1. What you need to know Pirchy Dayan
English Tenses
What you need to know
Pirchy Dayan

2. Present Simple – V1 / V+s I get up every day at 8 o’clock.
I don’t get up every day at 8 o’clock.
Do you get up every day at 8 o’clock?
He usually drives to work.
He doesn’t usually drive to work.
Does he usually drive to work?
They study English twice a week.
They don’t study English twice a week.
Do they study English twice a week?

3. Rules: Present Simple Describes habits, facts and general truth.
מתאר הרגל, פעולה שנעשית מתוך הרגל, או עובדה. V1
I, you, we, they
V+s/es/ies
He, she, it
don’t
doesn’t
V1? Do
he, she, it
Does

4. Time Expressions
Every day, once a week, twice a year, etc. (at the end of the sentence)
Frequency expressions: never, seldom, rarely, always, usually, sometimes, often, frequently, occasionally, hardly ever, etc. (before the verb)

5. Spelling Rules

6. Present Progressive – is/am/are + Ving
I’m writing the rules right now.
I’m not writing the rules right now.
Are you writing the rules right now?
She is going to the cinema tonight.
She isn’t going to the cinema tonight.
Is she going to the cinema tonight?
You are celebrating your birthday today.
You aren’t celebrating your birthday today
Are you celebrating your birthday today?

7. Rules: Present progressive
Describes an activity that is taking place at or around the moment of speaking.
מתאר פעולה שמתרחשת ברגע זה או בעתיד הקרוב מאוד.
Ving am I
ving is
He, she, it
are
You, we, they
Am not
Isn’t / is not
Aren’t / are not
Ving? Am
He, she, it, Is
Are

8. Time Expressions
Now, today, tonight, this week, at the moment, right now, etc.
Look! Listen!

9. What’s the difference?

10. Past Simple – V+ed / irregular verbs
He played tennis yesterday.
He didn’t play tennis yesterday.
Did he play tennis yesterday?
They ate dinner at home last night.
They didn’t eat dinner at home last night.
Did they eat dinner at home last night?
I studied for the test an hour ago.
I didn’t study for the test an hour ago.
Did you study for the test an hour ago?

11. Rules: Past simple
Describes an action that happened in the past. The time is known.
מתאר פעולה שהתרחשה והסתיימה בעבר בזמן ידוע.
V+ed/d/ied irregular verbs
I, you, we, they, he, she, it V1
didn’t
V1?
Did

12. Time Expressions
yesterday, last week, a moment ago, in 1990, earlier, when, etc.

13. Spelling Rules

14. Past Progressive – was/were + Ving
He was watching TV yesterday at 10 o’clock.
He wasn’t watching TV yesterday at 10 o'clock.
Was he watching TV yesterday at 10 o’clock?
They were doing homework when I came home.
They weren’t doing homework when I came home.
Were they doing homework when I came home?
Mom was cooking while dad was cleaning.
Mom wasn’t cooking while dad was cleaning.
Was mom cooking while dad was cleaning?

15. Rules: Past Progressive
Describes an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past.
Describes a long action that was interrupted by short action.
Describes two long actions that were happening at the same time.
מתאר פעולה ארוכה בעבר שנקטעה על ידי פעולה אחרת קצרה ממנה.
מתאר פעולה בזמן התרחשותה בעבר.
מתאר מספר פעולות ממושכות המתרחשות במקביל.

16. Ving
was
I, he, she, it
were
You, we, they
wasn’t
weren’t
Was
Were
Time Expressions when  past simple (short action) as, while  past progressive (long action)

19. Future – Will + V1 I will finish the project next week.
I won’t finish the project next week.
Will you finish the project next week?
He will celebrate his birthday tomorrow.
He won’t celebrate his birthday tomorrow.
Will he celebrate his birthday tomorrow?
They will learn French next year.
They won’t learn French next year.
Will they learn French next year?

20. Future – be + going to +V1 I am going to see a movie tomorrow.
I’m not going to see a movie tomorrow.
Are you going to see a movie tomorrow?
She is going to fly to London next month.
She isn’t going to fly to London next month.
Is she going to fly to London next month?
They are going to study for the test next Sunday.
They aren’t going to study for the test next Sunday.
Are they going to study for the test next Sunday?

21. V1
will
I, you, we, they, he, she, it
won’t
V1?
Will V1
am going to I
is going to
He, she, it
are going to
You, we, they
am not going to
isn’t going to
aren’t going to
V1? Am
he, she, it Is
you, we, they
Are

22. Rules: Future Time Expressions Tomorrow, next week, soon, etc.
Describes an action that will happen or is going to happen in the future.
מתאר פעולה שתתרחש בעתיד.
Time Expressions
Tomorrow, next week, soon, etc.

23. Present Perfect Simple – have/has + V3
I have just finished my work.
I haven’t finished my work yet.
Have you finished your work yet?
They have been here for an hour.
They haven’t been here for an hour.
Have they been here for an hour?
She has done a lot of work recently.
She hasn’t done a lot of work recently.
Has she done a lot of work recently?

