“...only having mastered to the possible perfection... our native language, we will be able to master a foreign language to the possible perfection, but not before...” (F. M. Dostoevsky)
I subscribe to every word you say, Fedor Mikhailovich. If we have basic knowledge of our native language in our heads AS A SYSTEM, logical and understandable, then we will easily learn the laws of a foreign language. For such a complex category as “tense” and the part of speech “verb” this is doubly relevant. For reference: at the philology department, 1 semester is devoted to the verb and 1 to all other parts of speech - it alone is more difficult than all of them combined! So, let's deal with English verb tenses once and for all.
Why do they confuse us? English verb tenses
When I read articles/manuals about English verbs, sometimes it even becomes funny from phrases like this: “English has 12 tenses, but Russian only has 3. That’s why it’s difficult for us.”
Is it true: We have 3 hours and it’s difficult for us.
Lie: in English there are 12 tenses (there are 3, like ours).
Additionally: Believe me, our verbs also have a lot of their own “problems”. If we understand them, we will understand English faster. Now we will do just that: we will analyze the Russian system of tenses, and then “overlay” it on the English tenses of verbs.
By the way, I didn’t make a mistake. There are 3 tenses in English:
- Past (past),
- Present (present),
- Future (future).
But each of them has 4 forms:
- Simple,
- Continuous,
- Perfect
- Perfect Continuous.
Thanks to such a detailed system, tenses in English describe the situation in detail and even without context, verbs provide more information than Russian ones.
Get to know your native verbs a little better
Regarding Russian verbs, we will focus on only two features: tense and aspect. Understanding these categories will “give us strength” to comprehend the system of English times.
1. The tense of the verb expresses the relationship between the time of action and the moment of speech.
Everything is simple here: if the action took place before the moment of speech, it is in the past, if it takes place after, it is in the future, if during the time, it is in the present. 
2. The type characterizes the action as completed or incomplete.
If the action is completed and cannot continue (its limit has been reached), then the verb is perfect and answers the question “what to do?”
Example: Freeze, sleep, run, go away, etc.
If the action is extended, “there is no end in sight,” then the verb is imperfect and answers the question “what to do?”
Example: freeze, sleep, run, leave, etc.
Aspect is a constant attribute of a verb; a verb does not “change in appearance,” but is always either perfect or imperfect.
IMPERFECT verbs have all three tenses.
Example: I was looking - I am looking for - I will look (compound form of the future tense)
PERFECT verbs have only past and future forms.
Example: found - I will find.
Pay attention to this: if the action is completed (everything, its limit has been reached), then in Russian it cannot be in the present tense.
3. The real tense and the grammatical form of the verb do not always coincide:
Example: He yesterdaycomesto me andspeaks: “Finally the sun is out!”
The action takes place yesterday (that is, in the past in relation to the moment of speech), but we express it in the forms of the present tense.
Another example: “The train leaves at three o’clock”
We talk about the future, but use the present tense form.
Pay attention to this, because in the English language there are also similar “inconsistencies” (and you don’t need to be afraid of this).
4. We can talk about absolute and relative times.
For example, verbs "gone" And "asleep"– both past tense (absolute). But if we insert them into a sentence “After I left, he fell asleep.”, then the action "gone" will be in the past relative to the action "asleep". It turns out that relative time is the one that we see only from the context. Remember this moment.
Relative tense can be expressed not only by subordinate clauses, as in the example above, but also with the help of participles and gerunds.
An example with a perfect participle:Having cooked cake, sheremoved put it in the refrigerator. (first I cooked it, and then I put it away, here one action follows another)
An example with an imperfect participle:Cooking cake, shereadbook (actions are simultaneous, parallel).
Example with participle:Removedmom's apartmentlay downrest (first cleaned up and then lay down).
Main differences: how to quickly learn English verb tenses
Now we are ready to move on to English verb tenses. As I said above, their tenses provide more comprehensive information about the action even without context (it is laid down grammatically). I will name 5 more important differences between verb forms in English that I discovered while writing this article.
1. A different attitude to the concept of “moment of speech.”
Example: a Russian person says "I live in Russia". The moment I talk about it, I live. That's it, the time is present (we have only one).
In English "I live in London" It can be “always, constantly” or “at the moment, limited, and then something can change.” The choice of tense (Present Simple or Present Continuous) depends on these conditions. 
2. This leads to another significant difference - the importance of the “segment of time” in which the action is performed.
This is perfectly illustrated by the example described above, and all the tenses of the Continuous “family”. Let me give you another one:
Compare: "Iwasin MoscowVlast year" and "Iwasin Moscowforall summer"
For a Russian verb there is no difference: past tense, imperfect form.
However, in English we will translate the first option into Past Simple, and the second into Past Continuous, since the period of time is indicated.
I was in Moscow last year. – I was living in Moscow all summer.
It turns out that indicating a period of time involves using the Continuous form.
3. Also important is the “point in time” at which the action will take place.
Example: a Russian person can say "II'll ordersoup"(verb of the future tense, perfect form).
