Present Tense

Present Simple
Present Simple is the tense that refers to: repeated actions,
preferences, general truths and scheduled events.
When do I use Present Simple?

Present Simple is used for repeated actions, preferences, general truths and scheduled events.

repeated actions daily routine: I wake up at 7 every day.

repeated actions habits: I usually swim at the weekend.

likes and dislikes: I like horror movies.

general truths: Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

generalizations: People talk too much.

scheduled events: The plane takes off at 9.

How do I recognize Present Simple?

Present Simple is often marked by explicit or implicit adverbs or time expressions that
indicate frequency.

always, usually, regularly, normally, often, sometimes, occasionally, rarely,

seldom, never (adverbs of frequency)

every day = daily, every week = weekly, every month = monthly, every
year = yearly

once a day, twice a week, three times a month, four times a year

in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, at night

on Mondays, on Thursdays, on Saturdays etc.

Affirmative / Interrogative / Negative

Read the sentences in the next table. They are at Present Simple. Then read the following
section How do I form Present Simple? to understand how Present Simple works in the
affirmative, interrogative and negative forms.
Affirmative
1st person
Singular

Interrogative

I wake up at 7 every Do I wake up at 7

day.
every day?

Negative
I do not wake up at
7 every day.

2nd person
You like apples.
Singular

Do you like apples?

You do not like

apples.

3rd person
Singular

He plays football on
Tuesdays.
She travels in
summer.
It takes of at 9.

Does he play football

on Tuesdays?
Does she travel in
summer?
Does it take of at 9?

He does not play

football on Tuesdays.
She does not travel
in summer.
It does not take of
at 9.

1st person
Plural

We pay our bills

monthly.

Do we pay our bills

monthly?

We do not pay our

bills monthly.

2nd person
You eat twice a day.
Plural

Do you eat twice a

day?

You do not eat twice

a day.

3rd person
Plural

Do they usually ski in They do not usually

December?
ski in December.

They usually ski in

December.

How do I form Present Simple?

Affirmative
Subject + Verb I + (...)
e.g.: I (subject) wake up (verb) at 7 every day.
1st person, sg. I read daily.
3rd person, sg. He reads daily.

1st person, sg. I often watch TV.

3rd person, sg. He often watches TV.

Remember that:

For the 1st person (sg. and pl.), the 2nd person (sg. and pl.) and the 3rd
person pl., the verb has the same form. Only the 3rd person sg. functions
differently.

The verb is used in its first form, e.g.: I read. The first form is the infinitive
form without to. At the 3rd person sg., we add an s at the end of the verb,
e.g.: He reads.

Some verbs take an es (instead of an s) at the end for the 3rd person sg.,
e.g.: He watches TV.

The verbs to be and to have behave differently: a) See how to use the verb
to be; b) The verb to have has an irregular form for the 3rd person sg.
He has an apple.

Interrogative
Do / Does + Subject + Verb I + (...) + ?
e.g.: Do I (subject) wake up (verb) at 7 every day?
1st person, sg. Do I read daily?

1st person, sg. Do I often watch TV?

3rd person, sg. Does he read daily? 3rd person, sg. Does he often watch TV?

Remember that:

In interrogative sentences, we use the auxiliary verbs do or does.

We use do for the 1st and 2nd persons (sg. and pl.) and for the 3 rd person
pl.. We use does for the 3rd person sg..

In interrogative sentences, we do NOT add s or es at the end of the verb

for the 3rd person sg..

The short answer for a Present Simple question is:

o

Affirmative: Yes, I do (for I, you, we, you, they) or Yes, he does

(for he, she, it)

Negative: No, I don't = No, I do not (for I, you, we, you, they) or
No, he doesn't = No, he does not (for he, she, it)

Negative
Subject + Do Not / Does Not + Verb I + (...)
e.g.: I (subject) do not wake up (verb) at 7 every day.
1st person, sg. I do not
read daily.
3rd person, sg. He does
not read daily.

1st person, sg. I do not watch TV often.

3rd person, sg. He does not watch TV often.

Remember that:

In negative sentences, we use the auxiliary verbs do or does and the

adverb not.

We use do not for the 1st and 2nd persons (sg. and pl.) and for the 3 rd
person pl.. We use does not for the 3rd person sg..

In negative sentences, we do NOT add s or es at the end of the verb for

the 3rd person sg..

The short form of do not is don't. The short form of does not is doesn't.
e.g.: I don't like horror movies. He doesn't like action movies.

Adverb placement

Place adverbs after the subject and the verb. e.g.: I walk every day. Do I
walk every day? I don't walk every day.

With adverbs of frequency, things are a bit more complicated. It's best to
learn their placement through practice. Listen to the audio tutorial in this
lesson.

Surprise!

The first form of the verb is also called the present simple form. We also
refer to it as to the infinitive form.

Seldom is the more formal equivalent of rarely.

We use phrasal verbs (verbs with more than one element) in the 3 rd person
sg. like this:
He wakes up at 6.
It takes of at 9.
We add s or es at the end of the main verb, not at the end of the entire
phrasal verb. More details..

The first exercise in the Exercises section is a reading exercise. Read it

carefully it is the first step in getting familiar with Present Simple.

Exercise 1

I wake up at 7 every day. I take a shower and brush my teeth. Then, I eat breakfast. Why do I
brush my teeth before I eat breakfast? I don't know It's just a habit. At 8, I drink a coffee and
I read the newspaper. Then, I go to work. I always leave for work at 8.30. I don't have a car,
so I ride the bus to work. I work from 9 to 5. I often have a break at midday. I return home at
5.30 in the afternoon and I do the daily shopping. Sometimes, I take a nap. I rarely go out in
the evening. Usually, I read a book or watch TV. I go to bed at 11 regularly and I sleep until 7
in the morning.
Your daily routine is different. You are a writer. You don't have a fixed schedule. You wake up
whenever you wish. You go for a walk and you drink a coffee in a caf. Then, you return
home. You read a lot and write a lot. You like to do something different each day, so you don't
actually have a routine. You go to the theatre, you visit museums, you travel to surrounding
cities and villages. You occasionally attend conferences and TV shows. Do you publish books
often? Yes, you do. You publish a new book at least once a year.

Brian and Ruby are husband and wife. They like to play sports. They play sports daily. Ruby
likes tennis best. Brian prefers football. They often go to the sports center. Ruby plays tennis
with Clara and Brian plays football with Jeremy and other friends. In winter, Brian and Ruby
go to the mountains. They like skiing very much. In summer, they travel to the seaside. Brian
doesn't like the seaside so much, but Ruby loves to sunbathe there. He takes pictures of the
ships and she goes to the beach. Does she like to swim? Yes, she does, but she prefers to swim
in a swimming pool, not in the sea. She hates all sea plants. She has more fun in the
swimming pool.

Brian and Ruby have a cat. Its name is Foxie. They don't like dogs so much. Foxie normally
sleeps almost all day long. Cats are quiet pets. They don't need a lot of attention. Do Brian
and Ruby have a child? Not yet. They are not ready. They don't even have a dog.

