The simple past

I worked in the morning.

John broke another window yesterday.

The past continuous tense

I was working in the morning.

She was crying.

The present perfect tense

I have finished the work.

She has written a novel.

The present perfect continuous tense

I have been working since morning.

She has been knitting for two hours.

The past perfect tense

He had finished.

She had arrived.

The past perfect continuous tense

I had been working.

She had been teaching.

The differences between these tenses are quite complicated. The most important rules for progressive and perfect forms are given below.

Continuous forms

Continuous verb forms are used especially when we describe a past event as going on or continuing at a particular time, or up to a particular time.

When you phoned, I was having a bath.

I was tired because I had been running for hours.

Perfect forms

Perfect forms are used when we want to suggest a connection between a past event and the present, or between an earlier and a later past event.

After I had known him for a few weeks, I felt he was the right guy for me.

Perfect forms can also suggest completion.

Peter is strolling across his garden one sunny morning. Suddenly he notices a bird stumbling awkwardly as it tries to run away from him. It is dragging the feathers of one wing over the ground, while it flaps the other wing. Wishing to help the poor bird, which appears to be hurt, David hurries after it.

The simple present tense is common in summaries of plays, stories etc.

In Act I, Hamlet meets the ghost of his father. The ghost tells him…

Commentaries

In commentaries, the use of tenses is similar. The simple present tense is used for the quicker actions and events. The present continuous tense is used for longer actions and situations.

Instructions and demonstrations

We often use present tenses to give instructions, directions and demonstrations.

‘How do I get the railway station?’ ‘Go straight on to the traffic lights, then you turn right…’

First I put some butter into a frying pan and light the gas; then while the butter is melting I take some cashew nuts and raisins and …

Simple present

I work; he/she/it works; they/we work; you work

Present continuous

I am working; he/she/it is working; they/we are working; you are working

Present perfect

I have worked; he/she/it has worked; they/we have worked; you have worked

Present perfect continuous

I have been working; he/she/it has been working; they/we have been working; you have been working

Simple past

I worked; he/she/it worked; they/we worked; you worked

Past continuous

I was working; he/she/it was working; they/we were working; you were working

Past perfect

I had worked; he/she/it had worked; they/we had worked; you had worked

Past perfect continuous

I had been working; he/she/it had been working; they/we had been working; you had been working

Simple future

I will/shall work; he/she/it will work; they will work; we will /shall work; you will work

Future continuous

I will/shall be working; he/she/it will be working; they will be working; we will/shall be working; you will be working

Future perfect

I will/shall have worked; he/she/it will have worked; they will have worked; we will/shall have worked; you will have worked

Future perfect continuous

I will/shall have been working; he/she/it will have been working; they will have been working; we will/shall have been working; you will have been working

He said that he wanted money. (NOT He said that he wants money.)
She replied that she was feeling better. (NOT She replied that she is feeling better.)
He replied that he would come. (NOT He replied that he will come.)
They climbed higher so that they might get a better view. (NOT They climbed higher so that they may get a better view.)

There are some exceptions to this rule.

A past tense in the principal clause may be followed by a present tense in the subordinate clause when the subordinate clause expresses a universal truth.

Galileo always maintained that the earth revolves around the sun.
Euclid proved that the three angles of a triangle are equal to two right angles.
The teacher said that honesty is the best policy.

When the subordinate clause is introduced by than, it can be followed by any tense.

I then saw him oftener than I see him now.
He liked your company more than he likes mine.

A present or future tense in the principal clause may be followed by any tense in the subordinate clause.

I don’t know how she will react.
I don’t know where she will be tomorrow.
I am sure she will not come.
A future tense is also used in subordinate clauses when the main verb and the subordinate verb refer to different time points in the future.

I will hide it somewhere where he will never find it. (Two different future tenses)

Tenses after in case, I hope, I bet, it doesn’t matter etc

After in case, we usually use a present tense with a future meaning even if the main verb is present or past.

I have bought a bottle of wine in case James comes.
I always take an umbrella in case it rains.

Present tenses are also used with future reference after I bet, I hope, it doesn’t matter, I don’t care and I don’t mind.

I hope you enjoy your holidays.
I bet he fails his test.
I don’t mind if she stays to lunch.
I don’t care where you go on holiday.

Past instead of conditional

In subordinate clauses referring to the past, simple past verbs are used instead of would + infinitive.

I would follow you wherever you went. (NOT I would follow you wherever you would go.)
In a perfect world, you would be able to do exactly what you wanted. (NOT In a perfect world, you would be able to do exactly what you would want.)

