Verb forms
English tenses
Present Continuous
* Examples
He is sleeping.
I am visiting grandpa in the afternoon.
You are always coming late for the meetings!
The Present Continuous is mainly used to express the idea that something is happening at the
moment of speaking. The Present Continuous also describes activities generally in progress (this
means that they don't have to take place right now). Another use of the tense is to talk about
temporary actions or future plans.
* USES
• Present actions
• Temporary actions
• Longer actions in progress
• Future (personal) arrangements and plans
• Tendencies and trends (xu hướng, khuynh hướng và chiều hướng)
• Irritation (sự chọc tức; tình trạng bị làm phát cáu, tình trạng bị chọc tức- phàn nàn)
USE 1: Present Actions
Most often, we use the Present Continuous tense to talk about actions happening at the moment of
speaking.
Examples:
He is eating a dinner.
Mary is talking with her friends.
They are swimming in the pool.
Stative (State) Verbs
There is a certain group of verbs that usually does not appear in the Continuous form. They are
called Stative (State) Verbs, and if used in the Continuous form, they have a different meaning.
Examples:
I think you look pretty today! meaning: Opinion
I'm thinking of moving to San Francisco! meaning: Act of thinking

-The Internet is becoming less of a novelty.
-The Universe is expanding .
USE 6: Irritation or Anger
And the last use of this tense is to express irritation or anger over somebody or something in the
present with adverbs such as: always, continually or contantly.
Examples:
-She is continually complaining about everything!
-Johny is always asking stupid questions!
-My boss is contantly critising me!
Present Simple
* Examples
-John lives in New York.
-We play football every day.
-You are really kind.
-The meeting starts at 3 PM
The Present Simple is the most basic and common tense in the English language. Because of its
easy form, it is the best tense to start learning/teaching English tenses. It is also an interesting
tense because it can express both the present and the future. In the below list, there are 7 uses of
this tense. It's a lot, but don't worry: most of them are easy to understand.
*USE
• Facts, generalizations and universal truths (tổng quát, khái quát)
• Habits and routines
• Permanent situations
• Events that are certain to happen
• Arrangements that we can't change (e.g. timetables, official meetings)
• State verbs (e.g. be, have, suppose, know)
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
• Narrations (e.g. telling a joke), instructions or commentaries
*Note
Apart from the above uses, this tense is also used in:

usually
seldom/rarely
nowadays
never
every week/year
sometimes/occasionally
from time to time
every now and then
A few examples how to use them in sentences:
-I always go to church on Sundays.
-I never eat anything after 10 PM.
USE 3: Pernament Situations
Use the Present Simple to talk about situations in life that last a relatively long time.
Examples:
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
-I live in Boston
-He works as a fireman.
-Margaret drives a Volkswagen.
-Jerry doesn't teach maths at highschool.
USE 4: Events Certain to Happen
Use the Present Simple when an event is certain to happen in the future.
Examples:
-My grandmother turns 100 this July.
-Winter starts on 21 December.
USE 5: State Verbs
You should use the Present Simple with state verbs.
Examples:
-I like swimming.
-We know this man.
*Note

he / she / it speaks
form of 'be' and verb + ing

I am speaking
you are speaking
he / she / it is speaking
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
we speak
they speak
we are speaking
they are speaking
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 's' :
For can, may, might, must, do not add s.
Example: he can, she may, it must
After o, ch, sh or s, add es.
Example: do - he does, wash - she washes
After a consonant, the final consonant y
becomes ie. (but: not after a vowel)
Example: worry - he worries
but: play - he plays
Exceptions when adding 'ing' :
Silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee)
Example: come - coming
but: agree - agreeing
After a short, stressed vowel, the final
consonant is doubled.
Example: sit - sitting
After a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled
in British English (but not in American

first
then
at the moment
at this moment
today
now
right now
Listen!
Look!
Note: The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present:
be, have, hear, know, like, love, see, smell, think, want
Timetable / Schedule or arrangement?
Do you want to express that something is arranged for the near future? Or do you refer to a time
set by a timetable or schedule?
Simple Present Present Progressive
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
action set by a timetable or schedule
The film starts at 8 pm.
arrangement for the near future
I am going to the cinema tonight.
Daily routine or just for a limited period of time?
Do you want to talk about a daily routine? Or do you want to emphasis that something is only
going on for a limited (rather short) period of time?
Simple Present Present Progressive
daily routine
Bob works in a restaurant.
only for a limited period of time (does not
have to happen directly at the moment of
speaking)
Jenny is working in a restaurant this week.