We are Jeremy and Clara. We are students. I study Physics and Clara studies Chemistry. Do
we like human sciences? No, we don't. That's why we study exact sciences. We are always
rational or, at least, we like to think so. Clara is a woman, so it is more difficult for her.
You are Brian and Ruby. You are our friends. You visit us at the weekend. On Saturday night,
we all dance at the disco. We never return home earlier than 3 o'clock in the morning.
Exercise 2

M trezesc ntotdeauna la 7.
I always wake up at 7.
Te trezeti, de obicei, la 8.
You usually wake up at 8.
El se trezete adesea nainte de 6.
He often wakes up before 6.
Ea se trezete uneori dup 11.
She sometimes wakes up after 11.
Ocazional, pisica mea se trezete cnd m trezesc i eu.
My cat occasionally wakes up when I do.
Ne trezim rareori la prnz.
We rarely wake up at midday.
V trezii rareori n cursul nopii.
You seldom wake up during the night.
Niciodat nu se trezesc devreme dimineaa.
They never wake up early in the morning.
Faci exerciii dimineaa n mod regulat?
Do you exercise in the morning regularly?
Ei nu joac, n mod normal, baschet iarna.
They don't normally play basketball in winter.
El studiaz de obicei noaptea?
Does he usually study at night?
n mod normal, ea nu are cursul acesta n ziua de joi.
She doesn't normally have this course on Thursday.
Uneori, duminica, stm n pat toat ziua.
On Sundays, we sometimes stay in bed all day long.
Voi mergei rareori n vacan n iunie.
You rarely go on holiday in June.
De obicei, el nu mnnc de trei ori pe zi.
Usually, he doesn't eat three times a day.
Acest tren nu pleac niciodat la timp.
This train never leaves on time.
n mod normal, mi displac filmele, dar, ocazional, mi place s vd filme de aciune.
I normally dislike movies, but I like to watch thrillers occasionally.

 Ne vizitm prietenii n mod regulat, dar vara ne vedem rar.

We visit our friends regularly, but in Summer we rarely see each other.
Mo Crciun vine ntotdeauna n decembrie.
Santa Clause always comes in December.
Soarele rsare ntotdeauna la est i apune la vest.
The sun always rises in the East and sets in the West.
Exercise 3

This exercise is about daily activities. Choose the one that fits best.
1. I always .......... at the wrong station.
get on the bus
ride the bus

get off the bus

2. It is very difficult for her to .......... she never knows what to wear.
take a nap
get dressed
wash her face

3. You love your bed the most in the morning, when you must ........... .
wake up
return home
watch TV

4. To .......... or not to ..........? That is the question.

work
shave
sleep

5. My boyfriend doesn't ........... . He just pays for it.

do the daily shopping
read the newspaper

brush his teeth

6. I don't think they .......... daily. This place smells like onion tea.
take a break
meet with friends
take a shower

7. A: Does he .......... early enough? B: No, he doesn't. This can't be his normal
face.
go to bed
go out
leave for work

8. A: Do you like to ..........? B: Yes, we do, especially on Friday.

go for a walk
drive the car
go to work

9. I am afraid to ........... . My hair falls out a lot and I'm too young to be bald.
wash my face
brush my teeth
brush my hair

10.In the evening, he ........... . Strangely, all the paths lead to his favorite pub.
does the daily shopping

goes for a walk

watches TV

Exercise 4

You eat bread daily. Do you eat bread daily?

He often drinks wine. Does he drink wine often?
You go to the doctor twice a year. Do you go to the doctor twice a year?
She plays video games weekly. Does she play video games weekly?
The ship leaves at 6 o'clock. Does the ship leave at 6 o'clock?
The holiday starts in July. Does the holiday start in July?
They like spaghetti. Do they like spaghetti?
He likes oranges. Does he like oranges?
Girls talk a lot. Do girls talk a lot?
Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius. Does water freeze at 0 degrees Celsius?

Exercise 5

The plane lands at 5 o'clock. The plane does not land at 5 o'clock.
They wake up early in the morning. They do not wake up early in the morning.
She likes fruit salad. She does not like fruit salad.
We like jogging. We do not like jogging.
Sportsmen eat healthy food. Sportsmen do not eat healthy food.
He leaves for work at 8 o'clock. He does not leave for work at 8 o'clock.
You go out every evening. You do not go out every evening.
He takes karate lessons on Tuesdays. He does not take karate lessons on Tuesdays.
We take a nap in the afternoon. We do not take a nap in the afternoon.
She takes a break at 2 o'clock. She does not take a break at 2 o'clock.

Vocabulary
Adverbs of frequency

Here are some very simple adverbs for expressing time. All of them refer to frequency. These
adverbs are used with Present Simple. They are called adverbs of frequency.
always

ntotdeauna

usually

de obicei

regularly

n mod regulat

normally

n mod normal

often

deseori

sometimes

uneori

occasionally

ocazional

rarely

rareori

seldom

rareori

never

niciodat

We will continue with: several nouns expressing periods of time, then with times of the day,
days of the week, months of the year, seasons, adverbs and, finally, verbs expressing daily
activities.
Nouns Periods of time
day
zi
week

sptmn

weekend

sfrit de sptmn

month

lun

year

an

season

anotimp

Times of the day

morning

diminea

afternoon

dup-amiaz

evening

sear

night

noapte

midday

miezul zilei

midnight

miezul nopii

Days of the week

The days of the week are always written in capital letter.

Monday

luni

Tuesday

mari

Wednesday

miercuri

Thursday

joi

Friday

vineri

Saturday

smbt

Sunday

duminic

Months of the year

The months of the year are always written in capital letter.

January

ianuarie

February

februarie

March

martie

April

aprilie

May

mai

June

iunie

July

iulie

August

august

September

septembrie

October

octombrie

November

noiembrie

December

decembrie

Seasons
spring

primvar

summer

var

autumn

toamn

winter

iarn

Adverbs
every day

n fiecare zi

daily

zilnic

weekly

sptmnal

monthly

lunar

yearly

anual

once

o dat

twice

de dou ori

three times

de trei ori

Verbs Daily activities

(to) wake up

(a) (se) trezi

(to) take a shower

(a) face un du

(to) brush one's teeth

(a) (se) peria pe dini

(to) brush one's hair

(a)(-i) peria prul

(to) wash one's face

(a) (se) spla pe fa

(to) shave

(a) (se) brbieri

(to) get dressed

(a) (se) mbrca

(to) eat breakfast

(a) lua micul dejun

(to) drink a coffee

(a) bea o cafea

(to) read the newspaper

(a) citi ziarul

(to) leave for work

(a) pleca la lucru

(to) go to work

(a) merge la lucru

(to) get on the bus

(a) se urca n autobuz

(to) ride the bus

(a) merge cu autobuzul

(to) get off the bus

(a) cobor din autobuz

(to) drive the car

(a) conduce maina

(to) work

(a) munci / (a) lucra

(to) take a break

(a) face o pauz

(to) return home

(a) se ntoarce acas

(to) do the daily shopping

(a) face cumprturile zilnice

(to) take a nap

(a) trage un pui de somn

(to) go for a walk

(a) merge la plimbare

(to) go out

(a) iei n ora

(to) meet with friends

(a) se ntlni cu prietenii

(to) watch TV

(a) se uita la TV

(to) go to bed

(a) merge la culcare

(to) sleep

(a) dormi

Present Continuous
We form Present Continuous like this: To Be + [Verb + ING]

We use the verb to be at the correct person/number: am, are, is

We add the termination -ing to the main verb, e.g.: walking, swimming,
taking photos

Note that: Present Continuous is also called Present Progressive because it refers to actions
that are in progress.
When do I use Present Continuous?

We use Present Continuous in the following situations:

1. When the action is happening right now.
e.g.: I am reading a book on the beach.
2. When the action is happening at present, even if it takes more time.
e.g.: He is studying to become a doctor.
3. When we refer to plans for the close future.
e.g.: Clara is meeting Ruby tomorrow. (Read more)
4. When we refer to a repetitive and, most often, annoying action.
e.g.: He is always arriving late.

In this lesson, we focus on the first use case when the action is happening right now.

Affirmative / Interrogative / Negative

Read the table below to see how we form Present Continuous in the affirmative, interrogative
and negative.

1st person
Singular

Affirmative

Interrogative

Negative

I am sunbathing on
the beach.

Am I sunbathing on
the beach?

I am not sunbathing
on the beach.

Are you drinking a

cocktail?

You are not drinking

a cocktail.

2nd person You are drinking a

Singular
cocktail.

3rd person
Singular

He is getting on the Is he getting on the

plane.
plane?
She is getting of the Is she getting of the
plane.
plane?
It is running in the
Is it running in the
sand.
sand?

