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TENSES
1. The present tense
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Simple Present [Gegenwart]
- often used for habitual actions with adverbs or adverbial phrases like always, every day, sometimes, never,.
- it can also describe a series of actions or events that happen one after the other, e.g. in a description or summary
I always take a lots of pictures when I´m on vacation.
Every day Mrs. Ford drives to the city center in her car.
Present Progressive [Verlaufsform der Gegenwart]
- describes what is happening at the moment of speaking and is not yet over
- it is also used for activities going on over a longer period of time (e.g. this year, just, now); the activity need not be going on at the moment of speaking
- it also describes definite arrangements that have been made for the future
Don´t move, I´m taking a picture of you.
Our baseball team is playing quite well this year.
2. The past tense
Simple Past [einfache Gegenwart]
- expresses that an event or state in the past is completed
- it is also used for descriptions of a series of past events, e.g. in reports or stories
- markers: yesterday, last month/year/week, on Monday, in 1990, two weeks ago, when did you..?
We went to California last year.
Did you see any movie stars?
They put the glider into the car and drove to the beach.
Past Progressive [Verlaufsform der Vergangenheit]
- stresses that an event in the past was happening around a certain point time; it gives the background to s.th. else in the past
We were leaving house when it suddenly began to rain.
3. The Present Perfect
Present Perfect Simple [vollendete Gegenwart]
- expresses that an event or state which started in the past is linked with the present in some way, e.g. bye time or by result
- markers: ever, never, just, since, yet
I´ve cleaned my bike, but I haven´t fixed the lights yet.
Have you brought the map with you?
Present Perfect Progressive
- stresses that an event that started in the past has gone on right up to the present (and may even continue)
- markers:
He has been living in New York for 20 years.
What have you been doing all this time? - I´ve been working.
4. The Past Perfect
Past Perfect Simple [vollendete Vergangenheit]
- expresses that an event or state happened before s.th. else in the past
- markers: while
After we had been in Colorado for a week, we went on to Florida.
My parents liked the pictures I had taken in the USA.
Past Perfect Progressive
- expresses that an event began before a point of time in the past and continued up to that point
Colin had been working for the company for five years when he became one of their managers.
5. The will-Future
Will-Future
- is used for future events that are not influenced by the speaker´s plans (for plans use going to)
- it is also used n main clauses before (or after) clauses with if or when
- will is used when the speaker makes a sudden decision - or promises to do s.th. without planning it first
Our summer vacation will begin on Friday next week.
I´ll be 16 in July.
If we leave early, we`ll get to the station in time.
It is warm in here. - I´ll open the window.
Future Progressive
- gives a description of expected future events or situations; they may or may not be planned
I´ll be having fun at the Homecoming party this time next week.
The Spencers will be staying with us for a few days before they go back to US.
6. The Future Perfect
- expresses the idea that an event or action will be over by a certain time in the future
By this time next month I´ll have finished my exams.
7. The conditional
- is used in the main clauses of conditional sentences to show that the condition cannot be fulfilled at the moment.
If I lived in Nex York, I would be able to go to the theater often. (But I don´t live in NY)
I´d send her an e-mail if I had her address. (But I don´t have it)
8. The conditional perfect
- is used in the main clause of conditional sentences to show that the condition can no longer be fulfilled because it refers to the past
If the Spencers had had a longer vacation, they would have stayed down in Florida for another week.
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