Tenses in English are the main component of any course of study. I know from experience how difficult they can be for some people. But without them, nowhere.
There is a huge amount of literature on this topic, but this routine only confuses.
If you want to start learning English in order to know English or simply, for example, be able to compose questions or translate texts, then this article will be your assistant.
With the help of this article, you will understand the difference in times, it will help you stop getting confused in times, but the rules, forms of education are all easily accessible for self-study. You can also, after reading, on the basis of the principle, delve into the study of this topic.
So let's get started.
There are 4 tenses in English:
Simple.
Long.
Completed.
Long-term completed.
Each tense is divided into:
The present
Past
Future
It's simple, times are divided according to the same system in Russian. Now I will briefly describe each of the tenses and its distinctive properties and how to easily and quickly distinguish it from others.
1) Simple
This is the easiest time. The easiest.
Meaning- statement of fact. Denotes a regular, usual, regular action. Facts, truths. At this time, the exact point in time is NOT defined.
In general, if you just say - it shows the usual action, someone did something, someone knows something, etc. or just a fact. So is an action that, for example, a person does every morning, or every day, or what a person did yesterday.
If the sentence contains the words - everyday, usually, never, at first, then, after, in the morning, in the evening, tomorrow, next week, next month, often, soon- then most likely this is just a simple time. You can distinguish by the presence in the sentence of auxiliary verbs in negative and interrogative sentences: do, does, did, didn "t, don" t, will, shall, will not, shall not. Remember - regularity, fact, routine.
The present- the person does it now, or he does it every day (says every day, or reads a book, writes a letter, etc.).
Past- an action that happened or happened in the past. Well, or a fact from the past (wrote a letter yesterday, worked every day, worked from 90 to 95, went shopping in the evening).
Future- an action or a series of actions that will happen in the future, predictions, forecasts (I will work tomorrow, I will write a letter, I will learn a foreign language every day, I will make an essay soon).
2) Long
Process is the main meaning of time. Indicates that an action is being done, has been done or will be done certain time. Did, but didn't. If the sentence contains the words - now, at the moment, at, when, while, at 20 o "clock, tomorrow - then most likely it is just a long time. You can distinguish it by the ing ending of the verbs. Auxiliary verbs - was, were , was not, were not, am, will be, shall be.Remember - indicates that time was spent on the action.
The present- an action that a person is doing right now, he is really doing it and spending his time, and this is what is shown in the sentence (Working now, writing a letter at the moment, going home now).
Past- an action that happened at a certain moment in the past, or that was done at the moment when another action took place. (I was writing a letter at 7 pm; he was writing a letter when I entered the room, he had been sleeping for 4 hours).
Future- an action that will take place at a certain point in the future (I will be writing a letter at 7 pm, I will be digging the ground tomorrow from 7 to 9 am).
3) Completed
The result is the main meaning of time. Shows that action done, is there a result! If the sentence contains the words - twice, lately, recently, several times, yet, already, never, just, ever - then this is most likely the completed tense. You can distinguish by auxiliary verbs - had, has, have, shall have, will have.
Remember - there is a result, the action has ended or will end here, and this is for anyone.
The present- an action that took place in the past, but has the most direct connection with the present. Example: He has already written a letter. I explain: he did this in the past, but the result refers precisely to the present. Example: I just lost my key. I explain: what he lost was in the past, but he is talking about it now.
Past- an action that was completed before a certain point in time in the past (I wrote a letter by 7 o'clock).
Future- an action that will be completed by some specific moment in the future (I will write a letter by 7 o'clock).
4) Completed - long
This is where I recommend self-study. This time is not used in colloquial speech, and it is better to come to the study of this time after studying the times written above. Do not worry, work out the previous tenses!
So let's sum it up:
Simple time is a statement of fact.
Long time is a process.
Completed is the result.
Practice leads to perfection. Do simple tasks, guided by this article, and soon you will calmly distinguish one time from another Improve yourself! Good luck!