In English, such a sentence will be constructed in the Future Simple: I will order a bowl of soup(spontaneous decision made at the moment of speech).
To make a verb perfect (perfective, if we draw an analogy with Russian), you need to indicate a specific point in time by which the action will be completed:
I will have called him backby six o'clock. - I'll call him backcloser to six o'clock(the action will be completed by a certain moment, use Future Perfect)
It turns out that indicating a point in time involves using the Perfect form.
By the way, by interval and moment of time we mean NOT only the direct meaning “from 17:00 to 18:00” or “by two o’clock in the morning”, but also time RELATIVE to another action/event/state (I did it while you did it).
He will have bought a new car before his wife comes back from a trip to London. – He will buy a car before his wife returns from a trip to London (he will complete the action BEFORE a certain moment, we use the Future Perfect).
4. In English, as in Russian, there is the concept of “completeness of action” (perfect). BUT!
There is a difference that causes English speakers to have a perfect present tense: is the result of an action performed in the past or in the present? If in the present, then we use the Present Perfect.
I have broken the cup - resulting in fragments;
Our son has learned how to read - as a result, he can read.
By the way, speaking of the Present Perfect, we will return again to the “moment and period of time.” If the action has completed BY NOW (just, already) or in a period of time that has NOT ENDED YET (today, this week/month/year), then the time is considered present.
5. In English there are perfect continuous verbs (in Russian they are either perfect or imperfect).
She had been working all night long - the translation of “She worked all night” will be logical, but the most accurate meaning of the sentence “She aboutworkedall night andfinished workin the morning,” that is, the action took place over a period of time and ended at its end.
It turns out that indicating both a segment and a point in time requires the use of the Perfect Continuous form.
English verb tenses with examples
We've sorted out the theory - let's move on to practice. Let's talk about each specific time. Let me make a reservation right away that I will NOT describe all cases of using tenses - this information can be found in different sources. I will simply describe the BASIC cases of using tenses in English (with examples) and explain their logic.
What's happening in the present
Present Simple used when we talk about a regular, constant, typical action that is NOT tied to the moment of speech.
Example: She speaks 2 foreign languages - She speaks two foreign languages (that is, she knows how to speak them, this is her constant characteristic).
Present Continuous used when we want to show that an action is being performed right now (now). BINDED to the moment of speech.
Example: The doctor is performing an operation now - The doctor is now performing an operation (he is doing it right now, at the time of the speaker’s speech).
Present Perfect used when the action has completed (there is a result), but the time has not ended.
Example: He has called me today. – He called me today. (the action has already ended, but “today” has not yet ended).
Present Perfect Continuous used when an action began in the past and is still ongoing in the present (we emphasize its duration).
Example: She has been watching TV all day. – She watches TV all day (from the very morning until now, can you imagine? It’s been all day!).
What happened in the past
Past Simple used to express an action that occurred at a certain time in the past, while the period of time has already ENDED.
Example: I saw him yesterday. – I saw him yesterday (that day is already over).
Past Continuous indicates a process that LASTED at a certain moment or period in the past.
Example: I was reading a book at midnight - I read a book at midnight (this process was in the past and lasted for some period of time).
Past Perfect remember Russian relative time. Do you remember mom who went to bed after cleaning? She cleaned the house in the Past Perfect. This “PRE-PAST” tense.
Example: I had studied English before I moved to Moscow - I learned English BEFORE I moved to Moscow (first I learned the language, and then I moved).
Past Perfect Continuous indicates an action that began in the past, continued for some “span of time” and ended at its end (or did not end).
Example: She had been cooking dinner for an hour before I came - She was preparing dinner for an hour before I came (The action lasted for a certain period of time, and then ended at a certain moment).
What will happen in the future
Future Simple used to denote any fact, decision or intention in the future, made at the time of speech.
We will take a taxi. – We will take a taxi (showing the intention in the future, accepted now).
Future Continuous indicates a process that will begin before a certain point in the future and will still be ongoing at that point.
I will be studying at university in a year. – I will study at the university in a year (the sentence does not indicate when the event will begin or end, we are talking about this specific moment in time, which lasts now, but in a year).
Future Perfect used to express a future action that will take place before a certain point in the future.
He will have gone by then. – He will have already left by that time (the action will be completed by the moment indicated in the context).
Future Perfect Continuous shows an action that will begin EARLIER than another future action, will have a certain RESULT at that moment, but will CONTINUE after it.
We will have been living together for 12 years next year - Next year we will live together for 12 years (the moment is indicated - next year, the duration is shown - for 12 whole years! But the action does not even think of ending).
But this form is used extremely rarely and is replaced either by the Future Continuous or the Future Perfect.
Looking for logic in everything: tenses in English “for dummies”
By the way, if you understand the logic of the main meaning of a particular time, then additional cases of use will fit perfectly into it.
1. For example: using the Present Continuous when we want to show dissatisfaction, irritation.
He is always coming late! - He's always late.
