Examples Examples Examples

Tense Signal words Use Form Timeline

Affirmative Negative Interrogative
every day
*routines
sometimes I work.
*how often something happens
always infinitive He works.
*one action follows another I don´t work. Do I work?
often The plane leaves at 7am.
Present Simple *with abstract verbs like (to love, to He doesn´t work. Does he work?
usually he/she/it: I love to eat chocolate.
hate, to think, etc) Do you like cake?
seldom infinitive+s I study English on Tuesdays.
*future meanings: timetables,
never
scheduled events
first…then

* something is happening at the same

now I´m not working.
time of speaking or around it I´m working. Are you working?
at the moment I am not travelling on
Present Continuous *future meaning: when you have be (am/are/is) + infinitive + ing I am having lunch tomorrow Are you bringing food
Look! Tuesday, there´s a
already decided and arranged to do with a friend. to the party tomorrow?
Listen! problem with the airplane.
it (a fixed plan, date)

Regular:
last… *action takes place in the past Did you go to the
infinitive + ed I didn´t work.
…ago *connected with an expression of time I worked yesterday. movies?
Past Simple Irregular: He wasn´t in London in
in 1990 (date, time, etc., not connected to the I went to the gym. Was he at school
(2nd column of table of irregular 1998.
yesterday present) yesterday?
verbs)
*an action happened in the middle of
another action in the past I was working. I wasn´t working. Were you working?
Past Continuous while *someone was doing something at a was/were + infinitive + ing They were talking when I They weren´t eating in the Was she singing at the
certain time in the past (we don´t arrived. kitchen. opera house?
know if they finished or not)
just
yet
never *something that happened or is
ever finished in the past that has a
I have worked in I haven´t gone to Spain Have you ever seen a
already connection to the present have/has + past participle
construction. yet. hippo?
Present Perfect so far, *action started in the past and
I have already been to She hasn´t failed a test so Has she done her
up to now, continues up to the present
London. far. homework yet?
since *action in the past with no specific
for date/time
recently

all day I have been working. Have the students

*action began in the past and has just I haven´t been running in
the whole day He has been thinking about been paying attention
stopped the mornings.
Present Perfect Continuous how long have/has + been + infinitive + ing life. in class?
*how long the action has been They haven´t been paying
since They have been going to Has she been calling
happening their bills.
for school on foot. you everyday?

I hadn´t worked on that

already *action that happened in the past I had already eaten by the
yet. Had she eaten before
Past Perfect just before another action also in the past had + past participle time you called me.
She hadn´t eaten dinner they arrived?
never *the past of present perfect She had talked to him.
at that restaurant before.
how long *how long something had been She hadn´t been at school
I had been working for five Had he been working
Past Perfect Continuous since happening before something else had + been + infinitive + ing long when her mother
hours when I got sick. that day?
for happened called.
*predictions about the future (we think I will go to the beach
something will happen) tomorrow.
I won´t go to work today.
Future Simple *you decide to do something They will be here in a Will you work
will + infinitive She won´t do well in the
will + infinitive spontaneous at the time of speaking moment. tomorrow?
exam if she doesn´t study.
*main clause in type I conditional I will be cold if I don´t wear
sentences my coat.
*when you have already decided to do
be (am/are/is) + going to + I am going to work. I am not going to work. Are you going to go to
be going to (future) something in the future
infinitive He is going to go out tonight. She isn´t going with us. the beach today?
*what you think will happen