I will call you when dinner is ready. (NOT I will call you when dinner will be ready.)
I will think of you when I am lying on the beach tomorrow. (NOT I will think of you when I will be lying on the beach tomorrow.)
Will you wait until I get ready? (NOT Will you wait until I will get ready?)
It will be interesting to see whether he manages to solve the problem. (NOT It will be interesting to see whether he will manage to solve the problem.)

This can happen even if the verb in the main clause does not have a future form, provided it refers to the future.

Phone me when you arrive. (Here the main verb is in the present tense, but the reference is to the future.)
Try to have a good time whether you win or lose.

Present perfect tenses can be used in subordinate clauses to express the idea of completion.

Give me a call when you have finished.

In comparisons with as and than, both present and future verbs are possible.

We will get there sooner than you do. OR We will get there sooner than you will do.

I realized that I had seen him before. (NOT I realized that I saw him before.) (Here we are talking about something that had already happened at the time we are talking about.)
The patient had died before the doctor arrived.
When I arrived at the party, Jane had already gone home.

The past perfect tense is common after past verbs like told, realized, asked, wondered, thought etc.

She told me that she had already finished the job.

The past perfect tense is also used to talk about unrealized hopes and wishes. This usually happens after if, wish and would rather.

I wish you had told me the truth.
If you had told him the truth he would have forgiven you.

Cases where the past perfect tense is not used

The past perfect tense is used only as described above. It is not used to simply say that something happened some time ago. To express that meaning we use the simple past.

I met John yesterday. (NOT I had met John yesterday.)
His father died two years ago. (NOT His father had died two years ago.)

1. We / since / live / 1990 / here.

2. The child / sleep / two hours / for.

3. We / wait /ages / for.

4. She / read / morning / since.

5. It / since / yesterday / rain.

6. I / all / garden / afternoon.

7. Sleep / who / my bed / in?

8. I / recently / play / a lot of tennis.

9. He / all day / on the corner / stand.

10. James / same job / work / in / thirty years / for / the.

Answers

1. We have been living here since 1990.

2. The child has been sleeping for two hours.

3. We have been waiting for ages.

4. She has been reading since morning.

5. It has been raining since yesterday.

6. I have been gardening all afternoon.

7. Who has been sleeping in my bed?

8. I have been playing a lot of tennis recently.

9. He has been standing on the corner all day.

10. James has been working in the same job for thirty years.

Notes

Present perfect continuous tense forms are made with has / have + been + ing form of the verb.

We use has when the subject is a singular noun or a third person singular pronoun.

We use have when the subject is a plural noun or pronoun.

1. My brother ………………. (live) in Florida.

2. Why ……………….. (he hit) that dog?

3. We ………………. (go) to the theatre this evening.

4. I will kill anybody who …………………… (touch) my possessions.

5. My sister ………………… (live) with us for the moment.

6. Chetford Castle ……………… (stand) on a hill outside the town.

7. I ……………….. (go) to the mountains twice a year.

8. The cake ………………. (taste) wonderful.

9. The scale broke when I ………………. (weigh) myself the other day.

10. She phoned while I ………………. (work) in the garden.

11. He ………………. (work) in Malaysia at the moment.

12. You look lovely when you ………………. (smile).

Answers

1. My brother lives in Florida.

2. Why is he hitting that dog?

3. We are going to the theatre this evening.

4. I will kill anybody who touches my possessions.

5. My sister is living with us for the moment.

6. Chetford Castle stands on a hill outside the town.

7. I go to the mountains twice a year.

8. The cake tastes wonderful.

9. The scale broke when I was weighing myself the other day.

10. She phoned while I was working in the garden.

11. He is working in Malaysia at the moment.

12. You look lovely when you are smiling.

1. The river …………….. (flows) under the bridge.

2. They ……………….. (be) from North America.

3. He …………….. (take) but little pride in his work.

4. It …………………. (be) time we left.

5. He ………………. (wait) for you in the garden.

6. The train ……………… (leave) at 6 o’clock.

7. She ……………… (not like) the smell of raw fish.

8. Why …………….. (you not) come and see us?

9. I will wait until you …………….. (finish) your lunch.

10. The second semester ………………. (begin) in May.

11. I ……………. (think) you are mistaken.

12. Who is that girl ……………….. (stand) on the table.

Answers

1. The river flows under the bridge.

2. They are from North America.

3. He takes but little pride in his work.

4. It is time we left.

5. He is waiting for you in the garden.

6. The train leaves at 6 o’clock.

7. She does not like the smell of raw fish.

8. Why don’t you come and see us?

9. I will wait until you finish your lunch.

10. The second semester begins in May.

11. I think you are mistaken.

12. Who is that girl standing on the table?