Past Simple or Past Continuous Exercises

Use the PAST SIMPLE or PAST CONTINUOUS / PAST PROGRESSIVE to complete the sentences in the following exercises. Exercise 1:  Multiple Choice Choose the correct form of the verb in the past simple or past continuous to complete the gaps in the sentences. Exercise 2: Complete the gap story Write the correct form of the verb in the Past Simple or … Read More

BE USED TO / GET USED TO / WOULD EXERCISE

What’s the difference between USED TO / BE USED TO / GET USED TO & WOULD? USED TO / WOULD = Regular Habit in the Past I used to/ would ride my bike after school every day. I used to smoke.  I would smoke. I used to/ would smoke a packet of cigarettes every day. TO BE USED TO + … Read More

Does she’s mean she is or she has?

Does she’s mean she is or she has? It can mean both she has & she is. Compare the following sentences. Her name is Jane. / Her name’s Jane. She is going tomorrow. / She’s going tomorrow. She has gone to work. / She’s gone to work. It has been a difficult job. / It’s been a difficult job. In … Read More

100 Irregular Verbs in the Past: B1 Intermediate

The exercises and table below have the 100 most common verbs in the past which you really need to learn at a B1 or Intermediate level of English. One easy way to improve your English is to really learn the Irregular verb forms in the Past Simple and the Past Perfect. To do this, you need to memorise the most … Read More

Time Expressions Present Perfect & Past Simple

What are Time Expressions for the Present Perfect & Past Simple? Time expressions are signal words give you a clue for the tense that you need to use.  For example, if a sentence starts with the words, “Two days ago,…”, we know that the time is past and the action is finished.  For this reason, the signal word ‘ago’ is … Read More

HOW MANY TENSES IN ENGLISH?

As a learner of English, it is useful to think that there are three times in English; present, past and future.  These three times have 4 grammatical types: simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous. Thinking about time and tense in this way can make the tenses in English seem less confusing.  Once you understand the function of the Simple, Continuous, … Read More

TIME WORDS WITH THE PRESENT TENSES

TENSE TIME PHRASE PRESENT SIMPLE every day (every week, every month, etc.) usually, generally, often, normally, regularly, frequently, habitually frequently, typically once a week / twice a month / three times a year PRESENT CONTINUOUS at the moment, right now at present PRESENT PERFECT yet, ever, already

SINCE, FOR & AGO

TIME WORDS USE TENSE FOR + period of time many tenses SINCE + point in time Present Perfect (& other Perfect Tenses) AGO + past or finished time Simple Past (& other Past Tenses) SINCE Since is used to mean from a point in time in the past up to now.   As since connects a past time to the present time, it is … Read More

CAN, CAN’T, COULD, COULDN’T

What’s the difference between CAN and COULD? CAN and COULD are very similar in the English language. Both words are very common because they have many meanings or functions. This means that both CAN and COULD can be used in various ways and different situations.   CAN COULD FRIENDLY FORM POLITE FORM ABILITY ABILITY IN THE PAST PERMISSION PERMISSION REFUSE … Read More

LIST OF ENGLISH TENSES

ACTIVE TENSES SIMPLE CONTINUOUS PERFECT PERFECT CONTINUOUS PRESENT work / works am / is / are working have / has worked have / has been working NEGATIVE FORM do not work / does not work am / is / are not working have / has not worked have / has not been working QUESTION FORM Do you work / Does ... Read More