- Verb tense
Present tense
There are many situations we can use present tense.
The first one is describing a truth, current situation, or something happens regularly.
Examples:
The earth moves around the sun.
The train arrives at nine in the morning.
The second one is the subordinate clause describing time and begin with “if”, “unless”, “before”, “as soon as”, “when”, “once”… In this case, we often use present tense instead of future tense.
Examples:
I will let you know as soon as I hear from him.
For some verbs –- such as “go”, “come”, “sail”, “leave”, “start”, “arrive”, “begin”, “return” … ---- we often use present tense to describe future.
Examples:
He comes back tonight.
My train leaves at 6:30.
The forth case is exclamatory sentences. We can use present tense instead of present continuous tense.
Examples:
Here comes the bus!
There goes the bell! (the subject is something)
Here he comes! (the subject is somebody)
Present continous tense
In some cases, we usually don not use present continous tense.
Key words: agree, be, belive, belong, depend, fear, feel, find, forget, hate, have, hear, hope, imagine, know, like, look, love, mean, mind, move, notice, own, regret, remember, realize, see, seem, smell, sound, suggest, taste, think, understand, want...
Past tense
Past tense is mostly used in such situations as follows :
1. Two actions happen one after another.
Key words : when, as soon as, immediately, the moment, the minute...
Example:
I was walking in the street when I met an old friend of mine.
2. adverbial modifier + some words represent for past time (eg. yesterday, last nidht...)
Past continous tense
1. Coming together with "always", "continually", "frequently"... Expressing strong emotion
Example:
The two brothers were always late for school.
2. Expressing something that somebody want to achieve but have not achieved.
Example:
I was coming, but I missed the last bus.
3. Discribing something just happened.
Example:
I was thinking you were not well.
Exercises:
1. I ____ ping-pong quite well, but I have not had time to play since the new year.
A. played B. am playing C. play
2. Books of this kind ____ well.
A. sells B. are sold C. is sold D. sell
3. Unfortunately, when I arrived, she ____ , so we only had time for a few words.
A. was just leaving B. was just left C. left
4. ---- He promised to come to see you.
---- But he ____ . I have been alone.
A. did not B. has not C. does not
5. ---- Hey, look where you are going!
---- Oh, I am terribly sorry. I ____ .
A. haven't notice B. didn't notice C. wasn't noticing
6. The price ____ . I doubt wether it will remain so.
A. has been going down B. goes down C. went down
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Key: CDABCA
