Tenses , Grammar American & British [ 12 ]

12- ] Grammar American & British 

Tenses .

        The tenses of a verb are the forms that help to show time . Tense means the verb-form or forms used to express certain time relations . All verbs have four principal parts : a base form , a present participle , a simple past form and a past participle . All the verb tenses are formed from these principal parts .

Examples

Base form         Present Participle              Simple Past Form               Past Participle

open                    opening                                  opened                                 opened

fall                       falling                                     fell                                       fallen

cry                       crying                                      cried                                   cried

speak                   speaking                                  spoke                                  spoken

be                         being                                       was , were                           been

Verb-Tense Time Line .

PAST

 Past Simple

action or condition was started and completed  in the past

Example

I finished my work .                                                      

Present Perfect

- action or condition that occurred at an indefinite past time .

- action began in the past and still occurs now .

Examples

I have finished my work.

He has built a new house .

Past Perfect

- past action or condition began and ended before another past action or condition started .

Examples

I had finished my work before I left .

After I had finished my work , I left .

NOW

Present Simple

- action or condition exists only now .

- contrast , repeated , or habitual action or condition .

- a general truth .

Examples

I finish my work on time .

I get up early every day .

The earth goes around the sun .

Egypt lies in Africa .

FUTURE

Future Simple

- action or condition will occur in the future .

Example

I will finish my work tonight .

It will rain tomorrow .

I will ring you when I go home .

Future Perfect

- future action or condition will begin and end before another starts , or completed action in a point of time  or a definite time in the future .

Examples

I will have finished my work before I leave .

I will have ended my exams next July .

Progressive And Emphatic Forms Of Tenses .

Each of the six tenses has a progressive form that expresses a continuing action . You make the progressive forms by using the appropriate tense of the verb ‘be’ with the present participle of the main verb .

Present Progressive ( Present Continuous )

They are studying now .

Past Progressive ( Past Continuous )

They were studying yesterday .

Future Progressive ( Future Continuous )

They will be studying .

Present Perfect Progressive ( Present Perfect Continuous )

They have been studying .

Past Perfect Progressive ( Past Perfect Continuous )

They had been studying .

Future Perfect Progressive ( Future Perfect Continuous )

They will have been studying .

The Emphatic Forms .

The present simple tense and the past simple tense have additional forms , called ‘emphatic forms’ . that add special force , or emphasis , to the verb .

You make the emphasis forms by using ‘do’ , ‘does’ [ present simple ] or ‘did’ [ past simple ] with the base form of the verb .

Examples   

We do have enough money for lunch .

Andy does have her umbrella with her .

We did leave a large tip .

1- ]The Simple Tenses .

The Simple Present Tense .

Form

The present tense is the base form of the verb:

I work in London.

But with the third person singular (she/he/it), we add an –s ‘-es ‘ or ‘ies’ as the base form ends :

She works in London.

She washes her car every week .

He often tries hard to score goals .

Uses

Present simple and present time

We use the present simple to talk about:

1- ]something that is true in the present:

I'm nineteen years old.

I'm a student.

He lives in London.

2- ]something that happens regularly in the present:

I play football every weekend.

3- ] something that is always true:

The human body contains 206 bones.

Light travels at almost 300,000 kilometers per second.

3- ] We often use adverbs of frequency like sometimes, always and never with the present simple:

I sometimes go to the cinema.

She never plays football.

Present simple and future time

We also use the present simple to talk about:

4- ] something that is fixed in the future:

The school term starts next week.

The train leaves at 19.45 this evening.

We fly to Paris next week.

5- ] something in the future after time words like when, after and before and after if and unless:

I'll talk to John when I see him.

You must finish your work before you go home.

If it rains we'll get wet.

He won't come unless you ask him.

We sometimes use the present simple to talk about the past when we are:

 5- ] telling a story:

I was walking down the street the other day when suddenly this man comes up to me and tells me he has lost his wallet and asks me to lend him some money. Well, he looks a bit dangerous so I'm not sure what to do and while we are standing there …

6- ] summarizing a book, film or play:

Harry Potter goes to Hogwarts School. He has two close friends, Hermione and …

Shakespeare's Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. One night he sees his father's ghost. The ghost tells him he has been murdered …

Present simple questions

1- ]We use do and does to make questions with the present simple. We use does for the third person singular (she/he/it) and do for the others.

Look at these questions:

Do you play the piano?

Where do you live?

Does Jack play football?

Where does he come from?

Do Rita and Angela live in Manchester?

Where do they work?

2- ]We use do and does with question words like where, what and when:

Where do Angela and Rita live?

What does Angela do?

When does Rita usually get up?

3- ]But questions with who often don't use do or does:

Who lives in London?

Who plays football at the weekend?

Who works at Liverpool City Hospital?

Present simple negatives

We use do and does to make negatives with the present simple. We use doesn't for the third person singular (she/he/it) and don't for the others.

Look at these sentences:

I like tennis but I don't like football. (don't = do not)

I don't live in London now.

I don't play the piano but I play the guitar.

They don't work at the weekend.

John doesn't live in Manchester. (doesn't = does not)

Angela doesn't drive to work. She goes by bus.

Past Simple Tense .

Form

With most verbs, the past tense is formed by adding –ed:

called   liked    wanted worked

But there are a lot of irregular past tense forms in English.

Uses

We use the past tense to talk about:

1- ]something that happened once in the past:

I met my wife in 1983.

We went to Spain for our holidays.

They got home very late last night.

2- ]something that happened several times in the past:

When I was a boy, I walked a mile to school every day.

We swam a lot while we were on holiday.

They always enjoyed visiting their friends.

3- ] something that was true for some time in the past:

I lived abroad for ten years.

He enjoyed being a student.

She played a lot of tennis when she was younger.

4- ]we often use expressions with ago with the past simple:

I met my wife a long time ago.

Past Simple And Hypotheses

We can also use the past simple to refer to the present or future in hypotheses (when we imagine something).

1- ]We use did to make questions with the past simple:

Did she play tennis when she was younger?

Did you live abroad?

When did you meet your wife?

Where did you go for your holidays?

2- ] But questions with who often don't use did:

Who discovered penicillin?

Who wrote Don Quixote?

3- ]We use didn't (did not) to make negatives with the past simple:

They didn't go to Spain this year.

We didn't get home until very late last night.

I didn't see you yesterday.

The Simple Future Tense

Functions of the simple future tense

The simple future refers to a time later than now, and expresses facts or certainty. In this case there is no 'attitude'.

The simple future is used:

1- ]To predict a future event:

It will rain tomorrow.

2- ]With I or We, to express a spontaneous decision:

I'll pay for the tickets by credit card.

3- ]To express willingness:

I'll do the washing-up.

He'll carry your bag for you.

3- ] In the negative form, to express unwillingness:

The baby won't eat his soup.

I won't leave until I've seen the manager!

4- ]With I in the interrogative form using "shall", to make an offer:

Shall I open the window?

5- ] With we in the interrogative form using "shall", to make a suggestion:

Shall we go to the cinema tonight?

6- ] With I in the interrogative form using "shall", to ask for advice or instructions:

What shall I tell the boss about this money?

7- ] With you, to give orders:

You will do exactly as I say.

8- ] With you in the interrogative form, to give an invitation:

Will you come to the dance with me?

Will you marry me?

Note: In modern English will is preferred to shall. Shall is mainly used with I and we to make an offer or suggestion, or to ask for advice (see examples above). With the other persons (you, he, she, they) shall is only used in literary or poetic situations, e.g. "With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, She shall have music wherever she goes."

Forming the simple future

The simple future tense is composed of two parts: will / shall + the infinitive without to

Subject will      infinitive without to

Affirmative

I           will      go

I           shall     go

Negative

They    will not see

They    won't   see

Interrogative

Will     she       ask?

Interrogative negative

Won't  they     try?

Contractions

I will = I'll

We will = we'll

You will = you'll

He will = he'll

She will = she'll

They will = they'll

Will not = won't

The form "it will" is not normally shortened.

To see: Simple future tense

Affirmative     Negative          Interrogative   Interrogative Negative

I will see          I won't see       Will I see?       Won't I see?

*I shall see                  *Shall I see?   

You will see     You won't see  Will you see?   Won't you see?

He will see       He won't see    Will he see?     Won't he see?

We will see      We won't see   Will we see?    Won't we see?

*We shall see              *Shall we see?

They will see    They won't see Will they see?  Won't they see?

