One use of the present continuous tense is for action that is

occurring at the moment of speaking. Remember that only

action verbs can take the continuous form.

This tense is often used with the following time expressions:

... at the moment

... now
... today
The ... this morning / afternoon / evening
present simple is used to express daily routines and habits.
Adverbs of frequency such as 'usually', 'sometimes', 'rarely', Basic Construction
etc. are often used with the present simple.
Positive
This tense is often used with the following time expressions:
Subject + be + verb + ing + object(s) + time Expression
always, usually, sometimes, etc.
... every day She's watching TV at the moment.
... on Sundays, Tuesdays, etc.
Negative
Basic Construction
Subject + be + not (isn't, aren't) + verb + ing + object(s) +
Positive time Expression

Subject + Present Tense + object(s) + time Expression They aren't having fun this morning.

Frank usually takes a bus to work. Question

Negative (Question Word) + be + subject + verb + ing + object(s) +

time Expression
Subject + do / does + not (don't / doesn't) + verb + object(s)
+ time Expression What are you doing?

They don't often go to Chicago.

Question

(Question Word) + do / does + subject + verb + object(s) +

time Expression

How often do you play golf?

Use the present continuous to describe projects and actions

that are happening around the present moment in time.
Remember that these projects have begun in the recent past
and will end in the near future. This usage is especially
popular for talking about current projects at work or for
specific hobbies.

This tense is often used with the following time expressions:

... at the moment

... now
... this week / month
Basic Construction Negative

Positive Subject + be + not (isn't, aren't) + verb + ing + object(s) +

time Expression
Subject + be + verb + ing + object(s) + time Expression
Shelley isn't attending the meeting tomorrow.
We're working on the Smith account this month.
Question
Negative
(Question Word) + be + subject + verb + ing + object(s) +
Subject + be + not (isn't, aren't) + verb + ing + object(s) + time Expression
time Expression
When are you discussing the situation with Tom?
He isn't studying French this semester.

Question

(Question Word) + be + subject + verb + ing + object(s) +

time Expression

Which account are you working on this week?

The past simple is used to express something that happened a

past point in time. Remember to always use a past time
expression, or a clear contextual clue when using the past
simple. If you do not indicate when something happened, use
the present perfect for unspecified past.

This tense is often used with the following time expressions:

One use of the present continuous tense is for scheduled future ... ago
events. This usage is especially useful when talking about ... in + year / month
appointments and meetings for work. ...yesterday
...last week / month / year
This tense is often used with the following time expressions: ... when ....

... tomorrow Basic Construction

... on Friday, Monday, etc.
... today Positive
... this morning / afternoon / evening
... next week / month
Subject + Past Tense + object(s) + time Expression
... in December, March, etc.
I went to the doctor's yesterday.
Basic Construction
Negative
Positive
Subject + did + not (didn't) + verb + object(s) + time
Subject + be + verb + ing + object(s) + time Expression
Expression

I'm meeting our CEO at three o'clock this afternoon.

They didn't join us for dinner last week.
Question

(Question Word) + did + subject + verb + object(s) + time

Expression

When did you buy that pullover?

Use the past continuous to express what was happening when

something important happened. This form is almost always
used with the time clause '... when xyz happened'. It is also
possible to use this form with '... while something was
happening' to express two past actions that were occurring
simultaneously.

The past continuous tense is used to describe what This tense is often used with the following time expressions:
was happening at a specific moment in time in the past. Do not
use this form when referring to longer periods of time in the ... when xyz happened
past such as 'last March', 'two years ago', etc. Use the past ... while xyz was happening.
continuous with times of the day in the past.
Basic Construction
This tense is often used with the following time expressions:
Positive
... at 5.20, three o'clock, etc.
Subject + was / were + verb + ing + object(s) + time
Basic Construction Expression

Positive Sharon was watching TV when she received the telephone

call.
Subject + was / were + verb + ing + object(s) + time
Expression Negative

We were meeting with Jane at two o'clock yesterday Subject + was / were + not (wasn't, weren't) + verb + ing +
afternoon. object(s) + time Expression

Negative We weren't doing anything important when you arrived.

