Past Tenses, Past continuous tense

Past tense

Structure of past simple 
Structure of past continuous
 

Here is how to form the past simple tense in English.

Structure of past simple
positive	negative	question
I arrived yesterday. You arrived yesterday. He/she/it arrived. We arrived. They arrived.	I didn't (did not) arrive. You didn't (did not) arrive. He/she/it didn't arrive. We didn't arrive. They didn't arrive.	Did I arrive yesterday? Did you arrive? Did he/she/it arrive? Did we arrive? Did they arrive?

Past simple - common mistakes
Common mistakes	Correct version	Why?
I was work in London.	I worked in London.	In positive sentences, a helping verb such as 'was' or 'did' is not used.
He worked in London?	Did he work in London?	The helping verb 'did' is used in past simple questions.
Worked he in London?	Did he work in London?	The helping verb 'did' is used in past simple questions.
Did he wrote a letter?	Did he write a letter?	The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives.
He didn't wrote a letter.	He didn't write a letter.	The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives.

Past continuous tense

The past continuous tense is also sometimes called the past progressive.

Here is how to form the past continuous in English.

Structure of past continuous
positive	negative	question
I was reading a book. He/she was talking. It was raining.	I wasn't (was not) reading. He/she wasn't talking.  It wasn't raining.	Was I reading? Was he/she talking? Was it raining?
You were reading a book. We were waiting. They were drinking.	You weren't (were not) reading. We weren't talking. They weren't drinking.	Were you reading? Were we waiting? Were they drinking?

Past continuous - common mistakes
Common mistakes	Correct version	Why?
I waiting for him almost two hours.	I was waiting for him almost two hours.	To form the past continuous we use was/were + ing.
What did he doing when you saw him?	What was he doing when you saw him?
We were playing tennis every morning.	We played tennis every morning.	We use the past simple for repeated actions in the past.
They watched TV when I came.	They were watching TV when I came.	We use the past continuous when we want to say what was happening (what was in progress) at a particular time in the past.

Present Tenses, Present continuous tense

A list of all English tenses, including:

- the structure of each tense
- explanations of usage
- examples of common errors and how to avoid making them.

Present tenses

• Structure of present simple
• Structure of present continuous

How to form the present simple tense in English.

Structure of present simple
positive	negative	question
I work in a bank. You work in a bank. We work in a bank. They work in a bank.	I don't (do not) work. You don't (do not) work. We don't (do not) work. They don't (do not) work.	Do I work in a bank? Do you work in a bank? Do we work in a bank? Do they work in a bank?
He works in a bank. She works in a bank. The bank opens at 9 o'clock.	He doesn't (does not) work. She doesn't (does not) work. It doesn't (does not) open at 9 o'clock.	Does he work? Does she work? Does it open at 9 o'clock?

Present simple - common mistakes
Common mistakes	Correct version	Why?
I working in London.	I work in London.	The gerund ing form is not used in the present simple.
He work in London.	He works in London.	The third person he, she, it adds the letter s.
He work in London?	Does he work in London?	Questions - third person: does + subject + infinitive. All other persons: do + subject + infinitive.
Work he in London?	Does he work in London?
He not work in London.	He doesn't work in London.	Negatives - third person: subject + doesn't + infinitive. All other persons: subject + don't + infinitive.

The present continuous tense is sometimes called the present progressive.

Here is how to form the present continuous tense in English.

Structure of present continuous
positive	negative	question
I'm (I am) reading a book.   You're (you are) reading.  We're (we are) reading.  They're (they are) reading.	I'm (I am) not reading. You're (you are) not reading. We're (we are) not reading. They're (they are) not reading.	Am I reading? Are you reading? Are we reading? Are they reading?
He's (he is) reading a book. She's (she is) reading a book. It's (it is) raining.	He's not / he isn't (he is not) reading. She's not / she isn't (she is not) reading. It's not / it isn't (it is not) raining.	Is he reading? Is she reading? Is it raining?

Present continuous - common mistakes
Common mistakes	Correct version	Why?
They still waiting for you.	They are still waiting for you.	to form a continuous tense we use be + -ing.
They are still waiting for you?	Are they still waiting for you?	In questions the subject (they) and the auxiliary verb (be) change places.
Do they still waiting for you?	Are they still waiting for you?
Where they are waiting for you?	Where are they waiting for you?
She doesn't watching TV.	She isn't watching TV.	To form the negative we put not after the verb be (am not, is not = isn't, are not = aren't).
I'm believing you.	I believe you.	Some verbs are not used in continuous tenses - these are called stative verbs (e.g. believe, come from, cost, depend, exist, feel, hate, like).

Present continuous and present simple

(I am doing and I do)

A. Study the explanations and compare the examples:

      Present continuous (I am doing)

                      Use the continuous for something that is happening at or around the time of      
       speaking.

