Els Temps Verbals en Anglès: Simple, Continu i Perfet

THE SIMPLE TENSES

NAME OF THE TENSE

USES

EXAMPLES

ELEMENTS IN THE FORMATION

PRESENT SIMPLE

1. Habits

2. General truths

3. Public futures

4. Stative verbs: mental processes, emotions, senses.

I play tennis every Tuesday at 6 o'clock.

- 3rd person singular: -S

- DO / DOES

London isn't the capital of Spain.

Where do you usually play tennis?

PAST SIMPLE

1. Finished actions in the past

I played the guitar yesterday.

- VERB + -ED OR IRREGULAR VERBS

I didn't eat pizza.

Did you talk with him?

FUTURE SIMPLE

1. Predictions (with no evidence)

2. Promises

3. Improvisations

I will always hate you.

- WILL / WON'T

- BASE FORM

Oh! It's not raining, I won't take my umbrella.

Will you always love me?

1. Conjectures, the result of irreal or hypothetical actions.

THE CONTINUOUS TENSES

NAME OF THE TENSE

USES

EXAMPLES

ELEMENTS IN THE FORMATION

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

1. Actions in progress

2. Arrangements

3. Annoying habits

4. Temporary actions / break routines

You are getting married in four months.

- Verb + -ing

- AM / IS / ARE

She is not working in Italy.

Is he working in Japan?

PAST CONTINUOUS

1. Action in progress in the past that was interrupted

2. Two actions in progress in the past that didn't interrupt each other

3. Talk about the background

I was playing the guitar when the bomb exploded.

- WAS / WERE

- VERB + -ING

I wasn't eating while you were singing.

Was she singing while you were eating?