it singing? building? destroying? teaching?

5
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage
Interro-negative Form: to be in simple present – interro-negative + verb + ing. Examples: to
phone, to travel, to ruin, to dress

Am not I phoning? travelling? ruining? dressing?

Are not you/ phoning? travelling? ruining? dressing?
we/ they
Is not he/ she/ it phoning? travelling? ruining? dressing?

B. Usage: Present continous is used:

1. To talk about events happening at the time of speaking
- I’m just leaving work. I’ll be home in an hour.
- Please be quiet. The children are sleeping.
2. For something which is happening aroud a given time.
- At eight o’clock, we are ususally having breakfast.
- When I get home, the children are doing their homework.
3. For something which we think is temporary
- Michael is at university; he’s studying history.
- I’m working in London for the next two weeks.
4. To show that something is changing, growing and developing
- The children are growing quickly.
- The climate is changing rapidly.
- Your English is improving.
5. For something which happens again and again
- It’s always raining in London.
- They are always arguing.
- George is great. He is always laughing.
6. To talk about future is has already been arranged or planned.
- Mary is going to a new school next term.
- What are you doing next week?

3. Simple Past Vs Past continous

Simple Past: Affirmative, negative, interrogative, and interro-negative forms

Notes: - the conjugation of all the pronouns is the same, but the verb “to be”.

6
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage

To be in simple past
Affirmative Negative Interrogative Interro-negative
I/ he/ she/ it was I/ he/ she/ it was was I/ he/ she/ it? Was not I/ he/
not/ wasn’t she/ it?
You/ we/ they were You/ we/ they were were You/ we/ they? Were not you/ we/
not/ weren’t they?

To do as an auxiliary in simple past

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Interro-negative
I/ you/ he/ she/ it/ I/ you/ he/ she/ it/ Did I/ you/ he/ she/ Did not/ didn’t I/
we/ they did we/ they did not/ it/ we/ they? you/ he/ she/ it/
didn’t we/ they?

To have as anauxiliary in simple past

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Interro-negative
I/ you/ he/ she/ it/ I/ you/ he/ she/ it/ Had I/ you/ he/ Had not/ hadn’t I/
we/ they had we/ they had not/ she/ it/ we/ they? you/ he/ she/ it/
hadn’t/ ‘d not we/ they

- There are two kinds of verbs in affirmative form: Regular and irregular
- In the other forms, there is no distiction between the verbs
- In simple past, you should know the infinitive, simple past, ans past participle
1. Regular Verbs
A. Affirmative forms:
- Generally, we add “ed”
Infinitive Simple Past Past participle
To visit visited visited
To learn learned learned
To play played played

- If the verb ends in “e”, we just add “d”

Infinitive Simple Past Past participle
To invite invited invited
To like liked liked
To smile smiled smiled

- If the verb ends in “ss, x, sh, ch”, we add “ed”

Infinitive Simple Past Past participle
To miss missed missed
To mix mixed mixed
To wish wished wished

7
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage
To watch watched watched

2. Irregular verbs: there is no rule to be followed; just they should be memorized

Infinitive Simple Past Past participle
To be Was/ were been
To do did done
To have had had
To go went gone
To write wrote written
To drink drank drunk
To read read read
To speak spoke spoken
To sing sang sung
To drive drive driven
To see saw seen
To teach taught taught
To think thought thought
To sink sank sunk
To sleep slept slept

B. Negative Form: to do in simple past – negative + verb without “to”

- I didn’t play football yesterday.
- She didn’t sing well.
- They didn’t pass the exam
C. Interrogative Form: to do in simple past – interrogative + verb without “to”
- Did you enjoy the party?
- Did she get married?
- Did we send emails to the teacher?
D. Interro-negative Form: to do in simple past – interro-negative + verb without “to”
- Didn’t he bring the money?
- Didn’t they travel abroad?
- Didn’t you meet the dean?
E. Usage: The simple past is used principally to describe events in the past, but it also
has some other uses. Here are the main uses of the simple past.

1. Finished events in the past

• William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.

• Christoph Columbus discovered America in 1492.
• He kissed her and left.

2. Past habitual action

8
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage
• I visited them every day for a year.
• I drove to work every day when I worked with that company.

3. Events that were true for some time in the past

• He lived in Paris for 20 years.

• They talked on the phone for ten minutes.