He is not getting on
the plane.
She is not getting
of the plane.
It is not running in
the sand.

1st person
Plural

We are leaving on a Are we leaving on a

business trip.
business trip?

We are not leaving

on a business trip.

2nd person You are returning

Plural
from holiday.
3rd person
Plural

Are you returning

from holiday?

You are not

returning from
holiday.

They are not

They are swimming Are they swimming in
swimming in the
in the ocean.
the ocean?
ocean.

How do I recognize Present Continuous?

There are several adverbs of time that help us understand that the action is taking place right
now and that we should expect to find Present Continuous in the sentence:

now, e.g.: A: What are you doing now? B: I am packing for the holiday.

right now, e.g.: They are getting on the plane right now.

in this (very) moment, at the moment, e.g.: The plane is taking of in

this very moment.

at present, e.g.: At present, he is living with his friends, until he finds his
own place.

Surprise!

1. We can use contractions:

I'm sunbathing; I'm not sunbathing

You're drinking; You're not drinking / You aren't drinking

He's getting on; He's not getting on / He isn't getting on

We're leaving; We're not leaving / We aren't leaving etc.

2. For some verbs, the last letter is doubled in the continuous form, e.g.: getting, travelling
(Br.), swimming. Listen to the audio tutorial in this lesson for more information.

Exercise 1

Right now, my friends are getting on the plane. (to get on)
Are you enjoying your stay at this hotel? (to enjoy)
I always travel by plane, but this time I am travelling by coach. (to travel)
The plane is not taking off. What's wrong? (to take off)
A: Where is Ruby? B: She is queueing at the museum entrance. (to queue)
The tour guide is talking to the custodian. (to talk)
Are they buying souvenirs? They are so high-priced in this shop. (to buy)
He is not sunbathing on the beach; he is swimming in the pool. (to swim)
Why are you leaving today? Your stay ends tomorrow. (to leave)
We are spending our time watching the ships go by. (to spend)

Exercise 2
On holiday at the seaside

Complete the short interview below using Present Continuous:

1. Are you enjoying your holiday at the seaside?

Yes, I am really enjoying it! The weather is perfect, everything is moving at a slow pace and I
can do whatever I want no phone calls, no deadlines and no stress for two weeks.
2. Who are you here with?
I'm here with my husband, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law and their daughter. My
husband is having his morning cocktail at the hotel bar right now. The others are still sleeping.
3. Where are you staying?
Me and my husband are staying at the Piccadilly hotel. But my brother-in-law's family is not
staying here. The hotel was fully booked. They are staying at a landlady's, not far away from
the hotel.
4. What are you doing tonight?

At 7, we are eating dinner at a restaurant by the sea. After that, We are going to a folk concert.
5. When are you leaving?
Most probably, we are leaving next Sunday, in the afternoon.

Vocabulary
Nouns
friendship

prietenie

buddy, pal

amic

close friend

prieten apropiat

penfriend

prieten prin coresponden

roommate

coleg de camer

flatmate

coleg de apartament

classmate

coleg de clas

workmate / co-worker

coleg de serviciu

mutual friend

prieten comun

old friend of the family

vechi prieten de familie

acquaintance

cunotin

Adjectives
friendly

prietenos

unfriendly

neprietenos

generous

generos

honest

sincer, onest

kind (to)

bun, binevoitor (cu)

modest

modest

outgoing

deschis, prietenos

self-confident

ncreztor n sine

thoughtful

atent, cugetat, meditativ

aggressive

agresiv

arrogant

arogant

lazy

lene

moody

schimbtor, capricios

selfish

egoist

stubborn

ncpnat

vain

vanitos, orgolios

Verbs
(to) brag about

(a) se luda cu privire la

(to) get on very well with

(a) se nelege foarte bine cu

(to) get to know

(a) ncepe s cunoasc

(to) have a friend in common

(a) avea un prieten n comun

(to) have an argument

(a) se certa, (a) avea o disput

(to) introduce somebody

(a) prezenta pe cineva

(to) live in a foreign country

(a) tri ntr-o alt ar

(to) live next door

(a) tri alturi

(to) make friends with

(a) se mprieteni cu

(to) talk for hours

(a) vorbi ore n ir

Let's see what a regular day is like for the Cooper family.
A regular day for the Cooper family starts at 6 o'clock in the morning. Caroline wakes up and
makes the coffee. Then, she and George drink their coffee together. They talk about their
plans for the day. At 7, George takes a shower and Caroline wakes up the children. Annie and
Billie have breakfast: toast, eggs, vegetables and orange juice. They wash their faces and
brush their teeth.
George leaves for work at 7.30. He is an IT programmer. Caroline takes the children to school
at 7.45. She works at the school where the children learn. She is a teacher. At 12 o'clock,
Caroline, Annie and Billie usually meet at the school canteen and they have lunch together.
George has the lunch break at 1PM. He eats lunch with his co-workers at a restaurant.
Caroline and the children return home at 2 o'clock and the children do their homework.
George finishes work at 5PM. He comes home and, at 6.30 PM, all the members of the family
have dinner.
Sometimes, in the evening, the Coopers visit their friends or go to a movie. But, most of the
time, they stay at home. Annie plays with her dolls and Billie reads a book. He likes detective
stories very much. Caroline cooks the meal for the next day and George helps her or watches
TV.
At 10 o'clock, the children go to sleep. Caroline has a shower and goes to bed at 11. George
often stays up until late. He likes to paint. At night, when everybody is asleep, he works on
his paintings. He hopes to become a full-time artist one day.
Time expressions

Here are some very simple structures for expressing time. All of them, except for Today, refer
to the past.

Today is a beautiful day.

Yesterday, I cooked spaghetti.

The day before yesterday, you cooked potatoes.

Last week, he travelled to Paris.

Last month, she travelled to Berlin.

Last year, it damaged all of my carpets.

2 weeks ago, we moved to a new apartment.

3 months ago, you moved to a new house.

4 years ago, they moved to a new city.

Verbs

Below, you can find two lists of verbs regular and irregular. You will find the difference
between the two types in the Grammar section of this lesson. For now, just take a look at the
meaning of these words.
Regular verbs

Irregular verbs

(to) arrive

(a) ajunge

(to) be

(a) fi

(to) call

(a) suna, (a) chema

(to) become

(a) deveni

(to) cook

(a) gti

(to) buy

(a) cumpra

(to) finish

(a) termina

(to) come

(a) veni

(to) move

(a) (se) muta

(to) do

(a) face (un exerciiu)

(to) play

(a) (se) juca

(to) drive

(a) conduce

(to) start

(a) ncepe

(to) find

(a) gsi

(to) talk

(a) vorbi

(to) forget

(a) uita

(to) travel

(a) cltori

(to) have

(a) avea

(to) watch

(a) privi, (a) urmri

(to) make

(a) face (o prjitur)

(to) turn on

(a) porni

(to) turn off

(a) opri

Nouns Appliances & Devices

refridgerator / fridge

frigider

freezer

congelator

cooker

aragaz

oven

cuptor

washing machine

main de splat

dishwasher

main de splat vase

coffee grinder

rni de cafea

coffee maker

cafetier

toaster

prjitor de pine

sandwich maker

sandwich maker

blender

blender

cooker hood

hot

air conditioner

aparat de aer condiionat

TV set / TV

televizor

radio

radio

computer

computer

desktop PC

computer de birou

laptop

laptop

telephone

telefon

cell phone / mobile phone

telefon mobil

hair dryer

foen / usctor de pr

epilator

epilator

electric shaver

aparat de ras electric

Present Perfect Simple

How do I form Present Perfect?

(to) have + the 3rd form of the main verb

e.g.: I have just eaten lunch.
e.g.: He has lived here for 10 years.
Note: We need to use the correct conjugation of the auxiliary verb (to) have: have or has,
according to the person/number.
When do I use Present Perfect?

