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О.М. Набока
Н.О. Коваль
ENGLISH TENSES
THEORY
«Астропринт»
Одеса
2006
2
2. The interrogative and the negative forms are formed by means of the Present
Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to do and the infinitive of the notional verb
without the particle to.
I don’t work
He doesn’t work
They don’t work
Verbs ending in -ss, -sh, -ch, -x and -о add es, instead of s alone, to form the third person
singular:
I kiss, he kisses I box, he boxes
I rush, he rushes I do, he does
I watch, he watches I go, he goes
When -у follows a consonant we change the у into i and add -es:
I carry, he carries
I copy, he copies
I try, he tries
but verbs ending in у following a vowel obey the usual rule:
I obey, he obeys
I say, he says
I live in St.-Petersburg.
Most dogs bark.
2. to state general rules or laws of nature, that is to show that something was true in the past,
is true in the present, and will be true in the future.
Snow melts at 0 C.
Two plus two makes four.
3. to denote recurrent actions or everyday activity. This use is often associated with such
adverbial modifiers of frequency as often
seldom
sometimes
occasionally
always
never
ever
every year ( week, month, day )
usually
once ( twice, thrice ) a year
daily
on Sundays and the like
He usually wakes up around six o’clock and has his cup of coffee.
On Sundays we stay at home.
Do you often go to the dancing hall?
4. to denote actions and states continuing at the moment of speaking (with stative and
relational verbs).
5. to express an instantaneous action which takes place at the moment of speaking but it is not
viewed in its progress. The speaker just names the occurrence itself, the actions as such.
7. to express a succession of point actions taking place at the moment of speaking (in the
outlines of novels, plays, stage directions, films, demonstrations, etc. It is often used by radio
commentators at sports events).
6
Now I peel the apples, slice them and put them into the dish. (demonstration )
When the curtain rises, Juliet is writing at her desk. Suddenly the window opens and
a masked man enters. (the action of the play)
Now watch me closely: I take a match, light it, put it into the glass and … oh,
nothing happens!
8. to denote future actions. Mostly with verbs of motion ( to go, to come, to start, to leave, to
return, to arrive, to sail, etc.) usually if the actions denote a settled plan and the future time is
indicated:
I go to Moscow next.
She leaves for England in two months
But I must have the doctor handy, in case she feels worse.
Unless you take the brake off the car won’t move.
13. in narratives or stories to express a succession of actions in the past to make it more
vividly (the so-called historic or dramatic present).
It was so unexpected. You see, I came home late last night, turned on the light and -
Whom do you see I think? Jack, old Jack, sleeping in the chair.
I give a cry and rush to him.
14. to denote completed actions with the meaning of the present perfect (with the verbs to
forget, to hear, to be told).
15. in object clauses after to see (to), to take care, and to make (be) sure.
17. to indicate a future action which is certain to take place according to a timetable,
programme, schedule, command or arrangement worked out for a person or persons
officially. In this case the sentence usually contains an indication of time.
His ship sails tomorrow.
Can you tell me what time the game starts today, please?
When does Tom return from honeymoon?
18. To express immediate future in some special questions.
What do we do next?
Where do we go now?
What happens next?
19. with the verb say, when we are asking about or quoting from books, notices or very
recently received letters.
What does that letter say?
I see you have got a letter from Ann. What does she say?
Shakespeare says, » Neither a borrower nor a lender be”
8
THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
2. In the interrogative from the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject. In the
negative form the negative particle not is placed after the auxiliary verb.
I’m reading
She’s reading
We’re reading
Am I not reading?
Is she not reading?
Isn’t she reading?
Are you not reading?
Aren’t you reading?
Argue, arguing
Hate, hating
Love, loving
Except after age, dye and singe:
Ageing
Dyeing
Singeing
and verbs ending in ее:
agree, agreeing
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see, seeing
2. When a verb of one syllable has one vowel and ends in a single consonant, this
consonant is
doubled before -ing:
hit, hitting
run, running
stop, stopping
Verbs of two or more syllables whose last syllable contains only one vowel and ends in a
single consonant double this consonant if the stress falls on the last syllable:
admit, admitting
begin, beginning
prefer, preferring
but
budget, budgeting
enter, entering
(stress not on the last syllable).
A final 1 after a single vowel is, however, always doubled:
signal, signalling
travel, travelling
(except in American English.)
3. -ing can be added to a verb ending in у without affecting the spelling of the verb:
carry, carrying
enjoy, enjoying
hurry, hurrying
1. actions or events which are in progress at the moment of speaking. To emphasize this, we
often use adverbials like now, at the moment, just, etc.:
Someone's knocking at the door. Can you answer it?
What are you doing? - I'm just tying up my shoe-laces.
He's working at the moment, so he can't come to the telephone.
