FOCUS1: REVIEW OF TENSES AND THEIR

USES

THE TENSES FORMS USES EXAMPLES

-Management is a
science
• General and scientific
truth -The postman usually
Verb without to •Permanent or long-term comes before noon.
situations
Present Simple *At the third person of the • Regular activities and -In Senegal, people
singular(s /es / ies) routines drive on the right-hand
• Timetables and side of the road.
schedules
-Our plane leaves at 10
PM on Thursday.

•Actions happening now -I'm reading a page on

the Internet at the
(currently / presently
moment.
/now /at the moment /
etc.) -We’re introducing a
new system

Present -She’s meeting the

Am /is / are +-ing • Description of a present
Continuous CEO at 2 p.m
situation
-Prices are going up;
the value of the Euro is
• Future plans and going down.
arrangements
-I'm visiting my parents
next Sunday

•Past and completed -I watched the

actions (yesterday, last broadcasting on TV
night, in 1999, 10 years last night.
Simple Past Verb + ed
ago…).
(Preterit) -I met the manager a
Irregular verbs (see list)
long time ago.

•Narration -The vampire got out of

his coffin and walked
towards us.

Past Continuous To Be in the Past + -ing •Actions in progress in

the past.
(Was /were + -ing) - I was watching TV
when the phone rang.
 - I saw Moussa
yesterday; he was
going to town

-Look! I've bought a

new car

- I've been to the

• past actions with results doctor's today
in the present
- I have seen the
• life experience message since 9am
Have/has + Past participle
Present perfect •duration : (since/for) -The Chief Accountant
simple hasn’t met the CEO yet.
•It is the first / second /
third time -Mary has worked here
for two years.

-It is the first time I

have met Thione Niang.

Present perfect •progress : action starting - I've been studying

in the past and still
continuous Accountancy since my
continuing in the present first year.
Have / has + been + -ing
-He’s been working
there for 5 years

-When Peter arrived at

the meeting, he realized
•Action happened before that people had taken
another action in the past. all the seats .
Past Perfect Had +Past Participle
Simple • it was the first / the -It was the first time we
second / the third time... had met.

Past Perfect -Omar had been

•Action in progress
continuous waiting for 20 minutes
before another one, both
when the meeting
Had + been + -ing in the past.
started last week

Future Simple Will / Shall + verb • Intent and last minute -Don’t worry, I will
decision take you home as your
car has broken down.
• Timetables and
schedules The board meeting will
 start at 3.30 .p.m

• Future facts and - We will open a new

predictions sales office in Spain.

• Actions in progress in
At this next week, we
the future.
will be meeting again
Future It can be used with
Will + be + -ing
continuous I’ll be working on this
expressions such as At
activity tomorrow
this time next week /
afternoon
month /year etc.

Completed actions before

a specific time in the
future By this time next
Future perfect
Will have+ Past participle Monday we will have
simple (By this time finished our work.
tomorrow / this time
next week, etc

Action in progress before

a specific time in the By this time next month
Future perfect future the students will have
Will + have + been +-ing
continuous been working for
(By this time
9months
tomorrow / this time
next week, etc

-Suppose he came, we
would go and visit my
•Supposition / pen friend.

•Past habit -If Mc Donald won the

Hindu Market, It would
• If + Preterit => change its products
The conditional Would+ Verb would+inf into vegetarian.
present
-When Bouba was
young, he would play
with numbers

If Modou had been a

The conditional Would+Have+Past •If + Past Perfect => good Manager, he
Past participle would have+PP would have solved the
problem last time