*Shall is dated, but it is still commonly used instead of "will" with the affirmative or interrogative forms of I and we in certain cases (see above).

Going To .

Form

am , is , are + present participle [ verb + ing ]

Use

1- ] Intention

Examples

I am going to write to my friend this evening .

When are they going to pay you the money they owe you ?

I know what are you going to say .

2- ] Strong probability

Examples

I think it is going to rain . It is cloudy .

I am afraid that the repairs to our house are going to cost a lot of money .

3- ] The speaker’s certainty

Examples

Look out ! That milk is going to boil over .

My wife’s going to have a baby .

He’s going to regret the day he ever wrote that letter .

4- ] The going to construction cannot be used for pure futurity [ i.e. futurity not depending on my person’s will or intention ] .

Examples

You cannot say

I am going to 15 years old in May .

Today is the 19th of October ; tomorrow is going to be the 20th .

5- ] Going to is not often used when the futurity is contingent on a condition , because then the intention of the person is no longer important .

Example

If you ever go to France you will like [ not are going to like ] the food there .

Future 'Will' & 'Going to "

Going to is used with predictions. When you are making a decision use will; use going to after the decision has been made. We sometimes also use the present continuous for planned events in the near future. When we want to talk about future facts or things we believe to be true about the future, we use will.

Both refer to the future and there is a slight difference between the two though in most cases they can be used interchangeably with no difference in meaning. Even if you misuse them, a native speaker is going to understand you without any problems.

What's the difference? 'Will' and 'be going to'

Will + infinitive                                                                     Be going to + infinitive

A decision at the moment of speaking:

Julie: There's no milk.

John: Really? In that case, I'll go and get some.            A decision before the moment of speaking:

Julie: There's no milk.

John: I know. I'm going to go and get some when this TV program finishes.

A prediction based on opinion:

I think the Conservatives will win the next election.   A prediction based on something we can see (or hear) now:

The Conservatives are going to win the election. They already have most of the votes.

A future fact:

The sun will rise tomorrow.   

For promises / requests / refusals / offers:

I'll help you tomorrow, if you like.     

More examples:

(The phone rings)

Julie: I'll get it!

('I'm going to get it' is very strange, because it makes us think that Julie knew the phone was going to ring before it did).

I'm going to go on holiday next week.

('I'll go on holiday next week' makes it sound like you've only just decided at that minute. Of course, this is possible, but normally we plan our holidays more in advance!).

Other points about the future:

The Present Continuous And Present Simple To Express Future

We use the present continuous tense for definite future arrangements. Often, it doesn't really matter if we choose 'be going to' or the present continuous. In the following example, there is really very little difference in meaning:

I'm going to the cinema tonight.

I'm going to go to the cinema tonight.

We use the present simple tense in two cases. First, we use it for a timetabled event in the future, like public transport or the start of a class:

My train leaves at six tonight.

His class starts at 9am tomorrow.

Second, we use it after certain words, when the sentence has a future meaning. These words are: before / after / as soon as / until / when:

I'll call you when I get home.

She's going to study after she finishes dinner.

Please drink some water as soon as you complete the race.

How to use the Simple Future with Will and Be Going To

Will

: We use the future simple with 'will' to predict the future. It is the basic way we talk about the future in English, and we often use it if there is no reason to use another future tense. We can use it for future facts and for things that are less certain.

The sun will rise at 7am.

I think the Conservatives will win the next election.

2: Promises / requests / refusals / offers. This is sometimes called 'volitional' will. It's about wanting to do something or not wanting to do something in the future.

I'll help you with your homework.

Will you give me a hand?

I won't go!

In a similar way, we often use 'will' when we're talking about a decision at the moment of speaking. We are usually making an offer or promise or talking about something that we want to do.

A: I'm cold. B: I'll close the window.

3: We use the simple future with 'will' in the first conditional, and in other sentences that have a conditional feeling.

If it doesn't rain, we'll go to the park.

Let's arrive early. That will give us time to relax.

Shall

'Shall' is used mainly in the forms 'shall I?' and 'shall we?' in British English. These forms are used when you want to get someone's opinion, especially for offers and suggestions.

Shall I open the window? (= Do you want me to open the window?)

Where shall we go tonight? (= What's your opinion?)

Be going to

1: We often use 'be going to' to talk about our future intentions and plans. We have usually made our plans before the moment of speaking.

A: We've run out of milk. B: I know, I'm going to buy some.

2: We can also use 'be going to' to make a prediction about the future. Often it's possible to use both 'be going to' and 'will' but it's more common to use 'be going to' if we can see evidence in the present.

Look at those boys playing football! They're going to break the window.

The sky is getting darker and darker. It's going to rain.

Read more about the different ways of talking about the future here.

Future Plans

The difference between WILL and GOING TO in English

We use different verb forms to talk about our plans for the future, depending on what kind of plan it is: a spontaneous plan, a pre-decided plan or an arrangement.

Will

We use will to talk about spontaneous plans decided at the moment of speaking.

Oops, I forgot to phone Mum! I'll do it after dinner.

I can't decide what to wear tonight. I know! I'll wear my green shirt.

There's no milk. I'll buy some when I go to the shops.

Going to

We use ‘going to’  to talk about plans decided before the moment of speaking.

I'm going to phone Mum after dinner. I told her I'd call at 8 o'clock.

I'm going to wear my black dress tonight.

I'm going to go to the supermarket after work. What do we need?

Present continuous

We usually use the present continuous when the plan is an arrangement – already confirmed with at least one other person and we know the time and place.

I'm meeting Jane at 8 o'clock on Saturday.

We're having a party next Saturday. Would you like to come?

We often use the present continuous to ask about people's future plans.

Are you doing anything interesting this weekend?

Will + infinitive           Be going to + infinitive

A prediction based on opinion: I think the Conservatives will win the next election.

A prediction based on something we can see (or hear) now: The Conservatives are going to win the election. They already have most of the votes.

A future fact: The sun will rise tomorrow.     

When to use GOING TO

The structure BE GOING TO is normally used to indicate the future but with some type of connection to the present. We use it in the following situations:

1. When we have already decided or we INTEND to do something in the future. (Prior Plan)

The decision has been made before the moment of speaking.

They're going to retire to the beach - in fact they have already bought a little beach house.

I'm going to accept the job offer.

2. When there are definite signs that something is going to happen. (Evidence)

Something is likely to happen based on the evidence or experience you have.

I think it is going to rain - I just felt a drop.

I don't feel well. I think I'm going to throw up. (throw up = vomit)

3. When something is about to happen:

Get back! The bomb is going to explode.

When to use WILL

In other cases, where there is no implicit or explicit connection to the present, use WILL:

1. For things that we decide to do now. (Rapid Decisions)

This is when you make a decision at that moment, in a spontaneous way.

I'll buy one for you too.

I think I'll try one of those. (I just decided this right now)

2. When we think or believe something about the future. (Prediction)

My team will not win the league this season.

I think it will rain later so take an umbrella with you.

Note: You can use both Will and Going to for making future predictions.

3. To make an offer, a promise or a threat.

I'll give you a discount if you buy it right now.

I promise I will behave next time.

I'll take you to the movies if you'd like.

4. You use WON'T when someone refuses to do something.

I told him to take out the trash but he won't do it.

My kids won't listen to anything I say.

My car won't start.

Future Predictions

As you can see, both Will and Going to can be used for making future predictions without having a real difference in meaning.

The weather report says it will rain tomorrow. (Correct)

The weather report says it is going to rain tomorrow. (Correct)

Compare Will vs. Going To

If someone asks: "Are you busy this evening?"

If I respond: "Yes, I'm going to the movies." I use going to because it is a plan I made earlier (before I was asked the question). - In this case we cannot use Will.

If I haven't made plans, then you can say either: "I will probably watch TV." OR "I'm probably going to watch TV."

Both will and going to are possible in this situation because we are predicting what will happen (since we haven't made any plans).

Exercise

Will and Be Going To

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses

1. A: Why are you holding a piece of paper?

B: I (write)  a letter to my friends back home in Texas.

2. A: I'm about to fall asleep. I need to wake up!

B: I (get)  you a cup of coffee. That will wake you up.

3. A: I can't hear the television!

B: I (turn)  it up so you can hear it.

4. We are so excited about our trip next month to France. We (visit)  Paris, Nice and Grenoble.

5. Sarah (come)  to the party. Oliver (be)  there as well.

6. Ted: It is so hot in here!

Sarah: I (turn)  the air-conditioning on.

