Past tenses

Past Continuous
• we often use it to show that a past action was temporary, or was changing or
developing
• we can use it to describe an ongoing action which forms the background or
setting to past events; we often use the past simple for an action that happened
against this background:
Darkness was descending over the hushed city as James staggered back to
college. (darkness was descending = background; James staggered = action)
• we can use it for two actions in progress at the same time:
We were watching the sky and listening for the first sounds of the dawn chorus.
• we usually use the past simple for repeated actions in the past but we can use
the past continuous if we want to emphasise that the repeated actions took
place over a temporary and limited period of finished time:
She received chemotherapy on a weekly basis. (a repeated action)
For the first three months she was receiving chemotherapy on a weekly basis.
(repeated action, but only for three months)
• we use the past continuous to contrast an ongoing action with a single event
which interrupts it; we use the past simple for the single event:
Elizabeth was hunting when messengers arrived with the news of Mary's plot.
Seventy cars were crossing the bridge when the pier collapsed into the river.
If the background action finishes just before the event which interrupts it, we
prefer to use the past perfect continuous.
• we often use the verbs think and wonder:
We were wondering if you would like to join us. (= Would you like to join us ...?)
Were you planning on going somewhere else later? (= Are you planning on ...?)
• we can make requests, suggestions and questions more tentative and polite by
using the past continuous
Past Perfect
• we can use just or already with the past perfect to show that the earlier action
was recent or earlier than expected:
We wanted to talk to the babysitter but she'd just left.
When we got back we found that the babysitter had already gone home.
• We can use the past perfect or the past simple with time conjunctions, e.g.
after, before, as soon as, then

• with before + past perfect the action in the past simple happens first: I left
university before I'd taken the final exams.

• we can use this for a past action which prevented a later action from
happening: She sacked him before he'd had a chance to explain his behaviour.

we don't usually use the past perfect if the sequence is obvious:

They had hoped to get to the summit but Travers fell ill at base camp.

• for repeated actions (The owners found it had been patched up several times.)
Past Perfect Continuous
• we use the past perfect continuous to describe an ongoing situation or action
which continued up to, or stopped just before, a time in the past:
He had been working for over an hour before the auditors turned up.
• we often use this tense to explain a past result, e.g. a situation or an
appearance:
The few survivors looked painfully thin. They had been living on meagre rations
since the accident. (= They looked thin because they had been living on meagre
rations.)
• we use this tense when we want to focus on duration:
Kubrick had been trying to get the film made for more than twenty years.
 The eager fans had been waiting in line for over six hours
Used to/Would
• used for past actions, habits and states:
They used to get paid every three months. (Now they get paid weekly.)
We would get up early every Sunday to go to church. (We don't now.)
• we use used to to describe past states which have changed:
Lithuania used to be part of the Soviet Union. (It isn't now.)
There didn't use to be any crime around here in the old days. (There is now.)

Future Tenses
Future Simple:
• predictions based on guesswork, analysis or judgement
• decision made at the moment of speaking
• statements of fact about the future (next week I’ll be 20, the sun will rise at
5.30 a.m.)
• we can show our attitude to the future event by using an introductory verb, for
example think, expect, hope, doubt, suppose, guarantee, suppose, promise (I
expect she’ll call us, they guarantee that tickets will be sold)
Be going to + infinitive:
• make predictions, especially if there is evidence to justify it
• intentions that have already been decided on (He’s going to study law next
year)
• impersonal intention (e.g. of an authority) (The government is going to
increase VAT in the budget)
• we usually avoid be going to with the verbs go and come: (I’m going to go
home now, are you going to come? ✘ I’m going home now, are you coming
✓)
Future Continuous: will/won’t + ing
• temporary action in progress at a particular point in the future (This time next
Sunday I’ll be lying on the beach!)
we don’t use verb be in the continuous
• for future events we see as certain cause they’re a part of a routine, especially
when the event continues for a period of time (festival, meeting..) (Winston
will be perfoming, we’ll be having our weekly meeting tomorrow..)
Present Simple (used as a future form)
• expressing probability and certainty (likely, unlikely, sure, sure not to)
• timetables
• imminent, impending, forthcoming (A decision from the judge is imminent.
We will return to the law court as soon as we have news.)
• we use impending only in attributive form, i.e. before the noun (No one could
shake off the sensation of impending doom.)
• on the point of, on the verge of (noun or -ing) (he’s on the verge of crying; on
the verge of extinction, on the point of losing one’s temper)
• be due to – used to talk about an event which forms part of a timetable, usually
with a time phrase (Carriageway repairs on this stretch of the motorway are
due to start on 26th May; are due to come etc.)
• be about to – used to talk about an event that we intend or expect to happen,
that may or may not be planned, but it’s usually used when there’s evidence
that indicated it will happen (Take you seats, the show is about to start.)
• be not to + inf – for formal commands and instructions (You are not to disturb
the headmaster!)
• formal English for official arrangements and news articles (The President
is to hold the ceremony; investigators are to release the results..)
Present Tenses
Present Simple:
• If we wish to give the events of a past narrative or an anecdote more
immediacy, we can use the present simple, especially in speech.

e.g: There's an old woman with thick glasses and a name tag. I go up to her
and ask..

• Newspaper headlines often use the present simple to express a past event,
which again gives more immediacy to the event

e.g: The film star gets a lot of attention from the audience previously

• We use the present simple in formal speech or writing for certain actions
 e.g: I note that you referred to the National Curriculum in your speech...;
I look forward to receiving a prompt reply to my enquiry

• We can use the present simple to talk about fixed events in the future or to
express the future after conjunctions of time, e.g. when, after, as soon as

e.g: As soon as you finish your homework, go to bed

• We use live, work, study and stay in the continuous if the action is temporary

• An exception to the use of the present continuous to describe actions in

e.g: Here comes the postman; There goes the last bus

Present Continuous:
• We also use the present continuous to describe things which are changing:

e.g: British summers are getting hotter and winters are getting wetter

• The present simple describes a regular event which we see as unchanging

e.g: We get a lot of rain during the winter in this part of the world