action taking place before a certain moment in time puts emphasis on the course or duration of the action.. English Tenses – Examples.[r]
(1)Simple Past Past Perfect
action in the past taking place once, never or
several times action taking place before a certain time in the past
actions in the past taking place one after the other
sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive
action in the past taking place in the middle of
another action puts emphasis only on the fact (not the duration or course of the action)
Questions in Past Perfect Simple Complete the questions in Past Perfect Simple
1 (what / Bob / do) that he was kept in after school? (you / eat) anything before you went to the theatre?
3 (he / live) in London before he moved to Glasgow?
4 (she / find) a new job by that time?
5 (they / book) a room before they went to Dublin?
6 (how often / you / ring) the bell before he answered the door? (why / they / have) dinner before they came to the party?
8 (Carly / wash) the dishes when her mum came home?
9 (you / read) the contract before you signed it?
10 (who / live) in the house before we moved in?
11 The storm destroyed the sandcastle that we (build) had built 12 He (not / be) to Cape Town before 1997
13 When she went out to play, she (do / already) her homework 14 My brother ate all of the cake that our mum (make)
15 The doctor took off the plaster that he (put on) six weeks before 16 The waiter brought a drink that I (not / order)
(2)18 The children collected the chestnuts that (fall) from the tree 19 (he / phone) Angie before he went to see her in London? 20 She (not / ride) a horse before that day
English Tenses – Graphic Comparison
Problems with the English tenses? Have a look at the time line, it might help you understand when to use which tense As there is a similarity between past, present and future tenses, there are just a few rules to keep in mind
If you know how to use the present progressive correctly to express present actions, you will as well be able to use the past progressive correctly to express past actions
→ Legend
Legend
moment in time
action that takes place once, never or several times actions that happen one after another
(3)period of time
action that started before a certain moment and lasts beyond that
moment
actions taking place at the same time
Result
action taking place before a certain moment in time puts emphasis on the result
Course / Duration
action taking place before a certain moment in time puts emphasis on the course or duration of the action
English Tenses – Examples
Explanation Past Present Future
Simple Past Simple Present Future I Simple action that takes place
once, never or several times
He played football every Tuesday
He plays football every Tuesday
He will / is going to play football every Tuesday actions that happen one
after another He played football and then he went home He plays football and thenhe goes home He will play football and then he will go home state He loved football He loves football He will love football
Past Progressive Present Progressive Future I Progressive action going on at that
moment
He was playing football He is playing football He will be playing football
actions taking place at
the same time He was playing football and she was watching He is playing football andshe is watching He will be playing football and she will be watching
Past Perfect Simple Present Perfect Simple Future II Simple action taking place before
a certain moment in time; emphasises the result
He had won five matches
until that day He has won five matches so far He will have won five matches by then
Past Perfect
Progressive Present PerfectProgressive Future II Progressive action taking place before
a certain moment in time (and beyond), emphasises the duration
He had been playing
football for ten years He has been playing football for ten years He will have been playingfootball for ten years
(4)Simple Past Present Perfect
action in the past taking place once, never or several
times action that stopped recently or is still going on
actions in the past taking place one after the other finished action that has an influence on the present
action in the past taking place in the middle of
another action action that has taken place once, never or several timesbefore the moment of speaking
Use of Present Perfect puts emphasis on the result
Example: She has written five letters
action that is still going on
Example: School has not started yet
action that stopped recently
Example: She has cooked dinner
finished action that has an influence on the present
Example: I have lost my key
action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking
Example: I have never been to Australia
Signal Words of Present Perfect
already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now
Exercise on Present Perfect Simple
Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect simple) I (not / work) have not w orkedtoday
2 We (buy) a new lamp
3 We (not / plan) our holiday yet
(5)5 He (write) five letters
6 She (not / see) him for a long time
7 (be / you) at school?
8 School (not / start) yet
9 (speak / he) to his boss?
10 No, he (have / not) the time yet
Write questions in present perfect simple. you / correct / my mistakes - you / practise / your English - she / tidy up / her room - the boss / sign / the letter - Mary / shut / the door -
Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence. Tony has built a house -
2 Avril has crossed the street at the traffic lights - They have never been to Australia -
4 Rupert has dialled the number -
5 Betty has spent 200 euros at the shopping mall - Test
Write the participle forms of the following verbs.
1 shut →
2 spend →
3 give →
4 teach →
5 sell →
Complete the table in present perfect simple.
(6)We have chatted
The lesson has not started
Have we won?