What's the baby doing? ~ He's tearing up a £5 note
2. for an action happening about this time but not necessarily at the moment of speaking:
3. for a definite arrangement in the near future (the most usual way of expressing one's
immediate plans):
Note that the time of the action must always be mentioned, as otherwise there might be
confusion between present and future meanings, come and go, however, can be used in this
way without a time expression.
4. with a point in time to indicate an action which begins before this point and probably
continues after it:
5. to express the action generally characterizing the person denoted by the subject, bringing
out the person’s typical traits. Often the adverbial modifiers always and constantly are found
in these sentences:
You are constantly complaining that you have too much to do.
He is always losing his keys.
The Present Continuous in this case imparts a subjective, emotionally coloured tone.When no
emotional colouring is implied, the Present Indefinite is used:
6. for a frequently repeated action, usually when the frequency annoys the speaker or
seems unreasonable to him:
(Present continuous) would imply that he goes away very often, probably too often in
the speaker's opinion.
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7. for an action which appears to be continuous:
This sort of action quite often annoys the speaker but doesn't necessarily do so
The continuous tenses are chiefly used for deliberate actions. Some verbs are, therefore, not
normally used in the continuous and have only one present tense, the simple present. These
verbs can be grouped as follows:
I.Verbs of the senses (involuntary actions): feel, hear, see, smell; also notice and observe
(= notice), and feel, look, taste used as link verbs.
Verbs such as gaze, listen, look (at), observe (= watch), stare and watch imply deliberate
use of the senses, and can, of course, be used in the continuous tenses:
Watch! ~ I am watching but I don't see anything unusual.
He is listening to a tape, but he's wearing earphones so nobody else
hears it.
II. Verbs expressing feelings,emotions and wish , e.g. admire (= respect), 1 adore,
appreciate (= value), care for (= like), desire, detest, dislike, fear, hate, like, loathe,
love, mind (= care), respect, value, want, wish.
But the continuous can be used with admire meaning 'look at with admiration', appreciate
meaning 'increase in value', care for meaning 'look after', long for, mind meaning 'look
after/concern oneself with', value meaning 'estimate the financial worth of, enjoy and
sometimes like/love meaning 'enjoy', and hate meaning the opposite, though it is safer to use
the simple tenses with like, love and hate:
He's enjoying his holiday in the Arctic He hates touristy places and
he doesn 't mind the cold.
I'm minding my own business.
How are you liking/Do you like your new job? ~
I'm hating it/I hate it. I just don't like work, you see.
III. Verbs of mental activity , e.g. agree, appreciate ( = understand), assume, believe,
expect (= think), feel (= think), feel sure/certain, forget, know, mean, perceive,
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realize, recall, recognize, recollect, remember, see (= understand), see through
someone (= penetrate his attempt to deceive), suppose, think ( = have an opinion), trust
(= believe/have confidence in), understand. But the continuous can be used with appreciate
meaning 'to increase in value', doubt, guess, imagine, prefer.
V. Verbs denoting abstract relations: be, have, depend, fit, deserve, include,
involve, lack, need, resemble, appear (= seem), concern, consist, contain, hold
(= contain), keep (= continue), matter, seem, signify, sound (= seem/appear):
It concerns us all. This box contains explosives.
But appear meaning 'to come before the public' can be used in the continuous.
VI. Verbs denoting physical properties of objects: measure (=have length, width, etc.), taste (=have
a flavour), smell (=give a smell), weigh (=have weigh).
VII. Verbs denoting effect or influence: astonish, impress, please, satisfy, surprise.
2. look
The continuous is not used with look used as a link verb, e.g. That cake looks good, or with look
on (= consider), look up to (= respect) and look down on (= despise) (see chapter 38). But
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look (at), look for/in/into/out and look on (= watch) are deliberate actions and can be used in
the continuous tenses:
He is looking for his glasses.
I'm looking out for a better job.
3. smell
The continuous is not used with smell meaning 'perceive a scent/an odour', e.g. I smell gas,
or with smell used as a link verb, but can be used with smell meaning 'sniff at':
Why are you smelling the milk? Does it smell sour?
4.taste
taste as a link verb is not used in the continuous:
This coffee tastes bitter, (has a bitter taste) But taste meaning 'to test the flavour of
can be used in the continuous:
She was tasting the pudding to see if it was sweet enough.
1. see can be used in the continuous when it means 'meet by appointment' (usually for
business), 'interview':
The director is seeing the applicants this morning,
1 am seeing my solicitor tomorrow.
Also when it means 'visit' (usually as a tourist):
Tom is seeing the town/the sights.
It can also be used in the continuous in the following combinations: see about = make
arrangements or enquiries:
We are seeing about a work permit for you. (trying to arrange this) see to = arrange,
put right, deal with:
The plumber is here. He is seeing to the leak in our tank. see somebody out =
escort him/her to the door. see somebody home = escort him/her home, see somebody
to + place = escort him/her to + place:
ANN: Is Bill seeing you home after the party?
