Page 306 - English Grammar in Use

Appendix 2

Present and past tenses

simple continuous
present I do I am doing
present simple (→ Units 2–4) present continuous ( → Units 1, 3–4)
Anna often plays tennis. ‘Where’s Anna?’ ‘She’s playing tennis.’
I work in a bank, but I don’t enjoy it Please don’t disturb me now. I’m
much. working.
Do you like parties? Hello! Are you enjoying the party?
It doesn’t rain so much in summer. It isn’t raining at the moment.

present I have done I have been doing
perfect present perfect simple present perfect continuous
(→ Units 7–8, 10–14) (→ Units 9–11)
Anna has played tennis many times. Anna is tired. She has been playing
tennis.
I’ve lost my key. Have you seen it You’re out of breath. Have you been
anywhere? running?
How long have you and Sam known How long have you been learning
each other? English?
a: Is it still raining? It’s still raining. It has been raining
b: No, it has stopped. all day.
The house is dirty. I haven’t cleaned it I haven’t been feeling well recently.
for weeks. Perhaps I should go to the doctor.

past I did I was doing
past simple (→ Units 5–6, 13–14) past continuous (→ Unit 6)
Anna played tennis yesterday I saw Anna at the sports centre
afternoon. yesterday. She was playing tennis.
I lost my key a few days ago. I dropped my key when I was trying to
open the door.
There was a film on TV last night, but we The TV was on, but we weren’t
didn’t watch it. watching it.
What did you do when you finished What were you doing at this time
work yesterday? yesterday?

past I had done I had been doing
perfect past perfect (→ Unit 15) past perfect continuous (→ Unit 16)

It wasn’t her first game of tennis. She Anna was tired yesterday evening
had played many times before. because she had been playing tennis
in the afternoon.
They couldn’t get into the house
because they had lost the key.

The house was dirty because I hadn’t James decided to go to the doctor
cleaned it for weeks. because he hadn’t been feeling well.

For the passive, see Units 42–44.

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