Present Continuous *+,%
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USED WHEN
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EXAMPLES
1.
Actions happening at the moment of speaking (now, at the moment)
Peter is reading a book now.
2.
Fixed plan in the near future
She is going to Basel on Saturday.
3.
Temporary actions
His father is working in Rome this month.
4.
Actions happening around the moment of speaking (longer
My friend is preparing for his exams
5.
Trends
More and more people are using their computers to listen to music.
6.
Repeated actions which are irritating to the speaker (with always, constantly, forever)
Andrew is always coming in late. (I don't like it)
7.
FORM EXAMPLES Short Form
Monday, May 31, 2010
AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
INTERROGATIVE
to be (AM/ARE/IS) + V1 (ING)
AM/ARE/IS + NOT + V1 (ING)
AM/ARE/IS + I/YOU/SHE + V1 (ING)
I AM SLEEPING
I AM NOT SLEEPING
AM I SLEEPING?
I’M SLEEPING
I’M NOT SLEEPING
Present Perfect
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USED WHEN
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-% EXAMPLES
1.
Result of an action in the past is important in the present (It is not important when this action happened. When we use a specific time in the past - e.g. yesterday - then we use the Simple Past.
I have cleaned my room. (It is clean now.)
2.
Recently completed actions
He has just played handball. (It is over now.)
3.
Actions beginning in the past and still continuing - mostly with since (point of time) or for (period of time)
We have lived in Canada since 1986. (We still live there.)
4.
He has not written the e-mail yet. (He has not done it.)
Together with lately, recently, yet
I have been to London recently. (no specific point of time)
FORM EXAMPLES Short Form
✦
AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
INTERROGATIVE
HAVE/HAS + PAST PARTICIPLE
HAVE/HAS + NOT + PAST PARTICIPLE
HAVE/HAS + YOU/SHE + PAST PARTICIPLE
I HAVE PLAYED FOOTBALL.
I HAVE NOT PLAYED FOOTBALL.
HAS SHE PLAYED FOOTBALL?
I’VE PLAYED FOOTBALL
I HAVEN’’T PLAYED FOOTBALL
DO NOT USE with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan,
at that moment, that day, one day, etc
✦
USE with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Present Perfect Continuous
USED WHEN
EXAMPLES
1.
Actions beginning in the past and still continuing (focus is on the action) - mostly with since (point of time) or for (period of time)
I have been waiting for you for three hours. (It was a long time.)
2.
Recently completed actions (focus is on the action)
He has just played handball. (It is over now.)
AFFIRMATIVE HAVE/HAS + BEEN + V1(ING)
FORM EXAMPLES Short Form
Monday, May 31, 2010
NEGATIVE HAVE/HAS + NOT + BEEN + V1(ING)
I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOOTBALL.
SHE HAS NOT BEEN PLAYING FOOTBALL.
I’VE BEEN PLAYING FOOTBALL
I HAVEN’’T BEEN PLAYING FOOTBALL
INTERROGATIVE HAVE/HAS + YOU/SHE + BEEN + V1 (ING) HAS SHE BEEN PLAYING FOOTBALL?
Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous ✦
Both tenses are used to express that an action began in the past and is still going on or has just finished. In many cases, both forms are correct, but there is often a difference in meaning: PRESENT PERFECT ✦ ✦
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS emphasize the duration or continuous course of an action signal words: how long, since, for
emphasize result or completed action Signal words: how often, ....times HAS/HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE
Result (what / how much / how often) I have written 5 letters. / I have been to London twice.
✦ ✦
Emphasis on completion I have done my homework. (Meaning: My homework is completed now.)
HAS/HAVE + BEEN + V1(ING) Duration (how long) I have been writing for an hour.