MARY: No, he's just seeing me to my bus.
see someone off = say goodbye to a departing traveller at the starting point of his journey
(usually the station, airport etc.):
We 're leaving tomorrow. Bill is seeing us off at the airport.
2. hear can be used in the continuous when it means 'listen formally to' (complaints/evidence etc.):
The court is hearing evidence this afternoon.
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hear meaning 'receive news or letters' can also be used in the continuous form but only in
the present perfect and future:
I've been hearing all about your accident.
You 'll be hearing about the new scheme at our next meeting.
1.think can be used in the continuous when no opinion is given or asked for:
What are you thinking about? - I ' m thinking about the play we saw last night.
But
What do you think of it? (opinion asked for) ~ / don't think much of it. (opinion
given)
Tom is thinking of emigrating. What do you think of the idea? ~
I think it is a stupid idea. He should stay where he is.
2. assume can be used in the continuous when it means 'accept as a starting point':
I'm assuming that you have time to do a lot of research.
assume power/control of a country or organization can also be the continuous:
The new government is assuming power at once.
The Past Indefinite is formed by adding -ed or -d to the stem (regular verbs),
or by changing the root vowel, or in some other ways (irregular verbs).
2. The interrogative and the negative forms are formed by means of the Present Indefinite of
the auxiliary verb to do and the Infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to.
I didn`t work
She didn`t work
The rules about doubling the final consonant when adding ing (see p.6) apply also when adding -
ed:
admit, admitted
stop, stopped
travel, travelled
Verbs ending in -у following a consonant change the -у into -i before adding -ed:
carry, carried
try, tried
but -у following a vowel does not change:
obey, obeyed.
1. The Past Indefinite denotes a single action performed within a period of time which is
already over. The action is cut off from the present. The time of the action may be
indicated by adverbials of past time, such as yesterday,
the day before yesterday,
a week ago,
last year,
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in 1971, etc.
The Past Indefinite can correspond to the Russian past perfective and past imperfective
(совершенный и несовершенный вид).
The time of the action may be implied in the situation through the mention of the place of
the action or other attending circumstances.
Note: The Simple Past, never the Present Perfect, is used in questions beginning
with when, because when implies a certain moment in the past. The answer can be
either in the Past Indefinite or in the Present Perfect, depending on the situation:
The Past Indefinite is also used in special questions beginning with where and how
when they refer to the past events. The Present Perfect is not common here because
the attention in such sentences is drawn to the circumstances of the action rather than
to the occurrence itself, which means that the speaker has a definite action in mind.
Where did your uncle receive his guests?" "Right here."
How did he get in?" I asked, and Evans said, "Oh, he has a key."
Where is my hat? Where did I leave my hat?"
Yet the Past Indefinite may also be found in present time context with such adverbial
modifiers of time as this morning,
tonight,
today,etc.
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if the period is over or reference is made to a particular past point of time within that
period
Did you see the letter in the “Times” this morning?(It is no longer morning)
2. In narrations to express a succession of action of past actions.
5. To express polite inquiries, etc. The simple past does not always refer to past time. It can
also be used for polite inquries (particularly asking for favours), often with verbs like hope,
think or wonder. Compare:
Note. In English there are special means of expressing a recurrent or perma nent action in the
past. They are used to + infinitive and would + infinitive. Used (pronounced [ju:st]) to +
infinitive has only one form — that of the past tense which occurs in present-time- and past-
time contexts. It generally serves to express recurrent actions which may be either point actions
or actions of some duration.
Sometimes used to + infinitive with a durative verb serves to express an action giving a
permanent characteristic of the subject of the sentence in the past. In this case it implies
contrast between the past and the present — what was typical of the past is no longer true at
present. This meaning is naturally found in present-time contexts.
The negative and interrogative forms of used to + infinitive are very seldom found and
there is fluctuation in the way they are built up.
It is necessary to point out that occasionally used to + infinitive is found where normally
the Past Perfect would be used.
He ordered dinner, and sat down in the very corner, at the very table perhaps,
at which he and young Jolyon used to sit twenty-five years ago.
Would + infinitive is more restricted in its application than used to + infinitive. It is found
only in past-time contexts and serves to express only recurrent ac tions. On the whole, would +
infinitive is typical of literary style.
She would often wake up screaming in the night.
She seemed able to do nothing for an infinite time without feeling bored.
Sometimes I would go out and sit with her for a little on the grass. He was usually active
and interested, but sometimes he would have fits of depression.
7. To express an action going on at a given past moment. Gener ally this meaning is
rendered by the Past Continuous . But we resort to the Past Indefinite in the following
cases:
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a) The use of the Past Indefinite becomes obligatory with stative verbs.
