Maîtrise des temps en anglais : présent, passé et futur

Mastering English tenses requires distinguishing between states and actions. Use Present Simple for habits and Past Simple for completed events. Present Perfect ( $have + V_{pp}$ ) bridges the past to the present. Avoid using continuous forms for stative verbs like $know$ or $love$ . For the future, use $will$ for instant decisions and $be going to$ for planned ones. Consistent practice with auxiliary verbs helps maintain accuracy across all time frames.

Basic knowledge of subject-verb agreement

Understanding of auxiliary verbs like $do$ , $be$ , and $have$

Habits vs Current actions

Stative verbs restriction

Completed actions in the past

Links between past and present

Spontaneous decisions vs plans

A tense connecting a past action to the present moment.

I have lived here for 5 years.

Verbs expressing states (like, love, know) that are rarely used in continuous forms.

I know the answer (not: I am knowing).

Used to describe an ongoing action in the past interrupted by a shorter action.

I was sleeping when the phone rang.

Describing a sequence of past events.

Step 1: Identify the timeline. Use Past Simple for completed events (e.g., $I walked$ ).

Step 2: Identify background actions. Use Past Continuous for those (e.g., $The rain was falling$ ).

Result: $I walked home while it was falling.$ (Coherent narrative structure)

Think of the Past Simple as a finished book ( $Chapter 1$ ) and Present Perfect as an open book ( $Chapters 1-x$ still being read).

Imagine them as 'Brain Verbs' (thoughts) or 'Heart Verbs' (feelings) that aren't physically active, so they don't need the 'energy' of the $ing$ form.

Using Present Continuous with Stative verbs.

Stative verbs do not take the $ing$ form because they are not actions; use Present Simple instead: $I understand$ , not $I am understanding$ .

Confusing $Will$ and $Be going to$ for future.

$Will$ is for spontaneous decisions ( $I'll do it!$ ), while $Be going to$ is for established intentions/plans ( $I am going to study$ ).

What is the formula for Present Perfect?

When do you use Past Simple?

Can you use 'have' in continuous when it means possession?

Which tense is used for a temporary habit?

Formula for Past Continuous?

Le chapitre porte sur les piliers : 'be' (état, identité, âge) et 'have got' (possession). Au présent, 'be' se conjugue en am/is/are. 'Have got' utili...

Comprendre le cours

Continuer à réviser

Citoyenneté et enjeux des mondes virtuels

Prérequis

Structure du cours

The Present System

The Past System

Future Projections

Notions clés

Present Perfect

Stative Verbs

Past Continuous

Exemple résolu

Astuces & analogies

Present Perfect vs Past Simple

Stative Verbs

Erreurs fréquentes

Flashcards

Les verbes be et have au présent

Les subordonnées conditionnelles : Type 1 et Type 2