Stories and Narratives

Understanding verb tenses helps us know

when an action or event occurs, how it
happens (for example, whether it's finished
or in progress), and who is involved. This is
important for understanding and creating
clear messages in English.

Verb Tenses
Grammar focuses on the structure of a
language. Each language uses words
that are modified or combined to express
ideas and feelings according to its own
logic. Translating word for word is a
common mistake, as it ignores the logic
of the target language and can lead to
confusion.

Present
Present Continuous
We use the Present Continuous when the action takes place now.

NOW - AT THIS MOMENT

I AM Verb + ING
You / We / They ARE Verb + ING
She / He / It IS Verb + ING
Examples:
- I am reading a book. - She is studying English.
- They aren't listening to music now. - He isn't eating lunch.
Uses:
With a future meaning to mention something that we have already arranged to do. Like our diary.
Cuando una acción ya fue organizada. Como nuestra agenda.
- According to Peter's diary (De acuerdo con la agenda de Peter):
He is playing soccer on Monday at 7 o'clock.
He is visiting his parents on Sunday at noon.
With a future meaning to talk about timetables, programs, etc. For example public transport.
En el futuro para horarios de trenes o aviones, programas, etc.
- The train leaves Plymouth at 11.30 and arrives in London at 14.45.
- The film begins at 7.30 PM.
 Present Simple
We use the Simple Present when the action takes place habitually.
USUALLY - OFTEN - SOMETIMES - ALWAYS - HARDLY EVER - SELDOM - EVERY

I / You / We / They Verb

She / He / It Verb + S
Examples:
- I always study after class. - She doesn't study after class.
- She always studies after class. - I don't study after class.
Contrasted tenses - Present Simple and Present Continuous
The water is boiling now . – BUT The water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. (general truth)

It is raining now . – BUT It rains a lot in July. (habitual action)

I am living in London. (temporary situation) – BUT I live in London. (permanent

situation)

Past
Past Simple
We use the Simple Past when an action is finished.

LAST - YESTERDAY - AGO - IN 1960

I / You / We / They / She / He / It VERB IN THE PAST

VERB + ED or IRREGULAR VERB
(2nd column)
Examples:
- I went to the movies last week. - He didn't go to France last month.
- She studied English two days ago.

Present Perfect
We use the Present Perfect with the following keywords:

SINCE - FOR - UP TO NOW - NEVER - YET - RECENTLY - JUST - ALREADY - EVER

I / You / We / They HAVE PAST PARTICIPLE (3rd column)

She / He / It HAS PAST PARTICIPLE (3rd column)
Examples:
- I have gone to France twice. - She has lived in Buenos Aires since 1989.
- They haven't finished the exercises yet. - He has never drunk green tea.
Uses:
For an action that started in the past and continues in the present. We often use SINCE or FOR.
- I have lived in this house since 2011. La acción comenzó en el año 2011, pero continúa en el
presente. Sigo viviendo en esta casa.
When we are talking about our experience up to the present. We often use UP TO NOW - SO FAR -
EVER - NEVER - YET.
- I have written three poems. (Hasta ahora escribí 3 poemas).
- She has never visited Rome. (Nunca viajó a Roma (hasta ahora))
When we are talking about something that happened in the past, but it has a relationship with the
present.
- I can't get in my house. I have lost my keys. (No puedo entrar en mi casa. Olvidé mis llaves)
With time adverbials which refer to the recent past. We often use JUST, RECENTLY, LATELY.
- She has just finished her homework. (Recién terminó su tarea)
For an action that has happened before you expected. We usually use ALREADY.
- I have already finished my homework. (Ya finalicé mi tarea. Antes de lo esperado)
When we are talking about an action repeated in a specified period of time between the past and the
present. We use TWICE, THREE TIMES, MANY TIMES, SEVERAL TIMES, ETC.
- She has gone to Boston several times.