We're talking about habit! Why is the Present Simple not used? Because we indicate the duration and incessancy of this action. “Well, how long can this continue?” the Present Continuous is indignant in this case.
2. Another example: the use of Present Simple in schedules of buses, trains, movie shows, etc.
The train leaves at 8 a.m. – The train leaves at 8 am.
Why is the present tense used for actions that will take place in the future? Because these are periodically repeated actions. A more detailed comparison of Simple and Continuous.
So, in almost every case you can find a completely clear explanation. If it still doesn’t work out, well, you’ll have to remember. Still, a different language means a different way of thinking :)
Our YouTube video will help you figure it out even better.
2015-12-17
Hello my beloved readers.
Today we have a very important topic. Unlike foreigners, who will never be able to understand the meaning of the phrase “no, probably”, for us (even the most novice dummies!) to understand them 12 - I ask you to note, - sometimes it’s worth nothing. It's true?
And if you have ever had problems with them, then today we will solve them with you. Topic of the day: tenses in English. We will understand when, where, what is used, as well as time indicators.
Please note that for each time I attached color scheme with formulas and examples for clarity, after which you can follow the link to fix the time using exercises and online tests. Also, all the names of times (highlighted in red) are clickable - to go to separate page with more detailed rules and explanations and examples. Let's start in order.
Times are real
I was cooking when the phone rank.
The second most popular tense for many schoolchildren (the first, of course, is Present Simple) is . And the reason for this is simple: it is used if an event occurred BEFORE another event in the past (See for more details about this time).
See:
When she called I had already packed my suitcase.
I was ready to go when he called and told me that he had forgotten the keys.
No less amazing time denotes an event that began at some specific point in the past, and ended before some point in the past - or is still continuing in the past.
I had been doing this report for 3 hours when I found it in the Internet.
Future times
Commands what will happen in the future. Here are the cases in which it can be used:
- Simple future event;
I will call you tomorrow. - Regular actions;
I will come here every year. - Description of the sequence;
I will come home, my mother will give us some food and we will hit the road.
Describes events at a specific future moment.
At 5 p.m. we will be conducting a meeting session. I expect you to be there.
C, everything is similar to its counterparts in other tenses: an action is described that starts in the future and ends then.
I will have spent a lot of time for preparation before taking part in this competition.
Many English language learners believe that they need to immediately master all tenses in order to put a long-awaited check mark on a long list of planned English tasks. But I’ll tell you as an experienced teacher - first you need to master 3-5 running times. When you know them by heart and know how to use them, then you can move on. Otherwise, you will get stuck at this stage and quit English without tasting all its charm!
By the way, I recommend to many of my friends (who want to remember or just learn the basics of English grammar) to take an online course from LinguaLeo « Grammar for Beginners» . You definitely won't be bored there. In addition, the information is as practical as possible. In addition to the 5 tenses that are proposed to be mastered in this course, everyone will find others there. basic grammar concepts, which will simply be impossible to forget after a bunch of interesting practical tasks.
How easy is it to remember all these times? A table with examples will help you with this. Everything you need in one place. Convenient, isn't it?
I hope, my dears, that now you will have much fewer questions about verb tenses. But if you still have unresolved questions, do not hesitate to write them under the article. I will be happy to answer them.
If you want to be the first to receive a selection where the best exercises on this topic will be collected - then subscribe to delicious my blog newsletter.
And for today I say goodbye.
Until we meet again, my dears.
In contact with
The English tense system has 3 large groups: Past (past), Present (present) and Future (future).
In all these groups there are 4 times:
- Simple (simple),
- Continuous (continued),
- Perfect (perfect),
- Perfect Continuous (perfect continuous).
Group Present (present)
1. Present Simple. This is a tense that indicates an action that occurs (or does not occur) regularly, constantly.
We hunt and fish every summer. We hunt and fish every summer.
She often cooks pizza. She often makes pizza.
2. Present Continuous (or Present Progressive) denotes an action happening right now, at the present moment.
I am singing my favorite song just now. I'm singing my favorite song right now.
My chief is talking to the partners at the moment. My boss is talking to partners at the moment.
3. The action in the Present Perfect was just now, today, this week, this year, month, etc.).
I have just painted this fence. I just painted this fence.
This week my sister has left for China. This week my sister went to China.
4. The action in the Present Perfect Continuous began in the past, is still happening and will end unknown when.
The plane has been flying for some hours. The plane flies for several hours.
The grandparents have been reading your newspapers since early morning. Grandparents read their newspapers from early morning.
Past times group
1. Past Simple. Past simple. The action happened once in the past, happened constantly, regularly.
We graduated from the University in 1998.
Our neighbors moved to Moscow 3 years ago. Our neighbors moved to Moscow 3 years ago.
2. Past Continuous. The subject was in the process of action at a specific moment in the past or during a specific period of time.
Yesterday from 10 till 11 a.m. my son was writing his test. Yesterday from 10 to 11 am my son was writing a test.