We use Present Perfect for:

recent actions that have an impact on the present situation:

I have just eaten lunch. (So I am not hungry.)

uncompleted actions that should be completed soon:

(The negative form is used in this case.)
He has not finished his homework yet.

changes over time:

She has cut her hair (since the last time I saw her).

actions/situations that started in the past and continue in the

present:
He has lived here for 10 years. (He still lives here.)

life experience:
I have been to Japan.
I have seen this movie three times (up to now / so far).

Adverbs & Prepositions

Adverbs and prepositions that are often used with Present Perfect:

just: I have just eaten lunch.

already: I have already eaten lunch.

yet: I have not eaten lunch yet.

never / ever: I have never been to Canada. / I have not ever been to
Canada.

so far / up to now: I have been to Canada two times so far / up to

now.

recently: I have been to Canada recently.

for & since: These two prepositions are used for actions/situations that
started in the past and continue in the present.
For indicates the period between the starting point and the present: He
has lived here for 10 years.
Since indicates the starting point: He has lived here since 2002.

Affirmative / Interrogative / Negative

Affirmative

Interrogative

Negative

I have eaten lunch.

Have I eaten lunch?

I have not eaten

lunch.

2nd person You have heard this

Singular
song before.

Have you heard this

song before?

You have not heard

this song before.

3rd person
Singular

He has finished his

homework.
She has cut her hair.
The concert has
started.

Has he finished his

homework?
Has she cut her hair?
Has the concert
started?

He has not finished

his homework.
She has not cut her
hair.
The concert has not
started.

1st person
Plural

We have lived here

for two years.

Have we lived here

for two years?

We have not lived

here for two years.

2nd person You have been to

Plural
Italy two times.

Have you been to

Italy?

You have not been to

Italy.

3rd person
Plural

Have they grown a

lot?

They have not

grown a lot.

1st person
Singular

They have grown a

lot.

Listen to the audio tutorial in this lesson to find out how we use contractions with the Present
Perfect tense.
Exercise 1

Clara has not finished putting her makeup on.

I have just arrived from my trip to England.
Freddie has eaten at this restaurant since he was 17 years old.
Mary has not told them the bad news yet.
We are very tired; we have just climbed the mountain peak.
This is my favourite book; I have read it at least five times.
They have not gone on vacation yet.
The movie has stopped running in theaters.
She has not cut the cake and the icing is starting to melt.
John has not taken pictures since he lost his camera.

Exercise 2
On the red carpet

Someone is reporting from the red carpet. Complete the following text using Present
Perfect Simple.
Here we are, right next to the red carpet waiting for the stars to start showing up. Ladies and
gentlemen, I'm not talking about the stars in the sky, but about something just as bright: the
movie stars that have shined the most beautifully in the last twelve months. They have
inspired and entertained us and tonight they'll be doing just the same.
It looks like they have started to arrive. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney have just stepped
on to the red carpet and I think I have just seen Leonardo DiCaprio in the distance. Look at
Sandra! She has chosen a gorgeous black dress for tonight and she is absolutely lovely. I have
never been more impressed by one of her outfits. As you can see, Clooney has grown a
mustache. He looks weird but, hey, it's Clooney. He can do whatever he wants and still be
extremely sexy.
Bullock and Clooney have entered the theatre. We're waiting for the other guests - most of
them have not arrived yet. Ladies and gentlemen, it is going to be a memorable night!

Vocabulary
Nouns
antiquity

antichitate

the Middle Ages

Evul Mediu

modern times

epoca modern

the First World War

Primul Rzboi Mondial

the Second World War

Al Doilea Rzboi Mondial

the Cold War

Rzboiul Rece

the Civil War

Rzboiul Civil

the Great Depression

Marea criz economic

empire

imperiu

kingdom

regat

state

stat

province

provincie

territory

teritoriu

ethnic group

grup etnic

barbarian

barbar

chivalry

cavalerie

conqueror

cuceritor

consul

consul

descendant

descendent

emperor

mprat

king

rege

knight

cavaler

leader

conductor

missionary

misionar

mystic

mistic

navigator

navigator

pacifist

pacifist

partisan

partizan

patriot

patriot

queen

regin

vassal

vasal

artifact

artefact

conquest

cucerire

crusade

cruciad

declaration

declaraie

edict

decret

exile

exil

independence

independen

insurgence

insurecie

nationalism

naionalism

rebellion

rebeliune

recession

recesiune

reign

domnie

revolution

revoluie

siege

asediu

slavery

sclavie

Verbs
(to) conquer

(a)
cuceri

(to) defeat

(a)
nvinge

(to) develop

(a) (se)
dezvolta

(to) exploit

(a)
exploata

(to) explore

(a)
explora

(to) inhabit

(a)
popula

(to) reign

(a)
domni

(to) rule

(a)
conduce

(to) threaten

(a)
amenin
a

Present Perfect Continuous si Past Perfect

Continuous

Present Perfect Continuous i Past Perfect Continuous se folosesc n aceleai

situaii ca Present Perfect Simple i Past Perfect Simple. Formele continue, ns,
pun accentul pe altceva dect cele simple.
S vedem dou exemple, dup care vom da mai multe explicaii.
e.g. I have washed the car. (Present Perfect Simple)
e.g. I have been washing the car for two hours. (Present Perfect Continuous)
e.g. I had washed the car before it started to rain. (Past Perfect Simple)
e.g. I had been washing the car for two hours before it started to rain. (Past
Perfect Continuous)
Present Perfect Simple si Past Perfect Simple

n primul rnd, amintete-i cum se formeaz i cnd se folosesc Present Perfect

Simple i Past Perfect Simple.
Pe scurt, Present Perfect Simple are forma have washed. Este compus din verbul
auxiliar to have alturi de cea de a treia form a verbului principal. Present
Perfect Simple se folosete, de obicei, pentru aciuni care au nceput n trecut i se
continu n prezent sau care tocmai s-au ncheiat i au un rezultat important n
prezent.
e.g. I have washed the car. Am splat maina, deci ea e curat acum.
Past Perfect Simple are forma had washed. Este compus din verbul auxiliar to
have la trecut adic had alturi de cea de a treia form a verbului principal.
Past Perfect Simple desemneaz o aciune care s-a ntmplat naintea unei alte
aciuni din trecut.
e.g. I had washed the car before it started to rain. Mai nti am splat maina i
abia apoi a nceput s plou.
Present Perfect Continuous si Past Perfect Continuous

Diferena dintre Present Perfect Simple i Present Perfect Continuous, respectiv

dintre Past Perfect Simple i Past Perfect Continuous const n faptul c:
- formele simple pun accentul pe aciune sau pe rezultatul su;
- formele continue evideniaz durata sau continuitatea aciunii.
S revedem exemplele de la nceputul leciei.
e.g. I have washed the car. M intereseaz faptul c am splat maina i c
acum ea e curat.
e.g. I have been washing the car for two hours. M intereseaz faptul c mi-am

petrecut ultimele dou ore splnd maina.

e.g. I had washed the car before it started to rain. M intereseaz faptul c
splasem maina nainte c ploaia s nceap.
e.g. I had been washing the car for two hours before it started to rain. M
intereseaz faptul c mi-am petrecut dou ore splnd maina nainte ca ploaia s
nceap.

