Summary of tenses for ESO-3 EFL students

1. Tenses (3rd year ESO)
Tense Use Useful words Examples
Present
simple
· facts and permanent states · Snow melts at 0ªC.
· Water freezes at 32º Fahrenheit.
· The weather in Britain is cold and rainy.
· habits and routines (unit 1)
· stative verbs are not used in the
pres. continuous (see, hear, like,
think, want, hope, feel, believe,
know, understand…)
how often…?
always / sometimes /
often / never / usually /
seldom… / on Sundays
every day / once a week
/ twice a month…
· Andy lives in Manchester.
· David watches television every day.
· We often have lunch together.
· How often does your mother drive to Madrid?
· She doesn’t play tennis on Monday.
· We don’t usually come by bus.
· 1st type conditional (unit 7) if · If I save money, I’ll buy a new mobile phone.
· We’ll go dancing if Sue comes with us.
Present
continuous
· actions happening now (unit 1) now / at the moment · He’s watching television at the moment.
· future arrangements-definite
plans in the defined future (unit 6)
a future time expression · Liz is having lunch with her mum tomorrow.
· Mark and Tony are playing football on Sunday.
Past simple · for completed actions in the past
(unit 3)
when
yesterday / last week
in 1993
· She didn’t go to the cinema last Saturday.
· I was having a shower when the bell rang.
· They bought a new detached house in 2001.
Past
continuous
· for actions in progress in the past
(unit 4)
· stative verbs are not used in
continuous tenses
while / as
at 9 o’clock (any time in
the past)
· I was having a shower when the bell rang.
· It started to rain while I was walking in the park.
· What were you doing at 9 o’clock?
· I was having breakfast.
Present
perfect
· for actions completed in the past
that are still relevant in the
present (unit 5)
already / yet /just
ever
this week / today…
· It’s twelve o’clock and she’s already eaten her lunch.
· We haven’t finished our reports yet.
· I’ve passed all my exams. I’m on holiday now.
· Have you seen Brokeback Mountain yet?
· for actions started in the past that
continue up to the present (unit 5)
for / since
how long…?
· How long have you had your car?
· I’ve worked in London for two years.
· They have spent 100€ since last Saturday.
Will future · for instant decisions that we make
at the time of speaking (unit 7)
I think I’ll / I don’t think
I’ll…
· I need a holiday; I’ll phone the travel agent’s.
· I think I’ll tell my parents about it.
· 1st type conditional (unit 7) if · If I save money, I’ll buy a new mobile phone.
Going to
future
· For future plans and intentions
when we have already decided
a future time expression · We’re going to have a picnic in the park tomorrow.
· She’s going to play tennis next Monday.

2. what to do (unit 6) · I’m not going to go shopping with her.