On the 12th of June at 7 p.m. I was enjoying a new film. On June 12 at 7 pm I was enjoying a new film.
3. Past Perfect indicates that an action occurred in the past before some point.
I had watered the vegetables in the garden by the moment my wife cooked dinner. I watered the vegetables in the garden by the time my wife cooked dinner.
4. The action in the Past Perfect Continuous began before some time in the past and was still happening at that time.
She had been ironing the clothes for 20 minutes when the iron was broken. She had been ironing clothes for 20 minutes when the iron broke.
Future times
1. Future Simple. These are processes that will take place in the future regularly, constantly.
I will become a good lawyer. I will become a good lawyer.
2. Actions in the Future Continuous will be relevant for a specified time in the future or will continue for a certain period of time.
In 3 days at this time we will be climbing a mountain. In 3 days at the same time we will be climbing the mountain.
Tomorrow since 17.00 till 20.00 we will be walking around Novgorod. Tomorrow from 17.00 to 20.00 we will walk around Novgorod.
3. Future Perfect is used extremely rarely. Indicates an action that will occur in the future at a certain point.
Tomorrow at 5 p.m. he will have repaired his bike. Tomorrow by 5 o'clock he will have repaired his bicycle.
4. Future Perfect Continuous. A process that will begin and will still be in progress at a specified time in the future. It is used, just like Future Perfect, extremely rarely.
Next year you have been writing your novel for 2 years. Next year it will be 2 years since you wrote your novel.
There is one topic in language learning that we can probably talk about endlessly. Of course, we mean tenses in English. It is sometimes difficult for students new to the language to get used to the way English-speaking people divide their time for themselves. In fact, each tense form in English has its own analogue in Russian, we just don’t distinguish these forms into separate groups. Therefore, understanding tenses is not at all difficult, and today you will see for yourself.
First, let's do a quick overview of all the time groups so you have an idea of what we'll be talking about today. As in Russian, English sentences can be built in the past, present and future. But besides these tenses, English also has 4 tense forms, namely: Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous. In general, it turns out that one idea can be expressed in twelve temporary forms. Each form has a different way of forming verbs that appear in a sentence. With their help you can determine the time. Detailed table for clarity:
| Formation of tenses in English | ||||
| Time/View | Simple | Continuous or Progressive (long) | Perfect | Perfect Continuous / Progressive (perfect continuous) |
| Past (past) |
V2 | to be (2nd form) + V-ing | had + V3 | had + been + V-ing |
| Present (present) | V1 | to be (1st form) + V-ing | have / has + V3 | have / has + been + V-ing |
| Future (future) |
will + V1 | will be + V-ing | will + have + V3 | will + have + been + V-ing |
Having briefly examined English tenses, let's move on to their more detailed study and consider the rules for forming tenses with examples.
Why are tenses needed in English?
But first I would like to dwell on the question of why tenses of the English language are needed and whether it is worth learning them all. The tense system in English helps to correctly convey your thoughts to others. That is, you can make it clear what action we are talking about. Was it in the past or present? Has it already ended or is it still going on? Or maybe it happens regularly? - all these questions will disappear on their own , if it is known what tense was used in the sentence.
“So I’m just starting to learn the language, and I’ll immediately have to learn all 12 tenses of the English language?” - you ask. Ideally, yes, you need to learn all tenses. But, most likely, you will not be able to do this at once. Therefore, start your training from the times of the Simple group. Knowing the simple tense, you will be able to explain what happened or will happen to you, what you need and why. But you shouldn’t limit yourself to this time, and therefore, having dealt with it, gradually continue to study other groups. The latest one to consider is the Perfect Continuous group. It is often resorted to when the language level of the students already “exceeds” the average, because the tenses of this group are used quite rarely and are used more to demonstrate their knowledge.
Tenses in English: Simple group
|
Simple |
Present |
Past |
Future |
|
| + | V1 | V2 | will + V1 | |
| — | do / does + not + V1 | did + not + V1 | will + not + V1 | |
| ? | Do/Does... V1? | Did... V1? | Will...V1? |
Present Simple
Present Simple or simple present tense , is perhaps the most used. The use of this English tense is necessary to express regularly repeated actions, habits, schedules and facts.
As you may have noticed from the table above, the present tense is formed using a verb in its initial form, that is, in the form in which the word is indicated in the dictionary. However, this form may vary slightly depending on the person and number. So, if an action is performed by a third person in the singular, the verbs have an ending -s (-es):
To form negative and interrogative sentences, the auxiliary verb do is used. If it is used with third persons in the singular, then this verb turns into does, because it takes away the ending -s (-es) from the semantic verb.
Examples:
As you can see, this tense does not have any complex grammatical rules.