7. I think he (be)  the next President of the United States.

8. After I graduate, I (attend) medical school and become a doctor. I have wanted to be a doctor all my life.

9. A: Excuse me, I need to talk to someone about our hotel room. I am afraid it is simply too small for four people.

B: That man at the service counter (help)  you.

10. As soon as the weather clears up, we (walk) down to the beach and go swimming.

Exercises

Present and Past Tenses with Non-Continuous Verbs

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses

1.a. Look, I (have)  two tickets for the circus.

b. Look, I (hold)  two tickets for the circus.

2.a. We (be)  there for more than half an hour by the time the show began.

b. We (wait)  there for more than half an hour by the time the show began.

3.a. Sam (sit) in the seat next to me when the clown threw a bucket of water at me.

b. Sam (be)  in the seat next to me when the clown threw a bucket of water at me.

4.a. One clown was juggling while he (balance) a glass of wine on his head.

b. One clown was juggling while he (have)  a glass of wine on his head.

5.a. I (love)  the circus ever since I was a child.

b. I (go) to the circus ever since I was a child.

6.a. Right now, I (see) two elephants doing tricks in the ring.

b. Right now, I (look)  at two elephants doing tricks in the ring.

Present and Past Tenses

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses

Lars: Excuse me, which movie are you waiting for?

Tony: We (wait)  for the new Stars Wars movie. In fact, we (wait)  here for more than five hours.

Lars: Five hours? When did you arrive?

Tony: We (get)  here at 6:00 o'clock this morning. More than forty people (stand, already)  here waiting for tickets when we arrived.

Lars: I can't believe that! Are you serious?

Tony: Yeah, people (take)  Star Wars movies seriously. In fact, this particular showing has been sold out for over a week. We (wait, just)  in line to get a good seat in the theater.

Lars: When did you buy your tickets?

Tony: I (buy)  them last week by phone. I (know)  tickets would be hard to get because I (see)  a news interview with a group of people standing in line to get tickets. They (wait)  in line for almost a month to buy tickets for the first showing.

Lars: I don't believe that!

Tony: It's true. They (camp)  out in front of Mann's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles for about a month because they (want)  to be the first people to see the movie.

Verb Tense Practice Test

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses

1. You look really great! (you, work)  out at the fitness center recently?

2. A: What (you, do)  when the accident occurred?

B: I (try)  to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

3. I (have) the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a new one.

4. If it (snow)  this weekend, we (go)  skiing near Lake Tahoe.

5. A: What do you call people who work in libraries?

B: They (call)  librarians.

6. I came to England six months ago. I started my economics course three months ago. When I return to Australia, I (study)  for nine months and I (be)  in England for exactly one year.

7. Sam (arrive)  in San Diego a week ago.

8. Samantha (live)  in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live)  there when the Berlin wall came down.

9. If Vera (keep)  drinking, she (lose, eventually)  her job.

10. The Maya established a very advanced civilization in the jungles of the Yucatan; however, their culture (disappear, virtually)  by the time Europeans first (arrive)  in the New World.

11. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep) .

12. It (rain)  all week. I hope it stops by Saturday because I want to go to the beach.

13. Listen Donna, I don't care if you (miss)  the bus this morning. You (be)  late to work too many times. You are fired!

14. I am sick of rain and bad weather! Hopefully, when we (wake)  up tomorrow morning, the sun (shine) .

15. I have not traveled much yet; however, I (visit)  the Grand Canyon and San Francisco by the time I leave the United States.

16. I (see)  many pictures of the pyramids before I went to Egypt. Pictures of the monuments are very misleading. The pyramids are actually quite small.

17. In the last hundred years, traveling (become)  much easier and very comfortable. In the 19th century, it (take)  two or three months to cross North America by covered wagon. The trip (be)  very rough and often dangerous. Things (change) a great deal in the last hundred and fifty years. Now you can fly from New York to Los Angeles in a matter of hours.

18. Joseph's English (improve, really) , isn't it? He (watch)  American television programs and (study)  his grammar every day since he first arrived in San Diego. Soon he will be totally fluent.

19. When I (arrive)  home last night, I discovered that Jane (prepare)  a beautiful candlelight inner.

20. If you (need)  to contact me sometime next week, I (stay)  at the Sheraton in San Francisco.

Verb Tense Final Test

Complete questions 1-10 below with the appropriate tenses, answer questions 11-15

1. When Carol (call)  last night, I (watch)  my favorite show on television.

2. I (work) for this company for more than thirty years, and I intend to stay here until I retire!

3. Sharon (love)  to travel. She (go)  abroad almost every summer. Next year, she plans to go to Peru.

4. Thomas is an author. He (write)  mystery novels and travel memoirs. He (write)  since he was twenty-eight. Altogether, he (write)  seven novels, three collections of short stories and a book of poetry.

5. We were late because we had some car problems. By the time we (get)  to the train station, Susan (wait) for us for more than two hours.

6. Sam (try)  to change a light bulb when he (slip)  and (fall) .

7. Every day I (wake)  up at 6 o'clock, (eat) breakfast at 7 o'clock and (leave)  for work at 8 o'clock. However, this morning I (get)  up at 6:30, (skip)  breakfast and (leave)  for work late because I (forget)  to set my alarm.

8. Right now, Jim (read)  the newspaper and Kathy (make)  dinner. Last night at this time, they(do)

 the same thing. She (cook)  and he (read)  the newspaper. Tomorrow at this time, they (do, also)  the same thing. She (prepare)  dinner and he (read) . They are very predictable people!

9. By this time next summer, you (complete)  your studies and (find)  a job. I, on the other hand, (accomplish, not)  anything. I (study, still)  and you (work)  in some new high paying job.

10. The students (be, usually)  taught by Mrs. Monty. However, this week they (teach) taught by Mr. Taher.

Future in the Past

1- ] FORM Would

[would + VERB]

Like simple future, future in the past has two different forms in English: would and was going to. Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two different meanings.

Examples:

I knew you would help him.

I knew you would not help him.

2- ] FORM Was/Were Going To

[was/were + going to + VERB]

Examples:

I knew you were going to go to the party.

I knew you were not going to go to the party.

Use

1-  ]Future in the past is used to express the idea that in the past you thought something would happen in the future. It does not matter if you are correct or not. Future in the past follows the same basic rules as the simple future. "Would" is used to volunteer or promise, and "was going to" is used to plan. Moreover, both forms can be used to make predictions about the future.

Examples:

I told you he was going to come to the party. plan

I knew Julie would make dinner. voluntary action

Jane said Sam was going to bring his sister with him, but he came alone. plan

I had a feeling that the vacation was going to be a disaster. prediction

He promised he would send a postcard from Egypt. promise

2- ] REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, future in the past cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of using future in the past, you must use simple past.

Examples:

I already told Mark that when he would arrive, we would go out for dinner. Not Correct

I already told Mark that when he arrived, we would go out for dinner. Correct

Perfect Tenses .

Present perfect Tense

Form

The present perfect is formed from the present tense of the verb have and the past participle of a verb.

Uses

We use the present perfect:

1- ]for something that started in the past and continues in the present:

They've been married for nearly fifty years.

She has lived in Liverpool all her life.

2- ] when we are talking about our experience up to the present:

I've seen that film before.

I've played the guitar ever since I was a teenager.

He has written three books and he is working on another one.

3- ] We often use the adverb ever to talk about experience up to the present:

My last birthday was the worst day I have ever had.

4- ] and we use never for the negative form:

Have you ever met George?

Yes, but I've never met his wife.

5- ] for something that happened in the past but is important in the present:

I can't get in the house. I've lost my keys.

Teresa isn't at home. I think she has gone shopping.

6- ] have been and have gone

We use have/has been when someone has gone to a place and returned:

A: Where have you been?

B: I've just been out to the supermarket.

A: Have you ever been to San Francisco?

B: No, but I've been to Los Angeles.

But when someone has not returned, we use have/has gone:

A: Where's Maria? I haven't seen her for weeks.

B: She's gone to Paris for a week. She'll be back tomorrow.

Present perfect with time adverbials

We often use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to the recent past:

recently           just      only just

Scientists have recently discovered a new breed of monkey.

We have just got back from our holidays.

or adverbials which include the present:

so far     until now     up to now

ever (in questions)

yet (in questions and negatives)

Have you ever seen a ghost?

Where have you been up to now?

A: Have you finished your homework yet?

B: No, so far I've only done my history.

After a clause with the present perfect we often use a clause with since to show when something started in the past:

I've worked here since I left school.