-I have already had a breakfast.
-He has been to England.
Remember
You should not use this tense with time expressions like yesterday, a week ago, last year, etc.
USE 2: Effect on the present moment
We also use this tense to when an activity has an effect on the present moment.
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
Examples:
-He has finished his work. (so he can now rest)
-I have already eaten the dinner. (so I'm not hungry)
-He has had a car accident. (that's why he is in the hospital)
USE 3: Continuation in the present
We often use the Present Perfect when we want to emphasize that an event continues in the
present.
Examples:
- has worked as a teacher for over 25 years.
-Patrick has achieved a lot in his life.
For and Since
Since and For are very common time expressions used with the Present Perfect.
We use For with a period of time, for example:
I have lived here for 20 years.
When talking about a starting point, we use Since, for example:
I have lived here since 1960.
*FORM
To form a sentence in the Present Perfect, you need:
The proper conjugation of the auxiliary verb "to have".
The Past Participle of your verb.
1. Auxiliary Verb "to have"
We conjugate the auxiliary verb "to have" the same way we would conjugate the normal verb "to
have".

Declarative Sentences
Subject
+
Auxiliary verb
+
Past participle
e.g. I/a
dogetc.
has/have e.g. slept/taken/goneetc.
Examples Use
We have already had breakfast
(Use
1)
I have bought new shades
(Use
2)
I have already been to Paris
(Use
1)
John has been a plumber for 2 years
(Use
3)
Someone has just taken my bag!
(Use
1,2)
Jane has never been so angry
(Use
3)
He has been our most serious partner for
so long that I can assure you he's a very

(but: ee is not changed)
come – coming
(but: agree – agreeing)
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled sit – sitting
l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English) travel – travelling
final ie becomes y lie – lying
Use of Present Perfect Progressive
• puts emphasis on the duration or course of an action (not the result)
Example: She has been writing for two hours.
• action that recently stopped or is still going on
Example: I have been living here since 2001.
• finished action that influenced the present
Example: I have been working all afternoon.
Signal Words of Present Perfect Progressive
all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week
Present Perfect Simple – Present Perfect Progressive
*Form
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Progressive
irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of
irregular verbs
form of 'have' + been + verb + ing

Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
Example:
I / you / we / they have spoken
he / she / it has spoken
regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed
Example:
I / you / we / they have worked
he / she / it has worked

Example: travel - travelling
final ie becomes y.
Example: lie - lying
*Use
Both tenses are used to express that an action began in the past and is still going on or has just
finished. In many cases, both forms are correct, but there is often a difference in meaning: We use
the Present Perfect Simple mainly to express that an action is completed or to emphasise the
result. We use the Present Perfect Progressive to emphasise the duration or continuous course of
an action.
• Result or duration?
Do you want to express what has happened so far or how long an action has been going on yet?
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Progressive
Result (what / how much / how often)
I have written 5 letters. / I have been to
London twice.
Duration (how long)
I have been writing for an hour.
• Certain verbs
The following verbs are usually only used in Present Perfect Simple (not in the progressive form).
state: be, have (for possession only)
Example: We have been on holiday for two weeks.
senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
Example: He has touched the painting.
brain work: believe, know, think, understand
Example: I have known him for 3 years.
• Emphasis on completion or duration?
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
Do you want to emphasise the completion of an action or its continuous course (how has
somebody spent his time)?
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Progressive

only for 10 minutes. (Meaning: It's not even an
hour ago that I started to play that game.)
• Permanent or temporary?
If an action is still going on and we want to express that it is a permanent situation, we would
usually use the Present Perfect Simple. For temporary situations, we would prefer the Present
Perfect Progressive. This is not a rule, however, only a tendency.
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Progressive
permanent
James has lived in this town for 10 years.
(Meaning: He is a permanent resident of this
town.)
temporary
James has been living here for a year.
(Meaning: This situation is only temporary.
Maybe he is an exchange student and only here
for one or two years.)
Signal words
Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Progressive
how often
times
how long
since
for
Simple Past (Past Simple)
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
The simple past expresses an action in the past taking place once, never, several times. It can also
be used for actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action.
Form of Simple Past
Positive Negative Question
no differences I spoke. I did not speak. Did I speak?