Iat schemele celor dou timpuri verbale continue:

Present Perfect Continuous: have been/has been + [verb + ING]
e.g. I have been waiting, you have been dancing, he has been playing video games
Past Perfect Continuous: had been + [verb + ING]
e.g. I had been waiting, you had been dancing, he has been playing video games
Completeaz urmtoarele propoziii folosind Present Perfect Simple sau
Continuous i Past Perfect Simple sau Continuous. Scrie rspunsurile tale n
seciunea de comentarii a acestei lecii i vei primi, dac este cazul, sugestii de
mbuntire.
1. Nu pot s cred c dorm de zece ore.
I cant believe I . for ten hours. (to sleep)
1.have been sleeping
2. Aceasta e rochia pe care o clcasei nainte de a hotr s o pori
pe cealalt.
This is the dress you . before you decided to wear the other
one. (to iron)
2.had ironed
3. A mncat deja destul ngheat; te rog nu-i mai da.
He .. already .. plenty of ice cream; please dont give him any
more. (to eat)
3.has eaten
4. O dureau picioarele cnd am ajuns acas pentru c dansase
toat noaptea.
Her feet were hurting when we got home because she . the
entire night. (to dance)
4.had been dancing

5. Plou n continuu de cnd ne-am ntors din vacan.

It . continuously since we returned from our holiday. (to
rain)
5.has been raining
6. Carla era suprat pe noi pentru c nu o sunaserm s anunm
c venim.
Carla was mad at us because we . her to say we were
coming. (to call)
6.hadnt called
7. V-ai terminat temele?
. your homework? (to finish)
7.have you finished
8. Oamenii erau iritai pentru c ateptaser prea mult s nceap
spectacolul.
People were annoyed because they . too long for the show
to start. (to wait)
8.had been waiting

Past Tenses
Past Simple
1. Past Simple is the tense that refers to actions completed in the past.
2. Past Simple requires the second form of the verb.
3. Verbs may be regular or irregular. This is reflected in their second form.
When do I use Past Simple?

Past Simple is used for actions that started and finished in the past.

one action in the past: I watched TV yesterday.

a series of actions in the past: I woke up, then I had breakfast and read
the newspaper.

historical facts: The Second World War started in 1939.

generalizations in the past: People watched less TV 10 years ago.

How do I recognize Past Simple?

Past Simple is often marked by explicit or implicit adverbs or time expressions.

yesterday, yesterday morning, the day before yesterday

last evening, last week, last month, last September, last summer, last year

one week ago, two months ago, three years ago

specific dates or months (if they are in the past): on the 1st of March, in
May

implicit reference (it is obvious that we are referring to the past): As a

teenager, he played video games a lot.

Regular and irregular verbs

English verbs may be regular or irregular. This is linked to their second form. For Past
Simple, we need the second form of the verb, which is formed like this:

Regular verbs have regular second forms. They take an -ed at the end of
the first form. e.g.: (to) watch - watched

Irregular verbs have irregular second forms. These can only be learned
by heart or by practice. e.g.: (to) drink - drank
See the first list of irregular verbs - these are used more frequently. When
you are ready, see the second list of irregular verbs.

Affirmative / Interrogative / Negative

Regular verb: to watch
Affirmative Singular

Plural

1st person

I watched TV yesterday.

We watched TV yesterday.

2nd person

You watched TV yesterday.

You watched TV yesterday.

3rd person

He watched TV yesterday.
She watched TV yesterday.
It watched the birds yesterday.

They watched TV yesterday.

Interrogati
Singular
ve

Plural

1st person

Did I watch TV yesterday?

Did we watch TV yesterday?

2nd person

Did you watch TV yesterday?

Did you watch TV yesterday?

3rd person

Did he watch TV yesterday?

Did she watch TV yesterday?
Did it watch the birds
yesterday?

Did they watch TV yesterday?

Negative

Singular

Plural

1st person

I did not watch TV yesterday.

We did not watch TV yesterday.

2nd person

You did not watch TV yesterday. You did not watch TV yesterday.

3rd person

He did not watch TV yesterday.

She did not watch TV yesterday. They did not watch TV
It did not watch the birds
yesterday.
yesterday.

Irregular verb: to drink

Affirmative Singular

Plural

1st person

I drank whiskey yesterday.

We drank whiskey yesterday.

2nd person

You drank whiskey yesterday.

You drank whiskey yesterday.

3rd person

He drank whiskey yesterday.

She drank whiskey yesterday.

They drank whiskey yesterday.

It drank milk yesterday.

Interrogati
Singular
ve

Plural

1st person

Did I drink whiskey yesterday?

Did we drink whiskey yesterday?

2nd person

Did you drink whiskey

yesterday?

Did you drink whiskey

yesterday?

3rd person

Did he drink whiskey yesterday?

Did she drink whiskey
Did they drink whiskey
yesterday?
yesterday?
Did it drink milk yesterday?

Negative

Singular

Plural

1st person

I did not drink whiskey

yesterday.

We did not drink whiskey

yesterday.

2nd person

You did not drink whiskey

yesterday.

You did not drink whiskey

yesterday.

3rd person

He did not drink whiskey

yesterday.
She did not drink whiskey
yesterday.
It did not drink milk yesterday.

They did not drink whiskey

yesterday.

How do I form Past Simple?

Affirmative
Subject + Verb II + (...)
e.g.: I (subject) watched (verb) TV yesterday.
1st person, sg. I watched TV
yesterday.
3rd person, sg. She watched TV
yesterday.

1st person, sg. I drank whiskey

yesterday.
3rd person, sg. She drank whiskey
yesterday.

Remember that:

At Past Simple, the verb remains unchanged for all persons, singular and
plural (including the 3rd person sg.).

Interrogative
Did + Subject + Verb I + (...) + ?
e.g.: Did I (subject) watch (verb) TV yesterday?
1st person, sg. Did I watch TV
yesterday?

1st person, sg. Did I drink whiskey

yesterday?

3rd person, sg. Did she watch TV

yesterday?

3rd person, sg. Did she drink whiskey

yesterday?

Remember that:

In interrogative sentences, the auxiliary did contains the past form of the
verb structure. The main verb (to watch or to drink) is used in its FIRST
form.

The auxiliary did is the same for all persons, singular and plural.

The short answer for a Past Simple question is:

o

Affirmative: Yes, I did (for all persons Yes, I did; Yes, you did; Yes,
he did etc.)

Negative: No, I didn't = No, I did not (for all persons No, I didn't;
No, you didn't; No, he didn't etc.)

Negative
Subject + Did Not + Verb I + (...)
e.g.: I (subject) did not watch (verb) TV yesterday.
1st person, sg. I did not watch TV
yesterday.
3rd person, sg. She did not watch
TV yesterday.

1st person, sg. I did not drink whiskey

yesterday.
3rd person, sg. She did not drink
whiskey yesterday.

Remember that:

In negative sentences, the auxiliary did contains the past form of the verb
structure. The main verb (to watch or to drink) is used in its FIRST form.

The short form of did not is didn't. e.g.: I didn't watch TV.

Surprise!

The second form of the verb is also called the past simple form.

Past Simple is only used for finished actions. If an action started in the
past, but is not finished at present, we do not use Past Simple.

Exercies 1

 Clara s-a uitat la TV ieri.

Clara watched TV yesterday.
coala a nceput acum o lun.
School started a month ago.
Am vorbit cu profesorul la telefon sptmna trecut.
I talked to the professor on the telephone last week.
A: Am vizitat Parisul n noiembrie? B: Nu, nu l-am vizitat. Am vizitat Parisul n decembrie.
A: Did we visit Paris in November? B: No, we didn't. We visited Paris in December.
Ei au gtit pizza alaltieri.
They cooked pizza the day before yesterday.
Asear, Ruby a but ceai i s-a uitat la un film pe laptop.
Last evening, Ruby drank tea and watched a movie on her laptop.
El a condus pn la ar weekendul trecut.
He drove to the countryside last weekend.
Ai cumprat o main de splat nou acum dou sptmni.
You bought a new washing machine two days ago.
A: i-ai cumprat noua main luna trecut? B: Da.
A: Did you buy your new car last month? B: Yes, I did.
Brian nu a cumprat televizorul acesta acum dou zile. L-a cumprat smbt.
Brian didn't buy this TV two days ago. He bought it on Saturday.
Exercies 2
This exercise is about appliances and devices. Choose the option that fits best.
1. Yesterday, I bought my wife .......... . She hates doing the dishes.
a washing machine
a dishwasher
a blender