  The action is not finished.

  I am doing (now)

  * The water is boiling. Can you turn it off?

  * Listen to those people. What language are they speaking?

  * Let's go out. It isn't raining now.

  * 'Don't disturb me. I'm busy.' 'Why? What are you doing?'

  * I'm going to bed now. Goodnight!

  * Maria is in Britain at the moment. She's learning English.

Use the continuous for a temporary situation:

  * I'm living with some friends until I find a flat.

  * 'You're working hard today.' 'Yes, I've got a lot to do.'
  See Unit I for more information.

Present simple (I do)

  Use the simple for things in general or things that happen repeatedly.
  I do

  * Water boils at 100 degrees celsius.

  * Excuse me, do you speak English?

  * It doesn't rain very much in summer.

  * What do you usually do at weekends?

  * What do you do? (= What's your job?)

  * I always go to bed before midnight.

  * Most people learn to swim when they are children.

Use the simple for a permanent situation:

  * My parents live in London. They have lived there all their lives.

  * John isn't lazy. He works very hard most of the time.

  See Unit 2 for more information.

B. I always do and I'm always doing

  Usually we say 'I always do something' (= I do it every time):

  * I always go to work by car. (not 'I'm always going')

  You can also say 'I'm always doing something', but this has a different meaning. For example:

  I've lost my key again. I'm always losing things.

  'I'm always losing things' does not mean that I lose things every time. It means that I lose things too often, more often than normal.

  'You're always ~ing' means that you do something very often, more often than the speaker thinks is normal or reasonable.

  * You're always watching television. You should do something more active.

  * John is never satisfied. He's always complaining.

    EXERCISES

3.1 Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct the verbs that are wrong.

1. Water boils at 100 degrees celsius.  RIGHT

2. The water boils. Can you turn it off?  WRONG: is boilling

3. Look! That man tries to open the door of your car.  --- wrong, is trying

4. Can you hear those people? What do they talk about?  --- wrong, are they talking

5. The moon goes round the earth.  ---right

6.  I must go now. It gets late.  --- wrong, is getting

7.  I usually go to work by car.  --- right

8. 'Hurry up! It's time to leave.' 'OK, I come.'  --- wrong, am coming

9. I hear you've got a new job. How do you get on?  --- wrong, are you getting on

3.2 Put the verb in the correct form, present continuous or present simple.

1. Let's go out. It isn't raining (not/rain) now.

2. Julia is very good at languages. She speaks (speak) four languages very well. 

3. Hurry up! Everybody --- (wait) for you. – is waiting 

4. '--- (you/listen) to the radio?' 'No, you can turn it off.' – Are you listening 

5. '--- (you/listen) to the radio every day?' 'No, just occasionally.' – Do you listen

6. The River Nile --- (flow) into the Mediterranean. - flows

7. Look at the river. It --- (flow) very fast today - much faster than usual. – is flowing

8. We usually --- (grow) vegetables in our garden but this year we --- (not/grow) any. 
     –grow, are not growing

 9. 'How is your English?' 'Not bad. It --- (improve) slowly.' Is improving

10. Ron is in London at the moment. He --- (stay) at the Park Hotel. He --- (always/stay)
         there when he's in London. – is staying, always stays
 
11. Can we stop walking soon? I --- (start) to feel tired. – am starting

12. 'Can you drive?' 'I --- (learn). My father --- (teach) me.' – am learning, is teaching

13. Normally I --- (finish) work at 5.00, but this week I --- (work) until 6.00 to earn a bit
        more money. – finish, am working

14. My parents --- (live) in Bristol. They were born there and have never lived
        anywhere else. Where --- (your parents/live)? Live, do your parents live


15. Sonia --- (look) for a place to live. She --- (stay) with her sister until she finds  some 

    where.

    - is looking , is staying

16. 'What --- (your father/do)?' 'He's an architect but he --- (not/work) at the moment.'

    - does your father do, is not working

17. (at a party) Usually I --- (enjoy) parties but I --- (not/enjoy) this one very much.

    - enjoy, am not enjoying

18. The train is never late. It --- (always/leave) on time.

     Always leaves

19. Jim is very untidy. He --- (always/leave) his things all over the place.

     - is always leaving

  3.3 Finish B's sentences. Use always ~ing (see Section B).

  1.  A: I'm afraid I've lost my key again.
       B: Not again! You're always losing your key.

  2.  A: The car has broken down again.

    B: That car is useless! It ---

             Is always breaking down

  3. A: Look! You've made the same mistake again.

   B: Oh no, not again! I ---

             Am always making the same mistake

  4. A: Oh, I've left the lights on again.
      B: Typical! You --- 

               are always leaving the lights on

Present continuous (I am doing)

A. Study this example situation:

  Ann is in her car. She is on her way to work.