I've been watching that program every week since it started.

'Just', 'yet', 'still' and 'already'

've just seen Sai. He's really enjoying his new job.

We haven't decided what to do yet.

I still haven't called Yumi to see how she is.

I've already had lunch but I'll join you for coffee.

We often use just, yet, still and already with the present perfect because they are related to the present moment. This page focuses on the meaning and use of these words when they are used with the present perfect.

Just

Just used with the present perfect means 'a short time before'.

I've just seen Susan coming out of the cinema.

Mike's just called. Can you ring him back, please?

Have you just taken my pen?!

Just comes between the auxiliary verb (have/has) and the past participle.

Yet

Yet used with the present perfect means 'at any time up to now'. We use it to emphasize that we expect something to happen soon. Yet (in this context) is only used in negative sentences and questions.

Have you finished your homework yet?

I haven't finished it yet. I'll do it after dinner.

A. Where's Sam? B: He hasn't arrived yet.

Yet comes at the end of the sentence or question.

Still

Still used with the present perfect means that something hasn't happened. We use it to emphasize that we expected the thing to happen earlier. Still (in this context) is only used in negative sentences.

I've been waiting for an hour and the bus still hasn't come.

They promised me that report yesterday but they still haven't finished it.

She still hasn't replied to my email. Maybe she's on holiday.

Still comes between the subject (the bus, they, etc.) and auxiliary verb (haven't/hasn't).

Already

Already used with the present perfect means 'before now'. We use it to emphasise that something happened before something else or earlier than expected.

I've already spent my salary and it's two weeks before payday.

He wanted to see Sudden Risk but I've already seen it.

The train's left already!

Already can come between the auxiliary and the main verb or at the end of the clause.

Present perfect for future

1- ]We normally use the present simple to talk about the future in clauses with before, after, until, etc.:

I'll keep looking until I find my book.

We'll begin when everyone arrives.

2- ] but we can also use the present perfect:

I'll keep looking until I have found my book.

We'll begin when everyone has arrived.

Be careful!

We do not use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a finished past time:

yesterday        last week/month/year  in 2017 when I was younger    etc.

I have seen that film yesterday.

We have just bought a new car last week.

When we were children we have been to California.

but we can use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a time which is not yet finished:

today   this week/month/year  now that I am 18         etc.

Have you seen Helen today?

We have bought a new car this week.

Present Perfect Continuous .

Form

The present perfect continuous is formed with have/has been and the -ing form of the verb.

Use

1- ]We normally use the present perfect continuous to emphasize that something is still continuing in the present:

She has been living in Liverpool all her life.

It's been raining for hours.

I'm tired out. I've been working all day.

They have been staying with us since last week.

2- ] We do not normally use the present perfect continuous with stative verbs. We use the present perfect simple instead:

I've always been liking liked John.

Past Perfect Tense

Form

had + past participle

To form the past perfect tense you use the past tense of the verb "to have," which is had, and add it to the past participle of the main verb.

Examples – Past Perfect Simple

After Sofie had finished her work, she went to lunch.

I washed the floor when the painter had gone.

Harold had known about it for a while.

I didn’t say anything until she had finished talking.

After she had moved out, I found her notes.

Before I knew it, she had run out the door.

By the time he phoned her, she had found someone new.

By the time Doris got to the party, everyone had gone home.

Everyone had gone home by the time Doris had got to the party.

I had had enough of his complaining.

After I’d used the phone, I paid the bill.

It’d happened so quickly, I didn’t notice.

We’d just gotten home, when we heard the blast outside.

Uses

The past perfect tense is used to show that something happened before another action in the past. It can also be used to show that something happened before a specific time in the past.

1- ]We use the past perfect simple to talk about time up to a certain point in the past.

She'd published her first poem by the time she was eight.

We'd finished all the water before we were halfway up the mountain.

Had the parcel arrived when you called yesterday?

2- ] Past perfect for the earlier of two past actions

We can use the past perfect to show the order of two past events. The past perfect shows the earlier action and the past simple shows the later action.

When the police arrived, the thief had escaped.

It doesn't matter in which order we say the two events. The following sentence has the same meaning.

The thief had escaped when the police arrived.

Note that if there's only a single event, we don't use the past perfect, even if it happened a long time ago.

The Romans spoke Latin. (NOT The Romans had spoken Latin.)

3- ]Past perfect with before

We can also use the past perfect followed by before to show that an action was not done or was incomplete when the past simple action happened.

They left before I'd spoken to them.

Sadly, the author died before he'd finished the series.

4- ] Adverbs

We often use the adverbs already (= 'before the specified time'), still (= as previously), just (= 'a very short time before the specified time'), ever (= 'at any time before the specified time') or never (= 'at no time before the specified time') with the past perfect.

I called his office but he'd already left.

It still hadn't rained at the beginning of May.

I went to visit her when she'd just moved to Berlin.

It was the most beautiful photo I'd ever seen.

Had you ever visited London when you moved there?

I'd never met anyone from California before I met Jim.

5- ]The time expressions already, for, since, and yet may be used in the past perfect simple, as they are in the present perfect simple. Remember the following rules for using other time expressions:

Use after, as soon as, the moment that, until before using the past perfect simple.

Ex: After she had moved out, I found her notes./ I didn’t say anything until she had finished talking.

Use before, when, by the time before the past simple:

Ex. Before I knew it, she had run out the door. / By the time he phoned her, she had found someone new.

6- ]Sometimes the past perfect simple is used on its own and the action that took place afterwards is understood.

After Sofie had finished her work, she went to lunch.

(First she finished her work and then she went to eat lunch.)

I washed the floor when the painter had gone.

(First the painter left and then I washed the floor.)

Harold had known about it for a while.

(First he knew about it, then others knew about it)

Negative Sentences in the Past Perfect Simple Tense

When creating negative sentences, we use the auxiliary verbs hadn’t (had not) together with the V3 (past participle) form of the verb. You can also create a negative sentence by using the auxiliary verb had with the time expression never and then the V3.

Subject Auxillery Verb           Verb V3

(Past Participle)          Rest of Sentence

I / You / We / They

He / She / It     hadn’t (had not)          driven  a car before then

had never        driven  a car before then

I had not eaten at that restaurant before today.

Samantha hadn’t had time to explain her side of the story.

My friends hadn’t ever gone to France.

My friends had never gone to the USA either.

Yes/No Questions in the Past Perfect Simple

To create a question that will be answered with a yes or no, start the question with Had (Hadn’t for a negative question) then add a subject (the person or thing that had done the action) followed by the V3 (Past Participle) form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Auxiliary Verb Subject VerbV3

(Past Participle)          Rest of Sentence

Had     I / you / we / they

he / she / it       had      time to rehearse you’re the song

Had     he / she / it       eaten   there before

Had you cleaned up the mess by the time they came home?

Had Adam ever spoken to the CEO before he was fired?

Had you cleaned up the mess by the time they came home?

Had Adam ever spoken to the CEO before he was fired?

Wh-Questions in the Past Perfect Simple

Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words are what, where, when, why, who, how, how many, how much.

To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then add had, then the subject (a person or thing that had done the action), followed by the V3 (Past Participle) form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Wh-Word        Auxiliary Verb Subject Verb V3

(Past Participle)          Rest of Sentence

What   had      I / you / we / they

he / she / it       taught  before leaving education

Why    had      changed           the subject

What had they said that made him so angry?

Why had he agreed to work for that salary?

How much had he drunk before you got to him?

Negative

I had not eaten at that restaurant before today.

Samantha hadn’t had time to explain her side of the story.

My friends hadn’t ever gone to France.

My friends had never gone to the USA either.

Exercises

– Past Perfect Simple

Fill in the correct form of the past perfect simple or past simple as in the examples.

After Loren had turned on the alarm, she locked the door. (turn on)

By the time Simone arrived, the police had already left. (arrive)

Had you known about the contract they signed? (know)

After the company _____Joe, he began to work on his first project. (hire)

_____you _______ the news before you saw it on TV? (hear)

Michael didn’t want to see the movie because he _______ the book yet. (not read)

The concert ______ already _______when we _______ the stadium. (begin/ enter)

Until Anne ________ Mark, she ____ never ______in love. (meet, be)

Bill __________ for years before he finally _______. (smoke/ quit)

_______ Sara ever _______to London by herself before then? (drive)

How many fish ______ the boys _____ by the time it started raining? (catch)

You ________ them to go to the beach, hadn’t you? (forbid)

The girls _______ in weeks? That’s why they ______ so much afterwards. (exercise / hurt)

- Past Perfect - Positive and Negative

Make the positive or negative past perfect simple

1) When I arrived at the cinema, the film (start).