Tenses of the English verb are the basis of the grammar of this language. Many are faced with such a problem: they seem to have memorized the rules of use and education, but in practice they still find it difficult to determine what time to set. When we first started studying tenses, we said that the key to success is special words that indicate a specific time. We called these words markers. Markers are words that designate periods of time. Only one specific time is used with each marker.
When studying the tenses of the English verb, we indicated all these markers, but it makes sense to collect them in one summary table.
Simple tenses (Indefinite/Simple tenses)
* Although in Russian we say “Last month”, “Next week”, in English you cannot put prepositions before the words next and last.
** Please note that "the other day" for the past and future tense is translated differently. In no case should they be interchanged and used one instead of the other.
Extended tenses (Continuous/ Progressive tenses)
* It is known that continuous past and future tenses can also denote simultaneous actions. At the same time, it is not necessary that they all be long, just one is enough. Therefore, in the Past Continuous and Future Continuous, you can often see unions when (when) and while (while).
- When my mother was talking on the phone, I switched the TV on.
- While/ When my mother was talking on the phone, I was having dinner.
Complete tenses (Perfect tenses)
* In the Present Perfect, as many as 6 equivalent expressions are used to indicate “for some period of time”: over the last / past two weeks, in the last / past two weeks, during the last / past two weeks.
** Always can also be used with simple tenses, but with a difference in meaning. Take, for example, Present Simple.
We always book tickets in advance. - We always book tickets in advance. (= We still do this and will continue to do it).
We have always booked tickets in advance. - We always booked tickets in advance. (= Until today, today for some reason we have not booked or will not do so again).
*** To put it simply, yet is the interrogative and negative form of already.
- The twins have already arrived.
- The twins haven't arrived yet.
- Have the twins arrived yet?
Note that already is placed directly next to the verb, and yet is only placed at the end of the sentence.
Although you can often meet already in interrogative sentences:
- Have they already gone to Spain?
Extended completed tenses (Perfect Continuous tenses)
As the name of this group of tenses suggests, it uses the markers needed for continued and completed tenses.
* Note that all day long in the present requires Present Perfect Continuous, not just Present Continuous, despite the fact that the action is happening at the moment.
- She has been studying French (is studying) all day long.
This article discusses tenses in english - detailed explanation what it is, what it is and how it is used.
Actually, there are three of them, as in other modern Indo-European languages: present (Present), past (Past) and future (Future). But usage is affected by the form of the verb to which the tense refers. There are only four such forms (Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous).
3x4 = 12, so sometimes they talk about twelve times , which is basically wrong, although in the tables given for visual understanding, there are really 12 fields with different options.
a brief description of
Times (Tenses) express the temporal relationship between the current moment and the one being discussed. It does not matter whether a person pronounces words orally, perceives them by ear, writes or reads. It is always possible to single out conditionally the present moment, and the one described or pronounced in the sentence. For example, in the phrase “prepare to disembark, the ship is approaching port,” the story is in the present tense, although these real events described in the old book could have taken place a very long time ago.
The reader, as it were, is transported into the past, and plunges into another world. The linguistic richness of many literary works is based on such conventions. An educated person gets used to them, and perceives automatically, without thinking about word forms. And he also easily composes phrases with the correct use of temporary constructions. But Russian phraseology differs from English. When translating or constantly switching to someone else's speech, difficulties arise, especially for beginners.
The main difficulty is the development of perfect and continuous forms of verbs in Western European countries. The Germanic and Romance languages are more complex in this respect than the Slavic ones. In Russian, there are practically no differences between the basic and continuous forms. "I live" — an action that by definition continues. Changing the meaning often occurs by adding prefixes that turn the word, in fact, into a completely different lexical unit. "I lived" — action continued in the past — has already ended.