  She is driving to work.

  This means: she is driving now, at the time of speaking. The action is not finished.

  Am/is/are ~ing is the present continuous:

  I am(= I'm) driving

  he/she/it is(he's etc.) working

  we/you/they are(we're etc.) doing etc.

B. I am doing something = I'm in the middle of doing something; I've started doing it 

     and I haven't finished yet.

  Often the action is happening at the time of speaking:

  * Please don't make so much noise. I'm working. (not 'I work')

  * 'Where's Margaret?' 'She's having a bath.' (not 'she has a bath')

  * Let's go out now. It isn't raining any more. (not 'it doesn't rain')

  * (at a party) Hello, Jane. Are you enjoying the party? (not 'do you enjoy')

  * I'm tired. I'm going to bed now. Goodnight!

  But the action is not necessarily happening at the time of speaking. For example:

   

 Tom and Ann are talking in a cafe. Tom says:

  TOM: I'm reading an interesting book at the moment. IT lend it to you when I've finished it.

  Tom is not reading the book at the time of speaking. He means that he has started it but not finished it yet. He is in the middle of reading it.

  Some more examples:

  * Catherine wants to work in Italy, so she is learning Italian. (but perhaps she isn't learning Italian exactly at the time of speaking)

  * Some friends of mine are building their own house. They hope it will be finished before next summer.

    C. We use the present continuous when we talk about things happening in a period around now (for example, today/this week/this evening etc.):

  * 'You're working hard today.'  'Yes, I have a lot to do.' (not 'you work hard today')

  * 'Is Susan working this week?'  'No, she's on holiday.'

  We use the present continuous when we talk about changes happening around now:

  * The population of the world is rising very fast. (not 'rises')

  * Is your English getting better? (not 'does your English get better')

    EXERCISES

  1.1 Complete the sentences with one of the following verbs in the correct form:

  come  get  happen  look  make  start  stay  try  work

  1. 'You're working hard today.' 'Yes, I have a lot to do.'

  2. I --- for Christine. Do you know where she is? Am looking

  3. It --- dark. Shall I turn on the light? is getting

  4. They haven't got anywhere to I've at the moment. They --- with friends until they find somewhere.

 Are staying

  5. 'Are you ready, Ann?' 'Yes, I ---.' am coming 

  6. Have you got an umbrella? It --- to rain. Is starting

  7. You --- a lot of noise. Could you be quieter? I --- to concentrate. Are making, am trying

8. Why are all these people here? What ---? Is happening

  1.2 Use the words in brackets to complete the questions.

  1. 'Is Colin working this week?' 'No, he's on holiday.' (Colin/work)

  2. Why --- at me like that? What's the matter? (you/look) are you looking

  3. 'Jenny is a student at university.' 'Is she? What --- ?' (she/study) is she studying

  4. --- to the radio or can I turn it off? (anybody/listen) Is anybody listening 

5. How is your English? --- better? (it/get) Is it getting

  1.3 Put the verb into the correct form. Sometimes you need the negative (I'm not doing etc.).

  1. I'm tired. I'm going (go) to bed now. Goodnight!

  2. We can go out now. it isn't raining (rain) any more.

  3. 'How is your new job?' 'Not so good at the moment. I --- (enjoy) it very much.' ‘m not enjoying

  4. Catherine phoned me last night. She's on holiday in France. She --- (have) a great time and doesn't want to come back. ‘s having

  5. I want to lose weight, so this week I --- (eat) lunch. ‘m not eating

  6. Angela has just started evening classes. She --- (learn) German. ‘s learning

7. I think Paul and Ann have had an argument. They --- (speak) to each other. Aren’t speaking

  1.4 Read this conversation between Brian and Sarah. Put the verbs into the correct form.

  SARAH: Brian! How nice to see you! What (1) --- (you/do) these days?

  BRIAN: I (2) --- (train) to be a supermarket manager.

  SARAH: Really? What's it like? (3) --- (you/enjoy) it?

  BRIAN: It's all right. What about you?

  SARAH: Well, actually I (4) --- (not/work) at the moment.

  I (5) --- (try) to find a job but it's not easy.

  But I'm very busy. I (6) --- (decorate) my flat.

  BRIAN: (7) --- (you/do) it alone?

SARAH: No, some friends of mine (8) --- (help) me.

  1.5 Complete the sentences using one of these verbs:  get  change  rise  fall  increase

  You don't have to use all the verbs and you can use a verb more than once.

  1. The population of the world is rising very fast.

  2. Ken is still ill but he --- better slowly.

  3. The world ---. Things never stay the same.

  4. The cost of living ---. Every year things are more expensive.

  5. The economic situation is already very bad and it --- worse.