She sipped her coffee and pulled a face. She thought it tasted horrible.
She was ill at ease, and he felt sorry for her. He wanted all her troubles
for himself at that moment.
b) The Past Indefinite may be used instead of the Past Continuous with certain durative verbs.
They are to sit, to stand, to lie, to hang, to shine, to gleam, to talk, to speak, to wear, to carry, to
walk and some others. In such cases the action as such is only named, and it is often the
circumstances under which it takes place that are really important.
Barbara and Basil sat in the garden after lunch. The smoke from Basil's
cigar hung on the humid air.
The lights in the house were out, but a rising moon gleamed against one
window in the room where little Mary slept.
We went to the bus stop. The full moon shone down on the lightless blind-
faced street.
His hair was newly cut, he wore a stiff white collar, a bowler hat, a thin gold
watch-chain and other marks of respectability, and he carried a new umbrella.
Note. Note that when we speak of inanimate things the Past Indefinite is the norm with
the verbs mentioned above.
Outside, beyond the colonnade, the ground froze hard and the trees
stood out white against the leaden sky.
8. To express a future action viewed from the past. This use is found in reported speech and
is structurally dependent. It occurs in clauses of time, condition and concession;the
Future-in-the-Past or modal verbs are usually used in the principal clause in this case.
He knew that she was determined to marry him, and would, if she thought
it useful, lie and cheat and steal until she brought it off.
9. The Past Indefinite may have a special form which is used for emphasis. This
emphatic form is built analytically,by means of the Past Indefinite of the auxiliary
verb to do followed by the infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to.The
auxiliary is heavily stressed in this case.
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I did insist on it.
He did participated in this conference.
1. The Past Continuous is formed by means of the Past Indefinite of the auxiliary verb
to be and Participle I of the notional verb.
2. In the interrogative from the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
3. In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the auxiliary verb.
Though there was no apparent sense in his words, they all knew that he was
referring to June. She looked unbelievingly at him. Surely he was joking.
2. The Past Continuous is used to express an action going on at a given period of time in the
past.
In this case the precise limits of the action are not known either. The indication of the past period
of time is generally deduced from the context but it may be also indicated in the sentence in
various ways which have no special form.
Wakefield was in New York when news of the illness of Nicholas reached him. He was
Andrew had no idea whether he was doing well or badly in his exams.
He remembered that Helen had met her first husband when she was working in a New
York publishing house.
As a rule, this use of Past Continuous does not imply that the action is in process uninterruptedly
all that period of time. Moreover, it usually means that the action does not fill up the whole period,
the main implication being that it is generally the most characteristic feature of the doer of the
action during that period of time. This idea is derived from the descriptive character of the
Continuous form.
Note. As has been said, the Past Indefinite is preferred to the Past Continuous when
attention is focused on the manner in which the action is performed, i.e. when there is an
adverbial modifier of manner or comparison in the sentence.However, the Past Continuous is
occasionally found, too.
She was speaking with difficulty, as though she had to think hard about each word.
3. Owing to its dynamic character, the Past Continuous may be used to express actions
generally characterizing the person denoted by the subject, i.e. bringing out the person's
typical traits. Often such adverbial modifiers as always, constantly, perpetually, for ever, etc. are
found in this case in the sentence.
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"Archer's tray," Adeline said, indicating it with a bandaged thumb. She was always
suffering from a cut or a burn.
He was always experimenting. He wasn't really a doctor, he was a bacteriologist.
She was noisy and constantly trying to attract attention by any means.
This application also has descriptive force, the characteristic given to the subject of the sentence is
emotionally coloured.
4. The Past Continuous is also found to indicate a future action viewed from the past. It is
an action which is supposed to take place in the near future due to a previous arrangement. The time
of the action need not always be mentioned as it is easily understood from the situation.
5. The Past Continuous may serve to denote unreality (referring to the present or future or
simultaneous with another action). This use is structurally dependent as it is found in
certain types of subordinate clauses, mainly in clauses of condition and concession, in object
clauses after the verb to wish, in clauses of comparison and in object clauses after the expression it
is time.
If I were describing the chap in one of my unsaleable stories I should write of him as
being five-foot-nine. Even if he were not being offensive, he would have tempted me to
say something hard.
" I wish you were coming with us, Mrs Whiteoak," said Swift.
They were eating their ice-cream with concentration, as though they were making
an experiment in the college laboratory.
***
It should be borne in mind that there are the same restrictions to the use of the Past
Continuous as to the application of the Present Continuous in so far as the lexical character of
verbs is concerned.
Like the Present Continuous, the Past Continuous may be found with verbs which normally
do not admit of the Continuous form. It occurs either because the verb has changed its meaning or
for reasons of emotional colouring.
