English
Conversation Skills
TIMEFRAME, TENSES, AND TIME WORDS
Timeframe
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When communicating, it is important to show the order of events, or
when something happened
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In English, the form of the word is different depending on the time
frame
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o
Sometimes the same timeframe can be expressed in different ways
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o
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Example: I am going, I will go, I went
I eat, I am eating, I have been eating
= Present
If you do not know the correct rule, make sure to include timeframe
another way to avoid confusion
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I am eating
I eat now
Now
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I will eat
I eat soon
Future
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I was eating
I eat already
Past
However, if you do know the correct rule, make sure to use it
Tense
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The correct way to use grammar in English to show the timeframe, or
the order of events, is to use the correct TENSE of the word
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The tense changes the form of the verb to indicate the time frame
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There are many different tenses and each of them can be used to
indicate the past, present, or future
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It is not important to remember the names of the tenses, only the usage
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This lesson will cover Simple, Continuous, and Perfect tenses
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Each of these different tenses is used to indicate different situations
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Simple refers to an entire event
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Continuous refers to an event that is ongoing
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Perfect tenses refer to an event from a different reference point
Overview
Tense Overview
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Simple Tense:
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Use this tense when referring to an entire event
Continuous/Progressive Tense: Events that occur over a time period
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o
Events that have a specific time
Use this tense when you are referring to being in the middle of an ongoing
event
Perfect Tense:
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An event that happened in the past
compared to a reference point
Use this tense when:
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Referencing an event that has already occurred/has been occurring
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Referencing an event that had already occurred/had been occurring
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Referencing an event that will already have occurred/will have been
occurring
Types of Tenses
Simple Tense
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This tense is used for events that have a specific time
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This tense refers to the entire event
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o
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I played football for two hours
Simple present is used for events that occur regularly or for stating
facts
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I will play football tomorrow at 6 pm
I always eat dinner at 7 pm,
Wednesday
I cook very well, I play football every
Simple Past: add “ed” at the end of the word
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Many words have a different form for simple past
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Example: “I ate” is correct, “I eated” is incorrect
Simple Future: add “will” in front of the word
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I will eat, I will play, I will drive
Continuous/Progressive Tense
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This tense is used for events that occur over a time period
•
o
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This tense refers to an event that is ongoing
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It is a tense that puts you in the middle of an event that is occurring
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Example: I am playing football, I was cooking a meal, I will be flying
Continuous Past: add “was” before the word and “ing” after
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o
I was eating, She was eating
Continuous: add “am” or “is” before the word and “ing after
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o
I was playing football from 6pm to 8pm
I am eating,
She is eating
Continuous Future: add “will be” before the word and “ing” after
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I will be eating, She will be eating
Perfect Tenses
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Perfect tenses refer to two points in time:
1.
The point that the event occurred
2.
The reference point
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The reference point will be in the past, the present or the future
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The event has always occurred before the reference point
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Therefore, perfect tense is referring to an event from the perspective
of a reference point
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Example: By the time I finished the game, I had scored 20 points.
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1. Event occurred:
You scored 20 points
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2. Reference point in the past:
When you finished the game
Example: I have worked for 45 minutes already
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1. Event that occurred:
Started working 45 minutes ago
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2. Reference point in the present:
Now
Perfect Tense Diagram
Perfect Simple Tense
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Perfect Simple Present refers to an event in past from the present
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She has finished her assignment already
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Event that occurred:
Finished her assignment
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Reference point:
Now
The present form usually gets shortened to “I’ve” “You’ve” “She’s”
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Example: She’s finished her assignment, I’ve never been to Italy
Perfect Simple Past refers to a event in the past from the past
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She had finished her assignment already when the teacher arrived
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Event that occurred:
Finished her assignment
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Reference point:
When the teacher arrived
Perfect Simple Future refers an event from the future
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She will have finished her assignment by the time the teacher gets here
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Event that occurred:
Finishing her assignment
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Reference point:
When the teacher will arrive
Perfect Continuous/Progressive Tense
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This tense is the same as the perfect simple except it refers to events
that are or had been occurring at the time of the reference point
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Example: When I heard the news, I had been working for 2 hours.
o
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Event that was occurring:
Working
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Reference point:
When I heard the news
Past: I had been working
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o
Present: I have been working
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I had been working for 2 hours already before I was able to start writing
the paper
I have been working since 7 am
Future: I will have been working
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When you get here, I will have been working for 16 hours
Examples
Simple Past vs Perfect Present
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Examples
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I played football vs. I have played football
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I played football yesterday
Specific time
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I have played football
At some point in the past
I worked vs. I have worked
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I worked on the project yesterday
Specific time
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I have worked on this type of project before
At some point in the past
I ate vs. I have eaten
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I ate some noodles before I came here
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I have eaten horse, and I enjoyed it
Specific time
At any point in the past
Did you play football? vs. Have you played football?
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Did you play?
Specific time
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Have you played?
At any point in the past
Perfect Past vs Perfect Present
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Examples
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I had played football vs. I have played football
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I had already played football when she arrived
Before she arrived
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I have played football
Before now
I had worked vs. I have worked
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I had worked on the project for 2 hours already
when my group members finally came
Before group arrived
I have worked on this type of project before
Before now
Had you played football? vs. Have you played football?
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Had you played football yet?
Before past event
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Have you played?
Before now
Simple Present vs. Continuous Present
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Examples
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I do my homework vs. I am doing my homework
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o
o
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I usually do my homework in the afternoon
Regular occurrence
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I am doing my homework right now
Currently
I play football vs. I am playing football
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She plays football
Statement of fact
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She can’t talk right now, she is playing football
Currently
I drive vs. I am driving
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I drive a motorcycle
Statement of fact
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I am driving to work
Currently
Do you eat? vs. Are you eating?
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Do you eat beef?
Regular occurrence
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Are you eating noodles?
Currently
Time Words
Indicating a Time
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There are correct ways and words to use to indicate a time
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If you use the incorrect tense but you use the correct time words, you
should still be able to communicate clearly
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Correct Grammar:
I went to the store last Tuesday
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Incorrect Grammar: I go to the store last Tuesday
Using the correct tense is still very important to be able to
communicate clearly
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Incorrect Grammar: I go to the store on Tuesday
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Correct Grammar:
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Is it last Tuesday or next Tuesday?
Is going to happen in the future
Correct Grammar:
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I am going to the store on Tuesday
I went to the store on Tuesday
Already happened in the past
Time Words
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Ago: 2 days ago, 6 years ago, 2 minutes ago
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Just recently  a while ago  a long time ago
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Ago means in the past
A small amount, medium amount, and large amount of time in the past
Last: Last Wednesday, last night, last week
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The time before this, the Wednesday before now, the week before now
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Do not use last day, use yesterday
Next: Next Thursday, next year, next Christmas
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Do not next afternoon, use tomorrow afternoon
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Soon: A short time in the future
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In a few: In a few weeks, in a few years, in a few minutes
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“In a few” is in the future, “In just a few” is a short time in the future