The FunctionS of Verb Tenses

Symbol

Meaning

+

Affirmative sentence

?

Interrogative sentence

–

Negative sentence

S

Subject

P

Predicate



Adverbial modifier of time

♣

Adverbial modifier of place or Object

+ S P_3s ♣ 

? do/does S P ♣ ?

– S do/does not P ♣ 

Present Simple Tense is used:

rules

examples

1.

to express a regular or constant action in the present

The meeting starts at 3 o’clock as usual.

2.

to express an action permanently characterising the subject in the present

People fight wars to gain power.

3.

to express an action or state which does not refer to any particular time

The IGOs work together to maintain international cooperation.

4.

to express an action going on at the time of speaking with the verbs which are not used in continuous (to know, to feel, to hate, to love, to understand, to like, to hope, to forget, to belong, to remain, to imagine, to concern, to involve, to require, to remember, to consist of, to depend on, to prefer, to mean, to equal, to own, to contain, to owe, to suppose, to cost, to possess)

I see they under­stand what I am talking about.

5.

to express a chain of actions in the past for describing them as if they were taking place before the listener’s eyes

So, one day he comes, analyzes everything and begins to plan our work.

to be

to have

other verbs

I

am

have

correct/declare

you

are

have

correct/declare

he, she, it

is

has

corrects/declares

we

are

have

correct/declare

you

are

have

correct/declare

they

are

have

correct/declare

The adverbs used with Present Simple and

% of frequency they show

100 %

always

90 %

usually/normally

75 %

often/frequently

50 %

sometimes/occasionally

25 %

rarely/seldom

10 %

hardly ever

0 %

never

+ S am/is/are P_ing ___ ♣ _____ 

? am/is/are S P_ing ♣_____?

– S am/is/are not P_ing ♣ 

Present Continuous Tense is used:

rules

examples

1.

to express a started but not yet finished action

The international community is dealing with this problem at the time.

2.

to express a continuous action going on at the same time with another action referring to the present time

What is he doing if he is not preparing for conference?

3.

to express a planned and arranged future action

They are signing the treaty tomorrow.

+ S have/has P_3f/ed ♣ 

? have/has S P_3f/ed ♣ ?

– S have/has not P_3f/ed ♣ 

Present Perfect Tense is used:

rules

examples

1.

to express an action which took place before the present moment and still has an effect upon something happening in the present

The government has cut budgets, consequently, they cannot launch

a new health program.

2.

to express an action which began in the past and continues into the present or has just been completed at the moment of utterance

They have not delivered the documents we need yet.

+ S have/has been P_ing ♣ 

? have/has S been P_ing ♣ ?

– S have/has not been P_ing ♣ 

Present Perfect Contiuous Tense is used:

rules

examples

1.

to express an action, event, or condition that has begun in the past and continues into the present and to stress the duration of the process

The government has been developing the new anti racism program for some time already.