Key English Verb Tenses and Practical Writing Examples

English Verb Tenses Explained

Present Simple

Para hábitos y cosas que son ciertas todo el tiempo o que vemos como permanentes.

• He often eats lunch at his desk.
• We play basketball every Tuesday.

Present Continuous

Para cosas que están pasando ahora mismo y situaciones que pensamos que no durarán para siempre.

• He is studying at university.
• I am making dinner.

Past Simple

Para expresar que una acción terminó.

• Tom stayed at home last night.
• I received the good news and immediately called my husband.

Past Continuous

Para expresar acciones que se estaban llevando a cabo en el pasado cuando otra acción las interrumpe.

• Caroline was skiing when she broke her leg.
• When the fire started, I was watching television.

Future with 'Will'

Para situaciones futuras no planeadas, decisiones espontáneas y promesas.

• I will help you with your speech.
• I will visit you tomorrow, I promise.

Future with 'Be Going To'

Para planes futuros ya decididos y predicciones basadas en lo que vemos en el presente.

• I am going to study medicine next year.

Writing Practice: Examples

Personal Correspondence

Hi Goran,

Thank you very much for writing to me. I think I will arrive at the airport around 7:00 p.m.; my flight number is 766387619. My phone number is 677284657, so we can meet at Arrivals.

To help you recognize me quickly, I will be wearing a navy blue suit jacket, a white shirt, and a red tie. I will return to Croatia on January 7th.

Regarding food intolerances, I only have one: I am allergic to milk protein. If possible, I would like a single room because I like to talk to my girlfriend at night before going to sleep.

Finally, I would like to visit typical restaurants and special tourist sites. I am really looking forward to this trip; I think it is going to be very special.

Best regards

Descriptive Writing: A Photograph

In this photo, we can see a family of four. They are sitting on their sofa watching television, and the father is changing the channel. They appear to be a very happy family, with a young son and daughter. The father, who has brown hair like his wife, is wearing a purple shirt and a watch. On the television cabinet, there is a lovely cactus with lights. I really like the decoration of their house.

Narrative Writing: A Trip to Segovia

During my trip to Segovia, I visited a great variety of places, from museums to famous local restaurants and several churches. I took this trip with my entire family, something we do every year throughout Spain in the second half of August. A major highlight was the food, which was superb. They used high-quality products and were excellent cooks; the best dish I tried was the famous suckling pig. Another advantage was the climate and the location of our house. The weather was wonderful—hot during the day and quite cool at night. We were staying in a rural house in the middle of the countryside.