Subject + was / were + not (wasn't, weren't) + verb + ing + Question

object(s) + time Expression
(Question Word) + was / were + subject + verb + ing +
They weren't playing tennis at five o'clock on Saturday. object(s) + time Expression

Question What were you doing when Tom gave you the bad news?

(Question Word) + was / were + subject + verb + ing +

object(s) + time Expression

What were you doing at two-thirty yesterday afternoon?

The future with 'going to' is used to express future plans or
scheduled events. It is often used instead of the present
continuous for future scheduled work events. Either form can
be used for this purpose.
This tense is often used with the following time expressions:
... next week / month
... tomorrow
... on Monday, Tuesday, etc.
The future with 'will' is used to make future
predictions and promises. Often the precise moment the action
will occur is unknown or not defined.
This tense is often used with the following time expressions:
... soon
... next month / year / week

Basic Construction Basic Construction

Positive Positive

Subject + be + going to + verb + object(s) + time Expression Subject + will + verb + object(s) + time Expression

Tom is going to fly to Los Angeles next on Tuesday. The government will increase taxes soon.

Negative Negative

Subject + be not (isn't, aren't) + going to + verb + object(s) + Subject + will not (won't) + verb + object(s) + time
time Expression Expression

They aren't going to attend the conference next month. She won't help us much with the project.

Question Question

(Question Word) + be + subject + going to + verb + object(s) (Question Word) + will + subject + verb + object(s) + time
+ time Expression Expression

When are you going to meet Jack? Why will they reduce taxes?
The future with 'going to' is used for future intent. Remember
that you can express a future intent without expressing the
exact future time that something will occur. This use of the
future with 'going to' can be used to discuss future study plans,
Use the present perfect to express a state or repeated action
career plans, and more.
that began in the past and continues into the moment of
speaking. The present perfect or the present perfect continuous
This tense is often used with the following time expressions: can often be interchanged. The main difference between these
two forms is that the present perfect continuous is generally
... next week / month used to express the length of the current activity up to the
... tomorrow present moment in time.
... on Monday, Tuesday, etc.
This tense is often used with the following time expressions:
Basic Construction
... for + amount of time
Positive ... since + specific point in time

Subject + be + going to + verb + object(s) + time Expression Basic Construction

Anna is going to study medicine at university. Positive

Negative Subject + have / has + past participle + object(s) + time

Expression
Subject + be not (isn't, aren't) + going to + verb + object(s) +
time Expression I have lived in Portland for four years.

They aren't going to develop any new projects for the next few Negative
years.
Subject + have / has not (haven't, hasn't) + past participle +
Question object(s) + time Expression

(Question Word) + be + subject + going to + verb + object(s) Max hasn't played tennis since 1999.
+ time Expression
Question
Why are you going to change your job?
(Question Word) + have / has + subject + past participle +
object(s) + time Expression

Where have you worked since 2002?

The present perfect is often used to express recent events that
affect the present moment. These sentences generally use the
time expressions 'just', 'yet', 'already', or 'recently' to express
this connection. Remember that if you give a specific time in
the past, the past simple is required.
The present perfect is often used to express events
that occurred in the past at an unspecified moment. This form
is often used to express cumulative life experiences up to the
present moment. Remember that if you use a specific past time
expression, choose the past simple.

This tense is often used with the following time expressions: This tense is often used with the following time expressions:

just twice, three times, four times, etc.

yet ever
already never
recently
Basic Construction
Basic Construction
Positive
Positive
Subject + have / has + past participle + object(s)
Subject + have / has + just / recently + past participle +
object(s)
Peter has visited Europe three times in his life.

Henry has just gone to the bank.

Negative
Negative
Subject + have / has not (haven't, hasn't) + past participle +
object(s) + time Expression
Subject + have / has not (haven't, hasn't) + past participle +
object(s) + time Expression
I haven't played golf many times.

Peter hasn't finished his homework yet.

