Grammar

Simple present tense 簡單現在式

(1)For habits or regular actions 表示習慣或恆常活動我們習慣會做的

E.g.:

Dad always(總是) works until midnight.

The twins often(時常) come to school late.

Steven plays basketball well.

(2)talking about a truth 形容一個道理或真理

E.g.: Water boils at 100℃.

(3) For questions 表示問句：

Do you read newspaper every day?

Does he live in Shatin?

Is he John?

(4) For negative sentences 表示否定句：

I do not drink milk.

My brother does not help with the housework.

Polly and Jimmy are not my friends.

Present continuous tense 動詞(現在進行式)

(1) The action is going on now活動正在進行

E.g.: 

I am watching television now.

Anna is studying in her bedroom at present.

Examples of questions and negative sentences:

問句和否定句的例子：

Is Uncle Poon working in the laboratory now?

No, he is not working there now.

Are you learning to play the piano?

No, I am not learning to play the piano.

(2) Future arrangements 講未來活動

E.g.: 

He is attending an important conference next Saturday.

Lucas isn't coming to the meeting tomorrow.

Some verbs are seldom used in continuous tense, they include:

有一些動詞較少用進行式，包括：

Verbs describing emotions (表示情感的動詞):

e.g. love, hate, like, dislike

Verbs describing possession (表示擁有的動詞):

e.g. have, possess

Some verbs describing senses (部分感官動詞):

e.g. see, hear

Present perfect tense 現在完成式 ("has" / "have" + past participle) (has gone)

(1)When an action began to happen in the past and just finished at the time we are speaking or writing the sentence當一個動作在過去開始了，而且在我們描述句子時，該動作是剛剛完成的

見到since/ for/ yet/ already/ before/ after/just/ ever/ never/ times/once/ twice/ recently/ so far/ till now, 用present perfect tense

e.g. 

Mrs Chan has already gone to the market.

I have just called Kelly but she’s not at home.

My family and I have lived in China for two years.

Helen has played the violin for a long time.

My grandfather has arrived in Hong Kong since Monday.

Jammy has worked in London since he was married.

Have you finished your meal yet?

Susan has not been to Disneyland yet.

(2) When an action began to happen in the past and is till going on now at the time we are speaking or writing the sentence當一個動作在過去開始了，而且在我們描述句子時，該動作是仍然在進行的

e.g. 

I have lived in Hong Kong for 10 years.

My mother has gone home.

Joe is tired because he has been on his feet all day.

Examples of questions and negative sentences:問句和否定句的例子：

Has Jimmy done his homework?

Have we finished the English test?

She has not gone to her ballet class with her mother.

They have not visited the museum.

Simple past tense 簡單過去式

(1)an action happened in the past動作是在過去的時間發生， do not use present perfect tense with a finished time

e.g. : I went to the cinema yesterday.

I saw her 5 minutes ago. 

Examples of questions and negative sentences:問句和否定句的例子：

Questions:

Did you go to the cinema yesterday?

Did your mum take you to the Disneyland last week?

When did they arrive? 

Negative sentences:

I did not go to the cinema yesterday.

Past continuous tense 過去進行式

(1)an action was happening during a period of time in the past當一個動作是在過去某一段時間中正在進行的

e.g. : They were playing when Dad came home.

Past Perfect tense 過去完成式

I had done 過去完成式

The train left at 9am. We arrived at 9:15am. When we arrived, the train had left.

(1)use the Past Perfect in reported speech after verbs

He told us that the train had left.

(2) 過去完成式通常用於描述過去發生的兩個事件，先發生的事件用過去完成式，後發生的事件用過去簡單式來表達。

When we arrived, the band had just finished playing. 

當我們到達時，樂隊剛剛演奏完畢。

I realized that I had lost my wallet when I tried to buy something at noon

今天中午當我試圖買東西的時候，我意識到我丟了錢包。

The boy was hungry; he had not eaten for 8 hours.

男孩餓了，他已經8小時沒有進食。

條例句If cause, conditional tense

1st conditional tense: 將來有可能發生

If I have enough money, I will buy some new books. 如果我有足夠的錢，我會買一些新書

2nd conditional tense: 將來不太可能發生

If I had enough money, I would / could/ might buy a mansion.如果我真有足夠的錢，我會買了豪宅

3rd conditional tense: 後悔過去要是如何的話(事實上並沒有發生)，今天會有不同的結局。

If I had studied hard, I would have passed the exams.

如果我在過去有努力學習，我就會已經通過考試了。

後悔過去沒努力學習 ，以致於考試沒有通過。