Contrasted Tenses - Past Simple and Present Perfect

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE PAST

I have worked in London since 2008 I worked in London from 2008 to 2011

TODAY - THIS WEEK - SINCE YESTERDAY - LAST WEEK - FROM 1979 TO

2012
A PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL NOW
(un periodo de tiempo hasta ahora) FINISHED TIME (tiempo terminado)

She has worked here for 10 years. She worked here for 10 years.

FOR: A PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL NOW FOR: FINISHED TIME (tiempo terminado)
(un periodo de tiempo hasta ahora)

It hasn't rained this week It didn't rain last week

RECENT TIME: THIS WEEK FINISHED TIME: LAST WEEK

(tiempo reciente: esta semana) (tiempo terminado: la semana pasada)

Have you seen Tom recently? Did you see Tom last week?

RECENT TIME: RECENTLY FINISHED TIME: LAST WEEK

I have never played tennis. I didn't play tennis last year

NEVER IN MY LIFE UNTIL NOW FINISHED ACTION: LAST YEAR

(nunca en mi vida hasta ahora) (acción finalizada: en año pasado)

I have traveled to Rome twice. I traveled to Rome twice last year.

REPEATED ACTION IN THE PAST: TWICE FINISHED ACTION IN THE PAST: LAST
(acción repetida en el pasado: dos veces) (acción terminada en el pasado: last)

DON'T USE PRESENT PERFECT WITH: YESTERDAY - LAST - AGO - FROM/TO

I have visited my parents yesterday. WRONG

I visited my parents yesterday. RIGHT

I have worked in this company from 2010 to 2017. WRONG

I worked in this company from 2010 to 2017. RIGHT

 Past Perfect
We use Past Perfect to express an action that occurred before another in the past.

AFTER - BEFORE- WHEN

I / You / We / They / She / He / It HAD PAST PARTICIPLE (3rd column)

Examples:
- I had studied for my test. - She had arrived home.
- When Sara arrived at the party, Tom was not there because he had left before.
Cuando Sara llegó a la fiesta, Tom no estaba allí porque se había ido antes.

Past Continuous
We use the Past Continuous with the following keywords:

WHEN - WHILE

I / She / He / It WAS Verb +ING

You / We / They WERE Verb +ING
Examples:
- I was reading a book. - They were playing soccer.
- She wasn't working hard. - You weren't studying English.
Uses:
To describe an action that was happening in the middle of something at a certain time.
Para describir una acción que estaba ocurriendo en el medio de alguna situación en un determinado
momento.
- The soccer match started at 4 P.M. The soccer match finished at 8 P.M. At 6.30 P.M. the
soccer players were playing.
To describe two simultaneous actions in the past.
Describir dos acciones que ocurren simultáneamente en el pasado.
- I was reading a book while my husband was watching TV.

Future
Going To
We use "going to" in the future to express our plans (something we have decided to do).
Para una acción que hemos decido realizar en el futuro

NOW - AT THIS MOMENT

I AM Going to Verb infinitive

You / We / They ARE Going to Verb infinitive
She / He / It IS Going to Verb infinitive

Examples:
- I have saved some money, so I have decided that I am going to buy a car.
- I don't like the place where I live, so I have decided that I am going to move soon.
Uses:
To say something that is going to happen (strong evidence).
Para referirnos a una acción que va a ocurrir (hay una fuerte evidencia que demuestra que sucederá)
- There are black clouds. It is going to rain.
 - I feel terrible. I am going to be sick.

Contrasted Tenses: Present Continuous and Going To

PRESENT CONTINUOUS GOING TO

I have arranged to do something I have decided to do something (but perhaps I

He organizado hacer algo. have not arranged it)
He decidido hacer algo (pero quizás no lo haya
I am visiting my parents on Sunday at noon.
organizado)
The windows in my house are dirty. I am going
to clean them.