Past Simple
Past Simple or simple past tense in English is used to express the same simple repeated actions, but only in the past. To form it, a verb in the second form is used. It comes in two types. If the verb is regular, then it is enough to add the ending –ed. If it is irregular, then you just need to memorize the second form, because each irregular verb has its own one. Compare:
In this case, the person performing the action does not affect the verb in any way, that is, for all persons the form of the verb is the same. Let's look at the use of this time using examples:
To form negative and interrogative sentences in this case, the auxiliary verb did is used. It takes over the function of the past tense determiner, so the semantic verb returns to its initial form:
Future Simple
Future Simple or simple future tense in English is used to express simple actions that will happen in the future. It has the auxiliary verb will in all three sentence forms:
| She will help you. | She will help you. | |
| I will explain you how to do this. | I'll explain to you how to do it. | |
| They will share their main ideas. | They will share their main ideas. | |
| You will not (won’t) remember anything. | You won't remember anything. | |
| She won’t be available because she’ll turn off her phone. | She won't be available because she will turn off her phone. | |
| They won't sign the documents. | They won't sign the documents. | |
| Will you be with me? | You will be with me? | |
| Will they like the description of the product? | Will they like the product description? | |
| Will he lie or not? | Will he lie or not? |
Tenses in English: Continuous group
|
Continuous / Progressive (Long) |
Present |
Past |
Future |
|
| + | to be (1st form) + V-ing | to be (2nd form) + V-ing | will be + V-ing | |
| — | to be (1st form) + not + V-ing | to be (2nd form) + not + V-ing | will + not + be + V-ing | |
| ? | to be (1st form) ... V-ing? | to be (2nd form) ... V-ing? | Will... be V-ing? |
Present Continuous
Present Continuous (Present Progressive) or present continuous tense in English (also known as continuous tense in English) is a tense that shows that an action is ongoing, that is, in the process of being performed at a given moment in time. It is usually constructed using the auxiliary verb to be, which is expressed in three forms, depending on person and number:
Examples:
| I am typing him a message right now. | I'm typing a message to him right now. | |
| We are watching TV all day long. | We watch TV all day. | |
| They are translating the text at the moment. | They are currently translating the text. | |
| He is not (isn’t) reading now. | He's not reading now. | |
| Jim isn’t writing a new post. | Jim doesn't write a new post. | |
| I am not (‘m not) learning Turkish. | I don't study Turkish. | |
| Is she working here till summer? | Is she working here until the summer? | |
| Are you doing this on purpose, huh? | You're doing this on purpose, right? | |
| Are they studying the course at the moment? | Are they currently studying this course? |
Past Continuous
(Past Progressive) or past continuous tense is used to show that some action lasted at a certain point in the past. Its formation also requires auxiliary and semantic verbs. The same verb to be acts as an auxiliary verb, but only in the past tense:
| Pronouns | to be in the past tense |
| I | was |
| We | were |
The semantic verb is formed in the same way as for the present continuous tense.
Examples:
| I was sleeping when he called me. | I was sleeping when he called me. | |
| She was cooking while I was reading a newspaper. | She was cooking while I was reading the newspaper. | |
| They were watching a cartoon when the electricity was suddenly cut off. | They were watching a cartoon when suddenly the lights went out. | |
| He was not (wasn’t) surfing the Internet at 8 in the evening. | He wasn't surfing the Internet at 8 p.m. | |
| They were not (weren’t) talking to each other when I came in. | They weren't talking to each other when I walked in. | |
| I wasn't analyzing the results. | I didn't analyze the results. | |
| Was she laughing during your presentation? | Did she laugh during your presentation? | |
| Were they training in the evening? | Did they train in the evening? | |
| Was she teaching her student at 3 p.m.? | Was she tutoring her student at 3pm? |
Future Continuous
Accordingly, the Future Continuous (Future Progressive) or future continuous tense shows an action that will occur at a specific moment in the future. All 3 sentence forms in this tense require an auxiliary verb will be and a semantic verb ending in –ing:
| When I come back, they will be listening to music. | When I return, they will listen to music. | |
| I will be passing the exam this time tomorrow. | Tomorrow at this time I will be taking the exam. | |
| They will be rehearsing here at 9 p.m. | They will be rehearsing here at 9 pm. | |
| Diana will not (won’t) be recording a song tonight. | Diana won't be recording the song tonight. | |
| Unfortunately, I will not be spending time with my friends during my vacations. | Unfortunately, I won't be spending time with my friends during my vacation. | |
| They will not be building a website this time on Monday. | They will not be developing the website at this time on Monday. | |
| Will they be chilling the whole day? | Will they chill out all day? | |
| Will she be washing the dishes when we go downstairs? | Will she be washing the dishes when we go downstairs? | |
| Will they be conducting a research? | Will they do the research? |
Tenses in English: Perfect group
|
Perfect (Perfect) |
Present |
Past |
Future |
|
| + | have / has + V3 | had + V3 | will + have + V3 | |
| — | have / has + not + V3 | had + not + V3 | will + not + have + V3 | |
| ? | Have/Has…V3? | Had...V3? | Will... have V3? |
Present Perfect
Present Perfect or present perfect tense is a tense in English used to express actions that have completed by now. It differs from the simple past tense in that it places emphasis on the result in the present that caused an action in the past.
