Simple present is also called present simple.

The simple present expresses an action in the present taking place once, never or several times. It is also used
for actions that take place one after another and for actions that are set by a timetable or schedule. The simple
present also expresses facts in the present.
The present progressive puts emphasis on the course or duration of an action.

The present progressive is used for actions going on in the moment of speaking and for actions taking place
only for a short period of time. It is also used to express development and actions that are arranged for the near
future.
Present progressive is also known as present continuous.
Form
Simple Present

Present Progressive

infinitive
(3rd person singular: infinitive + 's')
I speak
you speak
he / she / it speaks
we speak
they speak

form of 'be' and verb + ing

I am speaking
you are speaking
he / she / it is speaking
we are speaking
they are speaking
Exceptions

Exceptions when adding 's' :

For can, may, might, must, do not add s.
Example: he can, she may, it must
After o, ch, sh or s, add es.
Example: do - he does, wash - she washes
After a consonant, the final consonant y becomes
ie. (but: not after a vowel)
Example: worry - he worries
but: play - he plays

Exceptions when adding 'ing' :

Silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee)
Example: come - coming
but: agree - agreeing
After a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is
doubled.
Example: sit - sitting
After a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in
British English (but not in American English).
Example: travel - travelling (British English)
but: traveling (American English)
Final ie becomes y.
Example: lie - lying

SUCH OR SO?
Such is a determiner; so is an adverb. They often have the same meaning of very or to this degree:
Those are such good chocolates.
Those chocolates are so good.

We use such + noun phrase and so + adjective or adverb phrase:

She is such a great cook.
Not: She is so great cook.
That was so unpleasant. (so + adjective)
Not: That was such unpleasant.
Why do you drive so fast? (so + adverb)
Not: Why do you drive such fast?
Compare

so + adjective+(that for result)

such + a/an + adjective+ noun (phrase)+(that for

result)

The teacher speaks so clearly that everyone can

understand her.
Youre so kind.

Christopher is such a handsome man that all the

ladies want him.
Hes such a kind person

It was so hot we couldnt work.

November was such a cold month.

So but not such can also be used in front of much, many, little, few to add emphasis:
So much food was wasted every day.
Not: Such much food was wasted
In those days there were so few doctors in our area.
Not: there were such few doctors
In exclamations we drop the word 'that' and use:
i) such + noun (singular/plural)
ii) so + adjective

You are such an idiot! (noun)

Celebrities have such weird tastes! (noun)

You are so stupid! (adjective)

It's so sunny outside! (adjective)

Simple Past

irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs

Past Progressive

past form of 'be' + ing form of verb

I spoke
regular verbs: verb + ed
I worked

I was speaking
you were speaking
he / she / it was speaking
we were speaking
they were speaking
Exceptions

Exceptions when adding 'ed' :

Exceptions when adding 'ing' :

when the final letter is e, only add d.

Example: love - loved
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is

silent e is dropped (but: does not apply for -ee)

Example: come - coming
but: agree - agreeing
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is

doubled
Example: admit - admitted
final l is always doubled in British English (not in
American English)
Example: travel - travelled
after a consonant, final y becomes i. (but: not after

doubled
Example: sit - sitting
final l is always doubled in British English (not in
American English)
Example: travel - travelling
final ie becomes y.

a vowel)
Example: worry - he worried

Example: lie - lying

but: play - he played

WH Question Words
We use question words to ask certain types of questions (question word questions). We often refer to them as
WH words because they include the letters WH (for example WHy, HoW).

question word function

example sentence

what

asking for information about something

What is your name?

asking for repetition or confirmation

What? I can't hear you.

You did what?

what...for

asking for a reason, asking why

What did you do that for?

when

asking about time

When did he leave?

where

asking in or at what place or position

Where do they live?

which

asking about choice

Which colour do you want?

who

asking what or which person or people (subject) Who opened the door?

whom

asking what or which person or people (object) Whom did you see?

whose

asking about ownership

Whose are these keys?

Whose turn is it?

why

asking for reason, asking what...for

Why do you say that?

why don't

making a suggestion

Why don't I help you?

how

asking about manner

How does this work?

asking about condition or quality

How was your exam?

how + adj/adv asking about extent or degree

see examples below

how far

Distance

How far is Pattaya from Bangkok?

how long

length (time or space)

How long will it take?

how many

quantity (countable)

How many cars are there?

how much

quantity (uncountable)

How much money do you have?

how old

Age

How old are you?

