PRESENT SIMPLE & CONTINUOUS
The PRESENT SIMPLE is used to talk about actions happening at the present moment. True or false?
FALSE. It's used to talk about:
- habitual actions & facts which are always true.
It can also be used to talk about the future.
How do we form the PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE tense? Provide an example
HAVE / HAS + past participle
I have decided to leave tomorrow.
Have you bought the books yet?
The PAST SIMPLE is used to describe definite events in the past. It can't be used to describe habitual actions in the past. True or false?
FALSE. Look at the following example:
When I was a child, we went to the beach every summer.
How do we form the PAST PERFECT tense? Provide an example.
HAD + past participle
HAD can be contracted to 'd
The negative form is: HADN'T + past participle
What meanings does the SIMPLE FUTURE (will) express? Provide examples.
- Predictions (with no evidence):
United will definitely win tonight.
- Decisions at the moment of speaking:
(At a restaurant) I'll have the chicken, please.
To ask questions in the PRESENT SIMPLE, we always need an auxiliary (do / does). True or false?
FALSE. We can have 'subject-questions' which do not require an auxiliary.
CF: Who loves Martin? // Who does Martin love?
Mention 3 common uses of the PRESENT PERFECT simple. Provide examples.
1- To explain a present situation:
A: Why are you walking like that? B:I've hurt my foot.
2- Experiences: Have you visited any other countries?
3- Completion: I've read a hundred pages of this book.What TIME EXPRESSIONS do we associate with the PAST SIMPLE and the PAST CONTINUOUS?
PS: (two hours) AGO, IN (September / 2020), LAST (week), AT (6 pm).
PC: WHILE, AS, (WHEN).
When do we use the PAST PERFECT tense? Provide an example.
When we need to make clear that one event in the past happened BEFORE another event in the past:
Sue left at 7.00. We arrived at her house at 8.30. When we arrived at Sue's house, she had left.
What meanings does BE GOING TO express? Provide examples.
1- Plans or intentions:
I'm going to do lots of work this evening.
2- Predictions based on evidence:
Look out! Those books are going to fall on your head!
Some verbs are usually used in the PRESENT SIMPLE and not the PRESENT CONTINUOUS. True or false?
TRUE. These are sometimes called STATE VERBS, because they describe continuing states, not sudden actions.
belong to, own, cost, believe, forget, understand, etc.
Give examples of sentences with the PRESENT PERFECT and the following expressions:
ever, never, just, already, yet, for, since.
Have you EVER eaten Japanese food?
I've NEVER been to the US.
Have you done your homework YET?
We've ALREADY read that novel.
They have been here SINCE 8 am / FOR 6 hours.
What uses of the PAST CONTINUOUS can you mention?
- To describe a continuous situation, often contrasted with a sudden event.
- To describe a number of continuous situations, as background description.
- To describe two continuous situations happening at the same time.
We must use the PAST PERFECT SIMPLE when we speak of an event that happened a long time ago. True or false?
FALSE. Look at this example:
The Chinese built the Great Wall over two thousand years ago.
When can we use SHALL? Provide examples.
SHALL is used (in formal situations) with I and we, often to make an offer or suggestion:
Shall I open the door for you?
Shall we play tennis?
Frequency adverbs are often used with the PRESENT SIMPLE. Mention 6 common frequency adverbs.
always - often - usually - sometimes - hardly ever - never
Compare these sentences:
1- I've written five emails.
2- I've been writing emails.
What differences in form and meaning can you notice?
1- Present Perfect Simple. It emphasizes that the action is finished (the number stresses that the action is completed).
2- Present Perfect Continuous. It suggests that the action may not be finished and may still be going on.
What are the spelling rules for the following in the past:
- verbs ending in consonant + y
- verbs ending in one vowel + one consonant
Verbs ending in consonant + y: change -y to -ie:
try / tried - cry / cried
Verbs ending in one vowel + one consonant: double the final consonant:
regret / regretted - fit / fitted
Correct the mistakes in these sentences:
1- When we had ate lunch, we were sitting in the garden.
2- While I looked for my keys, I remembered I left them at home.
1- When we had EATEN lunch, we SAT in the garden.
2- While I WAS LOOKING for my keys, I remembered I HAD left them at home.
How can present tenses be used to express future meanings? Provide examples.
1- Present Continuous for future arrangements:
Are you doing anything on Friday evening? We're having a party and would like you to come.
2- Present Simple with timetables:
Jim's plane leaves at 12.00.
What is the position of frequency adverbs in a sentence? What exception do you know to this rule?
The frequency adverb goes between the pronoun (I, you, she, etc.) or person and the verb:
I always get up at 7 am.
Exception: they come AFTER the verb TO BE:
Jim is usually late.
Explain the difference between these pairs:
1- I was married for 10 years. / I've been married for 10 years.
2- Mary has been to China. / Mary has gone to China.
1- I'm no longer married. / I'm still married.
2- Mary has visited China but is NOT there at the moment. / Mary is not HERE at the moment because she's visiting China.
Complete these sentences with the correct tense:
1- We (have) lunch when Ruth (phone).
2- While I (wait) for the bus, I (see) an accident.
3- While mum (cook), I (do) my homework.
1- were having / phoned
2- was waiting / saw
3- was cooking / was doing
The PAST PERFECT is used in one type of conditional sentence. Which one? Provide an example.
Conditional type 3
If I HAD KNOWN about the test, I would have studied.
Future time clauses: what tense is used after time words such as when, until, as soon as, before? Provide examples.
PRESENT SIMPLE
When I see her again, I'll tell her your news.
Please wait here until Mrs Hall comes back.
As soon as we finish, we'll phone you.