This tense form requires the auxiliary verb have, which changes to has for the third person. But with verbs used as semantic ones, not everything is so simple. They are answered by the past participles. The participle can be formed in two ways:
- If the verb is correct, then it is enough to add the ending –ed:
Example sentences:
| The son has broken the window with a ball. | My son broke a window with a ball. | |
| My children have already made the list of presents. | My children have already made a gift list. | |
| I have heard this story many times. | I've heard this story many times. | |
| I have not (haven’t) hurt people ever. | I've never hurt people. | |
| She has not (hasn’t) decided yet. | She hasn't made a decision yet. | |
| They haven’t learned these formulas by heart; that’s why I’m sure they have written cheat sheets | They didn't memorize these formulas, so I'm sure they wrote spurs. | |
| Has she been to Europe? | Has she been to Europe? | |
| Have you ever watched an eclipse? | Have you ever watched an eclipse? | |
| Have they met him yet? | Have they already met him? |
Past Perfect
Or the past perfect tense is used to show that some action took place before a specific moment in the past. It is formed using the auxiliary verb had and the same past participles:
| I had prepared a surprise for my children by 7 o’clock in the evening. | I have prepared a surprise for children by 7 p.m. | |
| We had considered all suggestions by Friday. | We reviewed all proposals by Friday. | |
| I wanted to visit her but she had moved already. | I wanted to visit her, but she had already moved. | |
| She had not (hadn’t) spent too much time before she understood the concept. | It didn't take her long before she understood the concept. | |
| They hadn’t finished the construction by the deadline. | They didn't finish construction by the deadline. | |
| We hadn't published the magazine by Monday. | We had not published the magazine by Monday. | |
| Had she edited everything by the end of the day? | Did she edit everything before the end of the day? | |
| Had he learned the details carefully before he started doing the project? | Did he study all the details carefully before starting the project? | |
| Had she come back by Thursday? | Was she back by Thursday? |
Future Perfect
Future Perfect or future perfect tense, as you might have guessed, shows that the action will be completed by a certain point in the future. To form this tense, in addition to the auxiliary verb have, you will need the verb will. The meaning is the past participle:
| I will have changed everything by this time. | By this time I will change everything. | |
| She will have been in the Maldives at 3 a.m. | She will be in the Maldives at 3 am. | |
| The builders will have built the stadium by next winter. | Builders will build the stadium by next winter. | |
| They will not (won’t) have spent much time on family until they understand its value. | They will not spend much time on family until they understand its value. | |
| She won’t have reached her goals until she starts working. | She won't achieve her goals until she starts working. | |
| I think George and Quincy won’t have made up before your birthday party. | I don't think George and Quincy will make up until your birthday. | |
| Will they have made it by March? | Will they do it by March? | |
| Will she have got his real intentions before they get married? | Will she understand his true intentions before they get married? | |
Tenses in English: Perfect Continuous group
|
Perfect (Perfect) |
Present |
Past |
Future |
|
| + | have / has + been + V-ing | had + been + V-ing | will + have + been + V-ing | |
| — | have / has + not + been + V-ing | had + not + been + V-ing | will + not + have + been + V-ing | |
| ? | Have / Has … been + V-ing? | Had... been + V-ing? | Will... have + been + V-ing? |
Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous or present perfect continuous tense is a tense used to show an action that began and lasted up to a certain moment or continues to last now.
It has auxiliary verbs have been, which change to has been for the third person. The semantic verb is the same verb that was used in Continuous tenses. Among all the English tenses of this group, the Present Perfect Continuous tense is the most commonly used:
| It has been raining all day long. | It rained all day. | |
| My friend has been persuading me to go with him for an hour. | My friend convinces me to go with him for an hour. | |
| I’m tired because we have been creating a studio all night. | I was tired because we had been setting up the studio all night. | |
| She has not (hasn’t) been learning French since she moved from Canada. | She hasn't studied French since she moved from Canada. | |
| Bryan hasn’t been enjoying his weekends since his mother-in-law came to visit them. | Brian didn't enjoy the weekend because his mother-in-law was visiting. | |
| We haven't been sleeping all night. | We didn't sleep all night. | |
| How long have you been living here? | How long have you lived here? | |
| Have you been fighting again? | Did you fight again? | |
| Who has been touching my documents?! | Who touched my documents?! |
Past Perfect Continuous
The Past Perfect Continuous or past perfect continuous tense is used in the same way as the Present Perfect Continuous, only in this case the action ends at a certain point in the past. Sentences are formed in this tense using the auxiliary verbs had been and the semantic verb ending in –ing. Since this form is not used very often and there are not many options for its use, let's look at just a few examples:
Future Perfect Continuous
Future Perfect Continuous or future perfect continuous tense implies a certain moment in the future. Time is used in very rare cases. It uses the auxiliary verbs will have been and the same semantic verb:
That's all. We hope that the explanation of the topic helped you, and the use of tenses in English is no longer a problem for you. Try to use all tense forms as often as possible when speaking, make up examples with them, do various exercises on English tenses and make translations.