Question tag
Question tags are short questions at the end of statements.
They are mainly used in speech when we want to:

confirm that something is true or not, or

to encourage a reply from the person we are speaking to.

Question tags are formed with the auxiliary or modal verb from the statement and the appropriate
subject.

A positive statement is followed by a negative question tag.

Jack is from Spain, isn't he?

Mary can speak English, can't she?

A negative statement is followed by a positive question tag.

They aren't funny, are they?

He shouldn't say things like that, should he?

When the verb in the main sentence is in the present simple we form the question tag with do / does.

You play the guitar, don't you?

Alison likes tennis, doesn't she?

If the verb is in the past simple we use did.

They went to the cinema, didn't they?

She studied in New Zealand, didn't she?

When the statement contains a word with a negative meaning, the question tag needs to be positive

He hardly ever speaks, does he?

They rarely eat in restaurants, do they?

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

The present perfect tense:

This page will present the present perfect simple:

its form
and its use.

You may also be interested in the present perfect continuous

The form of the present perfect simple tense:

Have (in the simple present) + Verb (in the past
participle form)

Positive
I have
worked.

Negative

Interrogative

I have not
worked.

Have you
worked?

NOTE:
I have worked = I've
worked
He has worked = He's
worked

I have not = I haven't

worked
He has not = He hasnt
worked

Examples:

Have you finished the job?

No, I haven't finished yet.

Yes, I have already finished.

She's just finished her job.

Remember:
1. The past participle of regular verbs is :
Rule

Examples

Verb +
ed

play played
visit - visited
finish
-finished

2.
3. The past participle of irregular verbs can't be predicted (there is no rule .)
But there is a list of irregular verbs that you have to learn by heart. Here
are some examples:
Infinitiv Simple
past
e

Past
participle

be
come
go
do
meet

was/were
came
went
did
met

been
come
gone
done
met

The uses of the present perfect simple tense:

1. To emphasize on the result of a past action without mentioning the actual time when it
happened:
Examples:

I have met that girl before.

We have discussed this issue a few times.

2. Action performed in a period that has not finished yet (the same day, week, month, etc.):
Examples:

Have you seen Lacy today? (The day is not over yet.)
I have had several tests this month. (The month has not finished yet.)

3. Action that started in the past and has continued until now. Often used with since
(indicating the beginning of action) or for (indicating the duration of action):
Examples:

They have lived here for ten years.

I have not seen her since we left high school.

Clare and John have known each other since they were at primary school.

4. It is used to indicate completed activities in the immediate past (with just).

Example:

" He has just taken the medicine."

Present perfect vs past simple tense:

The use of past simple instead of present perfect requires clear reference to a past
period/moment:
Present perfect

Simple past

I have met that girl before

I met that girl at the beach last

Saturday.

Have you seen Nancy recently?

Did you see Nancy yesterday?

We have discussed this issue a

We discussed this issue last

few times.

month.

I have had some tests this week. I had some tests last week.

Past perfect simple

Simple: HAD + past participle
An action occurred before another action in the past.
( had lived, had sung ).
I lived in Miami, Florida. I had lived in New York City before.
Form
It is made with the auxiliary verb had + past participle (which is different for regular and irregular verbs: -ed
ending for regular verbs, e.g. worked, travelled, tried, different forms for irregular verbs, e.g. written, made,
sung).
Positive statement: I had travelled, He had done.
Negative statement: I had not done (I hadn't done)
Question form: Had I done?
Negative question: Had I not done? (Hadn't I done?)
See also how to make the past perfect in the passive voice.
Use
1. We use the past perfect simple tense to make it clear that an event was completed before another event..
The door bell rang at last. I had been in the room since breakfast. (The bell rang at noon. I came in the morning before that.)
When I arrived there Sarah had already left. (I arrived after lunch. Sara went home before lunch.)
I was so hungry! I had not eaten anything since the morning. (It was late at night.)
2. It is used to refer to activities that were completed before a point of time.
In 2005 I had lived in the same place for ten years. Had you ever travelled by plane before your holiday in
Spain?

