Grammar

• Present Progressive

AFIRMATIVE STATEMENTS
Subject	Be	Base Form of Verb+ -ING	Complement
I	am	traveling	now.
You	are
He She It	is
We You They	are

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS
Subject	Be	NOT+ Base Form of Verb+ -ING	Complement
I	am	not traveling	now.
You	are
He She It	is
We You They	are

YES/NO QUESTIONS
Be	Subject	Base Form of Verb+ -ING	Complement
Am	I	traveling	now?
Are	You
Is	He She It
Are	We You They

SHORT ANSWERS
Yes,	he	is.
No,		isn’t.

	WH- QUESTIONS
Wh- Word	Be	Subject	Base Form of Verb+ -ING	Complement
Where	Am	I	traveling	now?
	Are	You
	Is	He She It
	Are	We You They

1) We use the Present Progressive (also called the present continuous) to describe something that is happening right now. In another words, we use the present continuous when I am seeing the action.

EXAMLES, - Karla is talking to Carlos.

                     - At the moment, sh's wearing  a robe. 

                     - She's speaking English right now.

2) Use the present progressive to describe something that is happening in the extended present time (for example, nowadays, this month, these days, this year), even if it's not happening at the moment of speaking.

EXAMPLES, -We're studying U.S customs this month.

                       -Laura's studying in France this year.

                       - Are you studying hard these days?

3) The present progressive is often used to show that the action is temporary.

EXAMPLE, - I'm staying with friends, but I plan to leave soon.

• Past Progressive

STATEMENTS
Subject	Was/ Were	(Not)	Base Form of Verb+ -ING	Complement
I	was	(not)	working eating sleeping	yesterday at 7:00 P.M. when Eve called. While Sal was watching TV.
You	were
He She It	was
We You They	were

YES/NO QUESTIONS
Was/ Were	Subject	Base Form of Verb+ -ING	Complement
Was	I	working eating sleeping	yesterday at 7:00 P.M.? when Eve called? While Sal was watching TV?
Were	You
Was	He She It
Were	We You They

SHORT ANSWERS
Affirmative
Yes,	you	were.
	I	was.
	he she it	was.
	you we they	were.

SHORT ANSWERS
Negative
No,	you	weren’t.
	I	wasn’t.
	he she it	wasn’t.
	you we they	weren’t.

WH- QUESTIONS
Wh- Word	Was/ Were	Subject	Base Form of Verb+ -ING	Complement
Why	was	I	working eating sleeping	yesterday at 7:00 P.M.? when Eve called? While Sal was watching TV?
	were	You
	was	He She It
	were	We You They

                                                                                                                                                               

1) Use the past progressive (also called the past continuous) to describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past. The action began before the specific time and may or may not continue after the specific time.

EXAMPLES, - My wife and I were aeting at 6:00.

                       - What were you doing at 7:00?

                       - They weren't skiing.

2) Use the past progressive with the simple past tense to talk about an action that was interrupted by another action. Use the simple past tense for the interrupting action.

Use when to introduce the simple past-tense action OR use while to introduce the past-progressive action.

EXAMPLES, - I was taking a shower when the phone rang. (The phone call came in the middle of                                                                                                       what I was doing).

                       - They were skiing when the storm started. OR

                       - While they were skiing, the storm started.

3) Use the past progressive with while (or when) to talk about two actions in progress at the same time in the past. Use the past progressive in both clauses.

EXAMPLES, - While I was watching TV, my wife was talking on the phone.

                       - My wife was talking on the phone while I was watching TV.

 

• Be Going To, Will and Present Progressive for the Future

Be Going To 

STATEMENTS
Subject	Be	(Not) Going To	Base Form of Verb	Complement
I	am	(not) going to	leave	soon.
You	are
He She It	is
We You they	are

YES/NO QUESTIONS
Be	Subject	Going to	Base Form of Verb	Complement
Am	I	going to	leave	soon?
Are	you
Is	he she it
Are	we you they

SHORT ANSWERS
Affirmative
Yes,	You	Are
	I	Am
	He She It	Is
	You We they	are

SHORT ANSWERS
Negative
No,	You’re	not.
	I’m
	He’s She’s It’s
	You’re We’re They’re

WH- QUESTIONS
Wh- Word	Be	Subject	Going To	Base Form of Verb
When Why	are	you	Going to	leave?

Will

STATEMENTS
Subject	Will (Not)	Base Form of Verb	Complement
I You He She It We You They	Will (not)	leave	soon.