To avoid having to constantly return to this article, redraw or create your own table of English tenses. It will be like a cheat sheet for you. Refer to it periodically, even if you have finished studying this topic, since repeating what you have covered will never do any harm. If you still have a little confusion with the tenses at first, with enough practice you will quickly understand how to use them. The main thing is that we deal with all the tenses step by step and do not move from one group to another until we have completely mastered the material.
Now even a child knows that “without English you can’t get anywhere.” But no one can clearly explain how to learn to speak and understand effectively, where to start, and how to understand that the result has appeared.
In this article we will look at one of the most “painful” topics in language learning, namely English tenses. Everyone knows that there are many of them, they are all different: some require some kind of endings, others require a table of irregular verbs. Are times as scary as they say?
Verb tense(namely, it changes tense) is a concept that characterizes the change of the verb, depending on whether the action happened, is happening, or will happen.
Let’s immediately dispel the popular myth that three times of the Simple group are enough for communication.
Communication may work, but it will be of very poor quality; in most cases, you simply will not be able to convey the idea.
Tenses in English are more connected with the mentality of English-speaking countries, because it was their affection and attention to detail that created the long (Progressive) and complete (Perfect) groups of tenses.
Present tense in English
There are four present tenses in English:
- Present Simple;
- Progressive;
- Perfect;
- Perfect Progressive.
The same situation applies to past and future tenses.
Present Simple - present simple tense
Is used for:
- Transferring an action that happens regularly (I work 5 days a week; he walks the dog in the morning);
- Habits (I don’t smoke; my neighbor runs in the morning);
- Traditions (we visit grandma every Christmas; her husband gives her jewelry for every birthday);
- Facts (snow melts in spring, water boils at 100 C).
In every time there are so-called marker words, which will help you navigate the choice of time in case of difficulties.
So, write out this list for yourself, and you will not have problems with Present Simple tense:
- Always - always;
- Usually – usually;
- Often – often;
- Sometimes - sometimes;
- Seldom – rare;
- Never - never;
- Every day (week, month etc.) – every day (week, month, etc.);
- Once/twice a... - once in..., twice in....
In order to make a statement in the Present Simple, you need to remember that the first 2 places in the sentence are a priori occupied by the actor and the verb. The subject comes first, then the predicate. S (subject - subject) + V (verb - verb/predicate) + Obj. (object – object/addition) I(you, we, they) work everyday. BUT! He/She/It workS every day.
When the actor is a third person singular - we must add the ending –s, -es(if the word ends in –o/-s/-ss/-sh/-ch/-x).
To ask a question, you need to use auxiliary. Such verbs have no translation, they simply indicate the time in which the question is asked. After all, in English, unlike Russian, there are no gender or temporal endings.
Auxiliary verbs to form a question:
- I/you/we/they – DO
- He/she/it – DOES
As you may have noticed, the third person singular always ends in –s/-es. BUT! The ending should be repeated only once per sentence. Therefore, if a sentence has DOES, NO endings need to be added to the verb.
The question is structured like this:
- Do(does) + S + V + Obj.
- Do you work here?
- Does he work here?
If we need to ask a special question, we simply need to put the question word in the very first place:
- WHY do you work here?
Negation is also done using the already familiar do/does, but with the negative particle NOT:
- S + do not (does not) + V + Obj.
Shortening for negative auxiliary verbs:
- Do not = don`t — I don`t work here.
- Does not = doesn`t — He doesn`t work here.
But if the action does not occur at all, every day, often or rarely, but right now, at the time of speech, we will need time Present Progressive.
Present Progressive - present continuous tense
To understand and remember it, you first need to construct a sentence in an unusual way for yourself: I am the one writing this text, my brother is playing football now, etc. This is exactly what the literal translation of sentences sounds like in this tense.
Formula: S + be (am/is/are) + Ving + Obj.
Continuous auxiliary verb – to be.
In the present tense it has 3 forms:
- I AM - I am working now;
- He/she/it IS — He/she/it is working now.
- You/we/they ARE - We/you/they are working now.
Question:
- Be + S + Ving + Obj:
- Am I working?
- Is she working?
- Are we working?
Denial:
- S + be + not + Ving + Obj:
- I am not working now.
- He is not working now.
- We are not working now.
Reduction:
- I'm not;
- He/she/it isn`t;
- We/you/they aren`t.
Past tense in English
Past Simple- the time we use for events that began and ended in the past.
Marker words:
- Yesterday - yesterday;
- The day before yesterday - the day before yesterday;
- Late (week, Friday, year etc.) – last week, last Friday, last year, etc.;
- 10 years AGO – 10 years ago;
- When I was a child - when I was a child;
- In 1996 – in 1996.
Statement:
- S + V (II/ -ed) + Obj — I worked yesterday.
Note! In the English language there are irregular verbs, that is, those that form the past tense not according to the rules. For example, the verb go. We can't add the ending -ed to it because it's incorrect. We simply look at the table, find its second form - went, and insert it into the sentence. I went to school yesterday. I went to school yesterday.