Past Continous: Affirmative, negative, interrogative, and interro-negative forms

A. Affirmative Form: to be in simple past – affirmative +verb + ing

Examples: to drive, to lie, to work
I/ he/ she/ it was driving lying working
You/ we/ they driving lying working
were

B. Negative Form: to be in simple past – negative +verb + ing.

Examples: to mix, to play, to manage
I/ he/ she/ it was mixing playing managing
not/ wasn’t
You/ we/ they were mixing playing managing
not/ weren’t

C. Interrogative Form: to be in simple past – interrogative +verb + ing

Examples: to move, to rely, to avoid
was I/ he/ she/ it moving? relying? avoiding?
were you/ we/ they moving? relying? avoiding?

D. Interro-negative Form: to be in simple past – interro-negative +verb + ing

Examples: to send, to seek, to fix

was not/ wasn’t I/ sending? seeking? fixing?

he/ she/ it
were not/ weren’t sending? seeking? fixing?
you/ we/ they

E. Usage: past continuous is used to:

1. to describe the background in a story written in the past tense.

"The sun was shining and the birds were singing as the elephant came out of the jungle. The
other animals were relaxing in the shade of the trees, but the elephant moved very quickly.
She was looking for her baby, and she didn't notice the hunter who was watching her through
his binoculars. When the shot rang out, she was running towards the river..."
9
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage

2. to describe an unfinished action that was interrupted by another event or

action.

- I was having a beautiful dream when the alarm clock rang.

3. to express a change of mind.

- I was going to spend the day at the beach but I've decided to get my homework done instead.

4. with 'wonder', to make a very polite request.

- I was wondering if you could baby-sit for me tonight.

5. An annoying and repeated action in the past, usually with 'always':

- He was always leaving the tap running.

6. For two actions which happened at the same time in the past:

- I was watching TV and he was reading.

Examples:

• They were waiting for the bus when the accident happened.
• Caroline was skiing when she broke her leg.
• When we arrived he was having a bath.
• When the fire started I was watching television.

Note: with verbs not normally used in the continuous form, the simple past is used.

4. Present Perfect Vs Simple Past

The Present Perfect:

A. Affirmative Form: To have in simple present-affirmative (Has or Have) + the past

participle. Example : to live

I/ you/ we/ they Have lived

10
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage
He/ She/ it Has lived

B. Negative Form: To have in simple present-negative (Has or Have) + the Past

Participle. Example : to play

I/ you/ we/ they Have not/ haven’t lived

He/ She/ it Has not/ hasn’t lived

C. Interrogative Form: To have in simple present-negative (Has or Have) + the Past

Participle. Example : to manage

Have I/ you/ we/ they managed?

Has he/ She/ it managed?

D. Usage: We use this tense for unfinished and finished actions:

Unfinished Actions
1. We use this tense when we want to talk about unfinished actions that started
in the past and continue to the present. Usually we use it to say 'how long' an
action or state has continued with 'since' and 'for'. Often, we use stative verbs
in this situation:

• I've known Karen since 1994.

• She's lived in London for three years.

2. 'Since' and 'For'

- We use 'since' with a fixed time in the past (2004, April 23rd, last year, two hours
ago). The fixed time can be another action, indicated with the past simple (since I was at
school, since I arrived):

• I've known Sam since 1992.

• I've liked chocolate since I was a child.
• She's been here since 2pm.

- We use 'for' with a period of time (2 hours, three years, six months):

• I've known Julie for ten years.

• I've been hungry for hours.
• She's had a cold for a week.

Finished Actions
3. Life experience
(we don't say when the experience happened, just sometime in the past)

11
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage

• I have been to Tokyo.

• She has lived in Germany.
• They have visited Paris three times.
• We have never seen that film.
• Have you ever read 'War and Peace'?
•

4. A finished action with a result in the present (focus on result)

• I've lost my keys (so I can't get into my house).

• She's hurt her leg (so she can't play tennis today).
• They've missed the bus (so they will be late).
• I've cooked dinner (so you should come and eat).

5. With an unfinished time word (this month, this week, today,…)

• I haven't seen her this month.

• She's drunk three cups of coffee today.
• This week they've been shopping four times.

Note: We can't use the present perfect with a finished time word:

- I've seen him yesterday.

'Been' and 'Gone'

In this tense, we use both 'been' and 'gone' as the past participle of 'go', but in slightly
different circumstances.
Been
We use 'been' (often when we talk about 'life experience') to mean that the person being
talked about has visited the place, and come back. Notice the preposition 'to':

• I've been to Paris (in my life, but now I'm in London, where I live).
• She has been to school today (but now she's back at home).
• They have never been to California.

Gone
We use 'gone' (often when we are talking about an action with a result in the present) to
mean that the person is at the place now:

• 'Where's John?' 'He's gone to the shops' (he's at the shops now).

12
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage

• Julie has gone to Mexico (now she's in Mexico).