24. Rules: Present Perfect Simple
Describes an action that has been completed in the past (in most cases) and has some relevance to the present.
The time isn’t known or unimportant.
Present perfect is used for repeated actions.
מתאר פעולה שהתרחשה בעבר, אך זמן הפעולה אינו מוזכר ואינו חשוב. מה שחשוב הוא הפעולה עצמה והקשר שלה להווה.
מתאר פעולות שחוזרות על עצמן. ידוע. הזמן אינו V3
have
I, you, we, they
has
He, she, it
haven’t
hasn’t
V3?
Have
Has

25. Time Expressions
for, since, yet (questions and negative), still, already, just, lately, recently, so far, before, never, ever (questions), often, always, today, this week, etc.

26. What’s the difference?

27. Present Perfect Progressive – has/have + been + Ving
I have been studying for the text all week.
*I haven’t been studying for the text all week.
Have you been studying for the test all week?
She has been waiting for the doctor since 8 o’clock, but he hasn’t arrived yet.
*She hasn’t waited for the doctor since 8 o’clock.
Has she been waiting for the doctor since 8 o’clock?
They have been living here since they were born.
*They haven’t lived here since they were born.
Have they been living here since they were born?

28. Rules: Present Perfect Progressive
Describes an action that started in the past and is still going on at present. The action is usually incomplete.
מתאר פעולה שהחלה בעבר ונמשכת אל תוך ההווה. הדגש הוא על הפעולה עצמה ועל זמן הימשכותה.
been Ving
have
I, you, we, they
has
He, she, it
haven’t
hasn’t
been Ving?
Have
he, she, it
Has

29. Time Expressions for, since, all day/week/month etc.
Note: When we need to say a negative sentence, we usually use present perfect simple and NOT progressive.

31. Past Perfect Simple – had +V3
The guests had already gone when I arrived at the party
The guests hadn’t gone when I arrived at the party.
Had the guests already gone when I arrived at the party?
The movie had just started by the time we got to the cinema.
The movie hadn’t started by the time we got to the cinema.
Had the movie just started by the time we got to the cinema?

32. Rules: Past Perfect Simple
Describes an action that had already been completed before another action in the past.
מתאר פעולה שהסתיימה לפני פעולה אחרת בעבר (עבר רחוק). שתי פעולות שהתרחשו בזו אחר זו בעבר. V3
had
I, he, she, it, you, we, they
hadn’t
V3?
Had

33. Time Expressions
Note: pay attention to the time expressions that come with Past Perfect, and the time expressions that come with Past Simple.
Already, just, before, after, for, since, (because).
By the time, when, as soon as,

35. Past Perfect Progressive – had + been + Ving
Dan had been playing tennis for 10 years before he became a pro.
Dan hadn’t been playing tennis for 10 years before he became a pro.
Had Dan been playing tennis for 10 years before he became a pro?
They had been waiting since 8 in the morning when the doctor finally came.
They hadn’t been waiting since 8 in the morning when the doctor finally came.
Had they been waiting since 8 in the morning when the doctor finally came?

36. Rules: Past Perfect Progressive
Describes a continuous action that had been going on until another action in the past started.
מתאר פעולה ממושכת בעבר שהסתיימה לפני פעולה אחרת. הדגש הוא על הימשכות הפעולה.
been Ving
had
I, he, she, it, you, we, they
hadn’t
been Ving?
Had

37. Time Expressions
for, since, all day, etc.

38. Future Progressive – will be + Ving
I will be staying in Paris next month
I won’t be staying in Paris next month.
Will you be staying in Paris next month?
They will be watching a movie tonight at 10 .
They won’t be watching a movie tonight at 10.
Will they be watching a movie tonight at 10?
He will be working on a project soon.
He won’t be working on a project soon.
Will he be working on a project soon?

39. Rules: Future Progressive
Describes a continuous action in the future.
מתאר פעולה מתמשכת בעתיד.
be Ving
will
I, he, she, it, you, we, they
be Ving?
Will

40. Time Expressions
Tomorrow, next week, soon, etc.

41. Future Past – would + V1 She promised she would be on time.
She promised she wouldn’t be late.
Did she promise she would be on time?
They hoped everyone would come to the party.
They hoped everyone wouldn’t be late for the party.
Did they hope everyone would come to the party?

42. Rules: Future Past
Describes a future action when the main verb is in the past. It is used mainly in REPORTED SPEECH.
מתאר פעולה עתידית כאשר הפועל המרכזי הוא בעבר. V1
would
I, you, we, they, he, she, it
wouldn’t
V1?
Would

43. Future Perfect Simple – will have + V3
You will have learned all the tenses by the end of the year.
You won’t have learned all the tenses by the end of the year.
Will you have learned all the tenses by the end of the year?
The match will have finished by then.
The match won’t have finished by then.
Will the match have finished by then?

44. Rules: Future Perfect
Describes an action that will have been completed before a certain time in the future.
מתאר פעולה שתסתיים לפני זמן מסוים בעתיד.
have V3
will
I, you, we, they, he, she, it
have V3?
Will

45. Time Expressions
By the end of the week/month/year, etc.

46. Good Luck!
Pirchy Dayan