2) She (live) in China before she went to Thailand.

3) After they (eat) the shellfish, they began to feel sick.

4) If you (listen) to me, you would have got the job.

5) Julie didn't arrive until after I (leave).

6) When we (finish) dinner, we went out.

7) The garden was dead because it (be) dry all summer.

8) He (meet) her somewhere before.

9) We were late for the plane because we (forget) our passports.

10) She told me she (study) a lot before the exam.

11) The grass was yellow because it (not/rain) all summer.

12) The lights went off because we (not/pay) the electricity bill.

13) The children (not/do) their homework, so they were in trouble.

14) They (not/eat) so we went to a restaurant.

15) We couldn't go into the concert because we (not/bring) our tickets.

16) She said that she (not/visit) the UK before.

17) Julie and Anne (not/meet) before the party.

18) I (not/have) breakfast when he arrived.

19) He (not/use) email before, so I showed him how to use it.

20) You (not/study) for the test, so you were very nervous.

Past Perfect Continuous

Form

Past Perfect Continuous Forms

The past perfect continuous is formed using had + been + present participle. Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and had. Negatives are made with not

Statement: You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.

Question: Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived?

Negative: You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived

Past Perfect Continuous Uses

The past perfect continuous (also called past perfect progressive) is a verb tense which is used to show that an action started in the past and continued up to another point in the past. Read on for detailed descriptions, examples, and present perfect continuous exercises.

We use the past perfect continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. "For five minutes" and "for two weeks" are both durations which can be used with the past perfect continuous. Notice that this is related to the present perfect continuous; however, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Examples:

They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived.

She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business.

How long had you been waiting to get on the bus?

Mike wanted to sit down because he had been standing all day at work.

James had been teaching at the university for more than a year before he left for Asia.

A: How long had you been studying Turkish before you moved to Ankara?

B: I had not been studying Turkish very long.

Past Continuous vs. Past Perfect Continuous

If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or "since Friday," many English speakers choose to use the past continuous rather than the past perfect continuous. Be careful because this can change the meaning of the sentence. Past continuous emphasizes interrupted actions, whereas past perfect continuous emphasizes a duration of time before something in the past. Study the examples below to understand the difference.

Examples:

He was tired because he was exercising so hard.

This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he was exercising at that exact moment.

He was tired because he had been exercising so hard.

This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he had been exercising over a period of time. It is possible that he was still exercising at that moment OR that he had just finished.

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-continuous verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for mixed verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using past perfect continuous with these verbs, you must use past perfect.

Examples:

The motorcycle had been belonging to George for years before Tina bought it. Not Correct

The motorcycle had belonged to George for years before Tina bought it. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

You had only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived.

Had you only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived?

Verb Tense

Exercises

Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous

1- ]I'm sorry I left without you last night, but I told you to meet me early because the show started at 8:00. I (try) to get tickets for that play for months, and I didn't want to miss it. By the time I finally left the coffee shop where we were supposed to meet, I (have)  five cups of coffee and I (wait)

 over an hour. I had to leave because I (arrange)  to meet Kathy in front of the theater. When I arrived at the theater, Kathy (pick, already)  up the tickets and she was waiting for us near the entrance. She was really angry because she (wait)  for more than half an hour. She said she (give, almost)  up and (go)  into the theater without us. Kathy told me you (be)  late several times in the past and that she would not make plans with you again in the future. She mentioned that she (miss)

 several movies because of your late arrivals. I think you owe her an apology. And in the future, I suggest you be on time!

Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous, and Past Perfect Continuous

1. It is already 9:30 PM and I (wait)  here for over an hour. If John does not get here in the next five minutes, I am going to leave.

2. I was really angry at John yesterday. By the time he finally arrived, I (wait)  for over an hour. I almost left without him.

3. Did you hear that Ben was fired last month? He (work)  for that import company for more than ten years and he (work) in almost every department. Nobody knew the company like he did.

4. I (see)  many pictures of the pyramids before I went to Egypt. Pictures of the monuments are very misleading. The pyramids are actually quite small.

5. Sarah (climb)  the Matterhorn, (sail)  around the world, and (go) on safari in Kenya. She is such an adventurous person.

6. Sarah (climb)  the Matterhorn, (sail)  around the world and (go)  on safari in Kenya by the time she turned twenty-five. She (experience)  more by that age than most people do in their entire lives.

7. When Melanie came into the office yesterday, her eyes were red and watery. I think she (cry)

Present Continuous, Simple Past, Present Perfect Continuous, and Past Perfect Continuous

My English is really getting better. I (try)  to learn the language since 2010, but only recently have I been able to make some real progress. By the time I started high school in 2013, I (study)  the language for almost three years; however, I was only able to introduce myself and utter a few memorized sentences. For a couple more years, I (struggle)  through grammar and vocabulary lessons, which made absolutely no difference. Nothing worked, so I decided to study abroad. I found an exchange program in England that sounded like the perfect answer. I (stay)  with a host family for one month. It was a huge disappointment! I (sit) there the whole time staring at the host mother and father hoping that there would be some breakthrough. Nothing. When I returned, I mentioned to a friend that I (have)  problems with the language for years. He recommended that I spend a year in an English speaking country. I decided to go abroad again. I (research)  exchange programs for a couple of weeks and finally decided on a school in the United States. Well, it worked. I (live)  and (study)  in the U.S. for more than two years. I (stay)  here for at least another year before I return home. By then, I should be completely fluent.

The Future Perfect Tense.

Form

This tense is formed with "will" plus "have" plus the past participle of the verb (which can future. be either regular or irregular in form)

Use

1- ] The future perfect tense indicates that an action will have been completed (finished or "perfected") at some point in the future .

We use the future perfect simple (will/won't have + past participle) to talk about something that will be completed before a specific time in the future.

I will have spent all my money by this time next year.

The guests are coming at 8 p.m. I'll have finished cooking by then.

On 9 October we'll have been married for 50 years.

Will you have gone to bed when I get back?

2- ] We can use phrases like by or by the time (meaning 'at some point before') and in or in a day's time / in two months' time / in five years' time etc. (meaning 'at the end of this period') to give the time period in which the action will be completed.

I won't have written all the reports by next week.

By the time we arrive, the kids will have gone to bed.

I'll have finished in an hour and then we can watch a film.

In three years' time, I'll have graduated from university.

Future Perfect Tense Examples

I will have written articles on different topics before you come.

Robert will have read various kinds of books.

They will have played football in that field before you reach.

April will have gone to the coffee shop before she comes here.

Bob will have gone to the library before he comes to the class.

We will have shopped in that market before you come home.

We will have watched a movie in this Cineplex before you come.

You will have shopped at that market before we come.

I will have sung different kinds of songs before you join us.

I will have attended the program before I come here.

Jeff will have traveled around the world before he comes to Bangladesh.

They will have played hockey in that field before you reach.

The poet will have written a romantic poem before the program starts.

The lyricist will have written a realistic song for the film.

Will you have gone to the concert of the realistic songs before I come?

I will not have attended the program because of my busy schedule.

Robin will have joined us at the meeting before you reach.

I will have helped him to do the task before the class starts.

We will have enjoyed the musical drama before the game show starts.

I will have arranged all the necessary materials before the program starts.

Future Perfect  Continuous ( Progressive )Tense |

Form

The future perfect continuous consists of will + have + been + the verb's present participle (verb root + -ing).

Use

The future perfect progressive tense, also known as the future perfect continuous tense, is used to indicate a continuous action in the future. The activity will have begun sometime in the past, present, or in the future, and is expected to continue in the future.

An example would be, "Shannon will have been gardening for three years by then." Not only are we speaking about the future, and Shannon's gardening, but it seems to be a continuous affair. Let's take a closer look at this perfect, ongoing affair.

 They're indicating something that will happen in the future. And that "something" will be an ongoing occurrence. For example, "By that time, she will have been working here for two years."

From the perspective of the future, we're talking about the past, which is still the future to us here in the present. It sounds complicated, but we say things like this quite often. We might say, "By 3031, aliens will have been ruling our planet for 50 years."

Examples

By that time, she will have been working here for two years.

She will have been living in Ireland for ten years at that point.

If it's midnight, he will have been sleeping for four hours by then.

We will have been studying at this glorious university for three years.

When our parents get married, I will have been singing professionally for over a year.

