Grammar unit 3
The verb tenses
We use the present simple tense to talk about general truths and permanent
situations.
The present continuous expresses an action that is going on right now.
New York consists of five boroughs: the Bron, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and
Staten Island.
Architects and engineers are developing plans for three new buildings on the
WTC site.
We use the past simple tense to talk about actions that clearly took place in the past.
The past continuous expresses a longer action that was going on in the past.
On October 24th, 1929, share prices on the New York Stock Exchange suddenly
collapsed.
Thomas Jefferson was hoping America would remain an agrarian economy.
We use the past perfect tense to talk about past actions that took place before another
past action.
The past perfect continuous stresses the duration of that first action.
While others had fled to North America for religious reasons, the Dutch came to
make money.
Jefferson wanted to continue the system they had been profiting from for over a
century.
We use the present perfect tense to talk about states or actions in a period of time
that started in the past and are still true or going on.
The present perfect continuous stresses the duration of that state or action.
Deep into its soul, the city has always been New Amsterdam.
The Lenape have been living in Oklahoma since the 1860s.
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The verb tenses
We use the present simple tense to talk about general truths and permanent
situations.
The present continuous expresses an action that is going on right now.
New York consists of five boroughs: the Bron, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and
Staten Island.
Architects and engineers are developing plans for three new buildings on the
WTC site.
We use the past simple tense to talk about actions that clearly took place in the past.
The past continuous expresses a longer action that was going on in the past.
On October 24th, 1929, share prices on the New York Stock Exchange suddenly
collapsed.
Thomas Jefferson was hoping America would remain an agrarian economy.
We use the past perfect tense to talk about past actions that took place before another
past action.
The past perfect continuous stresses the duration of that first action.
While others had fled to North America for religious reasons, the Dutch came to
make money.
Jefferson wanted to continue the system they had been profiting from for over a
century.
We use the present perfect tense to talk about states or actions in a period of time
that started in the past and are still true or going on.
The present perfect continuous stresses the duration of that state or action.
Deep into its soul, the city has always been New Amsterdam.
The Lenape have been living in Oklahoma since the 1860s.
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