Question
Question
(Question Word) + have / has + subject + (ever) + past
participle + object(s)
(Question Word) + have / has + subject + past participle +
object(s) + time Expression
Have you ever been to France?

Have you spoken to Andy yet?


The present perfect continuous is used to express how long a
current activity has been going on. It is often used in context
to provide a reason for a present result. Remember that
continuous forms can only be used with action verbs.
This tense is often used with the following time expressions:
...since + specific point in time
... for + amount of time
Use the future perfect tense to express what will happened by
a certain time in the future. The future perfect tense is often
used to express achievements or work done by a future point
in time.
This tense is often used with the following time expressions:
... by Monday, Tuesday, etc.
... by the time ...
... by five o'clock, two-thirty, etc.

Basic Construction Basic Construction

Positive Positive

Subject + has / have + been + verb + ing + object(s) + time Subject + will + have + past participle + object(s) + time
Expression Expression

He's been cleaning house for two hours. They will have finished the report by tomorrow afternoon.

Negative Negative

Subject + has / have not (hasn't / haven't) + been + verb + ing Subject + will not (won't) + have + past participle + object(s)
+ object(s) + time Expression + time Expression

Janice hasn't been studying for too long.
Question
(Question Word) + has / have + subject + been + verb + ing
+ object(s) + (time Expression)
How long have you been working in the garden?
Mary won't have answered all the questions by the end of this
hour.
Question
(Question Word) + will + subject + have + past participle +
object(s) + time Expression
What will you have done by the end of this month?
The future perfect continuous is used to express the duration
of an action up to a future point in time. This tense is not
commonly used in English. The past perfect continuous is used to describe how long an
activity had been going on before something else happened. It
This tense is often used with the following time expressions: is often used to provide context, or a reason for a specific
action.
... by / ... by the time ...
This tense is often used with the following time expressions:
Basic Construction
... for X hours, days, months, etc
Positive ... since Monday, Tuesday, etc.

Subject + will + have + been + verb + ing + object(s) + time Basic Construction
Expression
Positive
We will have been studying for two hours by the time he
arrives. Subject + had + been + verb + ing + object(s) + time
Expression
Negative
She had been waiting for two hours when he finally arrived.
Subject + will not (won't) + have + been + verb + ing +
object(s) + time Expression Negative

He won't have been working long by two o'clock. Subject + had not (hadn't) + been + verb + ing + object(s) +
time Expression
Question
They hadn't been working long when the boss asked them to
(Question Word) + will + subject + have + been + verb + ing change their focus.
+ object(s) + time Expression
Question
How long will you have been working on that project by the
time he arrives? (Question Word) + had + subject + been + verb + ing +
object(s) + time Expression

How long had Tom been working on that project when they
decided to give it to Pete?
 Basic Construction

Positive

Subject + had + past participle + object(s) + time Expression

She had already eaten by the time the children came home.

Negative

Subject + had not (hadn't) + past participle + object(s) + time

Expression

They hadn't finished their homework before the teacher asked

them to hand it in.
The past perfect is used to express something that happened
before another point in time. It is often used to provide Question
context, or an explanation for a specific action or result.
(Question Word) + had + subject + past participle + object(s)
This tense is often used with the following time expressions: + time Expression

... before Where had you gone before the class began
already
once, twice, three times, etc.
... by the time

The future continuous is used to talk about an activity that will be in progress at a specific point in time in the future. For example,
We'll be having lunch on the beach this time next week.

This tense is often used with the following time expressions:

...this time tomorrow / next week, month, year

...tomorrow / Monday, Tuesday, etc. / at X o'clock
... in two, three, four, etc. / weeks, months, years time

Basic Construction

Positive

Subject + will + be + verb + ing + object(s) + time Expression

Peter will be doing his homework this time tomorrow.

Negative
Subject + will not (won't) + be + verb + ing + object(s) + time Expression

Sharon won't be working in New York in three weeks time.

Question

(Question Word) + will + subject + be + verb + ing + object(s) + time Expression

What will you be doing this time next year?