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He gazed at the picture. It surprised him. He had always liked it, but it seemed that now
he was seeing it for the first time.
I was seeing George regularly now. He took me as an equal. I had a horrid feeling
that she was seeing right through me and knowing all about me.
The butler had replied that Lord Percy was confined to bed and was seeing nobody.
The next morning, as 1 was going out of the college, I met the Master in the court.
"1 was wanting to catch you, Eliot," he said. They followed the path across a
stubble field where small birds were finding their evening meal.
He felt he was being the little ray of sunshine about the home and making a good
impression. Nothing that I could say would convince him that I was not being
intentionally humourous.
With some verbs the Past Continuous or the Past Indefinite may be used without any marked
change of meaning as these verbs in themselves imply continuity or duration. This, in the first
place, refers to the verbs to feel, to wear and to look.
Cf. His thoughts were interrupted by Ted Newton, the dentist, who stopped at the table
It is important for practical purposes to consider the following sentence patterns in which
we find the Past Indefinite and/or the Past Continuous used in different combinations with each
other.
1) There is a sentence pattern which is a complex sentence with a clause of time introduced
by the conjunction as. Within that pattern there may be three different kinds of time relation
between the actions of the principal and the subordinate clauses.
a) The actions of the two clauses may be fully simultaneous. In this case the Past Indefinite
is commonly found in both clauses.
I watched him as he drank his tea.
Renny and Piers talked little as they drove home.
Christian listened with a kind of hypnotized boredom as
Norman continued to hold forth. She was sitting half-in, half-out of the shadow,
and she seldom looked at my father as she spoke.
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Occasionally the Past Continuous is found in the principal clause whereas the Past Indefinite
is still used in the clause of time. It usually happens when the verb in the principal clause is
terminative and the Past Indefinite would indicate a completed action.
As we walked along the country footpath, 1 was myself sorting out my official thoughts
collecting what I could safely say to Drawbell.
And as 1 poured her out a glass of sherry, she was saying: "I always imagined you
darker than Martin."
b) The actions of the principal and the subordinate clauses may be partially simultaneous, when
the action of the subordinate clause serves as a background for the action of the principal clause
which is usually a shorter accomplished action. In this case we normally find the Past Continuous
in the subordinate clause and the Past Indefinite in the principal clause.
As he and Renny were passing the closed door of a bedroom Renny said, "In there is
my Uncle Nicholas. You'll meet him later."
But as I was playing with the baby she remarked, all of a sudden: "Lewis, you'd
rather be alone, wouldn't you?" One evening just as I was leaving the office, Martin
rang me up.
c) The actions of the two clauses may form a succession. In this case, naturally, only the Past
Indefinite is found.
As she turned the corner and advanced toward the court a man standing near the
gates moved in her direction.
As the sun disappeared, a fresh breeze stirred the new curtains at the window.
I saw his eyes flash. As they met mine, I knew in my heart that his resolve was
formed.
As I turned back into the room a gust of wind crashed the door shut behind me.
2) There is a sentence pattern which is a complex sentence with a clause of time introduced by
the conjunction while. Here we find two different kinds of time relation between the actions of the
two clauses.
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a) The actions may be fully simultaneous. In this case either the Past Continuous or the Past
Indefinite is used in the subordinate clause and the Past Indefinite is normally found in the
principal clause.
Roma said nothing but looked from one face to the other while they discussed
plans.
While this chilly interchange was being carried on, the minds of both were fixed on the
woman whom Chase had lately married. She sat, still as a statue, while he played the
piano.
b) The actions may be partially simultaneous. In this case the action of the subordinate clause
serves as a background for the action of the principal clause which is a shorter accomplished
action. So the Past Indefinite is always used in the principal clause while in the subordinate clause
either the Past Indefinite or the Past Continuous is found.
They gave each other appraising looks, while Christian regarded them both with
a detached interest.
While Christian was still regarding the broken glass in dismay Pheasant appeared in
her nightdress. "See what I've done," he exclaimed.
While I was reading, I heard a splash from the bath and I realized that Martin
must be there.
While he stood there wondering what sort of pictures to hang on the walls he heard a
step and Maurice stood in the doorway looking in at him.
1. to denote the speaker’s opinions, assumptions, speculations about the future (often with I
believe,expect, hope, think, assume, be afraid, know, wonder, suppose etc. or accompanied by
adverbs such as perhaps, possibly, probably,surely, but can be used without them).
It can express a single point action that will be completed in the future or an action
occupying a whole period of time in the future.
It can also express some permanent future actions generally characterizing the person
denoted by the subject of the sentence.
I'm afraid he'll be a bit lonely, poor darling.
The old age pension will keep me in bread, tea and onions, and what more
does an old man want?
