Revision of
Tenses
Simple Present
Present Continuous
Simple Past
Past Continuous
Present Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect
Simple Future
Be going to
1
SIMPLE PRESENT
FORM: go / goes

They go to school on foot.

Do they go to school by bus?

They don’t go to school by car.
USE
1.
for sth that happens every day.
2.
for permanent situations
3.
for timetables and schedules
KEY WORDS
every day / month / year, sometimes,
usually, often, always, never, seldom,
on Sundays
2
PRESENT
CONTINUOUS
FORM: am/is/are + verb + ing

Mark is playing football.

Is Mark playing tennis?

Mark is not playing golf.
USE
1.
for sth that is happening now (at the
moment of speaking)
2.
for temporary situations
3.
for planned actions in the near future
KEY WORDS
now, at the moment, these days, this week
3
SIMPLE PAST
FORM: verb + ed

She cooked spaghetti for dinner.

Did she cook chicken?

She didn’t cook fish.
USE
1.
for sth that happened in the past and
we know when it happened
2.
Past routines and habits
KEY WORDS
yesterday, last week / month / year, ago
4
USED TO / WOULD
FORM: used to + bare infinitive

I used to have brown hair.

Did I use to have blonde hair?

I didn’t use to have black hair.
USE
1. to talk about past habits, states or things
that we don’t do any more
FORM: would + bare infinitive
USE
1. to describe repeated past actions (not
past states)
5
PAST CONTINUOUS
FORM: was / were + verb + ing



John was sleeping during the lesson.
Was John sleeping during the lesson?
John was not sleeping during the lesson.
USE
1. for sth that was happening at a specific
time in the past (we don’t know when it
started or when it finished)
6
PAST CONTINUOUS
2.
3.
4.
for sth that was happening continuously
in the past (long action) and another
action stopped it (short action)
for two or more actions happening
continuously at the same time in the
past
to give background information in a
story
KEY WORDS
while, when, as
7
PRESENT PERFECT
FORM: have / has + past participle



Macy and Joe have been friends for
one year.
Have they been friends since primary
school?
They haven’t been friends for a long
time.
USE
1.
for sth that started in the past and
continues in the present
8
PRESENT PERFECT
2.
3.
4.
for sth that happened in the past but we
don’t know when it happened
for actions that were repeated several
times in the past
for sth that has just happened
KEY WORDS
never, ever, yet, already, just, for,since,
how long, recently, lately
9
PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
FORM: have / has + verb + -ing



I have been playing the piano for 2 years.
Have you been waiting here long?
She hasn’t been feeling well lately.
USE
1. For sth that began in the past and
continues up to the present (usually with
for and since)
10
PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
2.
for sth that happened in the past and
the results are visible in the present
KEY WORDS
all day / morning, how long, lately,
recently, since, for
11
PAST PERFECT
FORM: had + past participle
 She had finished her homework before she
went out.
 Had she had dinner before she went out?
 She hadn’t cleaned her room before she went
out.
USE
1. for an action that happened in the past before
another action
KEY WORDS
before, after, as soon as, when, by the time
12
SIMPLE FUTURE
FORM: will + bare infinitive

She will be a fashion designer one day.

Will she be a doctor?

She won’t be an architect.
USE
1.
for sth that will happen some time in the
future (not a planned action)
2.
for threats, promises, offers,
suggestions, predictions, on-the-spot
decisions
13
SIMPLE FUTURE
3.
After the words think, suppose, expect,
believe, hope, know, be sure
KEY WORDS
tomorrow, next week / month / year, in
a week’s time
14
BE GOING TO
FORM: am / is / are + going to + bare infinitive



I am going to have a party for my birthday
next week.
Am I going to go out for my birthday?
I’m not going to have a party this weekend.
USE
1. for sth that we plan to do in the near future
15
BE GOING TO
2.
for predictions about the future based
on what we know or can see now
KEY WORDS
tomorrow, next week/month/year, in a
week’s time
16
EXERCISE: Put the verbs in the correct
tense.
have known
Ann and Mary ____________
(know)
each other for twelve years.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
rang (ring).
I was sleeping when the bell _____
had left
Mary _________(leave)
by the time I got
home.
gives
The teacher _________(give)
us a quiz
every week.
will answer
The phone is ringing. I ___________
(answer) it.
17
EXERCISE: Put the verbs in the correct
tense.
will buy
My parents _________(buy)
me a new bicycle
for my birthday if I do well in my exams.
5.
were you doing
What ______________(you
do) at ten o’clock
last night?
am doing
7. I can’t help you now. I ___________(do)
my
homework.
is going to take
8. My boyfriend _________________(take)
me
out for dinner on Valentine’s Day.
6.
18