Verb Tense

Front 1

Present

Back 1

The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens. It can also be something a person often forgets or usually does not do.

Hint 1

She always forgets her purse

Front 2

Present

Back 2

to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual

Hint 2

The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.

Front 3

Present

Back 3

indicate the speaker believes that a fact was true before, is true now, and will be true in the future.

Hint 3

Cats like milk.

Birds do not like milk.

Front 4

Present

Back 4

[VERB] + s/es in third person

Hint 4

Active: Once a week, Tom cleans the car

Passive: Once a week, the car is cleaned by Tom.

Front 5

Past

Back 5

[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs

Hint 5

Active:Tom repaired the car.

Passive: The car was repaired by Tom.

Front 6

Past

Back 6

to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.

Hint 6

I saw a movie yesterday.

Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.

Front 7

Past

Back 7

to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.

Hint 7

I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.

Front 8

Past

Back 8

can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.

Hint 8

I lived in Brazil for two years.

They sat at the beach all day

Front 9

Future

Back 9

[will + verb]

Hint 9

You will help him later.

Will you help him later?

You will not help him later.

Active: John will finish the work by 5:00 PM.

Passive: The work will be finished by 5:00 PM.

Front 10

Future

Back 10

To express a voluntary action

A voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else

Hint 10

I will send you the information when I get it.

Will you make dinner?

I will not do your homework for you.

Front 11

Future

Back 11

usually used in promises.

Hint 11

I will call you when I arrive.

I won't tell anyone your secret.

Front 12

Present Continuous

Back 12

[am/is/are + present participle]

Hint 12

You are watching TV.

Are you watching TV?

You are not watching TV.

Active -Right now, Tom is writing the letter.

Passive -Right now, the letter is being written by Tom.

Front 13

Present Continuous

Back 13

express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now.

Hint 13

You are learning English now.

You are not swimming now.

What are you doing?

Why aren't you doing your homework?

Front 14

Present Continuous

Back 14

to say that we are in the process of doing a longer action which is in progress; however, we might not be doing it at this exact second.

Hint 14

I am reading the book Tom Sawyer.

I am not reading any books right now.

Are you working on any special projects at work?

Front 15

Present Continuous

Back 15

to indicate that something will or will not happen in the near future.

Hint 15

I am meeting some friends after work.

I am not going to the party tonight.

Is he visiting his parents next weekend?

Front 16

Past Continuous

Back 16

[was/were + present participle]

Hint 16

You were studying when she called.

Were you studying when she called?

You were not studying when she called.

Active: The salesman was helping the customer when the thief came into the store.

Passive: The customer was being helped by the salesman when the thief came into the store.

Front 17

Past Continuous

Back 17

indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past.

Hint 17

I was watching TV when she called.

You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off.

What were you doing when you broke your leg?

Front 18

Past Continuous

Back 18

you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

Hint 18

Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.

At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.

Front 19

Past Continuous

Back 19

Two actions were happening at the same time.

Hint 19

I was studying while he was making dinner.

Were you listening while he was talking?

Front 20

Present Perfect

Back 20

[has/have + past participle]

Hint 20

You have seen that movie many times.

Have you seen that movie many times?

You have not seen that movie many times.

Active: Many tourists have visited that castle.

Passive: That castle has been visited by many tourists.

Front 21

Present Perfect

Back 21

Say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now.

You CANNOT use with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child,

CAN use with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.

Hint 21

I have seen that movie twenty times.

People have not traveled to Mars.

Have you read the book yet?

Front 22

Present Perfect

Back 22

describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience of..."

Hint 22

I have been to France.

A: Have you ever met him?

B: No, I have not met him.