1.
Present Simple
Use the present simple for things that are generally true or habitually
happen
Adverbs of frequency: Always, usually , often,sometimes, hardly ever,
never, every day…
I work Do I work? I don't work
You work Do you work? You don't work
He,She,It works Does he,she,it, work? He,She,It doesn't work
We work Do we work? We don't work
They work Do they work? They don't work
[Link] Continuous
Use the present continuous for things happening now, at this moment
or in the near future
Present continuous signal words:
Now, at the moment, this week, for the time being, “Look!” and “Listen!”
I am working Am I working? I am not working
You are working Are you working? You aren't working
He,She,It is working Is he,she,it working? He ,she,it isn't working
We are working Are we working? We aren't working
They are working Are they working? They aren't working
[Link] Perfect
Use the present perfect to talk about past experiences when you don't
say exactly when they happened
Signal words:
For, since, recently., up to now, so far, ever, already, never, yet ,
just
I have worked in a Have I worked in a I haven't worked in
bank. bank? a bank.
You have worked in Have you worked You haven't worked
a bank. in a bank? in a bank.
He,She,It has Has he,she,it He,She,It hasn't
worked in a bank. worked in a bank? worked in a bank.
We have worked in Have We worked in We haven't worked
a bank. a bank? in a bank.
They have worked Have They worked They haven't
in a bank. in a bank? worked in a bank.
4. Present Perfect Continuous
The present perfect continuous describes an action or situation that
started in the past (usually in the recent past) and continues in the
present or have just stopped
Signal words:
All day, the whole day, since, for, questions with how long
I have been working here Have I been working I haven't been working
since April. here since April? here since April.
You have been working Have you been working You haven't been
here since April. here since April? working here since April.
He,she,it has been Has he,she,it been He,she,it hasn't been
working here since April. working here since April? working here since April.
We have been working Have we been working We haven't been
here since April. here since April? working here since April.
They have been working Have they been working They haven't been
here since April. here since April? working here since April.
[Link] Simple
Finished actions in the past
Signal words:
Yesterday, in 2009, when, a week ago, a month ago, … last night,
last week, …
I worked yesterday Did I work yesterday? I didn't work
You worked yesterday Did you work yesterday? yesterday
He worked yesterday Did he,she,it work yesterday? You didn't work
We worked yesterday Did we work yesterday? yesterday
They worked yesterday Did they work yesterday? He,she,it didn't
work yesterday
We didn't work
yesterday
They didn't work
yesterday
[Link] Continuous
Actions that were in a progress at a past time
Signal words:
when and while, specific times and dates in the past can also be
used
I was working when Was I working when I wasn't working
he came in he came in? when he came in
You were working Were you working You weren't working
when he came in when he came in? when he came in
He,she,it was Was he,she,it He,she,it wasn't
working when he working when he working when he
came in came in? came in
We were working Were we working We weren't working
when he came in when he came in? when he came in
They were working Were they working They weren't
when he came in when he came in? working when he
came in
[Link] Perfect
The past perfect shows the earlier action and the past simple shows the
later action. The past perfect emphasizes the completion of an activity.
Signal words:
already, just, never, not yet , once, until that day
I had worked before my Had I worked before my I hadn't worked before my
friend arrived friend arrived? friend arrived
You had worked before Had you worked before You hadn't worked before
my friend arrived my friend arrived? my friend arrived
He,She,It had worked Had he,she,it worked He,She,It hadn't worked
before my friend arrived before my friend arrived? before my friend arrived
We had worked before my Had we worked before my We hadn't worked before
friend arrived friend arrived? my friend arrived
They had worked before Had they worked before They hadn't worked
my friend arrived my friend arrived? before my friend arrived
8. Past Perfect Continuous
We use the past perfect continuous to refer to an ongoing action that
ended before another action/event in the past. The past perfect
continuous emphasizes the continuation of an activity.
Signal words:
all day, for, since, the whole day / week / month / year.
