Structure 1: Tenses
The most frequent Structure topic. Look for the time signal word: it usually decides the tense.
The most frequent Structure topic. Look for the time signal word: it usually decides the tense.
Tenses and their signal words
| Tense | Form | Signal words |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | he works / they work | always, usually, often, every day, on Saturdays |
| Present continuous | am / is / are + verb-ing | now, right now, at the moment, Look!, Listen! |
| Past simple | worked, went, saw | yesterday, last week, ago, in 2015 |
| Past continuous | was / were + verb-ing | while, when (an action interrupted) |
| Present perfect | have / has + past participle | for, since, already, yet, just, ever, never |
| Present perfect continuous | have / has been + verb-ing | for two hours, since morning (still going) |
| Past perfect | had + past participle | before, after, by the time (the earlier past action) |
| Future | will + verb / am going to + verb | tomorrow, next week, soon, in 2030 |
Question patterns
Present simple
Habits and facts: add -s for he / she / it.
Present continuous
Happening now: am / is / are + -ing.
Past simple
A finished time: last, ago, yesterday. Learn the irregular verbs.
Present perfect
for + a period, since + a starting point.
Past continuous with when / while
The long action is past continuous; the interrupting one is past simple.
Past perfect
The earlier of two past actions: had + past participle.
The future
next / tomorrow → will or be going to.
used to / be used to
used to + verb = a past habit; be used to + -ing = accustomed to.
- since + a point in time (since 2015); for + a length of time (for 3 years).
- No present perfect with a finished time: I have seen him yesterday is wrong.