Past Simple Tense

yesterday

1 I played with my friends yesterday.

2 You watched TV last night.

3 He visited his grandparents last month.

She tidied her room on Saturday.

It was rainy 5 hours ago.

1 We were babies in 2005.

2 You went to Greece last year.

3 They made a cake yesterday morning.

Did you have breakfast?

I didn't have a sandwich.

Did they travel by train?

They didn't travel by train.

Were you in the park yesterday?

I wasn't in the park yesterday.

Present Tenses

What do you like doing in your free time? Do you like playing games/riding a bike/reading a book/watching films/going shopping/hanging out with friends/playing volleyball? What about your friend? Are you doing any of these?

 

e.g. I like watching films.

I'm not watching a film now.

My friend likes riding a bike. 

She isn't riding a bike now.

In English, there are two present tenses:

• present simple - for actions that that happen always, often, usually, sometimes, every day/month/year:

Tony lives in Sydney. (permanent state)

The sun rises in the east. (fact)

Emma tidies her desk after work. (habit)

• present continuous - for actions happening now, at the moment, today, tonight

Jane is helping her brother now. (present situation)

I am sitting and writing.

We are having a party tonight. (future arrangement)

Choose and fill in, present simple or continuous: 

1 At the moment Joanne ..... (stand) on the platform. She ..... (go) to work by train every morning.

2 Frank ..... (not work) in the shop now. He never ..... (work) on Sunday.

3 They often ..... (play) cards after dinner, but this evening they ..... (listen) to music.

4 Karen always ..... (get) home at 6.30. She ..... (have) dinner now.

5 Our cousins often ..... (spend) the weekend with us. They ..... (stay) with us this weekend.

Past Tenses

Take a look at these examples:

The ship was sailing when it hit the iceberg.

I was walking across the street when the accident happened.

We were watching TV when the lights went out.

As you can see, two actions are described in each sentence and two different tenses are used. For the longer action that was interrupted the past continuous is used, while for the shorter one that interrupted the action in progress in the past - the past simple is used. 

Time markers used: while (= dok), as (= dok), when (= kad).

You already know that the past simple of regular verbs end in -ED and that irregular verbs must be learned by heart. You should also remember that the past continuous consists of the past form of TO BE (WAS with I, he, she, it; WERE with we, you, they) and the present participle/-ING form of the main verb. Some verbs only take the -ING ending (watching, going, playing, trying), others double the consonant (stopping, sitting, cutting, swimming, shopping) or drop the -e and add the -ING (coming, having, driving, making, moving). But, there are some irregular present participle forms as well (lie --> lying, die --> dying).

Here are a few more examples:

Mary was cooking while John was reading a book. (2 actions happening at the same time in the past; both in the past continuous)

As I was getting out of the bus I fell. (a longer action interrupted by a shorter action)

Present Perfect Simple Tense

We form it with HAVE (I, you, we, they) / HAS (he, she, it) and past participle.

Regular past participles have the -ed ending (watched, played, visited), while irregular past participles must be learnt by heart (3rd column of the list).

Take a look at these examples:

Lucy has painted her house blue. --> She's painted her house blue.

Jimmy has written a letter. --> He's written a letter.

Do we know when these actions happened? - No, we don't. 

Is it important? - No, it isn't.

What happens in the negative sentences?

I have not ridden a camel. --> I haven't ridden a camel.

She has not seen a ghost. --> She hasn't seen a ghost.

And questions?

Have you finished your homework?

What have you done?

Why do we need the present perfect simple?

• to talk about life experiences:

        I have been to Egypt.

• to connect the past and present:

        I've heard that song before.

• when the result is more important than when something happened:

        She's cut her finger.

Common time markers are: ever, never, already, yet, since (2002), for (3 years), just

Take a look at these activities. Which have you already done? Which haven't you done? Write them down:

• eat candyfloss
• fly in a pirate ship
• see famous landmarks
• shake hands with cartoon characters
• explore a haunted house
• ride on a roller coaster

Past Simple Tense

Take a look at these examples:

• He played volleyball on Sunday.
• Mary made a cake yesterday?

Both examples show finished actions in the past (on Sunday, yesterday, but also: last week/night, ago, in 1914). 

As you can see, the verbs have different forms in the past. That is because there are regular and irregular verbs in English. Regular verbs follow the rule to add -ED to the base form, while irregular verbs don't follow that rule, so we must learn them by heart. You can find them in the 2nd column of the list of irregular verbs.

One more thing, the -ED ending is NEVER pronounced /ed/, but /t/, /d/ or /id/!

e.g. /t/: pushed, gasped, looked, passed,

/d/: disappeared, wondered, turned, pulled,

/id/: decided, started.