The peculiarity of this tense is that its meaning contains some modelity, i. e. that of possibility,
necessity or volition. Thus any action in the future is an action which is possible, necessary or
desirable.
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Note. The form “will+ Infinitive” may be used even in subordinate clauses of condition when the
meaning of modality (volition) prevails over that of time indication.
I’ll be with you in ten minutes if you will wait for me.
Going my way?” “Yes. If you will give me a lift.
NB! In if-clause or time clause we don’t use the future indefinite even when the meaning is
future
I shall wait in the next room and come back when she's gone. We'll
just talk about the weather and the crops for a few minutes and
then we'll have dinner.
8. in requests
Will you do me a favour?
10. in threats
I won’t speak to you ever again.
11. in suggestions
Shall I go for a work?
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Shall I start reading?
The Future Continuous is formed by means of the Future Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to be
and Participle I of the notional verb.
1. In the interrogative form the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary verb.
I`ll be working
He`ll be working
They `ll be working
I shan`t be working
He won`t be working
1. The Future Continuous is used to denote an action which will be going on at a definite
moment in the future.
I wonder whether we shall ever arrive at a decision. I am sure the next time
you call we shall still be wavering.
This time tomorrow I’ll be skiing.
Good luck with the exam. We’ll be thinking of you.
The definite moment is indicated either by another future action expressed by a verb in the Present
Indefinite or by an adverbial phrase.
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The definite moment is often not expressed, but is understood from the situation.
2. The Future Continuous is very often used in modern English in the same meaning as the
Future Indefinite, i. e. to denote a future action.
4. To ask about people’s plans, especially when we want something or want someone to do
something
The Present Perfect is built by means of the auxiliary verb to have in the Present Indefinite and
Participle II of the notional verb (with regular verbs the Participle is formed by adding the suffix –
ed, irregular verbs are used in the form of Participle II according to the list of irregular verbs).
In the interrogative form the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the auxiliary verb.
I’ve worked
He’s worked
You’ve worked
I haven’t worked
He hasn’t worked
You haven’t worked
1. In English we usually use the Present Perfect to talk about actions in the past when we are
not thinking or talking about the exact time that they took place. The time is not important.
However there may be results or effects now.
2. We can use the Present Perfect for longer actions which started in the past and are still
happening.
3. We use the present perfect to show that an action happened during a period of time up to
now.
4. We use the Present Perfect for an action that happened in the past and may happen again.
We can show that something will not happen again by using the past simple.
Compare:
I went to the circus last year.
(Now it has left and I can’t go again.)
5. We can use the Present Perfect with the following “time guides”: just, already, yet, always,
ever, never, often, lately, of late, recently, so far, up to now, repeatedly.
What a boring film! It’s the most boring film I’ve ever seen.
7. We use the Present Perfect with This is the first time…, It’s the first time….
Ron is driving a car. It’s his first time behind the wheel of a car. This is the first time
he has driven a car.
Is this the first time you’ve been in hospital?
8. We use the Present Perfect with for + length of time and since + a time in the past. We use
the Present Perfect to ask or say how long something has been happening up to now. We
use the Past Indefinite to say when something happened.
How long have you been here? - I have been here for two weeks.
I have been here since Monday.
We do not use for in expressions with all (all day / all morning / all week / all my life etc.)
◆In the clause introduced by since the Past Indefinite is used to indicate the starting point of
an action.
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Your daughter has become a real beauty since I saw her last.
The Present Perfect Continuous is formed by means of the Present Perfect of the auxiliary verb to
be and Participle I of the notional verb. Participle I is formed by adding the suffix -ing to the stem
of the verb.
In the interrogative form the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary verb.
Affirmative Negative
I have been working I have not been working
You have been working You have not been working
He/she/it has been working He/she/it has not been working
We have been working We have not been working
They have been working They have not been working
Interrogative
Have I been working?
Have you been working?
Has he/she/it been working?
Have we been working?
Have they been working?
1. We use the Present Perfect Continuous for action that started in the past and is still
happening. Usually if the action started a few minutes or hours ago, we use the Present
Perfect Continuous, and if it has been happening for longer, we can use either the simple or
continuous form.
2. We use the Present Perfect Continuous when we talk about an action (quite a long action)
which began in the past and has recently stopped or just stopped.
That man over there is bright red. I think he’s been sunbathing.
3. We often use the Present Perfect Continuous with verbs like learn, lie (on the bed), live, rest,
sleep, sit, stand, stay, which describe states of being rather than actions.
4. We can also use the continuous form when we want to emphasize how long something has
been happening.
I’ve been learning Italian for six years and I still can’t speak it properly!
The continuous or simple form can be used for actions repeated over a long period.
6. For actions that are temporary, unusual or continue for some time.
I have been staying with Aunt Olga this week as my mother is in Paris.