2. Your hair looks pretty. Did you dry it with the new ..........?
hair dryer
electric shaver
air conditioner

3. It was too hot last week, so we turned on .......... .

the cooker hood
the air conditioner
the oven

4. She made really good coffee with our new .......... .

coffee maker
coffee grinder
sandwich maker

5. I forgot the bread in .......... for too long and it got burnt.
the freezer
the sandwich maker
the toaster

6. My husband didn't find .......... at the store, so we still don't have where to keep the
food.
a TV set
a fridge
an epilator

7. Jeremy didn't clean .......... when he finished cooking. I'm so angry with him!
the cooker
the dishwasher
the cell phone

8. Ruby drove to the shopping center and bought .......... she needs it for school.
a hair dryer
a laptop
a fridge

9. Did you turn off ........... when you finished cooking?

the dishwasher
the cooker hood
the radio

10. George and Freddie listened to .......... last evening.

the radio
the telephone
the cell phone

Exercies 3

Brian arrived late at her birthday party and she was upset.
I called you, but the line was busy.
They cooked my favorite dessert marshmellows.
Ruby finished her homework on time.
We moved here almost a decade ago.
Last summer, you played video games a lot.
The TV show started an hour late.
We talked for hours, but we couldn't reach a conclusion.
Clara and Jeremy travelled to the USA in February.
He watched an interesting documentary last night.

Exercies 4

She was there when you arrived.

I drove back home to get the folder.
He became famous after writing that book.
Our washing machine broke down, so we bought a new one.
George and Freddie came to school by tram.
The professor did a crazy experiment on Monday.
It found a bone in the garden.

 They forgot to buy eggs.

We had an expensive car two years ago.
Ruby made a pie to welcome the guests.
Exercies 5
Clara watched TV yesterday. Did Clara watch TV yesterday?
I started school on the 1st of October. Did I start school on the 1st of October?
He walked in the rain last evening. Did he walk in the rain last evening?
The dog jumped over the fence. Did the dog jump over the fence?
Brian and Jeremy came to work together. Did Brian and Jeremy come to work together?
I saw her in January. Did I see her in January?
We drank orange juice in the morning. Did we drink orange juice in the morning?
George ate ten doughnuts at the party yesterday. Did George eat ten doughnuts at the
party yesterday?
The bank opened at 9 o'clock. Did the bank open at 9 o'clock?
I went to the bank last week. Did I go to the bank last week?
Exercies 6
1. Her parents bought a new house last summer. Her parents did not buy a new house
last summer.
2. He gave her a pair of earrings. He did not give her a pair of earrings.
3. She turned on her computer. She did not turn on her computer.
4. Clara received a letter from her uncle. Clara did not receive a letter from her uncle.
5. The boys studied German last semester. The boys did not study German last
semester.
6. I took the car in the morning. I did not take the car in the morning.
7. They smelled the roses. They did not smell the roses.
8. She laughed when he told her his secret. She did not laugh when he told her his
secret.
9. Freddie met his best friend last weekend. Freddie did not meet his best friend last
weekend.
10. She drove well at the driving test. She did not drive well at the driving test.
Complete this short biography of Julia Roberts:
Julia Roberts is an American actress. She lived her childhood in Atlanta, Georgia. As a child,
Julia wished to become a veterinarian. In school, she played the clarinet. After graduating
highschool, she moved to New York.

Julia became famous after starring in Pretty Woman with Richard Gere. In 2001, she won an
Oscar for her part in Erin Brockovich. She appeared in many other notable movies, such as
The Pelican Brief, Conspiracy Theory and Closer. She received awards or nominations for
most of her parts.
Julia married Lyle Lovett in 1993. They divorced in 1995. Julia met Daniel Moder in 2000.
They got married in 2002. The wedding took place at Julia's ranch in Taos, New Mexico. Julia
gave birth to three children: Hazel Patricia, Walter and Henry Daniel.

Past Continuous
We form Past Continuous like this: Was/Were + [Verb + ING]

The verb to be is in the past: was or were, depending on the

person/number.

We add the termination -ing to the main verb.

Note that: Past Continuous is also called Past Progressive because it refers to actions that
were, at a certain moment in the past, in progress.
When do I use Past Continuous?

We use Past Continuous when we refer to interrupted actions in the past.

e.g.: He was talking to Jeremy when I took that photo.
He was talking to Jeremy the interrupted action (Past Continuous)
when I took that photo. the action that causes the interruption (Past Simple)
Use cases:

a past action interrupted by another past action:

He was talking to Jeremy when I took that photo.

a past action interrupted by a specific time:

They were watching a movie yesterday at 10 p.m.

parallel actions in the past:

The girls were preparing the meat while the boys were chopping sticks
for the fire.

to describe the atmosphere in the past:

When I arrived at Ruby's place, Ruby was playing with the cats, Clara
was making a cake and Brian and Jeremy were discussing politics.

Affirmative / Interrogative / Negative

Read the table below to see how we form Past Continuous in the affirmative, interrogative
and negative.

1st person
Singular

Affirmative

Interrogative

Negative

I was eating pizza.

Was I eating pizza?

I was not eating

pizza.

2nd person You were listening to Were you listening to You were not
Singular
music.
music?
listening to music.

3rd person
Singular

He was talking to
Clara
She was talking to
Jeremy.
The dog was
sleeping.

Was he talking to
Clara?
Was she talking to
Jeremy?
Was the dog
sleeping?

He was not talking

to Clara.
She was not talking
to Jeremy.
The dog was not
sleeping.

1st person
Plural

We were washing
the dishes.

Were we washing the We were not

dishes?
washing the dishes.

2nd person You were cleaning

Plural
the room.

Were you cleaning

the room?

3rd person
Plural

Were they surfing the They were not

Internet?
surfing the Internet.

They were surfing

the Internet.

You were not

cleaning the room.

When & While

The conjunctions when and while are used very often in sentences that contain verbs in the
Past Continuous.
When is followed by Past Simple.
He was talking to Jeremy when I took that photo.
While is followed by Past Continuous.
The girls were preparing the meat while the boys were chopping sticks for the fire.
Surprise!

We can use contractions only in negative Past Continuous sentences:

I/He/She/It wasn't sleeping yesterday evening at 10 o'clock.

You/We/You/They weren't sleeping yesterday evening at 10 o'clock.

* In Romanian, Past Continuous is translated using imperfectul.

Exercise 1
Choose the correct adjective.

1. Bob doesn't like to brag about his achievements. He is:

generous
modest
honest

2. Betty has a lot of friends. She is:

outgoing
thoughtful
stubborn

3. Bill doesn't share anything with anyone. He is:

unfriendly
selfish
arrogant

4. Barnie always wastes his time. He is:

kind
stubborn
lazy

5. Bonnie changes her mind all the time. She is:

vain
moody
friendly

Exercise 2
When I arrived at the party, he was bragging about his new car.
Ruby and Brian were having an argument when their flatmates came home.
I met her on the Internet last year. She was living in a foreign country at that time.
A: What were they doing when you saw them?
B: Clara was making friends with Julie while Jeremy was introducing Freddie to Phil.
When I took that photo, you were eating ice-cream, Mark was talking to his buddy and the
girls were laughing.

Say 'Cheese'!
Use Past Continuous to fill in the following text:
Oh, when I took that photo, everybody was doing something different. Nobody was looking at
the camera! The party was just beginning so we were having a lot of energy to burn.
Look at Martin. He was having an argument with Tina. Don't ask me why! When they arrived,
Tina was smiling. And so was Martin. Five minutes after, boom!, they were fighting.
You can see Bob, my flatmate, in the corner of the photo. He was making friends with
Richard, my workmate. Richard was still working when I left the office, so I thought that he
was not coming to the party, but he did.

The girl in the center of the photo is Janice, my sister. Usually, she is quite unfriendly. But, at
this party, she surprised me. While me and Fred were still preparing the cocktails, Janice was
talking to everybody. I didn't mind that she didn't help us in the kitchen.
Finally, right behing Janice, there are Chris and Sam. They were just getting to know each
other and Chris was already bragging about his expensive apartment. What a clown!