• They've gone to Japan for three weeks (now they're in Japan).

5. Past Perfect Vs Simple Past

A. Past Perfect: Affirmative Form
Rule: to have in simple past- affirmative + past participle. Examples: to go, to watch
I, you, he, she, it, we, they had gone/ had watched

B. Negative Form: to have in simple past- negative + past participle. Examples: to

play, to see
I, you, he, she, it, we, they had not/ hadn’t/ ‘d not played/ seen

13
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage
Interrogative Form: to have in simple past- interrogative + past participle.
Examples: to do, to like
Had I, you, he, she, it, we, they liked?

C. Usage: We use the past perfect tense fairly often in English.

1: A completed action before something else in the past.

• When we arrived, the film had started. (= first the film started, then later we arrived)

2: To explain or give a reason for something in the past.

• I'd eaten dinner so I wasn't hungry.

• It had snowed in the night, so the bus didn't arrive.

3: Stative verbs only: something that started in the past and continued up to another
action in the past.

• When he graduated, he had been in London for six years.

(= he arrived in London six years before he graduated and lived there continuously
until he graduated, or even longer)

4: As part of the third conditional.

• If I had known you were ill, I would have visited you.

6. Future: Simple Present, Going to Future , and Present

Continous
1. Simple Future:
A. Affirmative Form

Rule: Will+ the first conjugation of the verb (verb without “to”) with all the pronouns.
Examples: to see, to dance, to pass

14
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage
I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they’ll/ will see/ dance/ pass

Notes:

1. You can use “Shall” instead of “will”, but only with “I and we”
- I shall play football.(Or, I will play ...)
- We shall play football. (Or, we will play ...)

2. 'll is the short form of will. You can say either:

- I will go, or
- I 'll go.

3. Won't is the short form of will not. You can say either:

- I will not go, or

- I won't go.

4. We don't use the simple future to say what somebody has already decided or arranged
to do in the future. We use instead either the present continuous or "going to + verb"
(Future plan) :

- Ann is traveling to New York next week. (NOT, "Ann will travel ")
- Are you going to watch television? (NOT "will you watch").

B. Negative Form: will not/ won’t + verb without “to”. Examples: to hide, to
succeed, to travel
I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they will not/ hide/ succeed/ travel
won’t

C. Interrogative Form: will/ shall + subject + verb without “to”? examples: to

drive, to manage, to call

Will I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they drive/ manage/ call?

D. The use of the simple future:

1. We use the simple future for instant decisions.

Example: "I've left the door open; I'll close it."

2. We use the simple future , when we predict a future situation:

Example: "She'll pass the exam. She's hardworking"

15
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage
3. We use the simple future with: "I (don't) think...", "I expect...", "I'm sure...", "I
wonder...", "probably".
Example: "It will probably rain tonight" , "I wonder what will happen?

4. We use the simple future in conditional sentences type one.

Example: "If I have enough time, I'll watch the film."

2. Going to Future:
A. Affirmative Form:
Rule: to go inpresent continous + infinitive
- He’s going to travell abroad.
- They are going to pass the exam
- You are going to do the homework
B. Negative Form: To go in present continous- negative + infinitive
- I am not going to send the email tonight.
- She is not going to understand our problem.
- You are not going to be allowed to enter.
C. Interrogative Form: To go in present continous- interrogative + infinitive
- Are you going to visit us tomorrow?
- Is Ahmed going to come with you?
- Are they going to fix the Tvs?
D. Usage: We use the going to-future:
1. planned actions in the future
- We are going to sing at the party.
- They are going to fly to South Africa.
2. You are certain that sth. is going to happen in the future.
- Look at that car! It is going to crash into the yellow one.

3. Present continuous for future arrangements

Usage : The present continuous is used to talk about arrangements for events at a time later
than now. There is a suggestion that more than one person is aware of the event, and that some
preparation has already happened. e.g.

• I'm meeting Jim at the airport = Jim and I have discussed this.
• I am leaving tomorrow. = I've already bought my train ticket.

16
Pr. Hama Cheikh/ Bellamach S3 Grammar NKTT University
Tenses: Form and Usage
• We're having a staff meeting next Monday = all members of staff have been told about
it.

Examples

• Is she seeing him tomorrow?

• He isn't working next week.
• They aren't leaving until the end of next year.
• We are staying with friends when we get to Boston.

Note:In the first example, "seeing" is used in a continuous form because it means "meeting".

BE CAREFUL! The simple present is used when a future event is part of a programme or
time-table.

Notice the difference between:

a. We're having a staff meeting next Monday = just that once

b. We have a staff meeting every Monday

17