English is analytical, which is unlike most Germanic languages. Phrases are made up of relatively short elements that retain their spelling. There are no prefixes, suffixes and endings, as in synthetic ones. Getting used to it and fully understanding the process is the key to success for a translator or a person speaking to the British.
It's really easy to get used to, given the rigor of the language constructs. Word order is fixed and predetermined. Having some experience, it is no longer possible to make a mistake, you just need to gain sufficient vocabulary. It even becomes boring to speak in such a rigid framework. Slavic languages give more freedom in the formation of phrases. Almost all words are successfully interchanged, many are generally skipped, although inserting them is also not a mistake.
So, what do the times express in relation to the current time interval:
- present - at least approximately coincides with the current time period;
- past - events developed earlier, or have already occurred;
- future - expresses a forecast, planning of events that are probable later.
Table of English tenses with examples
Only the verbs change depending on time. But even without taking into account the context and other members of the sentence, they provide comprehensive information about the duration and completeness. Such accuracy is due to the presence of 4 verbal word forms:
- Simple - simple;
- Continuous - long;
- Perfect - perfect (without determining the duration);
- Perfect Continuous - continuous perfect.
Each intersects with three time categories. This is a radical difference from Slavic linguistics, where the simple form is similar to the continuous one, the perfect one is exclusively in the past and the future. Non-standard techniques are actively used, such as a complete replacement of the verb, when describing a completed or ongoing activity. But expressing tense forms of verbs in English table standardized.
Let's give an example of the correct verb to live (live), how a similar scheme looks like, filled with specific words.
Past | present | Future | |
Simple | I lived | I live | I'll live |
continuous | I was living | I am living | I'll be living |
Perfect | I had lived | I have lived | I'll have lived |
Perfect Continuous | I've been living | I have been living | I'll have been living |
The example uses the colloquial (and commonly used) abbreviation I'll instead of the full phrase I will. Since the second and third dictionary forms of regular verbs are the same, we will also give a similar table for the wrong one to know (to know), now in the second person instead of the first.
Past | present | Future | |
Simple | You knew | you know | You'll know |
continuous | You were knowing | You are knowing | You'll be knowing |
Perfect | You had known | You have known | You'll have known |
Perfect Continuous | You had been knowing | You have been knowing | You'll have been knowing |
Of course, not all of the above options are used in practice in everyday vernacular. The perfect-continuum form refers rather to complicated book turns, and is rarely used even in scientific or fiction. But to know it is necessary for the completeness of linguistic representations.
In Russian vocabulary, only a small proportion of such constructions is applicable. I did, I do, I will do - the simple form coincides with the long one. The perfect exists only in the past and the future - I did it, I will do it. There is no combination of perfect and continual at all. The gerund living or going is translated approximately as a verbal adjective "living" or "going", but is used in a different context. In Russian, usually only in the third person, and such turns of speech are in any case considered undesirable. Modern phraseology tries to avoid them. For English speakers, these are frequently used parts of speech of direct action. They should definitely be mastered by beginners who study, how tenses are formed in english.
Signs of tenses in English
Neighboring words may indirectly indicate that a certain time must be applied. The need to apply the future is shown: always - always, often - often, usually - usually, sometimes - sometimes, never - never, everyday - daily, on Mondays (etc.) - on Mondays or other days, at weekends - on weekend. Signs of the present are present in generalized phrases or conveying periodic repetition of events. For example, the bus leaves (arrives) on certain days of the week. So detailed explanation of tenses in English help you express yourself beautifully and unmistakably.
Signs of the past: yesterday - yesterday, the day before yesterday - the day before yesterday, last week - last week, ago - ago, earlier - earlier, in the past - in the past.
Signs of the future: tomorrow - tomorrow, the day after tomorrow - the day after tomorrow, next week - next week, in an hour - within an hour, in ten hours - 10 hours later, later - soon, soon - soon, in the future - in the future.
