Grammar & Usage

Verb Tense Review

Simple Present Vs. Present Progressive

Tense Simple Present Present Progressive

Pattern base verb (+ -s for third person singular) be + -ing verb

Use a repeated action a continuing present action

Diagram

• adverbs of frequency • now • nowadays

Time (always, usually, sometimes, never, etc.) • right now • these days
Markers • every • at the moment • currently
• once, twice, three times, etc. • at this time • presently

 I always eat breakfast.  I am eating breakfast now.

Examples  I don’t always eat breakfast.  I am not eating breakfast now.

 Do you always eat breakfast? Are you eating breakfast now?

 

Timeline Sentence Types

 positive (affirmative) sentence
 negative sentence
Past Present Future  question

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 Verb Tense Review
Grammar & Usage

Simple Past Vs. Past Progressive

Tense Simple Past Past Progressive

REGULAR VERBS: verb + -ed

Pattern IRREGULAR VERBS: various was / were + -ing verb
changes

a defined past action a long past action

two long past actions
Use (we know when the interrupted by a
occurring at the same time
action occurred) short past action

Diagram

• yesterday
• the day before yesterday
Time • when • when
• last
Markers • while • while
• ago
• when

 I was eating
 I ate breakfast  I was eating breakfast
breakfast while you
last week. when you called.
were studying.

 I wasn’t eating  I wasn’t eating

 I didn’t eat breakfast
Examples breakfast when breakfast while you
last week
you called. were studying.

 Were you eating  Were you eating

 Did you eat breakfast
breakfast when breakfast while I
last week?
I called? was studying?

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 Verb Tense Review
Grammar & Usage

Simple Future Vs. Future Progressive

Tense Simple Future Future Progressive

1. w ill + base verb

Pattern 2. be going to + base verb will + be + -ing verb
3. be + -ing verb

a long future action interrupted

Use a future action
by a short future action

Diagram

• tomorrow • next
Time
• the day after tomorrow • when • when
Markers
• from now

 I will eat breakfast tomorrow.

 I will be eating breakfast
 I am going to eat breakfast tomorrow.
when she calls.
 I am eating breakfast tomorrow.

 I will not eat breakfast tomorrow.

 I am not going to eat  I will not be eating breakfast
Examples breakfast tomorrow. when she calls.
 I am not eating breakfast tomorrow.

 Will you eat breakfast tomorrow?

Are you going to eat
   Will you be eating breakfast
breakfast tomorrow? when she calls?
Are you eating breakfast tomorrow?
 

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 Verb Tense Review
Grammar & Usage

Present Perfect Vs. Present Perfect Progressive

Present Perfect
Tense Present Perfect
Progressive

have / has + been

Pattern have / has + past participle
+ -ing verb

an action that starts in an action starts in the past,

an undefined past action
the past, continues to the continues to the present,
Use (we don’t know when the
present, and may continue and will continue into
action occurred)
to the future the future

Diagram

• for (none required, though • for

Time
• since ever, never, already, still, • since
Markers
• all and yet may be used) • all

 I have been eating

 I have studied English  I have already
breakfast for
for five years. eaten breakfast.
15 minutes.

Example  I have not studied  I have not eaten  I have not been eating
English for very long. breakfast yet. breakfast for very long.

 Have you studied  Have you eaten  Have you been eating
English for many years? breakfast yet? breakfast for a while?

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 Verb Tense Review
Grammar & Usage

Past Perfect Vs. Past Perfect Progressive

Tense Past Perfect Past Perfect Progressive

Pattern had + past participle had + been + -ing verb

the first past action finished the first past action continued
Use
before the second past action until the second past action

1 2 1 2
Diagram

• by the time
• by the time
Time • when
• when
Markers • before
• before
• after

 I had eaten breakfast  I had been eating breakfast

by the time he called. for 15 minutes by the time he called.

 I had not eaten breakfast  I had not been eating breakfast
Examples
yet when he called. for very long by the time he called.

 Had you already eaten  Had you been eating breakfast

breakfast before he called? for very long by the time he called?

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 Verb Tense Review
Grammar & Usage

Future Perfect Vs. Future Perfect Progressive

Tense Future Perfect Future Perfect Progressive

Pattern will + have + past participle will + have + been + -ing verb

the first future action will finish the first future action will continue
Use
before the second future action until the second future action

1 2 1 2
Diagram

• by the time • by the time

Time
• when • when
Markers
• before • before

 I will have eaten breakfast  I will have been eating breakfast

by the time she calls. for 15 minutes by the time she calls.

 I will not have eaten breakfast  I will not have been eating breakfast
Examples
by the time she calls. for very long by the time she calls.

 Will you have eaten breakfast  Will you have been eating breakfast
by the time she calls? for very long by the time she calls?

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