Beware of the spelling changes! 

e.g. try --> tried, grab --> grabbed, etc.

Present Perfect Simple Tense

I've washed the dog. (replace washed with walked or fed and see what will happen)

Do we know when I washed the dog? -No, we don't.

But, how do we know the dog is washed? - It's not dirty.

They've bought the car. (replace bought with painted or sold and see what will happen)

Do we know when they bought the car? - No, we don't.

But, how do we know they bought it? - It's new.

 

He's lost a book. (replace lost with borrowed or signed and see what will happen)

Do we know when he lost the book? - No, we don't.

But, how do we know it's lost? - He no longer has it.

We are familiar with HAVE (short form 've) / HAS (short form 's) and the past simple of regular (washed, walked, painted, etc.) and irregular verbs (buy - bought, lose - lost, etc).

Now, take a look at the following:

I've been to Egypt. 

She's seen the Pyramids too.

In these sentences we have the same situation we talked about before - we don't know when something happened but we can see the result (photographs, souvenirs or things like that). But, what are been and seen? They are past participles of the verbs we are familiar with - be and see. We use past participles with HAVE / HAS, and not past simple forms, for this new tense that connects the past and the present.  

Let's take a look at the list of irregular verbs again. As you can see, past participles are in the third column. Some are the same as past forms, the others are completely different. That's why my advice for you would be to learn those with the same form first and leave the different ones for later. Hope it helps.

Future Simple

• (I think) I'll call you later. Will you be at home?
• No, I won't (be at home).

Future Simple is used for what we think will happen in the future.

• It's hot. I'll open the window.

Future Simple is also used for on-the-spot decisions.

As you can see, to make future simple you just need WILL and INFINITIVE.

Complete the sentence:
When I grow up, I'll / I won't ...
You can use some of these ideas: have a big house, travel around the world, be famous, or something like that.

Past Continuous Tense

What were you doing at 10 o'clock yesterday morning? Pick a card, show us and let us guess.

e.g. I was having breakfast.

I was swimming in the pool.

What was he doing at 7 o'clock yesterday evening?

He was sitting in the park.

What was she doing at 9 o'clock last night?

She was playing computer games. 

What were they doing at 11 o'clock last night?

They were eating a pizza.

In all these sentences we want to show the action in progress in the past. That is why we need the past continuous tense (past forms of TO BE + -ing). You should take care of the spelling (have --> having, swim --> swimming).

Past Simple Tense

What did you do yesterday? Finish the sentence.

Yesterday I ... (e.g. played computer games, watched TV and went shopping).

As you remember, there are 2 types of verbs in English, regular (with -ED ending in the past) and irregular (2nd column of the list). What you should try to practise more is the pronunciation of the -ED ending: /d/ (played, listened, lived), /t/ (watched, liked, brushed) and /id/ (acted, needed, visited).

In questions, you need DID with the infinitive of the main verb:

Did you go to school yesterday?

Did you make a cake at the weekend?

For negative answers, you need DIDN'T (=did not) and the infinitive of the main verb:

I didn't make a cake.

Present Tenses

Take a look at the examples. What do they show?

I go to school. (repeated action)

I'm going to school. (temporary, action happening at the moment)

The sun sets in the west. (fact)

The sun's setting. (now)

I eat a toast for breakfast, but today I'm having cereal. (This person has the same breakfast every day, but today it's different. That's why in the first part of the sentence we need the present simple while in the second part we need the present continuous) 

As you remember, we use the present simple for things that are always true, everyday actions, something that we repeat always, usually, often, sometimes... The verb is always the same, except with he, she, it. Then, we add the -s ending.

We use the present continuous for actions happening now, at the moment, today. The verb always has the -ing ending, but we also need the present forms of the verb TO BE (am, is, are).

Now, complete these sentences with the correct present form of the verbs in brackets:

Mary ..... (go) to the seaside every summer.

They ..... (not make) their beds in the morning.

Look! Grandpa ..... (have) a rest.

I ..... (sit) by the pool now.

Everyday activities

How often do you do things? Complete the sentences and tell us. Don't forget to use the present simple!

I always ..... before I go to bed.

I usually ..... in the evening.

I never ..... when it's cold.

Present continuous tense

We use the present continuous tense, aka present progressive (= садашње трајно време):

* to say that something is happening now, at the moment of speaking
o I am sitting.

* to say that something is in progress
o She is studying law.

* for fixed arrangements
o He is having a meeting this afternoon.

* for annoying, repeated actions
o He is always picking his nose.