7. Remember that some verbs are not usually used in the continuous form. So instead of the
Present Perfect Continuous, they are usually used in the Present Perfect.
I’ve been sitting here in the park for an hour, and I’ve met two friends of mine.
(Not; I’ve been meeting.)
8. The Present Perfect Continuous is used with for, since and How long…? to say how long
something has been happening.
The Past Perfect is formed by means of the Past Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to have and
Participle II of the notional verb.
In the interrogative form the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the auxiliary verb.
I’d worked
We’d worked
I hadn’t worked
We hadn’t worked
1. The Past Perfect expresses an action accomplished before a given past moment and viewed
back from that moment.
The porter said that our friend had just left the club.
The storm had died away but very far off the thunder was still muttering.
The past moment from which the accomplished action is viewed may be indicated:
a) By means of an adverbial expression: by four o’clock, by that time, by the end of the
week, etc.
◆ Notice that the tense does not change depending on the positive or negative meaning of the
context:
We had gone far when we suddenly noticed that dark clouds were beginning to gather.
We had not gone far when we suddenly noticed that dark clouds were beginning to
gather.
◆ The definite moment need not necessarily be expressed in the same sentence as the action
expressed by the Past Perfect.
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Everybody noticed how sad she was the whole evening. She had got an unpleasant
letter.
No sooner had the bell gone than the teacher entered the classroom.
Elsie, who had not yet assumed the white cap, was sweeping the stairs.
4. Sometimes the Past Perfect does not denote priority but only the completion of the action.
The Squire was purple with anger before his son had done speaking.
5. The Past Indefinite is sometimes used instead of the Past Perfect in clauses introduced
by before and after owing to the lexical meaning of these conjunctions.
After he left (had left) the house, he recollected that he hadn’t locked the door.
He stood motionless after she disappeared.
6. With verbs which have terminative meaning as to arrive, to enter, to look in, to open, etc. the
Past Indefinite is used when two actions closely follow each other. Verbs of motion and
sense perception such as to come, to arrive, to return, to see, to hear, in adverbial clauses of
time are generally used in the Past Indefinite and not in the Past Perfect. The actions are
practically simultaneous.
When the completion of the action is emphasized the Past Perfect is used.
◆ Notice the use of the Past Perfect and the Past indefinite in the following examples:
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a) he had closed the window and was sitting in his armchair reading a newspaper.
b) He closed the window, sat down in the armchair and began reading his newspaper.
a) The rain had stopped and the sun was shining brightly.
b) The rain stopped and the sun came out again.
a) He had turned on the light and was sitting at his desk writing letters.
b) He turned on the light, sat down at his desk and began writing letters.
7. The Past Perfect is used to denote the action which began before a definite moment in the
past, continued up to that moment and was still going on at that moment. The starting point
or the whole period of duration of the action is indicated. To indicate the starting point the
preposition since is used, to indicate the whole period of duration for is used.
Examination convinced him that the deacon was dead – had been dead for some time.
b) in negative sentences:
Those two had not spoken to each other for three days and were in a state of rage.
The ride had lasted about ten minutes, when the truck suddenly swerved to a halt.
The Past Perfect Continuous is formed by means of the Past Perfect of the auxiliary verb to be and
Participle I of the notional verb.
In the interrogative form the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the auxiliary verb.
Affirmative Negative
I had been working I had not been working
You had been working You had not been working
He/she/it had been working He/she/it had not been working
We had been working We had not been working
They had been working They had not been working
Interrogative
Had I been working?
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Had you been working?
Had he/she/it been working?
Had we been working?
Had they been working?
1. The Past Perfect Continuous denotes an action which began before a definite moment in the
past, continued up to that moment and was still going on at that moment. Either the starting
point of the action is indicated or the whole period of duration. The preposition for is used to
denote the whole period of duration. Since is used to indicate the starting point of the action.
◆ With verbs not admitting of the Continuous form the Past Perfect is the only tense
possible.
With certain non-terminative verbs both the Past Perfect and the Past Perfect Continuous
are used.
1. The past moment from which the action expressed by the Past Perfect Continuous is viewed
may be indicated:
By that time she had been studying English for three years.
By the end of July they had been living at the seaside for a fortnight.
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b) by a subordinate clause of time introduced by the conjunction when:
I had been working at my English for about two hours when my friend came.
When she began to study English, she had been taking French lessons for two years.
2. The Past Perfect Continuous may also be used to express an action begun before a given
past moment, coming very close to that past moment but no longer going on that past
moment, this is shown by the context.
She rose from the bench where she had been sitting for half an hour. The wind which
had been blowing harder than ever from the south-west all day, dropped at sunset, and
the moon climbed out of the ocean into a clear sky.
He had been smoking a cigarette, now he threw the end of it into the grate and rose
from the bed where he had been sitting.
