PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT CONTINUOUS PAST SIMPLE PAST CONTINUOUS

Present Simple is used:

• for general truths:

The earth goes around the sun.

• for daily routines, habits and repeated actions:

Every morning I get up at 7 am.

• for permanent states:

My friend who lives in Spain is married.

• for scheduled actions (timetables of trains, buses, etc.):

The plain to Istanbul leaves at 9.00 pm.

• for giving instructions:

Cross the road and turn left at the nearest corner.

• in a negative question with why to make a suggestion:

Why don‘t we all go to the theatre tonight?

Time expressions used with Present Simple: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never, every day/week/month/year, etc., on Mondays/Tuesdays, etc., in the morning/afternoon/evening, at night/the weekend, etc., once a year/day, etc.

Spelling: 3rd person singular, affirmative

• Most verbs take –s in the third person singular.

I sit – he sits

• Verbs ending in -ss, -ch, -sh, -x, -o take –es.

I kiss – he kisses, I wish – he wishes, I go – he goes

• Verbs ending in a consonant + y drop –y and take – ies.

I fly – he flies

• Verbs ending in a vowel + y take –s.

I say – he says

Present Continuous is used for:

• actions happening now, at the moment of speaking:

Sarah is talking on the phone with her father at the moment.

• temporary actions, i.e. actions happening around the time of speaking:

The Smiths are looking for a babysitter at the moment, you should give them a call.

• describing things which are changing:

The prices are increasing.

• indicating that the speaker finds another person‘s habit or repeated action annoying (only in the affirmative sentences (time expressions used in this case are always, forever or continually)):

You are always complaining about your life.

• describing an event in the future which has already been arranged by the time of speaking:

I am finally meeting John after work tomorrow; do you want to join us?

Time expressions used with Present Continuous: now, at the moment, these days, today, this week/month/year, etc., at present, nowadays, still, etc.

Past Simple is used:

• to describe single completed actions in the past:

Yesterday I saw Anne.

• for repeated actions in the past:

I often watched cartoons with my sister when we were kids.

• for actions which happened immediately one after the other in the past:

First, he opened the window. Then, he looked down the street and saw a strange man.

Time expressions used with Past Simple: yesterday, last night/week/year/Monday, etc., a month/two years, etc., ago, in 1944, etc.

Spelling:

• We add –d to verbs ending in –e.

I live – I lived

• Verbs ending in a consonant + y drop the –y and add –ied.

I try – I tried

• Verbs ending in one stressed vowel between two consonants double the last consonant and add –ed.

I stop – I stopped

Past Continuous is used:

• for an action which was in progress at a stated time in the past, i.e. the action began before the stated time and continued after it:

We were spending time with our friends in their house when somebody stole our car.

• for a past action which was in progress when another action interrupted it:

Tim was sleeping in the living room when Sarah came home.

• for two or more actions which were happening at the same time in the past (simultaneous actions):

I was doing my homework while my sister was watching TV.

• to give background information in a story and to set the scene:

The snow was falling heavily as Mary was walking in the park.

Time expressions used with Past Continuous: when, while, as, all day/night/morning, etc.