I had been working for Had I been working for I hadn't been working for
about two hours before about two hours before about two hours before
my friend arrived. my friend arrived? my friend arrived.
You had been working for Had you been working for You hadn't been working
about two hours before about two hours before for about two hours before
my friend arrived. my friend arrived? my friend arrived.
He,she,it had been Had he,she,it been He,she,it hadn't been
working for about two working for about two working for about two
hours before my friend hours before my friend hours before my friend
arrived. arrived? arrived.
We had been working for Had we been working for We hadn't been working
about two hours before about two hours before for about two hours before
my friend arrived. my friend arrived? my friend arrived.
They had been working Had they been working They hadn't been working
for about two hours before for about two hours before for about two hours before
my friend arrived. my friend arrived? my friend arrived.
9. Future Simple
Use the simple future to talk about an action or condition that will
begin and end in the future
Signal words:
Tomorrow, next month…, this month…
I will work Will I work? I won’t work
You will work Will you work? You won’t work
He,she,it will work Will he,she,it work? He,she,it won’t work
We will work Will we work? We won’t work
They will work Will they work? They won’t work
[Link] Continuous
Future continuous is used to say that an action will be in progress
at a specific time in the future
Signal words:
This time … (this time tomorrow, this time next week, etc.), At + time … (at
7 tomorrow, at midday next Monday, etc.), In … (in 2 weeks, in 3 months,
in 5 years, etc)
I will be working,don't Will I be working between I won’t be working, phone
phone between 7.00 and 7.00 and 8.00 ? between 7.00 and 8.00
8.00 Will you be working You won't be working,
You will be working,don't between 7.00 and 8.00? phone between 7.00 and
phone between 7.00 and Will He,she,it be working 8.00
8.00 between 7.00 and 8.00? He,she,it won't be working,
He,she,it will be Will we be working phone between 7.00 and
working,don't phone between 7.00 and 8.00? 8.00
between 7.00 and 8.00 We won't be working,
Will they be working
We will be working,don't between 7.00 and 8.00? phone between 7.00 and
phone between 7.00 and 8.00
8.00 They won’t be working,
They will be working,don't phone between 7.00 and
phone between 7.00 and 8.00
8.00
[Link] Perfect
Use the future perfect to say something will be finished before a certain
time in the future
Signal words:
until, before by the end of the day, by the end of the week…
I will have worked tomorrow, Will I have worked until the I won’t have worked
so I will go on holiday the day day after tomorrow? tomorrow, so I won’t go on
after tomorrow. Will you have worked until holiday the day after
You will have worked the day after tomorrow? tomorrow.
tomorrow, so you will go on Will He,she,it have worked You won’t have worked
holiday the day after until the day after tomorrow, so you won’t go
tomorrow. tomorrow? on holiday the day after
He,she,it will have worked Will we have worked until tomorrow.
tomorrow, so He,she,it will the day after tomorrow? He,she,it won’t have worked
go on holiday the day after Will they have worked until tomorrow, so He,she,it won’t
tomorrow. the day after tomorrow? go on holiday the day after
We will have worked tomorrow.
tomorrow, so we will go on We won’t have worked
holiday the day after tomorrow, so we won’t go on
tomorrow. holiday the day after
They will have worked tomorrow.
tomorrow, so they will go on They won’t have worked
holiday the day after tomorrow, so they won’t go
tomorrow. on holiday the day after
tomorrow.
[Link] Perfect Continuous
We use the future perfect continuous to show that something will
continue up until a particular event or time in the future
Signal words:
For,since
I will have been working Will I have been working I won’t have been working
before you come home. before you come home? before you come home.
You will have been working Will you have been working You won’t have been working
before I come home. before I come home? before I come home.
He,she,it will have been Will He,she,it have been He,she,it won’t have been
working before you come working before you come working before you come
home. home? home.
We will have been working Will we have been working We won’t have been
before you come home. before you come home? working before you come
They will have been working Will they have been working home.
before you come home. before you come home? They won’t have been
working before you come
home.