VERBAL TENSES
PRESENT TENSES
Present Simple
Habits and routines.
General truths.
Opinions, likes, feelings.
Timetables and programs.
Present Continuous
Action happening at the moment of
speaking.
Repeated actions we do not like.
Immediate future.
Present Perfect Simple
Actions that started in the past and
continue in the present (for, since).
Actions whose effects are still
present.
Actions that have just happened.
Actions with no time reference.
Present Perfect Continuous
Long actions that have just finished
and affect the present.
To emphasize how long recent
actions have taken.
Past Simple
Finished actions in a specific
moment in the past.
Past actions that happened one
immediately after the other.
Past short action that happened
while a long action was taking place.
USED TO + INFIN. (solía)
Past Continuous
Actions happening at a specific
time in the past.
Simultaneous actions in the past.
Long action interrupted by a
short action.
Descriptions of scenes.
Past Perfect Simple
Actions that happened before
another action in the past.
Actions that happened before a
specific time in the past (by …)
Past Perfect Continuous
Actions that had been happening in
the past until a specific moment in
the past.
Aff. 3rd person sing. –s/-es TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. aux. don’t / doesn’t + verb
Int. Do / Does + subj. + verb every day, usually, always, often,
‘He brushes his teeth three times a day.’ seldom, never, generally, twice a
week…
Aff. aux (be) am/is/are + v. ing TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. am not/isn’t/aren’t + v. ing (right) now, at the moment, at
Int. Am/Is/Are + subj. + v. ing present.
‘We aren’t using the laptop right now.’ * tomorrow, in an hour, in a
minute, tonight, next week…
Aff. Subj + aux. have/has + past part. TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. “ haven’t / hasn’t + past part.
Int. Have/Has + subj + past part. for, since
I have lived in this village for twenty yet, so far
years. still
My parents have just left. already, just, ever, always, never.
Karen hasn’t already bought the car.
Aff. have / has + been + vb. Ing TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. haven’t/hasn’t + been + vb. Ing
Int. Have / Has + subj + been + vb. Ing for , since, yet, just, always,
They are dirty because they have been already…
playing in the playground. so far
PAST TENSES
Aff. –ed (except irregular verbs) TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. didn’t + verb (no –ed)
Int. Did + subj + verb yesterday, last night, last month,
I did my homework last week. last summer, last year, in 2000, in
We didn’t go to the doctor yesterday. February…
I used to go to the playground… when I was a child, when I was
I didn’t use to go out… 12…
Did you use to play computer games?
Aff. (to be) was / were + vb. Ing. TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. wan’t / weren’t + vb. Ing
Int. Was/Were + subj + vb. Ing.
at (hour), on (day)…
They weren’t listening to the teacher.
I was having dinner when the phone
rang.
Aff. had + past participle TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. hadn’t + past participle
Int. Had + subj. + past participle It was the 1st / 2nd / 3rd … time
As soon as I had finished work, I went After
home. As soon as
Had you told her about the news?
Aff. had + been + vb. -ing TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. hadn’t + been + vb. -ing
Int. Had + subj. + been + vb. –ing when ( + past simple)
We had been swimming for two hours present & past perfect

Will
Spontaneous decisions, offers and
promises at the moment of speaking.
To make predictions or give your
own opinions (no evidence)
Future in general
Be going to
Plans and intentions.
Predictions based on evidence at the
time of speaking.
Refusals (only in negative)
Present Continuous
Immediate or near-immediate future
plans (everything’s organized). The
time or place reference is mentioned.
Present Simple
Future events in timetables and
programs.
Future Continuous
Events in progress in the future.
Actions that will fill a specific period
of time in the future.
Future events already arranged.
Future Perfect
Events that will be completed by a
specific moment in the future.
BE USED TO + VERB –ING
She is used to walking to school.
I wasn’t used to working so hard.
Are you used to having so much homework?
when it started to rain.
FUTURE TENSES
Aff. will + infinitive TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. will not (won’t) + infinitive
Int. Will + subject + verb In the future, in (year), next year,
You will like Ireland. next month, in the following
In the future, people will work from their decades…
homes.
I’ll have a coffee, please.
Aff. am / is / are + going to + verb TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. am not/isn’t/aren’t + going to +
verb next month, next summer, this year,
Int. Am / Is / Are + subj. + going to + tomorrow…
verb
I’m going to travel to New York this
summer.
It isn’t going to rain.
Aff. am / is / are + verb -ing TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. am not / isn’t / aren’t + vb. -ing
Int. Am / Is / Are + subj. + vb. –ing next week, this week, tomorrow,
We’re meeting our friends tonight. tonight, in a minute, in a couple of
days…
Aff. –s/-es (3rd person singular) TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. don’t / doesn’t + verb
Int. Do / Does + subj. + verb At (hours), on (days), in (months)…
The train leaves at half past ten.
Aff. will + be + verb –ing. TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. won’t + be + verb –ing.
Int. Will + subj. + verb –ing. at (hour), all night, all evening, all
At half past ten, we will be watching the day…
film.
We won’t be studying all evening.
I’ll be lying on the beach, this time next
week.
Aff. will + have + past participle TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Neg. won’t + have + past participle by + noun
Int. Will + subj. + have + past participle at + hour / on + day / in + month
At twelve, we will have watched the film.
ESTAR
ACOSTUMBRADO/A A
GET USED TO + VERB –ING

They got used to wearing an uniform.

I can’t get used to getting up so early. ACOSTUMBRARSE A

Did you get used to eating so late?