Present perfect: for and since
We use for to talk about the duration of periods of time.
We use since to talk about when a period started.
for 3 hours
since 07.00 10.00
past now
for ten minutes, five days, three months, a long time, ages etc.
since 10.15, Monday, the 18th, last week, June, I left school etc.
Common mistakes
We do not use the present simple tense (am) with for and since to talk about
something that began in the past and has gone up to the present.
Wrong: I am here since December.
Right: I have been here since December.
Completed actions
If we talk about it completed action, (particularly if we give details about how much,
how many, etc.) we can use the present perfect and since (but not for) we can also
use other phases of duration such as to date, recently, over the past five years,
etc. The action itself is finished, but the period of time extends right up to the present.
We have opened up the store since July. (from July until now)
Present simple & present continuous
Present simple Present continuous
Tegenwoordige tijd, gebruik je bij Gebruik je wanneer iets nu gebeurt of
gewoontes. Dus dingen die altijd, vaak als je nu iets doet.
of nooit gebeuren.
Er zit 1 werkwoord in de zin, maar dit Er zitten 2 werkwoorden in de zin.
kan in combinatie met don’t. 1e: am / are / is 2e: ww + ing
I walk to school. I am walking to school.
I don’t walk to school. He is walking to school.
He walks to school.
He doesn’t walk to school.
, Past Simple Tense
It's similar to the present simple because it has different rules for the verb ‘be’ which
becomes ‘was’ or ‘were’.
To make the negative with ‘be’, just add ‘not’:
Past Simple with ‘be’ Negative Short Form
He was born on September 10. He wasn’t born on September 10.
You were tired You weren’t tired
He was in the garden He wasn’t in the garden
It was sunny It wasn’t sunny
Other verbs
‘Do’ and ‘does’ become ‘did’.
He often came here when he did business in Rotterdam.
Positive
We usually make the positive by adding ‘-ed’ to the infinitive. ‘Play’ becomes ‘played’.
Irregular verbs are ‘go’ becomes ‘went’, and ‘run’ becomes ‘ran’.
I walked (regular) We ate (irregular)
You played (regular) They drank (irregular)
It rained (regular) She drew (irregular)
We received your letter (regular)
Negative
There aren’t any irregular verbs. All verbs use ‘did not (didn’t) + infinitive’.
I didn’t walk
You didn’t play
He didn’t cook
She didn’t listen
Past continuous
Is formed with was/were + the -ing from the verb.
I was working I wasn’t working
They were arguing They weren’t arguing
We use past continuous to talk about an action or activity that was in progress at a
particular moment of time in the past.
At 3.15 yesterday afternoon, Signor Antinori was travelling to Florence.
We use for to talk about the duration of periods of time.
We use since to talk about when a period started.
for 3 hours
since 07.00 10.00
past now
for ten minutes, five days, three months, a long time, ages etc.
since 10.15, Monday, the 18th, last week, June, I left school etc.
Common mistakes
We do not use the present simple tense (am) with for and since to talk about
something that began in the past and has gone up to the present.
Wrong: I am here since December.
Right: I have been here since December.
Completed actions
If we talk about it completed action, (particularly if we give details about how much,
how many, etc.) we can use the present perfect and since (but not for) we can also
use other phases of duration such as to date, recently, over the past five years,
etc. The action itself is finished, but the period of time extends right up to the present.
We have opened up the store since July. (from July until now)
Present simple & present continuous
Present simple Present continuous
Tegenwoordige tijd, gebruik je bij Gebruik je wanneer iets nu gebeurt of
gewoontes. Dus dingen die altijd, vaak als je nu iets doet.
of nooit gebeuren.
Er zit 1 werkwoord in de zin, maar dit Er zitten 2 werkwoorden in de zin.
kan in combinatie met don’t. 1e: am / are / is 2e: ww + ing
I walk to school. I am walking to school.
I don’t walk to school. He is walking to school.
He walks to school.
He doesn’t walk to school.
, Past Simple Tense
It's similar to the present simple because it has different rules for the verb ‘be’ which
becomes ‘was’ or ‘were’.
To make the negative with ‘be’, just add ‘not’:
Past Simple with ‘be’ Negative Short Form
He was born on September 10. He wasn’t born on September 10.
You were tired You weren’t tired
He was in the garden He wasn’t in the garden
It was sunny It wasn’t sunny
Other verbs
‘Do’ and ‘does’ become ‘did’.
He often came here when he did business in Rotterdam.
Positive
We usually make the positive by adding ‘-ed’ to the infinitive. ‘Play’ becomes ‘played’.
Irregular verbs are ‘go’ becomes ‘went’, and ‘run’ becomes ‘ran’.
I walked (regular) We ate (irregular)
You played (regular) They drank (irregular)
It rained (regular) She drew (irregular)
We received your letter (regular)
Negative
There aren’t any irregular verbs. All verbs use ‘did not (didn’t) + infinitive’.
I didn’t walk
You didn’t play
He didn’t cook
She didn’t listen
Past continuous
Is formed with was/were + the -ing from the verb.
I was working I wasn’t working
They were arguing They weren’t arguing
We use past continuous to talk about an action or activity that was in progress at a
particular moment of time in the past.
At 3.15 yesterday afternoon, Signor Antinori was travelling to Florence.
