1)
PRESENT SIMPLE
a.
Repeated
Actions
Use
the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual. The
action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something
that often happens. It can also be something a person often forgets or usually
does not do.
b.
Facts or
Generalizations
The
Simple Present can also indicate the speaker believes that a fact was true
before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It is not important if the
speaker is correct about the fact. It is also used to make generalizations
about people or things.
c.
Scheduled
Events in the Near Future
Speakers
occasionally use Simple Present to talk about scheduled events in the near
future. This is most commonly done when talking about public transportation,
but it can be used with other scheduled events as well.
d.
Now
(Non-Continuous Verbs)
Speakers sometimes use the Simple Present to
express the idea that an action is happening or is not happening now. This can
only be done with Non-Continuous
Verbs and certain Mixed Verbs.
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The
examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
- Once
a week, Clara cleans the
house. (Active)
- Once
a week, the house is cleaned
by Clara. (Passive)
2) PRESENT CONTINUOUS
a.
Now
Use
the Present Continuous with Normal Verbs to express
the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be
used to show that something is not happening now.
b.
Longer
Actions in Progress Now
In English,
"now" can mean: this second, today, this month, this year, this
century, and so on. Sometimes, we use the Present Continuous to say that we are
in the process of doing a longer action which is in progress; however, we might
not be doing it at this exact second.
c.
Near
Future
Sometimes,
speakers use the Present Continuous to indicate that something will or will not
happen in the near future.
d.
Repetition
and Irritation with "Always"
The Present
Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly"
expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happens. Notice
that the meaning is like Simple
Present, but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words
"always" or "constantly" between "be" and
"verb+ing."
ADVERB
PLACEMENT
The
examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
- Right
now, Kim is writing romance
novel. (Active)
- Right
now, romance novel is being
written by Kim. (Passive)
3) PRESENT
PERFECT
a.
Unspecified Time
Before Now
We use the
Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before
now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect 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. We
CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never,
once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
How
Do You Actually Use the Present Perfect?
The
concept of "unspecified time" can be very confusing to English learners. It is best to associate Present Perfect with
the following topics:
a) Experience
You can use the Present Perfect to
describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience
of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have never had a
certain experience. The Present Perfect is NOT used to describe a specific
event.
b) Change
Over Time
We
often use the Present Perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period of time.
c) Accomplishments
We
often use the Present Perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and humanity. You cannot mention a
specific time.
d) An
Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting
We
often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has not happened. Using the Present Perfect
suggests that we are still waiting for the
action to happen.
e)
Multiple Actions at Different Times
We
also use the Present Perfect to talk about several different action which have occurred in the past at
different times. Present Perfect suggests the process
is not complete and more actions are possible.
b.
Duration From the
Past Until Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)
With Non-Continuous Verbs and
non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs,
we use the Present Perfect to show that something started in the past and has
continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two
weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used
with the Present Perfect.
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the
placement for grammar adverbs such as: always,
only,
never, ever, still, just, etc.
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
- Many tourists have visited
that castle.(Active)
- That castle has been visited
by many tourists. (Passive)
4) PAST SIMPLE
a.
Completed
Action in the Past
Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action
started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may
not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in
mind.
b.
A Series
of Completed Actions
We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions
in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
c.
Duration
in Past
The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and
stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions
such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.
d.
Habits in
the Past
The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which
stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it
clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as:
always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.
e.
Past Facts or Generalizations
The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or
generalizations which are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this use of the
Simple Past is quite similar to the expression "used to."
ADVERB
PLACEMENT
The examples below show the
placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only,
never, ever, still, just, etc.
ACTIVE
/ PASSIVE
Examples:
- Brian
repaired the car. (Active)
- The
car was repaired by Brian. (Passive)
5) PAST
CONTINUOUS
a.
Interrupted
Action in the Past
Use the Past Continuous to indicate
that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a
shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or
just an interruption in time.
b.
Specific Time as
an Interruption
In "Interrupted Action in the Past",
described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the
Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.
c.
Parallel Actions
When you use the Past Continuous
with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions
were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.
d.
Atmosphere
In English, we
often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere at a
particular time in the past.
e.
Repetition and
Irritation with "Always"
The Past
Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly"
expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the
past. The concept is very similar to the expression "used to" but with
negative emotion. Remember to put the words "always" or
"constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing."
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The
examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
- The salesman was helping
the customer when the thief came into the store. (Active)
- The customer was being helped
by the salesman when the thief came into the store. (Passive)
6) PAST
PERFECT
a.
Completed Action
Before Something in the Past
The Past Perfect expresses the idea
that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show
that something happened before a specific time in the past.
b.
Duration Before
Something in the Past (Non-Continuous Verbs)
With Non-Continuous Verbs and
some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the
Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until
another action in the past.
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The
examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just,
etc.
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
- George had repaired
many cars before he received his mechanic's license. (Active)
- Many cars had been repaired
by George before he received his mechanic's license. (Passive)