Vocabulary
Nouns CVs
CV

Curriculum Vitae

rsum

Curriculum Vitae

letter of intention

scrisoare de intenie

education

educaie

studies

studii

degree

diplom (certificare)

diploma

diplom (fizic)

course

curs

training

training

award

premiu

intern

practicant

internship

internship

knowledge

cunotine

experience

experien

work experience

experien de munc

bachelor studies

studii de licen

bachelor's degree

diplom de licen

master studies

studii de masterat

master's degree

diplom de masterat

doctoral studies

studii de doctorat

doctor's degree

diplom de doctorat

foreign languages

limbi strine

level

nivel

hobby

hobby

ability

aptitudine

skill

abilitate

social skills

abiliti sociale

organisational skill

abiliti organizaionale

Nouns Interviews
interview

interviu

company

companie

candidate

candidat

application

aplicaie

interviewer

intervievator

interviewee

intervievat

employer

angajator

employee

angajat

task

sarcin

main tasks

sarcini principale

test

test

trial period

perioad de prob

expectations

ateptri

salary

salariu

raise

mrire (de salariu)

bonus

bonus

benefits

beneficii

Human Resources

resurse umane

department

departament

CEO

director executiv

boss

ef

supervisor

supraveghetor

Nouns Work

Here are other nouns related to work.

job

slujb

occupation

ocupaie

profession

profesie

business

afacere

board

comitet de conducere

income

venit

monthly income

venit lunar

anual income

venit anual

workplace

loc de munc

environment

mediu

work environment

mediu de lucru

canteen

cantin

equipment

echipament

development

dezvoltare

discussion

discuie

negotiation

negociere

Verbs

All of these verbs are regular verbs.

(to) apply

(a) aplica

(to) wait

(a) atepta

(to) call

(a) suna, (a) chema

(to) receive

(a) primi

(to) discuss

(a) discuta

(to) negotiate

(a) negocia

(to) expect

(a) (se) atepta

(to) offer

(a) oferi

(to) test

(a) testa

(to) evaluate

(a) evalua

(to) accept

(a) accepta

(to) reject

(a) respinge

(to) hire

(a) angaja

(to) fire

(a) concedia

(to) dismiss

(a) concedia

(to) raise

(a) mri

(to) establish

(a) fonda

(to) represent

(a) reprezenta

Adjectives
happy

fericit

unhappy

nefericit

pleased

mulumit

displeased

nemulumit

satisfied

satisfcut

dissatisfied

nesatisfcut

employed

angajat

unemployed

omer

theoretical

teoretic

practical

practic

beginner

nceptor

intermediate

intermediar

advanced

avansat

proficient

expert

Adverbs
someone

cineva

someone else

altcineva

Past Perfect Simple

How do I form Past Perfect?

had + the 3rd form of the main verb

e.g.: Ruby had left when Brian arrived.
Note: The auxiliary verb had never changes.
When do I use Past Perfect?

We use Past Perfect:

to refer to an action that happened before another action in the

past:
Ruby had left when Brian arrived.
1. Ruby had left (before Brian arrived).
2. Brian arrived (at a moment in the past, after Ruby had left).

to form the Third Conditional, which we will learn at level Advanced.

Conjunctions

There are three conjunctions that often help us recognize Past Perfect: when, before and
after.
Ruby had left when Brian arrived.
or
Brian arrived when Ruby had left.

Ruby had left before Brian arrived.

Brian arrived after Ruby had left.
Affirmative / Interrogative / Negative
Affirmative

Interrogative

1st
I had studied French Had I studied French
person before I moved to
before I moved to
Singular France.
France?

Negative
I had not studied
French before I moved
to France.

2nd
You had read that
Had you read that
You had not read that
person book before she gave book before she gave it book before she gave it
Singular it to you as a present. to you as a present?
to you as a present.
Mary called the
plumber after George
had fixed the sink.
rd
3
Jeremy arrived home
person after Clara had
Singular finished cooking
dinner.
It had stopped
raining when we left.

Had George fixed the

sink before Mary called
the plumber?
Had Clara finished
cooking dinner before
Jeremy arrived?
Had it stopped raining
when we left?

George had not fixed

the sink before Mary
called the plumber.
Clara had not finished
cooking dinner when
Jeremy arrived.
It had not stopped
raining when we left.

1st
person
Plural

We had never been to Had we ever been to

that restaurant before that restaurant before
last night.
last night?

We had not ever been

to that restaurant
before last night.

2nd
person
Plural

You had had that TV Had you had that TV

for ten years before it for ten years before it
broke down.
broke down?

You had not had that

TV for ten years before
it broke down.

3rd
person
Plural

They had found a

different hotel when
the receptionist finally
called them.

Had they found a

They had not found a
different hotel when the different hotel when the
receptionist finally
receptionist finally
called them?
called them.

Listen to the audio tutorial in this lesson to find out how we use contractions with the Past
Perfect tense.
* In Romanian, Past Perfect is translated using mai mult ca perfectul.

Exercise 1

I had finished drinking my coffee when the phone rang.

When she was eleven, she had already drawn her first cartoon.
He had not boiled the water before he put in the lobster.
I was too late; by the time I got to the library, she had already left.
My friend had drunk two beers when I arrived at the pub.
Clara had not fallen asleep when Jeremy got home last night.
The policeman had shot the suspect before the rest of the team arrived.
John woke up after the thief had stolen the TV set.
The deer had run into the woods before the hunter could shoot.
My wife had already cooked breakfast by the time I got out of bed.

The Battle of Agincourt

Complete the following text using Past Perfect Simple.

The Hundred Years' War was a series of conflicts between England and France, which had
finished by the time the War of the Roses started. The conflict had started before Henry V
became king. The Hundred Years' War began during the reign of William the Conqueror, who
was both king of England and duke of Normandy.
The Battle of Agincourt was one of the most important battles of the Anglo-French conflict,
which took place in 1415. Henry V had been named king of England two years before. The
military campaign against the French had started before the fighting at Agincourt, with the
siege of the port of Harfleur.
The battle is mostly noted for the presence of the longbow. The English had used this weapon
successfully before. The English army was outnumbered by the French, which had called to
arms a large force made up mostly by knights.
The choosing of the battlefield played a decisive role in the outcome of the battle. The English
clearly had picked the right strategy to defeat the French. The English had crippled the
French.
King Henry V married the French Princess Catherine after the English had won. Henry V
made his son heir to the throne of France after he had married Catherine.

Future Tenses
Future Simple
Future Simple can be formed in two ways:

Future with Will: Yes, I will drive you home.

'Be Going to' Future: It is going to rain.

Both refer to the future, but they are used in specific situations.
How do I use Future Simple?

We use Future with Will for:

instant decisions: A: Coffee or tea? B: I will have tea.

voluntary actions: I will send you an email when I receive new

information.

promises: (I promise) I will call you when I arrive.

offers to help: A: The weather is bad. B: I will drive you home.

requests for help: A: Will you drive me home?

predictions: The fortune teller said: "You will mary a rich man." / Twenty
years from now, I will have wrinkles .
(In this case, the prediction is made with a high level of certainty, usually
for a more distant future.)

We use 'Be Going to' Future for:

plans: I am going to spend the summer in California.

intentions: I am going to clean the house this weekend.

predictions: Look at the sky! It is going to rain.

(In this case, the prediction is made based on a concrete situation / an
observable fact in the present.)

Note: According to other sources, Future with Will and 'Be Going to' Future can be used
interchangeably for making predictions.
Affirmative / Interrogative / Negative

Will is a modal verb. Its conjugation is very simple.

