Tenses Flashcards
Will - future
Spontaneous decisions, sudden decision
Planned future actions that you are unsure of
Prediction
Offer/ suggestion
Tomorrow, now,…
Present continous
Action that is happening NOW
Now/ today/this week/ these days/ at the moment
(Future) Arrangements
Appointment
On Sat., evening, this afternoon, tonight, etc.
Going to future
- Events in the future that you are sure of
- long future actions
Future plans
Decision before time of speaking
Next week, next month, in 2 years, etc.
Future continuous
Long future actions
Past continuous
Long action in the past
Action been interrupted
1. actions in progress in the past
2. actions in progress when something else happened
at 8 o’clock, last night, yesterday evening, when you saw him …, when
Present perfect
- Unfinished past: for + since
- Completed action (how many times)
- Talk about results of past actions (action in the past w/a result now)
- Period of time from the past until now: ever + never
Ever, never, since, already, yet, for
how many times/things, how much + quantities and numbers
Past perfect
Action has a certain timestamp in the past
Future perfect
Will
Action has a certain timestamp in the future
Present perfect continuous
Emphasize time spent on a particular activity that is still going on 1. unfinished past with stress on duration 2. emphasis on a long activity and its consequences
- for, since
- how long
Past perfect continuous
Emphasize time spent on a particular activity in the past
Future prefect continuous
Will
Emphasize time spent on a particular activity in the future
Present simple
Habits and truth, facts
Always/often/sometimes
usually/never/Every Sunday/ on Saturdays/ Every day
Past simple
Actions, situations in the past
yesterday, last month, last night, 4 years ago, last summer, in 1960, at 3 o’clock
