English Verb Tenses and Time Expressions Reference

Present Simple

Usage: Habits and facts (e.g., I eat, I dance).

• Affirmative: I eat, she sleeps.
• Negative: I don't, she doesn't sleep.
• Frequency Adverbs (before the verb): Always, usually, never, sometimes, often, hardly ever, seldom, rarely.
• Time Expressions: Every day/week/month, in the evening/morning/afternoon, at night, on Mondays, once/twice a year/month.

Present Continuous

Usage: Actions happening now (e.g., I am... -ing).

• Affirmative: I am watching.
• Negative: She is not watching.
• Time Expressions (Start): Now, at the moment, at present, just now, right now.
• Time Expressions (End): Tonight, tomorrow, next week/day, in two days, on Sunday, the day after tomorrow.

Past Simple

Usage: Completed actions (e.g., I walked, I was, I was).

• Affirmative: I ate, he bought.
• Negative: He didn't buy.
• Time Expressions: Yesterday, last week, then, when, in 1997, the day before yesterday, three days ago, just then, how long ago?

Past Continuous

Usage: Ongoing past actions (e.g., I was... -ing).

• Affirmative: I was reading (I, he, she, it); you were studying.
• Conjunctions: While, as, the moment that, when.

Past Perfect Simple

Usage: Actions before another past action (e.g., I had eaten).

• Affirmative: I had played (3rd column).
• Negative: I hadn't played.
• Keywords: Just, already, yet, ever, never, after, before, by the time, by.

Present Perfect Continuous

Usage: Actions started in the past continuing to now.

• Structure: You have / He, she, it has + (just) eaten/travelled.
• Adverbs: For, since, how long, yet, ever, already, today, this day, this year, lately, recently, so far, up to now.