How are formed
The dictionaries give three forms of irregular verbs . For correct ones, the second and third are formed in the standard way by adding the ending -ed to the first (main). For example: stay, stayed, stayed. Incorrect example: be, was (were), been. Here the second option also differs depending on the number: in the singular was, in the plural were. With the pronoun You, only were is used, but it should not always be translated as "you". The Russian "you" also has the right to exist. To translate a live conversation helps intonation and the nature of the relationship with the interlocutor. In a literary work, the context, but sometimes it is still difficult to determine what is meant
Simple present. In the present simple, the formation of phrases occurs as follows: after the pronoun comes the first dictionary form of the verb. It cannot be separated from the pronoun. She looks - she looks. She draw - she draws.
Simple past. The simple past is formed similarly to the present, but instead of the first verb form given in dictionaries, the second is used. She looked - she looked. She drew - she drew.
Simple future. The simple future is expressed as follows: after the pronoun comes will (or abbreviated ‘ll) then the first form of the verb. She will look or She'll look - she will look. She will draw or She'll draw - she will draw. implied generalized actions or regularly repeated , without reference to a specific period.
continuous present. The continuous present is formed by using to be in the form am, is or were, followed by a gerund derived from the main verb. He is staying - he is standing (right now).
continuous past. The continuous past is expressed in a similar way, only changing is (am, are) to was (were). He was staying - he stood (were instead of was in the plural).
continuous future. The continuous future is formed as follows: pronoun + will be + gerund. He will be staying - he will stand. They imply specific events that will last for a certain period.
perfect present. The perfect present is a specific speech construction that is absent in Russian. It means the event recently completed . The pronoun is followed by have (or has) and the 3rd form of the main verb. For the correct ones, it coincides with the second one. We have tried - we tried. We have written - we wrote. It should be noted that in the Russian translation, words are used that differ in prefixes from the main non-prefixed options “try” or “write”.
Perfect past. In the past perfect, we use had instead of have. Otherwise, the formation of phrases is similar to how it conveys perfect tenses in english present. We had tried - we (long ago) made an attempt. We had written - we (long ago) wrote something. So they say and write about events that have been completed for a long time. The choice of Present or Past in the perfect depends on the general logic associated with the context.
If any action is inherently long, the scope of using the Present Perfect expands. So, for daily exercises in the morning, “yesterday” is already a long time ago. But for a good feature film, which takes months or years to process, yesterday's presentation to the audience is still relatively recent. If in a text or conversation close to each other two completed events of different duration are mentioned, it is worth mentioning one of them (earlier) in the past perfect, and the second (later) in the present. Without disturbing the natural logic of the story too much. A year ago is a long time anyway.
perfect future. Expresses the intention to do something. Education scheme: pronoun + will have + 3rd form of the verb. We will have tried - we will try. We will have written - we will write. We can talk about things that will come true for sure, or about conjectural, but very likely. Sometimes such a perfect construction expresses self-confidence, a desire to impress the interlocutor, to promise something.
Perfect Continuous Present. The pronoun is followed by have (has) been and the gerund. They have been listening - they listened. Expressions in such a complicated format are absolutely uncharacteristic of Russian speech, which tends to simplify and reduce. But often, in fact, they correspond more to completed events than the usual perfect. Listening is by definition a long-term action. In this case, they mean recently completed compared to its normal duration or frequency. For meals, “recently” means people were sitting at the table no more than an hour ago. But a trip to the resort a week later will still be a relatively fresh fact.
Perfect Continuous Past. The only difference from the present above is had instead of have (has). They have been listening - they listened. What happened here ended so long ago that it no longer falls within the time frame of the presentation.
Perfect Continuous Future. Formation scheme: pronoun + will have been + gerund. They will have been listening - they will listen. This expresses only continuous actions.
Examples
When considered all tenses in english, it is worth giving more options using various pronouns.
