The Tenses

Simple Tenses are also referred to as Indefinite Tenses.

Present Simple

Examples:

Water freezes at 100 degrees Celsius. The earth goes round the sun.(Meaning-events or situations that exist always;general statements of fact,or universal truths.)

I go jogging every morning.(Meaning-usual/habitual or everyday activities.)

Form:simple form of the verb;-s or –es ending for third person singular;do/does for questions and negatives.Simple Present is often used with the following adverbs and expressions of time:always,often,usually,sometimes,regularly,rarely,hardly ever,never,every day/week/month/year.

Examples:

They lived in Rome for six years,but now they are living in Athens.

I successfully passed my exam last week.

(Meaning:activities or situations that began and ended at a particular time in the past which have no connection with the present.Time ussualy indicated.)

Form: -ed ending for regular verbs;simple past form for irregular verbs;did for question and negatives.Simple Past is often used with the following adverbs and expressions of time:three/two days/years…ago,last week/months,year,in 1997/2006,etc.

Examples:

They will call us tonight.

He will take an exam tomorrow.

(Meaning-the action will happen at one particular time in the future.)

Form:shall/will+simple form;shall/will for questions and negatives.Simple Future is used to express predictions about something that the speaker thinks will be true or will occur in the future,willingness to help,offering to do something agreement to do something,promise to do something,request to do something.We often use will with probably,I expect,I’m sure,I think,I don’t think,I wonder.After I hope we generally use the present;will is also possible.