Notes for Verb Tense

1.1 Simple Present : I do.
  1.1.1 Repeated Actions : I play tennis.

  1.1.2 Facts : Beijing is in China.

  1.1.3 Scheduled Events in the Near Future : The train leaves at 6 PM.

  1.1.4 Now : I am here now.

  1.2.1 Now : I am watching TV.

  1.2.2 Longer Actions in Progress Now : I am studying to become a doctor.

  1.2.3 Near Future : I am meeting my dad after work.

  1.3.1 Unspecified Time Before Now

    1.3.1.1 About Experience : I have been to France.

    1.3.1.2 Change Over Time : My English has improved since I moved to USA.

    1.3.1.3 Accomplishments : Man has walked on the Moon.

    1.3.1.4 An Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting : The train hasn't stopped.

    1.3.1.5 Multiple Actions at DIfferent Times : I have talked to 5 students about the problem.

  1.4.1 Duration from the Past Until Now : She has been working at that company for three years.

  1.4.2 Recently : I have been exercising lately.

 

 

  2.1.1 Completed Action in the Past : I saw a movie yesterday.

  2.1.2 A Series of Completed Actions : I finished work,walked to the beach,and found a nice place to swim.

  2.1.3 Duration in Past : I lived in Brazil for two years.

  2.1.4 Habits in the Past : I played the violin when I was a child.

  2.1.5 Past Facts or Generalizations : People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past.

  2.2.1 Interrupted Action in the Past : I was watching TV when she called.

  2.2.2 Specific Time as an Interruption : Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.

  2.2.3 Parallel Actions : I was studying while he was making dinner.

  2.2.4 Atmosphere : When I walked into the office, some were busily typing, some were talking on the phone.

  2.2.5 Repetition and Irritation with "Always" : I didn't like them because they were always complainning.

  2.3.1 Completed Action Before Something in the Past : I did not have any money bacause I had lost my wallet.

  2.3.2 Duration Before Something in the Past(Non-Continuous Verbs) : We had had that car for ten years before it broke down.

  2.4.1 Duration Before Something in the Past : They had been talking for an hour before Tom arrived.

  2.4.2 Cause of Something in the Past : Jack was tired because he had been jogging.

 

 

  3.1.1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action : I will send you the picture when I get it.

  3.1.2 "Will" to Express a Promise : I won't tell anyone your secret.

  3.1.3 "Be going to" to Express a Plan : He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.

  3.1.4 "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction : John Smith will be the next President.

  3.2.1 Interrupted Action in the Future : I will be waiting for you when you arrives.

  3.2.2 Specific Time as an Interruption in the Future : At midnight tonight, we will still be driving through the desert.

  3.2.3 Parallel Actions in the Future : I am going to be studying and he is going to be making dinner.

  3.2.4 Atmosphere in the Future : When I arrive at the party, everybody is going to be celebrating. Some will be dancing. Others are going to be talking.

  3.3.1 Completed Action Before Something in the Future : By the time I finish this course, I will have taken ten tests.

  3.3.2 Duration Before Something in the Future (Non-Continuous Verbs) : I will have been in London for six months by the time I leave.

  3.4.1 Duration Before Something in the Future : They will have been talking for over an hour by the time Tom arrives.

  3.4.2 Cause of Something in the Future : Jason will be tired when he gets home because he will have been jogging for over an hour.

 

 

Reference: "verbtenses.doc" by Pacifist