The correct verb to warm (warm):
Past | present | Future | |
Simple | He warmed | He warmes | He'll warm |
continuous | He was warming | He is warming | He'll be warming up |
Perfect | He had warmed up | He has warmed up | He'll have warmed up |
Perf. Cont. | He had been warming | He has been warming | He'll have been warming |
In the perfect, it translates "to heat up", "to warm up", "to warm up". Subtle nuances transmitted in Russian by numerous prefixes are often expressed by the prepositions in, on, at, to, out, off, above, under. But this is already beyond the scope of the discussion, and testifies to the skill of an experienced translator.
Irregular verb to break (break):
Past | present | Future | |
Simple | you broke | you break | You'll break |
continuous | You were breaking | You are breaking | You'll be breaking |
Perfect | You had broken | You have broken | You'll have broken |
Perf. Cont. | You had been breaking | You have been breaking | You'll have been breaking |
Here you can clearly see difference between br oke and br oken .
Using Present Indefinite (Simple) Tense
Present Indefinite used to express a repeated or constant action in relation to the present:
I go to school. (I go to school)
He works. (He works)
She comes here at six o'clock. (She comes here at 6 o'clock)
Present Indefinite used to express an action that characterizes the subject constantly or throughout the present period of time:
You read very well. (You read very well)
He dances very badly. (He dances very badly)
Present Indefinite is used to express an action or state that is not limited by time and occurs regardless of the person's desire:
Sugar dissolves in water. (Sugar dissolves in water)
Present Indefinite is used to express an action happening at the moment of speaking:
- with verbs that are not used in the continuous form: to see, to hear, to know, to feel, to like to hate, to love, to understand.
I don't see anything. (I do not see anything)
I don't understand it. (I do not understand this)
- if the speaker is only stating a fact and not conveying the action as a continuing process.
Here she comes. (Here she comes)
Present Indefinite used to express future action in subordinate clauses of time and condition, which are introduced by unions when(when); after(after); before(before, before); till, untill(bye); as soon as(once); if(if); unless(if not) and so on:
I'll be here till you come. (I'll be here until you come)
Wait until I get my coat. (Wait while I change my coat)
Present Indefinite used to express a planned future action (in most cases with verbs denoting movement). In such sentences, adverbial words are usually used that indicate the time of action. In the corresponding Russian sentences, the present tense can also be used:
I leave Moscow tomorrow. (I'm leaving Moscow tomorrow)
When does the doctor come? (When does the doctor come?)
Present Indefinite used in a connected narrative to express an action or a series of successive actions in the past. Such use Present Indefinite enlivens the story, events seem to occur at the moment of speech.
All of a sudden, one evening comes little Emily from her work and him with her. (Suddenly, one evening, little Emily comes home from work and he is with her)
Use of Past Indefinite (Simple) Tense.
Past Indefinite is a tense form of a verb that expresses an action that has happened or happened in the past. Past Indefinite regular verbs are formed by adding to the infinitive without the particle to ending -ed:
Verbs in Past Indefinite have the same form in all persons singular and plural:
- -e, then in Past Indefinite it is not written:
- if the infinitive ends with a letter -y preceded by a consonant, then before the end -ed it changes to -i:
to study-study
- if the infinitive ends with one consonant preceded by a short stressed vowel, then the final before -ed doubles:
to stop - stopped
- final letter -r doubles if the last syllable is stressed:
prefer - preferred
- final letter -l doubles if it is preceded by a short vowel (stressed or unstressed):
to travel - traveled
In Past Indefinite, irregular verbs are used in the second form.
to speak - spoke
to write - wrote
The interrogative form Past Indefinite of regular and irregular verbs is formed using an auxiliary verb to do and the infinitive of the main verb without the particle to:
Did you study at this university? (Did you study at this university?)
Did she go to a park? (Did she go to the park?)
The negative form of Past Indefinite is formed with the help of a negative particle not after the auxiliary verb:
I didn't like that party. (I didn't like that party)
In oral speech, they are usually abbreviated: I didn't like that party.