✦
✦
Emphasis on duration I have been doing my homework. (Meaning: That's how I have spent my time. It does not matter whether the homework is completed now.) Unwanted side effect Why are you so wet? - I have been washing the car. (side effect: I became wet when I was washing the car. It does not matter whether the car is clean now.) Since the beginning
✦
I haven't been playing that game for an hour, only for 10 minutes. (Meaning: It's not even an hour ago that I started to play that game.) Temporary
✦
✦ ✦
Desired result I have washed the car. (Result: The car is clean now.)
✦
Since the last time I haven't played that game for years. (Meaning:It's years ago that I last played that game.)
✦
Permanent James has lived in this town for 10 years. (Meaning: He is a permanent resident of this town.)
Monday, May 31, 2010
James has been living here for a year. (Meaning: This situation is only temporary. Maybe he is an exchange student and only here for one or two years.)
Past Continuous A1 starts X
Past
A2
Now A1 ends X
Now Future
Past
A1 starts X
A1 ends X
Now Future
USED WHEN
Past
A1 starts X
A1 ends X
Future
EXAMPLES
1.
Action in the past which was in progress (A1) when a new action (Simple Past) happened (A2).
While we were sitting at the breakfast table, the telephone rang.
2.
Action was in progress at special time in the past
Peter was reading a book yesterday evening.
3.
Two actions were happening at the same time (the actions do not influence each other)
Anne was writing a letter while Steve was reading the New York Times
4.
Repeated actions which are irritating to the speaker (with always, constantly, forever)
Andrew was always coming in late. (I don't like it.)
FORM EXAMPLES Short Form
Monday, May 31, 2010
AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
INTERROGATIVE
WAS/WERE + V1 (ING)
WAS/WERE + NOT + V1 (ING)
WAS/WERE + I/YOU/SHE + V1 (ING)
I WAS SLEEPING
I WAS NOT SLEEPING
WAS + I SLEEPING?
I WASN’T SLEEPING
Past Perfect A1 Past Perfect
Past
X
A2 Past Simple
Now
X
Future
USED WHEN 1.
2.
EXAMPLES
When two past actions are combined - the first action, which was completed before the second one began, is put into Past Perfect.
The past equivalent of the Present Perfect
AFFIRMATIVE
FORM
EXAMPLES Short Form
Monday, May 31, 2010
Mary had read the book before she watched a film. After Amy had gone home it started to rain. He had played hockey.
NEGATIVE
HAD + V3
HAD + NOT + V3
I HAD PLAYED HOCKEY.
I HAD NOT PLAYED HOCKEY
I’D PLAYED HOCKEY.
I HADN’T PLAYED
INTERROGATIVE HAD + I/YOU/SHE + V3
HAD YOU PLAYED HOCKEY?
USING PAST TENSE WORDS HAD + NEVER + V3 + BEFORE ex: John had never seen a cat before HAD + JUST + V3 ex: Pat had just arrived HAD + ALREADY + V3 ex: Sue had already eat today
Past Perfect PROGRESSIVE USED WHEN
EXAMPLES
Shows how long something had been happening before something else happened
I had been waiting for Susan for 2 hours when she arrived.
Shows that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the pas
They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived. She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business.
Cause and effect
FORM EXAMPLES Short Form
Monday, May 31, 2010
Jason was tired because he had been jogging.
INTERROGATIVE
AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
HAD + V3
HAD + NOT + V3
HAD + I/YOU/SHE + V3
I HAD PLAYED HOCKEY.
I HAD NOT PLAYED HOCKEY
HAD YOU PLAYED HOCKEY?
I’D PLAYED HOCKEY.
I HADN’T PLAYED
CONTINUOUS FORMS
✦
Express the duration of an event or activity at a particular time.
✦
It means that the action starts before, continues during, and after another time or action.
A1 starts X
Past
A2
Now A1 starts X
A2 A1 ends X
A1 starts X
A1 starts X
A1 starts X
Future
PAST CONTINUOUS WAS/WERE + V1(ING)
PRESENT CONTINUOUS AM/ARE/IS + V1(ING)
FUTURE CONTINUOUS WILL BE + V1(ING)
Tom was sleeping (A1) when his friend arrived (A2)
Tom is sleeping right now
Tom will be sleeping (A1) when we arrive (A2)
PERFECT CONTINUOUS FORMS
✦
Show that one event is happening, immediately before, up to, until another time or event.