final e is dropped (but: ee is not changed) come – coming
(but: agree – agreeing)
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled sit – sitting
l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English) travel – travelling
final ie becomes y lie – lying
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
Use of Past Progressive
• puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past
Example: He was playing football.
• two actions happening at the same time (in the past)
Example: While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.
• action going on at a certain time in the past
Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.
Signal Words of Past Progressive
when, while, as long as
Simple Past – Past Progressive
• Form
Simple Past Past Progressive
irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular
verbs
I spoke
regular verbs: verb + ed
I worked
past form of 'be' + ing form of verb

I was speaking
you were speaking
he / she / it was speaking
we were speaking
they were speaking

Simple Past Past Progressive
after another
She came home, switched on the computer
and checked her e-mails.
at the same time
Simon was playing on the computer while his
brother was watching TV.
2. New action or already in progress?
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
If you want to express that a new action happened in the middle of another action, you need both
tenses: Simple Past the new action and Past Progressive for the action already in progress.
Simple Past Past Progressive
new action
My mobile rang (when I was sitting in a
meeting.)
action already in progress
While I was sitting in a meeting, (my mobile
suddenly rang.)
3. Only mentioning or emphasising progress?
Do you just want to mention that an action took place in the past (also used for short actions)? Or
do you want to put emphasis on the progress, e.g. that an action was taking place at a certain time?
Simple Past Past Progressive
just mentioning
Colin played football yesterday.
emphasising progress
Yesterday at six o'clock, Colin was playing
football.
4. Certain Verbs
The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Past (not in the progressive form).
state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit

he / she / it has spoken
regular verbs: infinitive + ed
Example:
regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed
Example:
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
I worked I / you / we / they have worked
he / she / it has worked
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed':
when the final letter is e, only add d
Example:
love - loved
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled
Example:
admit - admitted
final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English)
Example:
travel - travelled
after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel)
Example:
worry - worried
but: play - played
2. Use
In British English, the use of Simple Past and Present Perfect is quite strict. As soon as a time
expression in the past is given, you have to use Simple Past. If there are no signal words, you must
decide if we just talk about an action in the past or if its consequence in the present is important.
Note that the following explanations and exercises refer to British English only. In American
English, you can normally use Simple Past instead of Present Perfect. We cannot accept this in
our exercises, however, as this would lead to confusions amongst those who have to learn the

what I did in the past.)
Example:
I have bought a new bike. (With this sentence I actually
want to express that I have a new bike now.)
3. Signal Words
Simple Past Present Perfect Simple
yesterday
ago
in 1990
the other day
last
just
already
up to now
until now / till now
ever
(not) yet
so far
lately / recently
Past Perfect Simple
The past perfect simple expresses an action taking place before a certain time in the past.
1. Form of Past Perfect Simple
Positive Negative Question
no differences I had spoken. I had not spoken. Had I spoken?
For irregular verbs, use the past participle form (see list of irregular verbs, 3rd column). For
regular verbs, just add ed.
Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ed
Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ed Example
after final e, only add d love – loved
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền

Exceptions when adding ed:
 when the final letter is e, only add d
Example:
love - loved
 after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled
Example:
admit - admitted
 final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English)
Example:
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
travel - travelled
 after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel)
Example:
worry - worried
but: play - played
2. Use
We use Simple Past if we give past events in the order in which they occured. However, when we
look back from a certain time in the past to tell what had happened before, we use Past Perfect.
Normal order in the past or looking back to an event before a certain time in the past?
Do you just want to tell what happened some time in the past or do you want to tell what had
happened before/up to a certain time in the past?
Simple Past Past Perfect Simple
some time in the past
Example:
Jane got up at seven. She opened her
birthday presents and then the whole
family went to the zoo.
before/up to a certain time in the past
Example:
Before her sixth birthday, Jane had never