Will
We use "will" when we decide something at the moment of speaking.
I / You / We / They / She / He / It WILL Verb infinitive without to
(verbo en infinitivo sin to)
Examples:
- Tom: What would you like to drink?
- Sara: I will have a cup of coffee.
Uses:
For offering to do something. Ofrecerse para hacer algo.
- That bag is too heavy. I will help you.
For promising to do something. Prometer hacer algo.
- I will pay you back on Monday.
For asking somebody to do something. Pedirle a alguien que haga algo.
- Will you shut the door, please?
For predicting the future. Predecir el futuro
- Tom will not pass the exam because he hasn't studied much.
We use WILL with the following keywords: PROBABLY - I AM SURE - I THINK
- I will probably arrive late.
- I am sure you will pass the exam.
- I think Peter will like my gift.

Future Continuous
We use the Future Continuous when we will be in the middle of doing something.
Cuando nos encontremos en el medio de hacer algo.
I / You / We / They / She / He / It WILL BE Verb +ING
Examples:
- Mary studies English. She has classes every day. Her class starts at 7.30 and ends at 9.15. At
8.30 tomorrow she will be studying English.

Future Perfect
We use the Future Perfect to say that an action will be complete.
I / You / We / They / She / He / It WILL HAVE Past Participle (3rd column)
Examples:
- Mary studies English. She has classes every day. Her class starts at 7.30 and ends at 9.15. At
9.30 tomorrow her class will have finished.

Passive Constructions
Passive Voice
Is more common in writing (like textbooks and reports) than in everyday speech. It is used to:
Describe processes:
- Cars are manufactured in Ushuaia.
State rules or instructions:
- Telecommunications service is provided by three companies.
Not all verbs can be used in the passive voice. This happens when there is no direct object in the
sentence. For example:
✔️Active: Something happened.
Passive: Something was happened. (Incorrect)
Also, some state verbs like be, belong, exist, and seem cannot be used in the passive voice:
✔️Active: Tom has a guitar. (Passive form is not possible)
✔️Active: The building seemed empty. (No passive version)
WHAT IS ACTIVE VOICE AND WHAT IS PASSIVE VOICE?
- Tom cleaned the old house.
The sentence is in ACTIVE VOICE because the verb says what the subject does.
La oración está en VOZ ACTIVA porque el verbo dice lo que el sujeto hace (Tom limpió su casa)
- The old house was cleaned by Tom.
The sentence is in PASSIVE VOICE because the verb says what happens to the subject.
La oración está en VOZ PASIVA porque el verbo dice que le ocurre al sujeto (La casa fue limpiada por
Tom).
Passive Voice - Past Simple

Subject WAS VERB PAST PARTICIPLE

WERE (3rd column of the verb)
Examples:
- Columbus discovered America. - America was discovered by Columbus.

Passive Voice - Past Continuous

Subject WAS BEING VERB PAST PARTICIPLE

WERE BEING (3rd column of the verb)
Examples:
- The children were repairing the bike. - The bike was being repaired by the children.

Passive Voice - Past Perfect

Subject HAD BEEN VERB PAST PARTICIPLE

(3rd column of the verb)
Examples:
- The brave men had defended the city. - The city had been defended by the brave men.

Passive Voice - Present Simple

Subject IS VERB PAST PARTICIPLE

ARE (3rd column of the verb)
Examples:
- They manufacture cars in Detroit. - Cars are manufactured in Detroit.

Passive Voice - Present Continuous

Subject IS BEING VERB PAST PARTICIPLE

ARE BEING (3rd column of the verb)
Examples:
- My father is washing the car. - The car is being washed by my father.

Passive Voice - Present Perfect

Subject HAS BEEN VERB PAST PARTICIPLE

HAVE BEEN (3rd column of the verb)
Examples:
- The woman has cleaned the room. - The room has been cleaned by the woman.

Passive Voice - Future

Subject WILL BE VERB PAST PARTICIPLE

(3rd column of the verb)
Examples:
- The woman will write a letter. - A letter will be written by the woman.

Passive Voice - Future Perfect

Subject WILL HAVE BEEN VERB PAST PARTICIPLE

(3rd column of the verb)
Examples:
- The gardener will have planted the roses tomorrow by 2 o’clock.
- The roses will have been planted tomorrow by 2 o’clock by the gardener.