essential english tenses revision page 2

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Essential English Tenses Revision – Page 2

Example:
Times:
Forms:
Auxiliary Verbs:

Past Perfect
I had eaten breakfast before…
past (finished time)
past participle (3rd form)
had (’d)
had not (hadn’t)

Typical Times:

before past simple: before / when
yesterday / last… / …ago

Uses:

recent actions (just)
two times in the past
to set the scene in the past
3rd condtional (unreal past)

Example:
Times:
Forms:

Auxiliary Verbs:
Typical Times:
Uses:

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been eating breakfast before…
past (finished time)
ing form (present participle)
had (’d) been
had not (hadn’t) been
before past simple: before / when
yesterday / last… / ...ago
interrupted actions in the past
to set the scene in the past
temporary situations

Big Grammar Book Intermediate Book 1

Future Simple
I will eat breakfast tomorrow.
a specific time in the future
infinitive
will (’ll)
will not (won’t)
shall in question forms (suggestions)
tomorrow / next…
soon / later
in… / in (e.g. two weeks') time
immediate future / spontaneous decisions
predictions (think / believe)

promises / voluntary actions
first conditional (real future)
Future Continuous
I will be eating breakfast tomorrow.
a specific time in the future
ing form (present participle)
will (’ll) be
will not (won’t) be
tomorrow / next…
soon / later
in… / in (e.g. two weeks') time
an action in progress in the future which is
interrupted by another action
temporary situations
asking for information (question forms)
predictions (think / believe)

Future Perfect
I will have eaten breakfast tomorrow by…
in the future before another future action or time
past participle
will have (will’ve / ’ll’ve)
will not have (won’t have / won’t’ve)
by… / by the time... / before…
when... / in… / at + time
for + number / since + time
anniversaries / confident predictions
two times in the future
2nd clause is often present simple
Future Perfect Continuous

I will have been eating breakfast by…
in the future before another future action or time
ing form (present participle)
will have been (will’ve been / ’ll’ve been)
will not have been (won’t have been / won’t’ve been)
by… / by the time... / before…
when... / in… / at + time
for + number / since + time
an action will be in progress before another action / time
anniversaries / confident predictions
to compare the actions of two people in the future
unfinished actions
2nd clause is often present simple