Past perfect continuous

Continuous: HAD BEEN + V-ing
An action started in the past and continued up until another time in the past
( had been living, had been singing ).
Remember that horrible day: You eventually arrived. I had been waiting for you for two hours!
Form
The past perfect continuous tense is made with the auxiliaries had been + present participle (-ing ending, e.g.
working, trying, writing, singing ... )
Positive statement: I had been doing.
Negative statement: I had not been doing.
Question form: Had I been doing?
Negative question: Had I not been doing?
Use
It is used for activities that began before a point of time and were still continuing at that point of time.
Last summer Josh had been renovating his house for two years. (He started three years ago and last summer he
was still renovating his house.)
Note

The past perfect continous and the present perfect continuous are basically very similar. The difference is,
however, that in the present perfect we refer to the present times.
I have been practising since the morning. (I am still practising.)
At 11 o'clock I had been practising for two hours. (I began at 9 o'clock and at 11 o'clock I was still practising.)

L'imparfait de l'indicatif exprime un fait ou une action qui a dj eu lieu au moment o nous nous
exprimons mais qui peut encore se drouler.
Exemple : Quand tu tais enfant, tu tais timide.
L'imparfait est souvent utilis pour dcrire une scne, un paysage.
Exemple : Le soleil descendait derrire la montagne.
B. Terminaisons de l'imparfait
Les terminaisons de l'imparfait de l'indicatif sont les mmes pour tous les verbes.

Les terminaisons

1er groupe

2e groupe

3e groupe

je / j'

-ais

aimais

Finissais

mettais

tu

-ais

aimais

Finissais

mettais

il / elle / on

-ait

aimait

Finissait

mettait

nous

-ions

aimions

finissions

mettions

vous

-iez

aimiez

Finissiez

mettiez

ils / elles

-aient

aimaient

finissaient

mettaient

Remarque : Certains verbes peuvent s'crire avec plusieurs i successifs, ou avec un y suivi d'un
i!
Exemples : Nous criions, vous criiez, nous payions, vous payiez.

 C.Les auxiliaires ont une conjugaison spcifique qu'il faut maitriser car ils permettent de
former le plus que parfait de l'indicatif de tous les autres verbes.

Les auxiliaires

avoir

tre

je / j'

avais

tais

tu

avais

tais

il / elle / on

avait

tait

nous

avions

tions

vous

aviez

tiez

ils / elles

avaient

taient

Formation de l'imparfait
L'imparfait de l'indicatif est un temps du pass. Il permet d'indiquer une action dans le pass
qui a dur dans le temps et qui se poursuit peut-tre toujours. C'est le temps idal pour dcrire
des paysages ou exprimer des habitudes dans le pass.
Le dimanche, nous mangions chez mes parents.
Avant de venir vous voir, je n'imaginais pas cette rgion aussi belle.
Certains verbes ont une modification dans le radical au moment de la conjugaison
l'imparfait. Le moyen le plus simple de s'en rappeler est de partir du prsent de l'indicatif de la
1re personne du pluriel et de retirer la terminaison -ons. Une seule exception : le verbe tre
(j'tais, tu tais...).
dire

nous disons
==> je disais

paratre

nous paraissons
==> je paraissais

boire

nous buvons
==> je buvais

coudre

nous cousons
==> je cousais

crire

nous crivons
==> j'crivais

faire

nous faisons
==> je faisais

fuir

nous fuyons
==> je fuyais

comprendre

nous comprenons
==> je comprenais

voir

nous voyons
==> je voyais

teindre

nous teignons
==> j'teignais

Attention : Il ne faut pas confondre prsent et imparfait pour les verbes en -ier, -yer, -gner,
-illier. La confusion peut rapidement venir car la prononciation est la mme. Mais ce serait
vite oublier qu'il n'y a pas d'exception dans les terminaisons. On a donc deux i qui sont l'un
ct de l'autre l'imparfait.

Prsent

Imparfait

nous crions

nous criions

vous criez

vous criiez

1. Pour les verbes du 2e groupe, on ajoute -ss- entre le radical et la

terminaison : je finissais
2. Quatre terminaisons ont la mme prononciation : j'tais, tu tais, il tait, ils
taient. Il est important de bien rechercher la personne laquelle le verbe
est conjugu pour viter de se tromper de terminaison.
1. Les terminaisons sont toutes les mmes l'imparfait de l'indicatif : -ais,
-ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient
2. Certains verbes peuvent avoir deux i conscutifs quand on ajoute la
terminaison : nous riions, vous balayiez
3. Pour les verbes du 2e groupe, on ajoute -ss- avant la terminaison : nous
finissions
4. Attention de bien dterminer le sujet pour les terminaisons qui se
prononcent pareil : j'avais, tu avais, il avait et ils avaient.