Present simple tense

We use the present simple form for:

* facts or laws of nature:
The sun rises in the east.

* permanent states:
They live in London.

* daily routines, habits or repeated actions:
I get up at 7 o'clock.
He goes to work by bus.

* timetables:
The train for Vienna leaves at 10.30.

As you can see, only the verbs in the 3rd person singular (with he, she, it) have an ending -s (sings, plays) or -es (passes, washes, watches, does, fixes, tries).

The ending can be pronounced in three different ways: /s/ (voiceless sounds: walks), /z/ (voiced sounds: buys) and /iz/ (others: brushes).

To make questions or negatives, in most cases we need an auxiliary verb DO / DOES (3rd person singular).

Past Continuous Tense

When we want to describe an action happening at a particular time in the past, we use the past continuous tense (= прошло трајно време):

• We were watching TV at six o'clock.

The past continuous form is also used for two longer actions happening at the same time:

• Mum was washing the dishes while dad was reading the newspapers.

Finally, when we want to say that an action, usually a longer one, was interrupted by a new, shorter action, we use the past continuous form for the longer action and the past simple form for the shorter one:

• I was having a bath when the phone rang.

To make the past continuous tense we need the past form of TO BE (was/were) and the present participle (main verb with the -ing ending).

I/He/She/It was reading.

We/You/They were swimming.

 

In negative sentences add NOT between the past form of TO BE and present participle (I was not singing), and in questions put TO BE in front of the subject (Were you singing?).

For more practice, click on the pictures below:

 

Lemon Tree

Fill in the blanks with the present continuous form of the verbs in brackets. Use the short forms:

I .......... (sit) here in the boring room

It's just another rainy Sunday afternoon

I .......... (waste) my time

I got nothing to do

I .......... (hang) around

I .......... (wait) for you

But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I .......... (drive) around in my car

I .......... (drive) too fast

I .......... (drive) too far

I'd like to change my point of view

I feel so lonely

I .......... (wait) for you

But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I wonder how

I wonder why

Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue, blue sky

And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree

I .......... (turn) my head up and down

I'm turning, turning, turning, turning, turning around

And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree

I .......... (sit) here

I miss the power

I'd like to go out taking a shower

But there's a heavy cloud inside my head

I feel so tired

Put myself into bed

Well, nothing ever happens and I wonder

Isolation is not good for me

Isolation I don't want to sit on the lemon-tree

I .......... (step) around in the desert of joy

Baby, anyhow I'll get another toy

And everything will happen and you wonder

Now, watch the video and check your ideas:

Hero

Fill in the blanks with the correct present simple form of the verbs in brackets:

There .......... (be) a hero

If you look inside your heart

You .......... (not / have) to be afraid

Of what you .......... (be)

There .......... (be) an answer

If you reach into your soul

And the sorrow that you .......... (know)

Will melt away

And then a hero .......... (come) along

With the strength to carry on

And you .......... (cast) your fears aside

And you .......... (know) you can survive

So when you .......... (feel) like hope is gone

Look inside you and be strong

And you'll finally see the truth

That a hero .......... (lie) in you

It .......... (be) a long road

When you .......... (face) your world alone

No one .......... (reach) out a hand

For you to hold

You can find love

If you search within yourself

And the emptiness you felt

Will disappear

Lord .......... (know)

Dreams .......... (be)  hard to follow

But .......... (not / let) anyone

Tear them away

Hold on

There will be tomorrow

In time

You'll find the way

Now, watch the video and check your ideas:

I'm wishing

Watch the video and answer the questions: 

1. Where is Snow White standing?
2. Who is making her company?
3. What is she wearing?
4. What is she wishing?
5. What is she hoping?
6. Who is watching her?
7. Do her dreams come true?
8. What are you dreaming of?

I am sailing

Fill in the gaps with the given words:

clouds - free - near - night -  say - sea -  sky -  trying -  waters

I am sailing, I am sailing.

Home again, 'cross the ..........

I am sailing stormy ..........

To be .......... you, to be ..........

I am flying, I am flying

Like a bird 'cross the ..........

I am flying, passing high ..........

To be with you, to be free

Can you hear me, can you hear me

through the dark .......... far away

I am dying, forever ..........

To be with you, who can ..........

Now, watch the video and check your ideas:

This single by Rod Stewart which was released in 1975 remains his best-selling single in the UK.

Mulberry Bush

Listen to the song, then answer the questions about you:

1. Who does the jobs in your house?
2. How often do you lay the table? sweep the floor? tidy your room?
3. How do you go to school? Who with?
4. What's your favourite game?

Do you like bananas?

Listen to the song and answer the questions: