Search Topic here:

Tenses

PRESENT TENSE 

A. Simple Present

Meaning: Talks about habits, general truths, or regular actions.
Keywords: every day, always, often, usually

Examples:

  1. I drink coffee every morning.

  2. She works in a hospital.

  3. The sun rises in the east.

  4. They play football on weekends.

  5. We go to school every day.


B. Present Continuous (is/am/are + -ing)

Meaning: Talks about actions happening now or around now.
Keywords: now, right now, currently

Examples:

  1. I am studying English now.

  2. She is cooking dinner.

  3. They are watching a movie.

  4. He is working late tonight.

  5. We are learning new things.


C. Present Perfect (has/have + past participle)

Meaning: Talks about actions that happened before now, but the exact time is not important.
Keywords: already, yet, just, ever, never

Examples:

  1. I have finished my homework.

  2. She has just arrived.

  3. They have never eaten sushi.

  4. He has visited Japan twice.

  5. We have seen that movie.


D. Present Perfect Continuous (has/have been + -ing)

Meaning: Focuses on an action that started in the past and is still happening.
Keywords: for, since

Examples:

  1. I have been studying for 2 hours.

  2. She has been working here since 2020.

  3. They have been living in Manila for a year.

  4. He has been sleeping all day.

  5. We have been waiting since morning.


TAKE A QUIZ!!

PAST TENSE 

A. Simple Past

Meaning: Talks about completed actions in the past.
Keywords: yesterday, last night, ago, in 2005

Examples:

  1. I watched a movie last night.

  2. She studied English yesterday.

  3. They visited Cebu last summer.

  4. He cleaned his room.

  5. We danced at the party.


B. Past Continuous (was/were + -ing)

Meaning: To talk about an action that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Keywords: while, when, at that moment, at [specific time], all day/night, as, just as, still, the whole time, in the middle of

When do we use the Past Continuous tense?

1. For an action happening at a specific time in the past:

Example: He was driving to work at 8 AM.

Explanation: He started driving before 8 AM and was still driving at that time.

2. For two actions happening at the same time in the past:

Example: I was reading while she was drawing.

Explanation: Both actions were happening at the same time in the past.

3. To show that a longer action was interrupted by a shorter one:

Example: They were eating dinner when the power went out.

Explanation: The eating started first, and then the power went out in the middle of it.


C. Past Perfect (had + past participle)

Meaning: Talks about an action that happened before another past action.
Keywords: for, since, before, when, by the time, until/till, already, just

Examples:

1. She had left before the movie started.

Explanation:  She left first, then the movie started later.

    2.  I had finished my homework when my friend called.

    Explanation: I finished my homework first, then my friend called.

      3. They had already eaten by the time we arrived.

      Explanation: They ate first, then we arrived.

      4. He had never seen snow before his trip to Canada.

      Explanation: Before going to Canada, he never saw snow.

      5. We had cleaned the room before the guests came.

      Explanation: The cleaning happened first, then the guests arrived.


      D. Past Perfect Continuous (had been + -ing)

      Meaning: Shows an action that was happening for a while before another past action.
      Keywords: for, since, before, when, by the time, until/till, how long, just/ already

      Examples:

      1. She had been studying for hours before the test started.

      Explanation: She started studying earlier and was still studying up until the test started.

      2. I had been working all day, so I was very tired.

      Explanation: I worked for a long time before I felt tired.

      3. They had been waiting for 30 minutes before the bus arrived.

      Explanation: They started waiting earlier and kept waiting until the bus came.

      4. He had been living in that city for 10 years before he moved.

      Explanation: He lived there for a long time before he moved away.

      5. We had been cleaning the house when the guests arrived.

      Explanation: We were cleaning for a while before the guests came.


      TAKE A QUIZ!!

      FUTURE TENSE 

      A. Simple Future (will + base verb)

      Meaning: Talks about actions that will happen.
      Keywords: tomorrow, later, next week

      Examples:

      1. I will call you tomorrow.

      2. She will travel next month.

      3. They will join us.

      4. He will help you.

      5. We will eat out tonight.


      B. Future Continuous (will be + -ing)

      Meaning: Talks about an action that will be happening at a certain future time.
      Keywords: this time tomorrow, later, soon

      Examples:

      1. I will be studying at 8 PM.

      2. She will be working next week.

      3. They will be playing at the park.

      4. He will be driving to work.

      5. We will be watching a movie later.


      C. Future Perfect (will have + past participle)

      Meaning: Talks about an action that will be completed before a certain time in the future.
      Keywords: by, before

      Examples:

      1. I will have finished my project by tomorrow.

      2. She will have cooked dinner before we arrive.

      3. They will have left by 6 PM.

      4. He will have written the report.

      5. We will have eaten before noon.


      D. Future Perfect Continuous (will have been + -ing)

      Meaning: Focuses on the duration of an action that will be continuing up to a future point.
      Keywords: for, since, by the time

      Examples:

      1. I will have been working here for 5 years.

      2. She will have been studying for hours.

      3. They will have been waiting since morning.

      4. He will have been sleeping all day.

      5. We will have been traveling for 10 hours.


      TAKE A QUIZ!!

      ALL TENSES QUIZ!!



      Posted by