By our 40th wedding anniversary, this plant will have been growing for 35 years.

Used in a Question

The above examples indicate statements made as declarative sentences. That is, they're simply making a statement or, perhaps, answering a question. But, the future perfect progressive tense may also be used to pose a question. The formula for these is will + subject + have been + verb (ending in -ing). Here are three examples:

At that point, will you have been living in Ireland for ten years?

Will he have been sleeping for four hours by midnight?

Will we have been studying at this university for three years at that point?

By the time our parents get married, will you have been singing for a whole year?

By our 40th wedding anniversary, will this plant have been growing for 35 years?

Negative Statements

The future perfect progressive tense may also be used in the negative form to indicate a continuous action will not be happening in the future. The formula will read will + not + have been + verb (ending in -ing). Here are three examples:

At that point, I will not have been living in Ireland for ten years - only two.

He will not have been sleeping for four hours by midnight.

By then, we will not have been studying at this university for three years.

I will not have been singing professionally for one year by the time our parents get married.

By our 40th wedding anniversary, this plant will not have been growing for 35 years.

Continuous Tenses .

The Present Continuous Tense .

Form

 The present continuous is formed using am/is/are + present participle. Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and am/is/are. Negatives are made with not.

Present Continuous Forms

Statement: You are watching TV.

Question: Are you watching TV?

Negative: You are not watching TV.

Use

1- ] The present continuous (also called present progressive) is a verb tense which is used to show that an ongoing action is happening now, either at the moment of speech or now in a larger sense. The present continuous can also be used to show that an action is going to take place in the near future. Read on for detailed descriptions, examples, and present continuous exercises.

2- ]Use the present continuous with normal verbs to express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now.

Examples:

You are learning English now.

You are not swimming now.

Are you sleeping?

I am sitting.

I am not standing.

Is he sitting or standing?

They are reading their books.

They are not watching television.

What are you doing?

Why aren't you doing your homework?

In English, "now" can mean: this second, today, this month, this year, this century, and so on. Sometimes, we use the present continuous to say that we are in the process of doing a longer action which is in progress; however, we might not be doing it at this exact second.

Examples:

I am studying to become a doctor.

I am not studying to become a dentist.

I am reading the book Tom Sawyer.

I am not reading any books right now.

Are you working on any special projects at work?

Aren't you teaching at the university now?

3- ] The present continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happens. Notice that the meaning is like simple present, but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing."

Examples:

She is always coming to class late.

He is constantly talking. I wish he would shut up.

I don't like them because they are always complaining.

t is important to remember that non-continuous verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for mixed verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses.

4- ] Instead of using present continuous with these verbs, you must use simple present.

Examples:

She is loving this chocolate ice cream. Not Correct

She loves this chocolate ice cream. Correct

5- ] Adverb Placement

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

You are still watching TV.

Are you still watching TV?

The Past Continuous Tense .

Form

Past Continuous Forms

The past continuous is formed using was/were + present participle. Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and was/were. Negatives are made with not.

Statement: You were studying when she called.

Question: Were you studying when she called?

Negative: You were not studying when she called.

Use

1- ]The past continuous (also called past progressive) is a verb tense which is used to show that an ongoing past action was happening at a specific moment of interruption, or that two ongoing actions were happening at the same time.

2- ]Use the past continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the simple past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.

Examples:

I was watching TV when she called.

When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.

While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.

What were you doing when the earthquake started?

I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear the fire alarm.

You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off.

While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.

Sammy was waiting for us when we got off the plane.

While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went off.

A: What were you doing when you broke your leg?

B: I was snowboarding.

3- ] the past continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the simple past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

Examples:

Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.

At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.

Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.

4- ]Important

In the simple past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the past continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.

Examples:

Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner.

I started eating at 6 PM.

Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.

I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner.

5- ] When you use the past continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.

Examples:

I was studying while he was making dinner.

While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.

Were you listening while he was talking?

I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I made several mistakes.

What were you doing while you were waiting?

Thomas wasn't working, and I wasn't working either.

They were eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.

6- ] Atmosphere

In English, we often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the past.

Example:

When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was yelling directions, and customers were waiting to be helped. One customer was yelling at a secretary and waving his hands. Others were complaining to each other about the bad service.

7- ] The past continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the expression used to but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing."

Examples:

She was always coming to class late.

He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.

I didn't like them because they were always complaining.

8- ] While vs. When

Clauses are groups of words which have meaning, but are often not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when she called" or "when it bit me." Other clauses begin with "while" such as "while she was sleeping" and "while he was surfing." When you talk about things in the past, "when" is most often followed by the verb tense simple past, whereas "while" is usually followed by past continuous. "While" expresses the idea of "during that time." Study the examples below. They have similar meanings, but they emphasize different parts of the sentence.

Examples:

I was studying when she called.

While I was studying, she called.

9- ] REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-continuous verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for mixed verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using past continuous with these verbs, you must use simple past.

Examples:

Jane was being at my house when you arrived. Not Correct

Jane was at my house when you arrived. Correct

10- ] ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

You were just studying when she called.

Were you just studying when she called?

Exercises

Simple Past and Past Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses

1. A: What (you, do)  when the accident occurred?

B: I (try)  to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

2. After I (find) the wallet full of money, I (go, immediately)  to the police and (turn)  it in.

3. The doctor (say)  that Tom (be)  too sick to go to work and that he (need)  to stay at home for a couple of days.

4. Sebastian (arrive)  at Susan's house a little before 9:00 PM, but she (be, not)  there. She (study, at the library)  for her final examination in French.

5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she (watch, also)

 television. That's all she ever does!

6. A: I (call)  you last night after dinner, but you (be, not)  there. Where were you?

B: I (work)  out at the fitness center.

7. When I (walk)  into the busy office, the secretary (talk) on the phone with a customer, several clerks (work, busily)  at their desks, and two managers (discuss, quietly)  methods to improve customer service.

8. I (watch)  a mystery movie on TV when the electricity went out. Now I am never going to find out how the movie ends.

9. Sharon (be)  in the room when John told me what happened, but she didn't hear anything because she (listen, not) .

10. It's strange that you (call)  because I (think, just)  about you.

11. The Titanic (cross)  the Atlantic when it (strike)  an iceberg.

12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily) and (try)  to sell their goods to naive tourists who (hunt)  for souvenirs. Some young boys (lead)  their donkeys through the narrow streets on their way home. A couple of men (argue)  over the price of a leather belt. I (walk)

 over to a man who (sell)  fruit and (buy)  a banana.

13. The firemen (rescue) the old woman who (be)  trapped on the third floor of the burning building.

14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always)  her dirty dishes in the sink. I think she (expect, actually)  me to do them for her.

15. Samantha (live)  in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live)  there when the Berlin Wall came down.

Simple Past and Past Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses

Last night, while I was doing my homework, Angela (call) . She said she (call)  me on her cell phone from her biology classroom at UCLA. I asked her if she (wait)  for class, but she said that the professor was at the front of the hall lecturing while she (talk)  to me. I couldn't believe she (make)

 a phone call during the lecture. I asked what was going on. She said her biology professor was so boring that several of the students (sleep, actually)  in class. Some of the students (talk)  about their plans for the weekend and the student next to her (draw)  a picture of a horse. When Angela (tell)

 me she was not satisfied with the class, I (mention)  that my biology professor was quite good and (suggest)  that she switch to my class. While we were talking, I (hear)  her professor yell, "Miss, are you making a phone call?" Suddenly, the line went dead. I (hang)  up the phone and went to the kitchen to make dinner. As I (cut)  vegetables for a salad, the phone rang once again. It (be) Angela, but this time she wasn't sitting in class.

Future continuous

Form

(will/won't be + -ing form)

Uses

1- ] We can use the future continuous  to talk about future actions that:

A - ]will be in progress at a specific time in the future:

When you come out of school tomorrow, I'll be boarding a plane.

Try to call before 8 o'clock. After that, we'll be watching the match.

You can visit us during the first week of July. I won't be working then.

B- ] we see as new, different or temporary:

Today we're taking the bus but next week we'll be taking the train.

He'll be staying with his parents for several months while his father is in recovery.

Will you be starting work earlier with your new job?

The Difference Between The Future Perfect And The Future Perfect Continuous .

Fortunately there's a simple way to remember the difference between these two tenses. The future perfect describes an action that will end in the future. The future continuous describes an action that will continue in the future.

 Exercises

Present Continuous Simple Present and Present Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses

1. Every Monday, Sally (drive)  her kids to football practice.

2. Usually, I (work)  as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study)  French at a language school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.

