Uses 1
What tense do we use to talk about habits and routines?
Simple Present
What tense do we use to talk about temporary actions going on around now?
Present Continuous
What modal verbs do we used to talk about the future when we are not certain?
might, may, could
Identify the verb tense and explain the reason why it was used:
She's been crying all night long.
Present perfect continuous.
We use it to talk about a finished activity in the recent past (crying), which lasted for some time in the past and has results in the present (swollen eyes from crying).
They _____ (WATCH) a film in the cinema so they_______ (NOT REALISE) it ______(SNOW) outside.
They WERE WATCHING a film in the cinema so they DIDN'T REALISE it WAS SNOWING outside.
What tense do we use to describe the setting of a story?
Past Continuous
What future form is used to make predictions based on evidence?
Be going to
In which verb tense do we typically use the time markers "still" and "yet"?
Perfect tenses
Identify the verb tense and explain the reason why it was used:
"She's not having meat these days as it is Easter week".
Present Continuous
We use it to talk about a temporary activity. Shewill probably eat meat again after Easter.
He _______(NOT BREAK) his arm while he _______ (PLAY) rugby. He _____ (FALL) down the stairs.
He DIDN'T BREAK his arm while he WAS PLAYING rugby. He FELL down the stairs.
What tense do we use to talk about future predictions or decisions made at the moment of speaking?
Furure Simple (will)
What tense emphasizes the duration of an action that started in the past and continued up to another point in the past?
Past Perfect Continuous
What conditional do we use to to imagine present or future situations that are impossible or unlikely in reality?
Second Conditional
Compare these sentences (verb tense and meaning):
A. "I haven’t seen her for over 20 years."
B."I didn’t see her for over 20 years and then I bumped into her last week".
A: Present Perfect: The last time I saw her was over 20 years ago. The action continues in the present.
B. Simple Past: I saw her last week but the last time I saw her before last week was over 20 years ago.
A: What __________(HELEN, DO) for the last two hours?
B: She_________ (PREPARE) for next week’s meeting; she ________(DUST) the furniture now.
A: What HAS HELEN BEEN DOING for the last two hours?
B: She HAS BEEN PREPARING for next week’s meeting; she IS DUSTING the furniture now.
What tense do we use to talk about experiences in our lives without mentioning a specific time?
Present Perfect
What do we use the Past Perfect for?
We use it to talk about past action which happened before another past action.
What forms do we use to talk about discontinued past habits or repetead actions in the past?
Used to+ verb inf
Would + action verb
Compare these sentences (verb tense and meaning):
A. She lives with her parents.
B. She’s living with her parents.
A. We use the present simple to talk about permanent facts and general truths. In this example we don’t expect the situation to change.
B. We use the present continuous to talk about something temporary. In this example we do expect the situation to change.
These workers are never satisfied . They________ (ALWAYS COMPLAIN)
These workers are never satisfied . They ARE ALWAYS COMPLAINING.
What tense do we use to emphasize the duration of an action that started in the past and continues into the present?
Present Perfect Continuos
What tense do we use to talk about future arrangements?
Present Continuous
What's the structure of the passive voice?
object + verb to be+ past participle (by agent)
Identify the verb tense and explain the reason why it was used:
"He's always interrupting me when I'm talking. It's so annoying!"
Present continuous:
We use it with words like always, constantly, continually and forever (adverbs of indefinite frequency) to describe events which are regular but not planned, and often not wanted/desired.
A: __________ (YOU, NOT MEET) Mr Temple yesterday?
B: Why _______(YOU THINK) I ______(MEET) him?
A: I _______ (SEE) him last Friday, but I ________ (NOT SEE) him since then.
A: DIDN'T YOU MEET Mr Temple yesterday?
B: Why DO YOU THINK I MET him?
A: I SAW him last Friday, but I HAVEN'T SEEN him since then.