THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

The Present Perfect Continuous Tense is used to express the continuity of the duration of an action which began in the past and is still continuing to the present.

Example: I am listening to the radio now. I turned it on an hour ago. So I have been listening to the radio for an hour.

FORMS:

• Affirmative (Subject + have/has + been + Verb1 + ing)

Example: I have been cleaning the kitchen for an hour.

• Negative ( Subject + have/has not + been + Verb1 + ing)

Example: I have not been cleaning the kitchen for an hour.

• Question (Have/Has + subject + been + Verb1 + ing ?)

Example: Have you been cleaning the kitchen for an hour?

Adverbs of time:

since, for, all (morning, day, etc.), the whole (day, week, etc.)

Note:

When we use the verbs such as: “live, stay, study, learn, teach, work, wait, stand, sleep, sit, watch” with since or for, we can differentiate between the Present Perfect Simple and the Present Perfect Continuous tense when there is additional information, whether it emphasize the result or the continuity of the action.

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THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

The Present Perfect Tense is used to express an action that took place in the past but has a connection with present situation (there is a result at present).

Example: She has studied well (so she can answer the question correctly).

Compare: She studied well last night (we emphasize on the time it happened).

FORMS

• Affirmative (Subject + have/has + Verb3)

Example: I have done my homework already.

• Negative (Subject + have/has not + Verb3)

Example: I have not done my homework yet.

• Question (Have/Has + subject + Verb3 ?)

Example: Have you done your homework yet?

Adverbs of time:

already, yet, for, since, once/twice, just, ever, never, recently/lately, so far/up to present/ up to now

Note:

• Already is used in affirmative sentence.

• Yet is used in negative and interrogative sentence.

• Ever is commonly used in interrogative sentence.

• Since ---> from that time to time of speaking.

• For -----> the length of time.

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THE PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

The Past Continuous Tense is used to express:

• An action which was in progress at a particular/specific past time.

Example: I was having dinner at 8 o’clock last night. (meaning: I began to have dinner before 8, I was having dinner at 8 and maybe continued after that)

• Two actions which happened in the past, but one action began earlier and was still in progress when the other action happened.

Example: She was watching TV when we came.

• When two actions happened simultaneously, we can use Past Continuous in both clauses.

Example: Last year, while Sisca was celebrating her graduation, we were lying on the beach.

FORMS:

• Affirmative (Subject + was/were + Verb1 + ing)

Example: We were dancing when he saw us.

• Negative ( Subject + was/were not + V1 + ing)

Example: We were not dancing when he saw us.

• Question (Was/Were + subject + V1 + ing)

Example: Were we dancing when he saw us?

Adverbs of time:

when/as, while, at …. (yesterday, last week, last month)

Note: all verbs which cannot be used in the Continuous Tense, cannot also be used in this tense.

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THE SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE

The Simple Future Tense is used to express a statement, an opinion, an assumption or a speculation about the future.

We use will, shall and to be going to to express the future time.

• Will is used as an auxiliary verb of the future time.

Example: If today is Monday, tomorrow will be Tuesday.

You will come on time if you leave now.

• Will is used with the first person (I/We) to express a willingness/a promise/ an intention.

Example: Alright, I will help you solve the problem.

OK, we promise that we will come to your house tonight.

• Shall is used with the first person (I/We) as an auxiliary verb of the future tense (to express a scheduled future action).

Example: I shall meet her tomorrow as she and I are in the same class.

• To be (is/am/are) going to is used when the speaker feel certain that something is expected to happen immediately/in the near future. (Usually there is a SIGN that something will happen immediately)

Example: A: Look at the thick cloud above!

B: Yes, I’m sure that it is going to rain.

FORMS

• Affirmative ( Subject + will/shall/to be (is/am/are) going to + Verb1)

Example: She will celebrate her birthday next week.

• Negative (Subject + will not/shall not/ to be (is/am/are) not going to + Verb1)

Example: She will not celebrate her birthday next week.

• Question (Will/Shall/To be (is/am/are) going to + Subject + Verb1?)

Example: Will she celebrate her birthday next week?

Adverbs of time

tomorrow, tonight, next…, this afternoon, this evening, soon, immediately.

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