Learning Objectives
- Master the main English tenses (present, past, future)
- Distinguish simple and continuous forms
- Use perfect tenses correctly
- Identify time markers for each tense
- Apply tenses in OBC-style essay paragraphs
1. Present tenses
1.1 Simple present
Used for habits, facts, general truths.
- « I study Mathematics at Lycée Bilingue. »
- « The sun rises in the east. »
Markers : every day, always, usually, often, never.
1.2 Present continuous
Used for actions in progress now or future arrangements.
- « I am writing a Probatoire essay. »
- « We are travelling to Buea next week. »
Markers : now, at the moment, currently, this week.
1.3 Present perfect
Action started in the past with relevance to present.
- « I have lived in Yaoundé for ten years. »
- « She has just finished her exam. »
Markers : for, since, just, already, yet, ever, never.
2. Past tenses
2.1 Simple past
Completed action at a specific time in past.
- « I visited Douala last summer. »
- « Cameroon gained independence in 1960. »
2.2 Past continuous
Action in progress at a specific past moment.
- « I was studying when the lights went out. »
2.3 Past perfect
Action completed before another past action.
- « When I arrived, the class had already started. »
3. Future tenses
- Will + base : prediction, decision at the moment (« I will help you. »)
- Going to + base : planned future, certain (« We are going to visit Limbé. »)
- Present continuous for future : « I am leaving tomorrow. »
- Will + be + V-ing (future continuous) : « By 9 PM, I will be sleeping. »
4. Comparative table
| Tense | Formula | Example |
|---|
| Simple present | V / V-s | She works hard. |
| Present continuous | am/is/are + V-ing | She is studying. |
| Present perfect | have/has + V-ed | She has finished. |
| Simple past | V-ed / V2 | She studied yesterday. |
| Past continuous | was/were + V-ing | She was sleeping. |
| Past perfect | had + V-ed | She had left. |
| Future (will) | will + V | She will come. |
| Future (going to) | am/is/are going to + V | She is going to travel. |
Application — OBC essay practice
Translate to English using correct tenses:
- « Je vis à Yaoundé depuis 5 ans. » → « I have been living / have lived in Yaoundé for 5 years. »
- « Quand il est arrivé, j'avais déjà fini. » → « When he arrived, I had already finished. »
- « Demain à 10 h, je serai en train d'étudier. » → « Tomorrow at 10, I will be studying. »
Common pitfalls (OBC) :- Using simple past instead of present perfect with « since/for »
- Misusing « will » for planned actions (use « going to »)
- Forgetting the « -ing » form after « am/is/are »
- Confusing past simple and past perfect
Key takeaways
- Simple = facts/habits ; continuous = in progress ; perfect = completed with relevance
- Present perfect: « for, since, just, already »
- Past perfect for « before another past action »
- Future: will (decision), going to (plan), present continuous (arrangement)
Further learning
