Present continuous: Adverbs:now; right now; at the moment, right away, for the time being; at present; presently; currenty… Present continuous refers to: + actions which are in progres
Trang 1A Simple present:
Abverbs of frequency: usually, often, frequently, seldom, hardly, never, rarely, occasionally, once in a
while, sometimes, at times, (every) now and then,every…
Present simple usually refers to:
+ Facts that are always true
Water boils at 100 degrees Celcius
+ Habits and schedules (in a timeable…)
I usually get up very late in the morning
Look at the board! It says that the plane for Paris leaves at 10:00 AM
B Present continuous:
Adverbs:now; right now; at the moment, right away, for the time being; at present; presently; currenty…
Present continuous refers to:
+ actions which are in progress at the moment
I’m doing my homework
+ these actions can be generally in progress but not actually happening at the time of speaking
I’m learning to drive
+ Temporary actions which are not habitual
My car has broken down, so I am working to work these days
+Complaints about bad haits
You are always complaining about my cooking
*Note: some verbs do not have a continuous form: believe; belong; doubt; like; love; matter; mean; understand; seem; suppose; want; wish; need; suspect…
C Present perfect and present perfect continuous:
Adverbs: since; for; lately; already; yet; recently; up to now; so far; several times; never…before…; ever;
just…
Present perfect refers to:
+ Recent events without a definite time given:
I’ve just seen a ghost!
+ Actions in the past continue to the present:
I’ve lived here for 19 years
+ Events that have not happened:
I haven’t found my wallet yet
Present perfect continuous refers to:
+ a state which lasts up to the present moment
I’ve been waiting for you for over an hour
+ an emphasis on the actions’ duration
My father has been working here for over 10 years
*Note: The verbs: sit; lie; wait; stay prefer the present perfect continuous
He’s been sitting there for 3 hours doing nothing
Trang 2D Simple Past:
Adverbs: ago; yesterday; last week; last month…
Simple past generally refers to:
+ finished events in the past
Susan went into the station and bought a ticket,
I met Susan at the supermarket yesterday
+ Use in narration:
When he was sleeping, the phone rang
+ Past habits or events:
I always got up at six when I was a child
*Note: “Used to” is used to describe past habits, usually in contrast with the present A time expression
is not necessary
I used to get up at six, but now I get up at eight
*Note: These forms of “used to”
I didn’t use to like beer.
Did you use to swim every day?
E Past continuous:
Past continuous generally refers to:
+ Actions at the definite time in the past:
At 8 o’clock last night, I was watching a football match
+ Actions still in progress, and is used for background description:
There were a lot of people waiting in the station Some were sleeping on the benches, and others were walking up and down Susan was looking for Graham, so she didn’t sit down
+ An action that was happening when interrupted by another action:
While Susan was trying to get to the platform, a man grabbed her bag
+ A repeated and annoying habit; in this case a frequency adverb is necessary:
When Peter was younger, he was always getting into trouble
+ Events intended to take place, but did not happen:
I was going to phone you, but I forgot
How are you? I was going to phone you (but I didn’t) + Use with conditional sentences type 2:
If I were you, I wouldn’t believe him
F Past perfect and past perfect continuous:
Past perfect continuous generally refers to:
+ An event in the past which happens before another event in the past:
By the time I got to the station, the train had left
+ Use with conditional sentence type 3:
If I had listened to him, I wouldn’t have ended up failing the exam to LHP
Past perfect continuous generally refers to:
+ Emphasis on the duration of the actions:
I had been living in a small village up to then
2
Trang 3G Simple Future:
Simple future generally refers to:
+ An action or event that is supposed to happen in the future:
The company will make a profit next year
+ “Be going to” describe intentions or plans At the moment of speaking, the plans have already been made: I’m going to wait here until Carol gets back
+ predictions we make because we can see the cause of the event:
Look out! There’s a bus coming! It is going to hit us
*Note: Present continuous describes fixed arrangements, especially social and travel arrangements
I’m sorry, I cannot help you I’m leaving tomorrow
H Future continuous:
Future continuous generally refers to:
+ an event which happens at a particular time in the future:
This time next week we’ll be eating lunch on the plane
+ a future state or habit at a particular time in the future:
In ten years’ time I expect I’ll be living in London And I’ll probably be cycling to work
I Future perfect and future perfect continuous:
Future perfect generally refers to:
+ an event which happens at the time which we look back from a future point:
By 2010, Vietnam will have been a tempting market for foreign investments
Future perfect continuous generally refers to:
+ an emphasis of the action which continues to happen at that time:
By the end of the month, my father will have been working for this company for 20 years
*Note:We can use “is/ are to do sth” to desbribe a formal arrangements or obligation:
All students are to assemble at the hall at 9:00 AM
Trang 4Use the correct tense of the verbs given in parentheses:
1 Peter (offer) another drink but I decided I (drink) enough
2 Tim (sleep) in the downstairs bedroom only once He usually sleeps upstairs in the bedroom he
shares with his mother
3 Jane isn’t here yet I (wait) for her since noon, but she still (arrive, not) .
4 The weather (be) terrible lately It (rain) off and on for two days, and the
temperature (drop) dramatically It (be) really cold today Just three days ago,
the sun (shine) and the weather (be) pleasant The weather certainly
(change) quickly here I never know what to expect Who knows? When everybody (wake)
up tomorrow morning, maybe it (snow)
5 Mr Brown (serve) in the Army from 1960 to 1980
6 Bill asked me to go over his apartment, but I (want, not) to leave the house because I
(wait) for a phone call
7 When a door-to-door salesperson (come) yesterday, Claudia (hear, not) the door
bell because she (dry, in her room) her hair with her electric hair dryer
8 Your eyes are red (You, cry) , darling?
9 The next plane (take off) at 11:20 AM.
10 Last Friday I (walk) to work when I (see) an old friend I (see, not)
for a long time I (throw) my arms around him He (stare) with an open mouth To
my horror, I (realise) I (mistake) for my friend
11 You (forget, always) what I’ve told you to do,
12 By the time we get there, I’m afraid the film (start) .
13 This time next week I (be) on my honeymoon, and I (forget) all about my problems
at work My husband and I (relax) by the pool and we (look) forward to spending a
romantic dinner together
14 Don’t try to phone me By the time you (read) this letter, I (leave) .
15 Within a week she (know) the fearful mistake she (make)
16 She (draw) to her, and (say) the words she (say) to the others.
17 It was 2 o’clock Eliza (be) suddenly awake It (rain) , the way it
(rain) for days.
18 We (walk) for 3 hours and are very tired now.
19 The last time he (see) in public, he (wear) a grey suit
20 For the last three years I (spend) every minute of my life on this problem
21 Here you are! What (you, do) at this time of the night?
22 Once you (do) the washing-up, go upstairs and clean up your room.
23 My sister only (go) with her friends once in a while.
24 I (make) a pudding cake for the first time
25 As soon as he (return) from New York, he’ll have 3 meetings to attend
26 Tom (sit) in a corner with a book I (tell) that he (read) in very bad
light
27 By the time we got back home, everything in the house (steal) .
28 Where is my flower vase? – It (move) upstairs for more space down here.
29 I (sit) down for a rest while the shoes (repair) .
30.(You, still look) for an apartment? Why don’t you share with Peter?
4