✦
The continuous tense is used to express the duration of an event.
Now A1 X
Past
A2 X
2 hours
A1 X
2 hours
A1 X
A2 X
2 hours
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS HAD + BEEN + V1(ING)
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS HAVE/HAS + BEEN + V1(ING)
FUTURE CONTINUOUS WILL HAVE + BEEN + V1(ING)
Tom had been studying (A1) for 2 hours when his friend arrived (A2).
Tom has been studying for 2 hours.
Tom will have been studying (A1) for 2 hours by the time his friend arrives (A2).
Monday, May 31, 2010
Future
PERFECT FORMS
✦
Shows that one event happens before another time or event.
✦
Use to show that the action is completed or to emphasize the result
A1 X
Past
Now
A just ended X
A2 X
A1 X
A2 X
PAST PERFECT HAD + V3
PRESENT PERFECT HAVE/HAS + V3
FUTURE PERFECT WILL HAVE + V3
Tom had already eaten (A2) when his friend arrived (A1)
Tom has already eaten
Tom will already have eaten (A2) when his friend arrives (A1).
Future
PERFECT CONTINUOUS FORMS
✦
Show that one event is happening, immediately before, up to, until another time or event.
✦
The continuous tense is used to express the duration or continuous course of action.
Now A1 X
Past
A2 X
2 hours
A1 starts X 2 hours
A1 X
A2 X
2 hours
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS HAD + BEEN + V1(ING)
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS HAVE/HAS + BEEN + V1(ING)
FUTURE CONTINUOUS WILL HAVE + BEEN + V1(ING)
Tom had been studying (A1) for 2 hours when his friend arrived (A2).
Tom has been studying for 2 hours.
Tom will have been studying (A1) for 2 hours by the time his friend arrives (A2).
Monday, May 31, 2010
Future
PRESENT PERFECT
FORM
AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
INTERROGATIVE
HAVE/HAS + PAST PARTICIPLE
HAVE/HAS + NOT + PAST PARTICIPLE
HAVE/HAS + YOU/SHE + PAST PARTICIPLE
I HAVE PLAYED FOOTBALL.
I HAVE NOT PLAYED FOOTBALL.
HAS SHE PLAYED FOOTBALL?
I’VE PLAYED FOOTBALL
I HAVEN’’T PLAYED FOOTBALL
EXAMPLES Short Form
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
INTERROGATIVE
FORM
HAVE/HAS + BEEN + V1(ING)
HAVE/HAS + NOT + BEEN + V1(ING)
EXAMPLES
I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOOTBALL.
SHE HAS NOT BEEN PLAYING FOOTBALL.
I’VE BEEN PLAYING FOOTBALL
I HAVEN’’T BEEN PLAYING FOOTBALL
Short Form
HAVE/HAS + YOU/SHE + BEEN + V1(ING) HAS SHE BEEN PLAYING FOOTBALL?
PAST PERFECT AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
HAD + V3
HAD + NOT + V3
I HAD PLAYED HOCKEY.
I HAD NOT PLAYED HOCKEY
I’D PLAYED HOCKEY.
I HADN’T PLAYED
FORM EXAMPLES Short Form
INTERROGATIVE
USING PAST TENSE WORDS
HAD + I/YOU/SHE + V3
HAD + NEVER + V3 + BEFORE ex: John had never seen a cat before
HAD YOU PLAYED HOCKEY?
HAD + JUST + V3 ex: Pat had just arrived HAD + ALREADY + V3 ex: Sue had already eat today
PAST SIMPLE
FORM
AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
INTERROGATIVE
V3
DID NOT + V1
DID YOU + V1
Short form Examples Monday, May 31, 2010
DIDN’T + V1 I played football yesterday
I didn’t read that book yet
Did she go to the movies yesterday?
