Present Simple
Rules:
(+) Subject + verb (s/es/ies)…
(-) Subject + don’t/ doesn't + verb1…
(?) Do/Does + subject + verb1…?
(WH-?) WH + do/does + subject + verb1…?
(Who/What?) Who/What + verb(s/es/ies)…? [Singular for the subject]
We use the Present Simple in the following cases:
- General truths or facts.
- Habits or customs.
- Future plans (with future time expression).
Often refers to timetables or programs.
- Sporting events, story-telling, jokes.
Time Expressions
These appear at the beginning or end of a sentence:
everyday each year once a week on Tuesday regularly
yearly in the evening.
These appear before the main verb, or after the verb to be:
always often sometimes seldom usually generally
occasionally never.
daily
Spelling Rules
We usually add s to the 3rd person (he, she, it) singular.
We add es:
- For verbs ending in s, ss, sh, ch, x, o.
mix- mixes wish- wishes watch- watches do- does
We add ies:
- For verbs ending in consonant + y. We also change the y to i.
try- tries hurry- hurries
Present Progressive
Rules:
(+) Subject + am/is/are + verb + ing…
(-) Subject + am/is/are + not + verb + ing…
(?) Am/Is/Are + subject + verb + ing…?
(WH-?) WH + am/is/are + verb + ing…?
(Who/What) + is + verb+ ing…? [in the singular for the subject]
We use the Present Progressive in the following cases:
- Incomplete action happening at the moment of speaking (usually a temporary
activity); often with now, at the moment, right now.
- Arrangement or plan in the near future; usually with a future time expression.
- To complain about actions that are repeated regularly and are annoying or
irritating; usually with the words always or forever.
Spelling Rules
- For verbs ending in consonant + e, drop the e before adding ing.
bake- baking.
- For verbs ending in ie, change the ie to y before adding ing.
die- dying.
- When the last syllable of the verb is written with a consonant-vowelconsonant and is stressed, double the last letter before adding ing.
beg- begging begin- beginning
but
enter- entering happen- happening [last syllable isn't stressed]
Stative Verbs
Certain verbs are not usually used in the progressive form. We use them in the Simple
form instead.
.‫ מצבים וכוונות יותר מאשר פעולות‬,‫ יחסים‬,‫ מחשבות‬,‫* פעלים המתארים חושים‬
Senses: feel, hear, see, smell, sound, taste, recognize.
Thoughts: appear, believe, consider, depend, doubt, forget, guess, hope, imagine,
know, mean, prefer, realize, remember, seem, suppose, think, understand.
Emotions: dislike, doubt, fear, hate, like, love, need, want, wish.
Possession / Relationships: belong to, have, owe, own, possess.
Measurements: cost, equal, measure, weigh.
 All stative verbs are written in the Simple tense, even if the activity taking
place no. Do not add ing to stative verbs.

Double Meanings:
- A. think = opinion (‫ = )חוות דעת‬a stative verb.
B. think = a thought process, considering something (‫ = )תהליך של חשיבה‬not a stative verb.
- A. feel = opinion = a stative verb.
B. feel = health = not a stative verb but can be written in both tenses.
- A. have = own, belong to, possession = a stative verb.
B. have = doing/ feeling something (an activity) = not a stative verb.
Past Simple
Rules:
(+) Subject + verb2… (Past)
(-) Subject + didn't + verb1… (Verb in base form)
(?) Did + subject + verb1…?
(WH-?) WH + did + verb1…?
(Who / What) + verb2…? [Verb in the past for the subject question]
We use the Past Simple form in the following cases:
- To refer to an action that took place and was completed in the past.
- To tell a story in which one thing happened after another.
Time Expressions
Time Expressions with the Past Simple usually come at the beginning or
end of a sentence.
last week last month last year five days ago in 1990
in November a week ago many years ago yesterday
when he was young.
Spelling Rules
We add ed to regular verbs. Notice the following changes:
- If a verb ends in e, we add d.
change- changed
- If a verb ends in consonant + y, we change y to i and add ed.
try- tried
- If a verb ends in vowel + y, we add ed as usual.
play- played
- If the last syllable of the verb is spelled consonant-vowelconsonant and that syllable is stressed, we double the last
consonant (the same rule as before adding ing).
Stop- stopped prefer- preferred but open- opened
Note: many verbs are irregular.
Past Progressive
Rules:
(+) Subject + was/were + verb + ing…
(-) Subject + wasn't/weren't + verb + ing…
(?) Was/Were + subject + verb + ing…?
(WH-?) WH + was/were + subject + verb + ing…?
(Who / What) +was + verb + ing…?
We use the Past Progressive in the following cases:
- The Past Progressive is used for an action or situation in the past
that took place over a period of time.
- The Past Progressive is used for an activity that was in progress at
a specific time in the past.
- The Past Progressive is used when two or more continuous past
actions took place at the same time.
Ex. While I was reading, Dan was writing letters.
Time Expressions
We often use the following time expressions with the Past Progressive:
While during the whole day all day as all night
the whole afternoon.
Spelling Rules
Spelling rules for adding ing are the same as for Present Progressive.
Past Simple / Past Progressive
- The Past Progressive is used when a shorter past action interrupts,
occurs during or stops a longer continuous past action.
The first and longer action is in the Past Progressive.
The second shorter action is in the Past Simple.
Ex. Dan was talking on the telephone when I walked in.
We usually use the Past Simple after when and the Past Progressive after
while.
- When we tell a story, we usually use the Past Simple to tell what
happened and the Past Progressive to give descriptions and
background.
Ex. The lion roared. The trainer was holding the whip in his had.
The crowd was moving about anxiously. Then the lion roared
again and ran towards the trainer.