YES/NO QUESTIONS
Will	Subject	Base Form of Verb	Complement
Will	I You He She It We You They	leave	soon?

SHORT ANSWERS
Affirmative
Yes,	You I he She It You We They	will.

SHORT ANSWERS
Negative
No,	You I he She It You We They	Won’t.

WH- QUESTIONS
Wh- word	Will	Subject	Base Form of Verb
When	will	you	leave?

1) There are several ways to talk about actions and states in the future. You can use: be going to, present progressive, will and simple present tense.

EXAMPLES, - They're going to hold a press conference.

                       - It's taking palce next week.

                       - I think I'll go.

                       - It starts at 9:00 A.M. on Monday.

2) To make predictions or guesses about the future, use: be going to or will.

EXAMPLES, - People re going to travel differently.

                       - Peole will travel differently.

Use be going to instead of will when there is something in tje present that leads to the prediction.

EXAMPLE, - Look at those cars! They're going to crash!

3) To talk about future intentions or plans, use: be going to or will  or present progressive.

EXAMPLES, - He's going to hold a conference next week.

                       - He will hold a conference next week.

                       - He is holding a conference next week.

4) We often use will when we decide something at the moment of speaking.

EXAMPLE, - A: The car show is opening next week.

                       B: I love new cars. I think I'll go.

5) We often use the present progressive when we talk about future plans that have already been arranged.

EXAMPLE, -Sofia and I are buying a new car next week. We've already chosen the model.

• Used To

STATEMENTS
Subject	Used to	Base Form of Verb	Complement
I You He She It You We They	used to didn’t use to	be	popular.

YES/ NO QUESTIONS
Did	Subject	Used to	Base Form of Verb	Complement
Did	I You He She It You We They	used to	be	popular?

SHORT ANSWERS
Affirmative
Yes,	You I he She It You We they	did.

SHORT ANSWERS
Negative
No,	You I he She It You We they	didn’t.

WH- QUESTIONS
Wh- word	Did	Subject	Used to	Base Form of Verb
What	did	I You He She It You We They	used to	do?

1) Use used to + bse form of the verb to talk about past habits or past situations that no longer exist in the present.

EXAMPLE, - Lea used to buy tight jeans (It was her habit to buy tight jeans, but now she doesn't buy tight jeans.)

2) Used to always refers to the past. There is no present tense form.

EXAMPLE, - She used to hate loose jeans. (She hated loose jeans, but now she doesn't hate loose                                                                              jeans.)

                     - In the past, Juan used to wear jeans.

3) We usually use used to in sentences that contrast the past and the present. We often emphasize this contrast by using time expressions such as now, no longer, and not anymore with the present tense.

EXAMPLE, - Jeans used to come in blue. Now you can buy them in any color.

                     - They used to live in Roma, but they no longer live there.

                     - She  used to wear a sixe 6, but she doesn't anymore.

• Present Perfect: Indefinite Past

STATEMENTS
Subject	Have/ Has (Not)	Past Participle of Verb	Complement
They	Have (not)	Appeared been	on TV.
it	Has (not)

STATEMENTS WITH ADVERBS
Subject	Have/ Has	Adverb	Past Participle of Verb	Complement	Arverb
They	Have	Never Just recently	Appeared Been Appeared been	on TV. on TV	lately. recently.
It	Has
They	Have (not)
it	Has (not)

YES/ NO QUESTIONS
Have/ Has	Subject	(Ever)	Past participle of Verb	Complement
Have	they	(ever)	appeared been	on TV?
Has	it

SHORT ANSWERS
Affirmative
Yes,	they have.
	it has.

SHORT ANSWERS
Negative
No,	they haven’t.
	it hasn’t.

WH- QUESTIONS
Wh-  Word	Have/ Has	Subject	Past Participle of verb	Complement
How often	have	they	appeared been	on TV?
	has	it

1) Use the present perfect to talk about things that happened at an indefinite time in the past. You can use the present perfect when you don't know when something happened, when you do not want to be specific, or when the specific time is not important.

EXAMPLES, - They've won several awards.

                       - I've interviewed the whole cast.

                       - She's been in a Hollywood movie.

2) Use the present perfect to talk about repeated actions at some indefinite time in the past.

EXAMPLES, - He's been on a lot of talks shows over the past two weeks.

                       - I've seen his show many times.

3) You can use ever with the present perfect to ask questions. It means  at any time up until the present. Use neverto answer negatively.

EXAMPLE, - A: Have you won an award? or Have you ever won an award?

                       B: No, I've never won one.