1r batx - Grammar revision simple tenses

Read the sentence. Which verb tense would you use to complete it?

1. "John ........................................... (not go) to the museum tomorrow."

• Present simple

• Past simple

• Present continuous

• Past continuous

Right! Present continuous is the right verb tense. But why?

1. "John ISN'T GOING to the museum tomorrow."

• Because we are expressing a routine.

• Because we are talking about a future arrangement.

• Because the action is in progress right now.

• Because it is an action in the past and finished.

Right! Present continuous is the right verb tense. We are talking about a future arrangement.

Which word tells you so?

1. "John ISN'T GOING to the museum tomorrow."

• museum

• tomorrow

• isn't

• the adverb of frequency

Read the sentence. Which verb tense would you use to complete it?

1. "I ........................................... (write) you a message when you arrived."

• Present simple

• Past simple

• Present continuous

• Past continuous

Right! Past continuous is the right verb tense. But why?

1. "I WAS WRITING you a message when you arrived."

• Because we are expressing a routine.

• Because it is an action finished and in the past.

• Because it is an action in progress in the past that was interrupted by another action.

• Because you love using past continuous.

Read the sentence. Which verb tense would you use to complete it?

1. "This cake ................................ (not taste) very good."

• Present simple

• Past simple

• Present continuous

• Past continuous

Right! Present simple is correct. But why?

1. "This cake DOESN'T TASTE very good."

• Because the action is happening now.

• Because it is a routine: cakes always "taste" good or bad.

• Because "taste" is a stative verb indicating a state and is a verb connected to senses (like smell, feel, etc.).

Read the sentence. Which verb tense would you use to complete it?

1. "Did the accident happen while he ............................... (text)?"

• Present simple

• Past simple

• Present continuous

• Past continuous

Right! Past continuous is correct. Why?

1. "Did the accident happen while he WAS TEXTING?"

• Because the other part of the sentence is in past simple.

• Because he used to write texts all the time - a past routine.

• Because it expresses an action oin progress in the past, and which was interrupted by a single action (the accident).

Right! Past continuous is correct. Which word gives you a clue as to using past simple or past continuous?

1. "Did the accident happen while he WAS TEXTING?"

• accident

• while

• did