3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep)

4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain)

5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always)

6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say)  because everybody (talk)  so loudly.

7. Justin (write, currently)  a book about his adventures in Tibet. I hope he can find a good publisher when he is finished.

8. Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?

Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go)  to a movie tonight with some friends.

9. The business cards (be, normally )  printed by a company in New York. Their prices (be)  inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.

10. This delicious chocolate (be)  made by a small chocolatier in Zurich, Switzerland.

Simple Present and Present Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses

A Trekking Journal

November 12, 1997

Today (be)  the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am exhausted and my legs (shake)  ; I just hope I am able to complete the trek. My feet (kill, really)  me and my toes (bleed), but I (want, still) to continue. Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn. Everything (be)  so different, and I (try)  to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn)  a little bit of the language to make communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn, not)  foreign languages quickly. Although I (understand, not)  much yet, I believe that I (improve, gradually) . I (travel, currently)  with Liam, a student from Leeds University in England. He (be)  a nice guy, but impatient. He (walk, always)  ahead of me and (complain) that I am too slow. I (do) my best to keep up with him, but he is younger and stronger than I am. Maybe, I am just feeling sorry for myself because I am getting old. Right now, Liam (sit) with the owner of the inn. They (discuss)  the differences between life in England and life in Nepal. I (know, not)  the real name of the owner, but everybody (call, just) him Tam. Tam (speak)  English very well and he (try)  to teach Liam some words in Nepali. Every time Tam (say)  a new word, Liam (try)  to repeat it. Unfortunately, Liam (seem, also)  to have difficulty learning foreign languages. I just hope we don't get lost and have to ask for directions .

Present Continuous and Present Perfect Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses

1. It (rain)  all week. I hope it stops by Saturday because I want to go to the beach.

2. Sid: Where is Gary?

Sarah: He (study, at the library)  for his German test on Wednesday. In fact, he (review)

 for the test every day for the last week.

3. You look really great! (You, exercise)  at the fitness center ?

4. Frank, where have you been? We (wait)  for you since 1 PM.

5. Tim: What is that sound?

Nancy: A car alarm (ring) somewhere down the street. It (drive)  me crazy - I wish it would stop! It (ring) for more than twenty minutes.

6. Joseph's English (improve, really) , isn't it? He (watch)  American television programs and (study)  his grammar every day since he first arrived in San Diego. Soon he will be totally fluent.

7. Dan: You look a little tired. (You, get)  enough sleep lately?

Michelle: Yes, I (sleep)  relatively well. I just look tired because I (feel)  a little sick for the last week.

Dan: I hope you feel better soon.

Michelle: Thanks. I (take, currently)  some medicine, so I should feel better in a couple of days.

Present Continuous and Present Perfect Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses

Mr. Smith: So tell me a little bit about yourself, Mr. Harris. I would like to find out a little bit more about your background.

Mr. Harris: I (work) in the insurance industry for over ten years. I worked for Met Life for six years and World Insurance for four and a half. During that time, I heard many good things about Hollings Life Insurance and that's why I (apply)  for the new sales position.

Mr. Smith: Tell me a little about your hobbies and interests.

Mr. Harris: In my spare time, I hike in the mountains outside of town, volunteer at the Sierra Club and play tennis. In fact, I (compete) in a tennis tournament this weekend.

Mr. Smith: Really, how long (you, play)  tennis ?

Mr. Harris: I (play)  since high school. I love the sport.

Mr. Smith: Great! We like dedication here at Hollings Life. You mentioned you volunteer at the Sierra Club. I (work, currently) with them on the sea turtle project. We (try)  to create a wildlife sanctuary near the bay.

Mr. Harris: Do you know Frank Harris? He's my brother. He (work, presently)  on the same project.

Mr. Smith: I know Frank quite well. Any brother of Frank's would be a welcome addition to Hollings Life. Just one more thing, we (look) for somebody who is fluent in Spanish; many of our clients are from Mexico.

Mr. Harris: No problem. I (study)  Spanish since elementary school.

Mr. Smith: Sounds like you are the perfect candidate.

Simple Present, Simple Future, Present Continuous, and Future Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses

1. Right now, I am watching TV. Tomorrow at this time, I (watch)  TV as well.

2. Tomorrow after school, I (go)  to the beach.

3. I am going on a dream vacation to Tahiti. While you (do) paperwork and (talk)  to annoying customers on the phone, I (lie)  on a sunny, tropical beach. Are you jealous?

4. We (hide)  when Tony (arrive)  at his surprise party. As soon as he opens the door, we (jump)

 out and (scream) , "Surprise!"

5. We work out at the fitness center every day after work. If you (come)  over while we (work)

 out, we will not be able to let you into the house. Just to be safe, we (leave)  a key under the welcome mat so you will not have to wait outside.

6. While you (study)  at home, Magda (be)  in class.

7. When I (get) to the party, Sally and Doug (dance) , John (make)  drinks, Sue and Frank (discuss)

 something controversial, and Mary (complain)  about something unimportant. They are always doing the same things. They are so predictable.

8. When you (get)  off the plane, I (wait)  for you.

9. I am sick of rain and bad weather! Hopefully, when we (wake)  up tomorrow morning, the sun (shine) .

10. If you (need) to contact me sometime next week, I (stay)  at the Sheraton in San Francisco.

Stative verbs

Stative verbs describe a state rather than an action. They aren't usually used in the present continuous form.

I don't know the answer. I'm not knowing the answer.

She really likes you. She's really liking you.

He seems happy at the moment. He's seeming happy at the moment.

Stative verbs often relate to:

thoughts and opinions: agree, believe, doubt, guess, imagine, know, mean, recognize, remember, suspect, think, understand

feelings and emotions: dislike, hate, like, love, prefer, want, wish

senses and perceptions: appear, be, feel, hear, look, see, seem, smell, taste

possession and measurement: belong, have, measure, own, possess, weigh.

Verbs that are sometimes stative

A number of verbs can refer to states or actions, depending on the context.

I think it's a good idea.

Wait a moment! I'm thinking.

The first sentence expresses an opinion. It is a mental state, so we use present simple. In the second example the speaker is actively processing thoughts about something. It is an action in progress, so we use present continuous.

Some other examples are:

Have

I have an old car. (state – possession)

I'm having a quick break. (action – having a break is an activity)

See

Do you see any problems with that? (state – opinion)

We're seeing Ahmad tomorrow afternoon. (action – we're meeting him)

Be

He's so interesting! (state – his permanent quality)

He's being very unhelpful. (action – he is temporarily behaving this way)

Taste

This coffee tastes delicious. (state – our perception of the coffee)

Look! The chef is tasting the soup. (action – tasting the soup is an activity)

Other verbs like this include: agree, appear, doubt, feel, guess, hear, imagine, look, measure, remember, smell, weigh, wish.

Talking About the Present

We use the present simple to talk about:

something that is true in the present:

They live next door to us.

He works for the Post Office.

something that happens regularly in the present:

The children come home from school at about four.

We often see your brother at work.

something that is always true:

Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

The Nile is the longest river in Africa.

We use the present continuous to talk about:

1- ]something happening at the moment of speaking:

I can't hear you. I'm listening to a podcast.

Please be quiet. The children are sleeping.

2- ]something happening regularly in the present before and after a specific time:

I'm usually having breakfast at this time in the morning.

When I see George he's usually reading his Kindle.

3- ]something in the present which we think is temporary:

Michael is at university. He's studying history.

I love Harry Potter. I'm reading the last book.

4- ]something which is new and contrasts with a previous state:

Nowadays people are sending text messages instead of phoning.

I hear you've moved house. Where are you living now?

5- ]something which is changing, growing or developing:

The weather is getting colder.

Our grandchildren are growing up quickly.

6- ]something which happens again and again:

It's always raining in London.

They are always arguing.

George is great. He's always laughing.

- Note that we normally use always with this use.

7- ]We use modal verbs:

A- ]to talk about the present when we are not sure of something:

I don't know where Henry is. He might be playing tennis.

'Who's knocking at the door?' – 'I don't know. It could be the police.'

B- ]to talk about things like ability (can) and obligation (should):

I can speak English quite well but I can't speak French at all.

You should do your homework before you go out.

Talking About the Past

Past events and situations

1- ]We use the past simple to talk about:

A- ]something that happened once in the past:

The film started at seven thirty.

We arrived home before dark.

B- ] something that was true for some time in the past:

Everybody worked hard through the winter.

