English Verb Tenses
Made Simple Course

Lesson 09

Welcome to lesson number 9 of this special course!

Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses

In this lesson we will advance another step forward with the ALL TENSES COMBINED final test.

We will also answer some important frequently asked questions about the English verb tenses.

This is the last lesson before the final test of the course.

On the final test you will have to use the English verb tenses in action, and you will receive your score accordingly.

But before we do the test, let's get really ready for it!

First, let's start with answering some frequently asked questions:

What is the difference between the Simple Past tense and the Present Perfect tense?

What is the difference between the Simple Past tense and the Past Progressive tense?

What is the difference between the Simple Past tense and the Past Perfect tense?

What is the difference between the Past Progressive tense and the Past Perfect Progressive tense?

What is the difference between the Simple Present tense and the Present Progressive tense?

What is the difference between the Simple Present tense and the Present Perfect tense?

What is the difference between the Simple Past tense and the Present Perfect tense?

We use the Simple Past when we simply want to say that something happened in the past.

We use the Present Perfect when we want to emphasize the result of a past action.

Examples:

"Lisa washed the dishes yesterday."
In this sentence I simply want to tell you what happened in the past.
"Lisa has washed the dishes, so you don't need to do it."
In this sentence I want to emphasize the result: the dishes are clean.

For full details and examples visit the Simple Past or Present Perfect? page.

What is the difference between the Simple Past tense and the Past Progressive tense?

We use the Simple Past when we simply want to say that something happened in the past.

We use the Past Progressive when we want to show that an action was in progress at a certain time in the past.

Examples:

"Lisa washed the dishes yesterday."
In this sentence I simply want to tell you what happened in the past.
"Lisa was washing the dishes when the phone rang."
In this sentence I want to show that the action of washing was in progress when the phone rang.

OR

"Lisa was washing the dishes all morning."
In this sentence I want to show that the action of washing was continuing the entire morning.

What is the difference between the Simple Past tense and the Past Perfect tense?

We use the Simple Past when we simply want to say that something happened in the past.

We use the Past Perfect when we want to show that an action happened before something else in the past.

It would usually be like this:

1) The earlier action is in Past Perfect.

2) The later action is in Simple Past.

Examples:

"We had fixed John's car before he arrived."
1) First: We fixed John's car.
2) Later: He arrived.
"He was worried because he had lost his wallet."
1) First: He lost his wallet.
2) Later: He was worried.
"She said she had given away the book."
1) First: She gave away the book.
2) Later: She told us about it.

What is the difference between the Past Progressive tense and the Past Perfect Progressive tense?

We use the Past Progressive when we want to show that an action was in progress at a certain time in the past.

We use the Past Perfect Progressive when we want to show that an action continued until a certain time in the past.

Examples:

"Lisa was washing the dishes when the phone rang."
In this sentence I want to emphasize that the action of washing was in progress when the phone rang.
The phone interrupted the dish washing.
"Lisa had been washing the dishes for quite some time when the phone rang."
In this sentence I want to emphasize that the action of washing continued until the phone rang.
The dish washing continued for a period of time before the phone rang.

Some more Examples:

"Lisa was hungry because she was fasting."
Meaning: Lisa was hungry, because at that exact moment she was fasting.
The Past Progressive tense emphasizes the fact that she was fasting exactly then.
"Lisa was hungry because she had been fasting."
Meaning: Lisa started to fast, fasted for some time, and then became hungry.
It could be that she was still fasting at that moment, or that she had just finished.
The Past Perfect Progressive tense emphasizes the fact that the action of fasting continued for some time.

What is the difference between the Simple Present tense and the Present Progressive tense?

We use the Simple Present when we simply want to say that something happens in the present.

We usually use this tense for repeated actions, habits and facts.

We use the Present Progressive when we want to emphasize the fact that an action is in progress in the present.

We usually use this tense for actions that are happening right now, or these days.

Examples:

"Lisa washes the dishes every day."
Meaning: This is a regular action.
"Lisa is washing the dishes right now."
Meaning: This action is happening now.
"Usually John washes the dishes, but this week Lisa is washing the dishes instead."
Meaning: The regular situation is that John washes the dishes. This week, temporarily, Lisa is doing it. It doesn't necessarily mean that she is washing the dishes right now!

What is the difference between the Simple Present tense and the Present Perfect tense?

The present tense is used to express actions that happen in the present.

Examples:

Lisa works in an office.
George is working very hard.
Jane likes to travel.

The Present Perfect tense is used to express actions that were completed by (before) the present, or that affect the present, but they were done in the past.

The only reason this tense is called the "Present Perfect" is because the discussed action is completed as of now. Meaning, it wasn't complete before, but now, in the present, it is complete.

Examples:

I have seen that movie.
We have met Bill.
She has quit her job.

Now, after answering these frequently asked questions, let's practice!

Verb Tenses FINAL Review

In this lesson you only get to do a single exercise.

This exercise is actually a final review, and it includes ALL English verb tenses. Yes, all 12 of them.

It is designed to test your use of tenses in REAL situations.

So you receive a literary short story, only that YOU need to fill in the gaps with the correct verb forms.

This short story is divided into two parts. You will be doing the first part in this lesson. And You will be doing the second, longer part, in lesson number 10, as you final course exam.

So... are you ready? Let's Start!

All tenses combined exercise

Your goal is to get 100%! :)

If you don't get 100%, go back to previous lessons and review. Then come back and get 100%.

(If something is unclear, you can always e-mail me.)

Come back when you are done...

Are you done? Great!

Do you want to know what is going to happen to Tony and Fuji the magician?

Then let's continue.

The next lesson is the last lesson of the course.

You are almost at the final test of the English Verb Tenses Made Simple Course!

On the next lesson we will test your knowledge of the English verb tenses, using the second part of the story "Tony the Detective and Fuji the Magician."

You will have to use the English verb tenses in action, and you will receive your score accordingly.

See you there :)