"Before" as well can either be used with Simple Past or Past Perfect. If the action after "before" is
a new action, use Simple Past. If the action after "before" started (and was not completed) before
a certain time in the past, use Past Perfect. Compare the following examples:
Example:
Jane had read a lot about elephants before she went to the zoo.
Jane went to the zoo before she had finished reading her new book about elephants.
FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE
English does not have a verb form specifically used to express future tense. We have to
choose from a variety of forms (using 'will'/'shall', 'going to', the present continuous, the present
simple, etc.) to talk about future events. The future expressed with the modal auxiliaries will and
shall + the base form of the verb is known as the future simple tense or 'will' future. Keep in
mind, however, that 'will' doesn't always serve to indicate the future. We can use 'will' to talk
about events happening at the present. (For example: This car won't start.)
Structure Examples
We use the Future
Simple Tense:
The future simple tense
is composed of two parts:
will/shall + base verb. Will
and shall are often
contracted to 'll.
1. I will finish my report
later today.
2. The sun will rise at 6:03
am.
to say that something will
happen in the future.
Adverbs of time that will
indicate such tense may
include, tomorrow, today,

I won't answer that
question.
They won't accept this
3. I'll go to the market
tomorrow.
4. There will be another
conference next month.
5. I'll come to see you on
Sunday.
6. We'll be back on Friday
afternoon.
7. Tom will visit his parents
next week.
8. They will paint the fence
blue.
9. I will return in two
hours.
10. He will finish his
homework in twenty
minutes.
11. Jane will turn 18 this
year.
12. The wedding will take
place on May 8th. The
ceremony will begin at
4pm, followed by a meal
and a big party.
Note: In certain
situations we use 'will' to
emphasize:

1. I'll close the window.
2. I'll have a cup of tea,
please.
3. - The phone is ringing.
- I'll answer it.
4. - Oops, I dropped my
pencil.
- I'll pick it up.
to express spontaneous
decision /
to volunteer to do something
(the action is decided at the
moment of speaking)
1. I think it will rain.
2. The weather tomorrow
will be sunny and warm.
3. I think David Brown will
be the next mayor of our
city.
to predict future events
(for example, to say what
we think or believe will
happen), we use both 'will'
and 'going to'
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
4. Everything will be fine.
5. You are going to be a
famous artist some day.
6. I think you are going to
marry a wrong person.

expect
1. If it begins to rain, I'll
certainly nead an umbrella.
2. She will tell him when he
calls.
to talk about
consequences (with if,
when, provided, unless, as,
as soon as, as long as, etc.)
1. I'll be in Athens
tomorrow.
2. I'll be at a conference
next week.
when the main verb is be
even if we talk about
planned events
More examples:
1. Will you go shopping?
2. I will not permit that
kind of behaviour.
3. Will our theacher come
with us?
Yes, he will. No, he
won't.
4. Our teacher won't come
with us.
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền
FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
1. How to make the Future Continuous Tense?
The Future Continuous is made with the future form of the verb "to be" (I will

3. Susan will be waiting for the bus 10 more minutes.
- We can use the Future Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the future
will be interrupted by a shorter action in the future (in this case the shorter action
in the future is expressed with Present Simple):
Examples: 1. I'll be making dinner when he arrives tonight.
2. She'll be playing the piano when her parents come home.
- We can also use the Future Continuous to project ourselves into the future and
see something happening:
Examples: 1. You'll recognize me when you get there. I'll be wearing jeans and a
white
t-shirt. I'll be sitting at a table at the corner and reading a newspaper.
2. This time tomorrow I'll be having dinner at one of the New York's finest
restaurants.
- The Future Continuous is used to talk about what we believe or guess is
happening at the moment of speaking (1) and (2) or will be happening at a
particular time in the future (3):
Examples: 1. Don't call him now, he'll be doing his homework.
2. I don't want to disturb them. Im sure they'll be cleaning their house at the
moment.
3. Please, don't come at 9 o'clock. she'll be sleeping at that time.
- We can also use the Future Continuous to talk about things that we expect to
happen in the usual course of events (the event is certain and will happen
naturally):
Examples: 1. I will be seeing Ann tomorrow at the office. (we work together)
2. We will be meeting Mike at the festival this weekend.
-The Future Continuous is also used for predictions or expected trends in the
future:
Example: By 2030, most people in Africa will be living in urban areas.
- Sometimes we can use the Future Continuous to make polite enquiries, when
Lê Thị Thanh Huyền