Question:
- Did + S + V + Obj: Did you work last week?
Did is used for all persons, and the verb we WE DO NOT CHANGE.
Negation:
- S + didn`t + V + Obj — I didn`t work last week.
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Past Progressive
To express a continuous action in the past, the Past Progressive tense is used. Most often, it is used in conjunction with the Past Simple when talking about a process that was interrupted by a brief event in the past.
For example:
- I was reading a book when I heard a strange noise. I was reading a book (process) when I heard a strange sound (it interrupted the process).
As with any time, markers will help you find your way:
- At 7 pm – 7 pm (or any other specific time;
- From…. Till….. – from…..to….;
- While - while.
Statement:
- S+be+Ving+Obj
As you can see, the formula is absolutely identical to the Present progressive tense, but there is still a difference. And this is the form of the verb to be.
In the past tense, the verb has only 2 forms:
- was (for singular);
- were (for plural).
Question:
- Be + S + Ving + Obj. —Was I sleeping at 10 am?
Negation:
- S + be NOT + Ving + Obj — I wasn`t sleeping at 10 am.
Future tense in English
The future tense can be expressed in several ways. The most used ones are time Future Simple and the phrase be going to.
The Future Simple is used for unplanned events in the future. We often use it for spontaneous decisions. The catch is that most school teachers presented this time as the only time available for talking about the future, but in practice, other phrases overtake it in frequency of use.
You can create this tense using an auxiliary verb will.
Time markers:
- Tomorrow - tomorrow;
- Next week (month, Summer) – next week, next month, next summer;
- In 10 years – in 10 years;
- Later - later.
Statement:
- S + will + V + Obj:
- I will call you later.
- He will call you later.
- We will call you later.
As you can see, the verb after will does not need to be changed.
Reduction:
- I will – I'll
- He will – he'll
- We will – we'll
Question:
In any interrogative sentence in English, we need to put the auxiliary verb first:
- Will + S + V + Obj:
- Will you call me later?
- If the question is special, put a question word before the auxiliary verb:
- WHEN will you call me?
Negation:
- S + will NOT + V + Obj — I will not call you later.
Reduction:
- Will not = won't
Design be going to used for a pre-planned action in the future, it is often translated as "about to do something."
Statement:
Question:
- Be + S + going to + V?:
- Am I going to swim?
- Is he going to swim?
- Are you going to swim?
Negation:
- S + be NOT + going to + V + Obj:
- I am not going to swim.
- He is not going to swim.
- We are not going to swim.
Signs of tenses in English
We have already found out that each tense has marker words that help distinguish one grammatical tense from another. Therefore, you should remember the markers, which is best done by making several dozen different sentences with each.
Remember that the ending – ing can only be used in conjunction with the verb be.
One of the most common errors up to high levels can be considered sentences like:
- I'm working here.
- We live here.
They are grammatically incorrect because the verb ending in –ing is used in the following sentences:
- I AM working.
- We are living.
If we are not talking about this moment, but about what is happening in general, a simple character and a verb are enough:
- I work here.
- He work here.
Coordination of tenses is a topic that makes you want to quit studying, but in fact, the logic behind it is very simple.
Remember, if the past tense was used at the beginning of the sentence, then we can ONLY use the past tense, even if the Russian version uses the present tense.
For example:
- Her father found out that she smokes.
The past tense comes first, and the present tense comes second. This is not possible in English.
We must say:
- Her father found out that she smoked.
How to remember tenses in English?
There are several ways to remember times, but, unfortunately, there is no universal way:
- Remember the name of the time along with the formula, like a rhyme:
- Present Simple (I do/he does)
- Present Progressive (I am going)
- Past Simple (I did), etc.
- Find interesting text and highlight all the tenses you see. Then explain the use of each:
- Watch movies and TV series in the original and pay attention to the use of tenses;
- Practice and practice again!
Exercises on tenses in English with answers
Put the verb into the correct form, using markers and auxiliary verbs:
- He often (cut)himself.
- What time did Peter (arrive)?
- Mike never (forget)
- Are you (sit) here?
- We (drink) a lot of Coke at the party yesterday.
- It was (rain)all night yesterday.
- The train_______ leave in a few minutes.
- I (put) on a clean shirt yesterday
Answers:
Choose the correct auxiliary verb:
- ____ did you like the movie we watched yesterday?
- _____ do you like ice-cream?
- _____ he smoke?
- _____ he speaking now?
- _____ we writing?
- _____ you live in Lindon?
- What ____ do you usually have for breakfast?
- When ____ you wake up this morning?
- What ____ did you watch on TV yesterday?
- _____ is it raining now?
Answers:
- Did you like the movie we watched yesterday?
- Do you like ice-cream?
- Does he smoke?
- Is he speaking now?
- Are we writing?
- Do you live in Lindon?
- What do you usually have for breakfast?
- When did you wake up this morning?
- What did you watch on TV yesterday?
- Is it raining now?