◆ The Past Perfect Continuous should not be confused with the Past Continuous. The Past
Continuous is used to denote an action going on at a definite moment in the past, no previous
duration is expressed. The Past Perfect continuous is used when the previous duration of the
action is expressed.
And now it was raining, had been raining for days the miserable fall rains of Eastern
France.
The magnificent motor-car was waiting at the kerb. It had been waiting for two hours.
The Future Perfect is formed by means of the Future Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to have and
Participle II of the notional verb.
In the interrogative form the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary verb.
1. The Future Perfect denotes an action completed before a definite moment in the future d
viewed back from that future moment.
2. Like the Past Perfect, the Future Perfect may be purely temporal and may show that the
action already accomplished at the given future moment is connected in its results or
consequences with that future moment.
By the end of the term we shall have learnt many new words and expressions.
By this time tomorrow they will have crossed the Channel.
3. The Future Perfect can denote an action which will begin before a definite moment in the
future, will continue up to that moment and will be going on at that moment. This
meaning is shown by the context.
By the first of July we shall have been at the seaside for a fortnight.
We shall have known each other for five years by the end of this year.
Future perfect is used with verbs not admitting of the Continuous form, in negative sentences,
with non-terminative verbs such as to work, to live, to study, to teach etc.
Affirmative Negative
I shall have been working I shall have not been working
You will have been working You will have not been working
He/she/it will have been working He/she/it will have not been working
We shall have been working We will have not been working
They will have been working They will have not been working
Interrogative
Shall I have been working?
Will you have been working?
Will he/she/it have been working?
Shall we have been working?
Will they have been working?
I shall have been writing for two hours by the time you come back.
By the first of July he will have bee working at this office for six months.
The English language has a special form of the future, the Future-in-the-Past, to express a
future action viewed from a past moment (sequence of tenses). If the verb in the principal
clause is in one of the past tenses, a past tense (or Future-in-the-Past) must be used in the
subordinate clause. If the action expressed in the principal clause is posterior to that of the
principal clause the Future-in-the-Past is used.
THE FUTURE-INDEFINITE-IN-THE-PAST
The Future-Indefinite-in-the-Past is formed by means of the auxiliary verbs should and would and
the infinitive without to of the notional verb.
In the interrogative form the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the auxiliary verb.
I shouldn’t work
He wouldn’t work
Should I work?
Shouldn’t I work/
The Future-Indefinite-in-the-Past denotes an action which was future from the point of view of the
past.
THE FUTURE-CONTINUOUS-IN-THE-PAST
In the interrogative form of the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary verb.
I’d be working
He’d be working
I shouldn’t be working
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He wouldn’t be working
I told him not to come at six o’clock because I should be having my lesson at that
time.
I felt sure they would be discussing the same problem when I called.
THE FUTURE-PERFECT-IN-THE-PAST
In the interrogative form the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary verb.
2. An action begun before a given future moment and continued into that future moment, in
both cases when the future moment is viewed from the past.
She wrote to me that by the first of July she would have been at the seaside for a
fortnight.
HE FUTURE-PERFECT-CONTINUOUS-IN-THE-PAST TENSE
In the interrogative form of the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary verb.
I wondered how long they would have been packing by the time I returned.
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LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS
The verbs in roman type are verbs which are not very common in modern English but may be found
in literature. When a verb has two possible forms and one is less usual than the other, the less usual
one will be printed in roman.
Compounds of irregular verbs form their past tenses and past participles in the same way as the
original verb:
come came come
overcome overcame overcome
set set set
upset upset upset
APPENDIX
Rule 2.
A final single consonant is not doubled if
a) preceded by an unstressed vowel: e.g. open-opened, opening
limit-limited-limiting;
b) preceded by a vowel sound represented by two letters: e.g. look-looked-looking
turn-turned-turning;
c) the suffix begins with a consonant: e.g. hot-hotly (but: hottest)
forget-forgetful (but: unforgettable).
Note 3. Verbs ending in -ie change the ie into у before -ing to avoid a double i: die-dying; tie-tying;
lie-lying.
Note 4. Double e (ее) is retained before all suffixes except those beginning with e (• ed, -er, -est):
agree-agreeable; see-seeing.
Note 5. Rule 1 is not strictly observed in the case of monosyllabic words when they are likely to be
misread: likeable; seatable or likable, seatable.
Rule 2.
Mute e is retained before a suffix beginning with a consonant (to keep the pronunciation): safe-
safety; nine-nineteen; whole-wholesome; care-careful. Exceptions to the rule: due-duly; true-truly;
whole-wholly; argue-argument; nine-ninth.
Rule 2. Final -y preceded by a vowel letter is retained before all suffixes: day-days, play-playful,
pay-pays, payment; enjoy-enjoyable.
Exceptions: gay-gaily, gaiety; day-daily.