What I call "TIMELINE" -guide on how to choose the correct verb tense.

When we write or speak, we use all the verb tenses, not one at a time. However, we tend to follow a coherent TIMELINE, that is, verbs that are at the same level of sentence organization, tend to have the same verb tense, unless there is a marker ( adverb, time complement...)

Issues to take into account:

• When we speak about general topics (which are the same in the past, present and future), we use the simple present.
• When we are talking about the time of speaking or an extended time of speaking (that is, not only now, but these six weeks in opposition to the next or past six weeks), we use the present continuous. Markers: now, right now, at the moment, this term, this year, this week...
• When we are talking about things that are finished in the past, we use the past simple. Also when we are talking about things that happened one after the other, or actions that interrupt another action in progress (this one in the past continuous) Markers: ago, last week, last year, in+year, in a time clause when the main clause is in the past coontinuous...When we are talking about simultaneous actions in the past, we use the past continuous, as well as if we want to describe a scene in a narration. We use the past perfect simple when we want to talk about something that happened before something else in the past. Markers: ever, never, already, just, still, yet, for and since, also with the first time... When we are talking about routines or habits in the past, we use the structure used to, we can also use the modal would if we talk about actions and not states. If the action we are talking about started in the past but is somehow related to the present we have to use the present perfect. Markers: already, just, still, yet...if we wan to emphasize the progress, we use the present perfect continuous.
• For the future, we also have several uses which you can see in this post.Markers: tomorrow, next week, next month

In order to practice all this, go to these places:

• Complete revision, tenses chart and exercises at English page
• .Exercise at Dave's Esl Café
• Verb tense quiz 1 and 2 at Efl.net

I think this is enough for the moment, remember, if you have any problems, you can always contact me, write  down your doubts while doing the exercises.

The future in 2nd of ESO

Lake Supérieur, by Ana Garcia.

We are going to work on the structure "be going to+infinitive" to talk about plans and intentions in the near future. It is very simple, you only have to remember to use the correct form of the verb to be and write the infinitive form after "to".

Remember that we also use the present continuous to talk about fixed plans, plans that have been arranged.

You can practice more:

• Going to structure in the affirmative, negative and interrogative at Ego4you
• Games on going to at mes-games
• Revision of present continuous and difference between present continuous and going to at English Exercises.

I hope it helps!!!

Future tenses for Bachillerato

What will the future bring?

As I see it, the present and the past belong to the level of reality, whereas the future is a much more diverse and loose time as it has never happened, that is, it does not belong to reality. This is the reason why I think Spanish speakers find it so hard to speak properly about the future in English, because it depends on what the speaker thinks and not a given time, with its corresponding time expression.

I'm going to try and simplify the different uses we see in 1st of Bachillerato with the corresponding tenses or modals used: 

Uses	Tense/Modal/Periphrasis	Form
Timetables&schedules	Present simple	V/Vs
Long-term predictions            Spontaneous decisions            Offers            Promises	Will	Will+infinitive (V)
Closed plans	Present continuous	To be+gerund (Ving)
Short-term predictions            Intentions	Be going to	Be going to+infinitive (V)
Action happening at a given time in the future	Future continuous	Will be+gerund (Ving)
Action finished at a given time in future	Future perfect	Will have+past participle (Ved)

If you want more practice on these uses, you can visit the following pages:

• Mixed future at English Exercises
• Future perfect at Englisch-Hilfen.
• Will vs. be going to at English Page.
•  Or many others at this blog by an English Teacher: El blog de Isabel Carballo

I hope this is helpful for you! 

Have a nice weekend!!