This text gets away from the grammar of lists and exceptions and leads the learner to an understanding of the central meaning of each verb tense. It is designed on a self-access basis with tasks which involve the individual user in decision-making and encourage awareness of the living language. The features include colour diagrams, showing the relationship between the various tenses, a view of the past tense which considers reality as well as time, authentic citations taken from contemporary films, books and TV, and a theoretical approach which emphasizes silmilarities rather than differences.