I will have tea. Will I have tea? I will not (won't) have tea.
He will call us when he arrives. Will he call us when he arrives? He will not (won't)
call us when he arrives.
We will drive you home. Will we drive you home? We will not (won't) drive you home.
Note: will not = won't

'Be Going to' Future is formed like this: to be + going to + main verb

The verb to be is used at the correct person/number, i.e. am, are

or is.

Going to never changes.

The main verb is always in the infinitive.

Affirmative

Interrogative

Negative

I am going to spend
the summer here.

Am I going to spend
the summer here?

I am not going to
spend the summer
here.

Are you going to

spend (...)?

You are not going to

spend (...)

3rd person
Singular

He is going to spend
(...)
She is going to
spend (...)
It is going to rain.

Is he going to spend
(...)?
Is she going to spend
(...)?
Is it going to rain?

He is not going to
spend (...)
She is not going to
spend (...)
It is not going to
rain.

1st person
Plural

We are going to
spend (...)

Are we going to
spend (...)?

We are not going to

spend (...)

2nd person You are going to

Plural
spend (...)

Are you going to

spend (...)?

You are not going to

spend (...)

3rd person

Are they going to

They are not going

1st person
Singular

2nd person You are going to

Singular
spend (...)

They are going to

Plural

spend (...)

spend (...)?

to spend (...)

We can use contractions:

I am going to I'm going to
You are going to You're going to
He is going to He's going to etc.
I am not going to I'm not going to
You are not going to You're not going to / You aren't going to
He is not going to He's not going to / He isn't going to etc.
In colloquial speech, going to can be replaced with gonna:
I am going to buy a new umbrella. I'm gonna buy a new umbrella.

Exercise 1
The temperature keeps dropping. It is going to freeze tonight.
It is raining. I will lend you my umbrella.
UV rays are dangerous. We are going to buy sunscreen tomorrow.
It is cold. Will you give me your coat on the way home?
I will tell you what the weather forecast said.
Are you going to travel to the mountains in winter?
I promise I will drive slowly if there is fog.
The sun is already shining. It is going to be a hot day.
There will be drought in this area this summer.
A: Do you want to leave now or later? B: I will leave now. It is cloudy and I want to get
home before the rain starts.

A weekend in Dublin
Luke and Mary are visiting Dublin. Bill is welcoming them.
Fill in the dialogue using Future with Will or Be Going to Future.
Bill: Welcome to Dublin! Why are you here in the middle of autumn?
Luke: We're visiting. I guess you could call us weekend tourists. We wanted to escape our
daily routine for a few days, so here we are.
Bill: Where are you going to stay?

Luke: We're not sure yet. We are going to look for a nice hotel . Will you recommend us a
place?
Bill: Dublin Central is a good place to stay. They have reasonable prices, cozy rooms and
tasty food. I will drive you there, if you want.
Luke: Sure, that sounds great! Thank you.
Bill: What are your plans for this weekend?
Luke: We are going to visit the city, of course. But only the main tourist attractions, because
time is short. On Saturday evening, Mary is going to meet an old friend of hers. I am not
going to join them. Instead, I am going to spend some time in several pubs. I want to try out
the locally brewed beers.
Bill: I will come with you and tell you how they are prepared.
Luke: Oh, will you do that for me?
Bill: Gladly! Now let's hurry. It looks like it is going to rain again.

Vocabulary
Nouns
avalanche

avalan

blizzard

viscol

breeze

adiere de vnt

cyclone

ciclon

drought

secet

flood

inundaie

flurries

rafale

fog

cea

frost

ger, nghe

hail

grindin

heat-wave

val de cldur

humidity

umiditate

hurricane

uragan

ice

ghea

lightning

fulger

precipitation

precipitaii

puddle

balt

rainbow

curcubeu

raindrop

strop de ploaie

shower

avers de ploaie

slush

lapovi / flecial

snowstorm

furtun de zpad

sunshine

lumina soarelui

thunder

tunet

thunderstorm

furtun cu trsnete

tornado

tornad

UV rays

raze ultra-violete

weather forecast

prognoz meteo

meteorologist

meteorolog

temperature

temperatur

thermometer

termometru

Celsius degree

grad Celsius

Fahrenheit degree

grad Fahrenheit

Adjectives
chilly

rcoros

cloudy

nnorat

partly cloudy

parial nnorat

foggy

ceos

icy

ngheat

rainy

ploios

snowy

cu ninsoare, nins

stormy

furtunos

sunny

nsorit

windy

cu vnt

Future Continuous
Pentru a nelege timpul verbal Future Continuous, este necesar s l cunoatem pe Future
Simple. S ncepem, aadar, prin a ne aminti cnd i cum folosim timpul verbal Future
Simple.
Ascult varianta audio a leciei.

Future Simple se folosete, bineneles, atunci cnd ne referim la aciuni din viitor. Future
Simple se poate forma n dou moduri, fie folosind verbul modal Will, fie folosind structura
Be Going To. Fiecare modalitate de formare se utilizeaz n cazuri specifice.
Future Simple with Will ne ajut s ne referim la decizii de moment, aciuni voluntare,
promisiuni, oferte sau cereri de ajutor. E.g.: Dont worry, I will write the e-mail right away.
Nu-i face griji, voi scrie e-mailul imediat. (aciune voluntar, promisiune)
Future Simple with Be Going To ne ajut s ne referim la planuri i intenii. E.g.: I am going
to drive to the countryside tomorrow. Voi merge cu maina la ar mine. (plan)
Future Continuous

Future Continuous (sau Future Progressive) se folosete atunci cnd ne referim la o aciune
care va fi n desfurare ntr-un alt moment din viitor sau, altfel spus, la o aciune din
viitor care va fi ntrerupt de o alt aciune sau de un moment din viitor.
Echivalentul din limba romn al lui Future Continuous ar fi modul prezumtiv. Acest mod al
verbului (voi fi scriind, voi fi mncnd) nu se mai folosete astzi, ns el te poate ajuta s
deosebeti cu mai mare uurin Future Simple de Future Continuous.
E.g.: Nu-i face griji, voi scrie e-mailul imediat. Future Simple (will write)
E.g.: Mine la 10:00, voi fi scriind raportul lunar. Future Continuous (will be writing)

Future Continuous se formeaz astfel:

Will be + [verb + ING]
E.g.: Tomorrow at 10:00, I will be writing the monthly report. Mine la 10:00, voi scrie /
voi fi scriind raportul lunar.
E.g.: When you get back to work, I will be driving to the countryside. Cnd tu te ntorci la
lucru, eu voi merge / voi fi mergnd cu maina la ar.
Tomorrow at 10:00 i When you get back to work sunt momentele din viitor la care ne
raportm. Aciunile care se vor petrece n aceste momente din viitor sunt exprimate prin
Future Continuous.

Observaii:
1. Pentru a forma Future Continuous, putem folosi fie Will, fie Be Going To. n general, cele
dou variante sunt interschimbabile, aa c poi folosi mereu varianta cu Will, ntruct aceasta
este mai scurt i mai accesibil.
Iat schema pentru Future Continuous format prin Be Going To:
Be going to be + [verb + ING]
E.g.: The parents are going to be cooking lunch when the children arrive home.
2. Future Continuous (format prin Will) nu i schimb forma n funcie de numr sau
persoan.
3. n cazul timpului verbal Future Continuous, exprimm momentul de referin din viitor
prin Present Simple, nu prin Future Simple. Facem asta deoarece avem de a face cu time
clauses (propoziii care ncep cu prepoziii de timp precum: when, while, before, after, by, by
the time, as soon as etc.).
Incorect: When the children will arrive home,..
Corect: When the children arrive home,..

Mai multe exemple pentru Future Continuous:

When your bus arrives, I will be waiting for you.

Will you be listening to the radio tonight at 11:00?

She will not be talking when the teacher enters the classroom.

Im sure it will be raining when we leave on holiday.

Tomorrow morning at 7:30, we will be eating breakfast.

Will all of you be partying this evening?

They will be wearing suits when the meeting starts.