She has turned around
They have not arrived
Write sentences in present perfect simple. we / reach / our goal -
2 our team / lose / the match - she / underline / the word - they / not / discover / the treasure - Ron / not / talk / about the problem -
Write questions in present perfect simple. you / knock / at the door -
2 the teacher / mark / the tests - she / buy / a new computer - they / rescue / the girl - Brad / wear / a blue shirt -
Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence. They have seen him at the library -
2 Robby Robber has robbed another bank - Bill has ordered three desserts -
(7)5 Jane has asked a question -
Simple Past (Past Simple)
Exercises on Simple Past
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
Use of Simple Past
action in the past taking place once, never or several times
Example: He visited his parents every weekend
actions in the past taking place one after the other
Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down
action in the past taking place in the middle of another action
Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang
if sentences type II (If I talked, …)
Example: If I had a lot of money, I would share it with you
Signal Words of Simple Past
yesterday, minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday If-Satz Typ II (If I talked, …)
Write the verbs in simple past
1 The first settlers (be) the Potawatomi
2 They (call) this place Checagou (wild onion) because it (smell) like onions
3 Constructions on the Sears Tower (begin) in 1970
4 Until 1997, the Sears Tower (be) the highest building in the world English pool of exercise
Exercise on Simple Present Form positive sentences in Simple Present Anna / the window / open
(8)2 I / bread / buy →
3 they / their pens / count →
4 Christine / her home / decorate →
5 it / too much / weigh →
6 we / the game / lose →
7 the children / on the floor / sleep →
8 Benjamin / the rules / break →
9 you / the sentence / understand →
10 they / trees / plant →
Exercise on Present Progressive Form positive sentences in Present Progressive we / in the mountains / walk
→
2 I / a magazine / read →
3 we / her / an apple / give →
4 she / in a play / act →
5 the teacher / our homework / check →
6 my crush / at me / smile →
(9)8 your father / a lorry / drive →
9 Jamie / the race / win →
10 the boss / the contracts / sign →
Level Form positive sentences in Present Progressive you / a question / ask
→
2 the dog / bark →
3 she / a bag / carry →
4 she / home / walk →
5 they / their mum / thank →
6 my crush / at me / smile →
7 we / tea / drink →
8 they / their furniture / sell →
9 Katy / a lot of money / spend →
10 the passengers / panic →
Exercise on Simple Past Form positive sentences in Simple Past the dog / bark
→
(10)3 You / a song / sing →
4 Eric / his homework / forget →
5 he / cash / pay →
6 she / her room / tidy →
7 she / the chapter / copy →
8 we / the numbers / divide →
9 he / his girlfriend / marry →
10 she / the word / underline →
Check answ ers
Level Form positive sentences in Simple Past you / high / jump
→
2 Albert / squash / play →
3 you / thirsty / be →
4 he / to school / go →
5 they / their calculators / use →
6 she / my mistakes / correct →
7 I / my point of view / defend →
(11)9 he / to our question / refer →
10 his nose / bleed →
Exercise on Past Progressive Form positive sentences in Past Progressive you / a question / ask
→
2 you / cards / play →
3 it /rain
→
4 Betty / her best / →
5 I / a magazine / read →
6 she / on a chair / sit →
7 your father / a lorry / drive →
8 he / a blue shirt / wear →
9 We / our holidays / enjoy →
10 the child / behind the tree / hide →
Form positive sentences in Present Perfect Simple Greg / the ball / kick
→
2 you / in the garden / work →
(12)4 we / fish / eat →
5 they / their calculators / use →
6 we / the game / lose →
7 he / his leg / hurt →
8 she / a friend / phone →
9 Harry / trouble / cause →
10 they / a new gadget / invent →
Form positive sentences in Present Perfect Simple they / us / call
→
2 you / a box / carry →
3 you / cards / play →
4 you / the house / see →
5 she / on a chair / sit →
6 she / in a play / act →
7 Amelie / the door / close →
8 you / early / wake up →
9 she / poems / write →
(13)Exercise on Past Perfect Simple Form positive sentences in Past Perfect Simple they / us / call
→
2 we / her / an apple / give →
3 the dinner / a fortune / cost →
4 he / cash / pay →
5 Henry / houses / build →
6 we / the numbers / divide →
7 they / computers / order →
8 the secretary / the documents / print out →
9 he / his goals / reach →
10 they / to my question / react →
Form positive sentences in Past Perfect Simple John / money / collect
→
2 we / the door / open →
3 she / in a play / act →
4 the policeman / the thief / arrest →
5 she / her teeth / brush →
(14)7 she / in London / teach →
8 Jim / his head / cover →
9 the secretary / the documents / print out →
→ Legend Exercises on Simple Past