We stayed with our friends in London.

C- ]When we talk about something that happened several times in the past, we use the past simple:

Most evenings, we stayed at home and watched DVDs.

Sometimes they went out for a meal.

 2- ] or used to:

Most evenings, we used to stay at home and watch DVDs.

We used to go for a swim every morning.

3- ] or would:

Most evenings, he would take the dog for a walk.

They would often visit friends in Europe.

- We do not normally use would with stative verbs. We use the past simple or used to instead:

He would looked much older than he does now. (NOT would look)

We would used to feel very cold in winter. (NOT would feel)

4- ]We use the past continuous:

A- ]for something that happened before and after a specific time in the past:

It was just after ten. I was watching the news on TV.

At half-time we were losing 1–0.

B- ]for something that happened before and after another action in the past:

He broke his leg when he was playing rugby.

She saw Jim as he was driving away.

The Past in the Past

We use the past perfect when we are looking back from a point in the past to something earlier in the past:

Helen suddenly remembered she had left her keys in the car.

When we had done all our shopping, we caught the bus home.

They wanted to buy a new computer, but they hadn't saved enough money.

They would have bought a new computer if they had saved enough money.

The Past and The Present

We use the present perfect:

A- ]for something that started in the past and continues in the present:

We have lived here since 2017. [and we still live here]

I have been working at the university for over ten years.

B- ]for something that happened in the past but is important in the present:

I can't open the door. I've left my keys in the car.

Jenny has found a new job. She works in a supermarket now.

Be careful!

1- ] We do not use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a finished past time:

yesterday , last week/month/year /in 2010 when I was younger  etc.

I have seen that film yesterday.

We have just bought a new car last week.

When we were children we have been to California.

2- ] but we can use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a time which is not yet finished:

today / this morning, week ,year now that I am eighteen   etc.

Have you seen Helen today?

We have bought a new car this week.

The future in the past

When we talk about the future from a time in the past we use:

1- ] would as the past tense of will:

He thought he would buy one the next day.

Everyone was excited. The party would be fun.

2- ]was/were going to:

John was going to drive and Mary was going to follow on her bicycle.

It was Friday. We were going to set off the next day.

3- ]the past continuous:

It was September. Mary was starting school the next week.

We were very busy. Our guests were arriving soon and we had to get their room ready.

The past with modal verbs

1- ]could is the past tense of can:

You could get a good meal for a pound when I was a boy.

2- ] would is the past tense of will:

He said he would come but he forgot.

3- ]We use may have, might have and could have to show that something has possibly happened in the past:

I'll telephone him. He might have got home early.

She's very late. She could have missed her train.

4- ] We use should have as the past form of should:

I didn't know he was ill. He should have told me.

You shouldn't have spent so much money.

5- ] We use would have and could have to talk about something that was possible in the past but did not happen:

I could have gone to Mexico for my holiday but it was too expensive.

I would have called you, but I had forgotten my phone.

They would have gone out if the weather had been better.

Talking About The Future

1- ]When we know about the future, we normally use the present tense.

- We use the present simple for something scheduled:

We have a lesson next Monday.

The train arrives at 6.30 in the morning.

The holidays start next week.

It's my birthday tomorrow.

2-  ]We can use the present continuous for plans or arrangements:

I'm playing football tomorrow.

They are coming to see us tomorrow.

We're having a party at Christmas.

3- ] We use will:

A- ] when we express beliefs about the future:

It will be a nice day tomorrow.

I think Brazil will win the World Cup.

I'm sure you will enjoy the film.

B- ] to mean want to or be willing to:

I hope you will come to my party.

George says he will help us.

C- ] to make offers and promises :

I'll see you tomorrow.

We'll send you an email.

D- ] to talk about offers and promises:

Tim will be at the meeting.

Mary will help with the cooking.

4- ]. We use be going to:

A- ] to talk about plans or intentions:

I'm going to drive to work today.

They are going to move to Manchester.

B- ]to make predictions based on evidence we can see:

Be careful! You are going to fall. (= I can see that you might fall.)

Look at those black clouds. I think it's going to rain. (= I can see that it will rain.)

5- ] We use will be with an -ing form for something happening before and after a specific time in the future:

I'll be working at eight o'clock. Can you come later?

They'll be waiting for you when you arrive.

6- ]We can use will be with an -ing form instead of the present continuous or be going to when we are talking about plans, arrangements and intentions:

They'll be coming to see us next week.

I'll be driving to work tomorrow.

7- ] We often use verbs like would like, plan, want, mean, hope, expect to talk about the future:

What are you going to do next year? I'd like to go to university.

We plan to go to France for our holidays.

George wants to buy a new car.

8- ] We use modals may, might and could when we are not sure about the future:

I might stay at home tonight or I might go to the cinema.

We could see Mary at the meeting. She sometimes goes.

9- ] We can use should if we think there's a good chance of something happening:

We should be home in time for tea.

The game should be over by eight o'clock.

Continuous Aspect

We use continuous aspect:

1- ]for something happening before and after a specific time:

He's getting on the train. (before and after the moment of speaking)

It was a quarter past ten. We were watching the news on television.

2- ] for something happening before and after another action:

Mother will be cooking the dinner when we get home.

We were waiting for the bus when it started to rain.

3- ] for something continuing for some time:

Everybody will be waiting for us.

They had been working hard all day.

4- ] for something happening again and again:

They've been doing that every day this week.

The children were always shouting.

He will be practicing the piano every night.

5- ] for something temporary:

We are renting an apartment until our house is ready.

He was working in a garage during the vacation.

6- ]for something new:

We have moved from Birmingham. We're living in Manchester now.

He had left university and was working in his father's business.

7- ]to describe something changing or developing:

Everything has been getting more difficult.

He was growing more bad-tempered every day.

Perfect Aspect

We use perfect aspect to look back from a specific time and talk about things up to that time or about things that are important at that time.

1- ]We use the present perfect to look back from the present:

I have always enjoyed working in Italy. [and I still do]

She has left home, so she cannot answer the phone.

2- ]We use the past perfect to look back from a time in the past:

It was 2006. I had enjoyed working in Italy for the past five years.

She had left home, so she could not answer the phone.

3- ]We use will with the perfect to look back from a time in the future:

By next year I will have worked in Italy for 15 years.

She will have left home by 8.30, so she will not be able to answer the phone.

1- ]Present Perfect

1- ]We use the present perfect:

1- ] for something that started in the past and continues in the present:

They've been married for nearly 50 years.

She has lived in Liverpool all her life.

2- ]when we are talking about our experience up to the present:

I've seen that film before.

I've played the guitar ever since I was a teenager.

He has written three books and he is working on another one.

3- ] for something that happened in the past but is important in the present:

I can't get in the house. I've lost my keys.

Teresa isn't at home. I think she has gone shopping.

2- ]We normally use the present perfect continuous to emphasize that something is still continuing in the present:

It's been raining for hours.

I'm tired out. I've been working all day.

Past perfect

3- ]We use the past perfect:

1- ]for something that started in the past and continued up to a later time in the past:

When George died, he and Anne had been married for nearly 50 years.

She didn't want to move. She had lived in Liverpool all her life.

2- ] when we are reporting our experience up to a point in the past:

My eighteenth birthday was the worst day I had ever had.

I was pleased to meet George. I hadn't met him before, even though I had met his wife several times.

3- ] for something that happened in the past and is important at a later time in the past:

I couldn't get into the house. I had lost my keys.

Teresa wasn't at home. She had gone shopping.

4- ] We use the past perfect continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up to a time in the past or was important at that time in the past:

Everything was wet. It had been raining for hours.

He was a wonderful guitarist. He had been playing ever since he was a teenager.

4- ] Modals with the perfect

1- ] We use will with the perfect to show that something will be complete at or before some time in the future:

In a few years they will have discovered a cure for the common cold.

I can come out tonight. I'll have finished my homework by then.

2- ] We use would with the perfect to refer to something that did not happen in the past:

If you had asked me, I would have helped you.

I would have helped you, but you didn't ask me.

You didn't ask me or I would have helped you.

3- ] We use other modals with the perfect when we are looking back from a point in time. The point of time may be in the future:

We'll meet again next week. We might have finished the work by then.

I will phone at six o'clock. He should have got home by then.

5- ] or the present:

It's getting late. They should have arrived by now.

He's still not here. He must have missed his train.

6- ] or the past:

I wasn't feeling well. I must have eaten something bad.

I checked my mobile phone. She could have left a message.