Grammar

Icono IDevice English Tenses I

English Tenses I

 Verb tenses are used to express time in any language. Many English tenses do not have direct translation in Spanish. So, be careful, revise this table of English tenses and try to do the exercises provided to check that you understand when and how every English tense is used.

TENSE USE
EXAMPLES
SIGNAL WORDS
Simple Present • Regular actions in the present

• General facts

• Timetables or schedules

He visits his father on Sundays

Cats like milk

The train leaves at 10:20

always, usually, often, sometimes, never, seldom, every ..., on ...
Present Continuous

• Actions happening now, at this very moment

• Actions that are going on around the time of speaking

• Actions or events in the near future that have already been planned

They are doing their homework

My son is studying to become a doctor

Is he visiting his parents next weekend?

now, at the moment, at present,
Simple Past

• A completed action that took place at a time in the past

• Several actions in the past, one after another.

I didn't play tennis yesterday

He got up, had a shower and got dressed

yesterday, last ... , before, ago, when ...
Past Continuous

• Actions in progress at a specific time in the past

• Two incomplete actions happening at the same time

• An interrupted action in the past

Yesterday at this time, I was flying to Rome

What were you doing while Susan was talking?

I was listening to my Ipod when she phoned

when, while

 


Icono IDevice Revise: Irregular Verbs
Revise: Irregular Verbs
Click here to get a first list of irregular verbs in English. You must know most of them because they are very frequently used in English. Later in the unit, you'll be provided with another list and exercises to improve your learning.

Icono de iDevice
Read the sentences below and fill in the gaps with the correct tense of the verb in brackets

1. Young children (learn) a lot from their older brothers and sisters.

2. Patrick usually (leave) home at 6:30 to catch the train to London, but today he (not go) by train. He (take) his car instead.

3. What (they do) at nine o'clock last night?

4. While Ron (walk) to school, he (see) a car accident.

5. When (you / start) writing novels?

6. Paul never (eat) meat. He is a vegetarian.

7. They (get married) married next month.

8. Why (you / not /finish) your homework and come and watch TV?

9. How long ago (she / begin) painting?

10. Bread (contain) a lot of vitamins.

11. Why (you / phone) Mary? Is there anything wrong?

12. The film (begin) at 11 o'clock.

13. While I (get dressed) the phone (ring) .

14. They (fly) to Paris at 4:30 yesterday.

  

Icono de IDevice de pregunta

Read the following passage:

By vidalia 11. C. Commons
Audio Over the last twenty years, the average size of households has fallen dramatically. The number of one person households has grown, due largely to the ageing of the population, as has the number of one parent families. Couples having smaller families have also contributed to the fall in household size.
In 1976, 60% of families were couples with children. By 1996, this had fallen to 51%. Part of this change can be attributed to the increase in one parent families with dependent children, but most of the change is due to the increase in the proportion of couple only families. People are now having children later in life, and are living longer. Therefore, they are spending more time living in couple-only families, both before they have families and after their children have left home.
However, children are leaving home later. In 1981, 34% of children aged 20-24 lived with their parents. By 1991, this had increased to 40%. This increase has, to some extent, countered the fall in the couples with non-dependent children only.


From ABS Yearbook Australia 1997, Number 79 p. 81.

What do the following continuous tenses from the passage express?

1. People are now having children later in life.

  
a. a development or changing situation
b. an action taking place for a limited period of time


By b k. C. Commons.
2. People are living longer.
  
a. a development or changing situation
b. an action taking place around now

3. They are spending more time living in couple-only family.
  
a. a trend
b. an action taking place at the moment of speaking

4. Children are leaving home later.
  
a. an action taking place around now
b. a trend or changing situation

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