Le pass simple est un temps du pass qui s'utilise principalement l'crit. Contrairement
l'imparfait, il permet d'exprimer une actuelle ponctuelle et relativement brve sans notion de
rptition ou d'habitude.
Il regardait un film lorsque le tlphone sonna. Ce jour-l, le train arriva l'heure.
Le pass simple est essentiellement utilis l'crit. De plus ses formes avec nous et vous
deviennent de plus en plus rares et on leur prfre le pass compos.

Formation du pass simple

La particularit du pass simple est d'avoir quatre types de terminaisons. Les plus difficiles
sont les verbes du 3e groupe.

pass simple en -a pour tous les verbes du 1 er groupe et pour le verbe

aller : -ai, -as, -a, -mes, -tes, -rent (ex : il aima)
pass simple en -i pour les verbes du 2e groupe et pour certains verbes du
3e groupe : -is, -is, -it, -mes, -tes, -irent (ex : elle finit, elle fit)

pass simple en -u pour certains verbes du 3 e groupe : -us, -us, -ut, -mes,
-tes, -urent (ex : elle put)

pass simple en -in- pour les verbes tenir et venir ainsi que leur drivs :
-ins, -ins, -int, -nmes, -ntes, -inrent (ex : je vins)
aimer

finir

pouvoir

j'aimai
tu aimas
il aima
nous aimmes
vous aimtes
ils aimrent

je finis
tu finis
il finit
nous finmes
vous fintes
ils finirent

je pus
tu pus
il put
nous pmes
vous ptes
ils purent

1. Au pass simple et l'imparfait de l'indicatif, les terminaisons des verbes du 1er groupe avec
je ont pratiquement la mme prononciation. Pour bien faire la diffrence, il faut remplacer le
je par tu.
Imparfait : Souvent, je parlais trop. ==> Souvent, tu parlais trop.
Pass simple : Soudain, je parlai trop ==> Soudain, tu parlas trop.
2. Les verbes tenir et venir ainsi que leurs composs ont un pass simple en -in :
tenir
je tins
tu tins
il tint
nous tnmes
vous tntes
ils tinrent

venir
je vins
tu vins
il vint
nous vnmes
vous vntes
ils vinrent

3. Il n'existe pas de rgle particulire pour savoir si un verbe du 3e se conjugue plutt avec une
forme en i ou une forme en u. Il faut malheureusement retenir la liste par cur. On peut
cependant citer ces principaux verbes irrguliers :
courir : je courus, tu courus, il courut, nous courmes, vous courtes, ils coururent
vouloir : je voulus, tu voulus, il voulut, nous voulmes, vous voultes, ils voulurent
connatre : je connus, tu connus, il connut, nous connmes, vous conntes, ils connurent
savoir : je sus, tu sus, il sut, nous smes, vous stes, ils surent
pouvoir : je pus, tu pus, il put, nous pmes, vous ptes, ils purent
boire : je bus, tu bus, il but, nous bmes, vous btes, ils burent
croire : je crus, tu crus, il crut, nous crmes, vous crtes, ils crurent
valoir : je valus, tu valus, il valut, nous valmes, vous valtes, ils valurent
vivre : je vcus, tu vcus, il vcut, nous vcmes, vous vctes, ils vcurent
plaire : je plus, tu plus, il plut, nous plmes, vous pltes, ils plurent
taire : je tus, tu tus, il tut, nous tmes, vous ttes, ils turent
rsoudre : je rsolus, tu rsolus, il rsolut, nous rsolmes, vous rsoltes, ils rsolurent
4. Pour ne pas tre confondu avec le verbe croire, le verbe crotre garde son accent circonflexe
dans toute sa conjugaison.
crotre : je crs, tu crs, il crt, nous crmes, vous crtes, ils crrent
Attention : ne pas confondre le pass simple du verbe tre (je fus) avec celui du verbe faire (je
fis). Notez galement qu'il n'y a jamais d'accent la 3e personne du singulier : il sortit

1. On a 4 types de terminaisons au pass simple en fonction de la

terminaison du verbe :
o 1er groupe + aller : -ai, -as, -a, -mes, -tes, -rent
o

22 et certains verbes du 3e groupe : -is, -is, -it, -mes, -tes, -irent

Certains verbes du 3e groupe : -us, -us, -ut, -mes, -tes, -urent

Venir et Tenir + drivs : -ins, -ins, -int, -nmes, -ntes, -inrent

2. Il n'y a pas de rgle pour savoir si un verbe a une terminaison avec i ou u,

il faut malheureusement apprendre la liste par cur.
3. Le pass simple s'utilise l'crit pour marquer une action brve et
ponctuelle