In the interrogative-negative form Past Indefinite auxiliary verb did is placed before the subject, and the particle not after him:
Why didn't you say it? (Why didn't you tell me this?)
but if an abbreviation is used, then didn't come before the subject:
Why didn't you go there? (Why didn't you go there?)
The verb to do in Past Indefinite can also be used to reinforce the thought being expressed:
I did love you! (I really loved you!)
The verb to be in Past Indefinite has two forms: was for the first and third person singular and were for everyone else.
In the interrogative form of the verb to be placed before the subject:
Were you at home? (Were you at home?)
In the negative form, after was / were, the particle is used not:
I was not in Great Britain. (I have not been to the UK)
They were not there. (They weren't there)
The abbreviation is usually used: I wasn’t…You weren’t…
The verb to have in Past Indefinite has the form - had.
I had a friend. (I had a friend)
She had a good car. (She had a nice car)
He had a house. (He had a house)
The interrogative form of the verb to have in Past Indefinite is: did+have. To form a question did used before the subject have after him.
Did you have books? (Did you have books?)
The negative form, as a rule, is formed without the auxiliary verb to do, and is used as in with negative particles. not or no.
I hadn't problems. (I didn't have a problem)
I had no choice. (I had no choice)
Past Indefinite expresses a single or permanent action in the past. The time of the past action is often specified by the words: yesterday (yesterday), last week (last week), last year (last year), etc. :
I was there yesterday. (I was there yesterday)
He was at the hospital last week. (He was in the hospital last week)
She was here this morning. (She was here in the morning)
Past Indefinite is used to express a series of successive actions in the past:
I woke up, washed myself and went out of home. (I woke up, washed and left the house)
Past Indefinite is used to express a repeated action in the past:
I saw him every day. (I saw him every day)
She came many times to our house. (She came to us many times)
Using Future Indefinite (Simple) Tense.
Future Indefinite used to express a single, permanent or repeated action in the future:
I'll go over with you tomorrow morning.
(I'll go with you tomorrow morning)
I'll always come back.
(I will always return)
He'll work at the factory next year.
(Next year he will work at the factory)
In subordinate clauses of time and condition, Future Indefinite is not used! To express future action in such sentences, !
I'll message you know when I come home.
(I'll text you when I get home)
I'll ask him when he arives.
(I will ask him when he arrives)
Using Present Continuous Tense
Present Continuous Tense expresses an action as a process, that is, an action that continues at the moment of speech or at the present time.
Present Continuous is formed from an auxiliary verb to be in and present participle (Present Participle) of the main verb.
Present Participle is formed by adding an ending -ing to the infinitive of the main verb without a particle to.
read + ing - reading
work+ing - working
I am working (I'm working)
(I'm working)
He is working (He's working)
(He works)
She is working (She's working)
(She works)
It is working (It's working)
(It works)
In the interrogative form, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
Are the boys playing football?
(Boys playing soccer?)
Is he working in the garden?
(Is he gardening now?)
The girls are not singing.
(Girls don't sing now)
In interrogative-negative sentences, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject, and the particle not is placed after the subject.
Am I now preparing for my examinations?
(Am I not studying for exams?)
Action taking place in moment of speech:
Why are you crying?
(Why are you crying?)
You are not listening to me.
(You don't listen to me)
Present Continuous is used to express long time, although not necessarily at the moment of speech:
What are you doing here in Paris?
(What are you doing here in Paris?)
I'm studying at the Sorbonne.
(I study at the Sorbonne)
Present Continuous is used to express to express a long action taking place simultaneously with another action in the present tense:
I'm only happy when I'm working.
(I'm only happy when I'm working)
Present Continuous is used to express planned future action, especially with verbs denoting movement. In this case, the adverb of time must be used:
We're flying to Paris in the morning.
(We're leaving for Paris in the morning)
Is he coming tonight?
(Will he come tonight?)
Verb to go in Present Continuous with the infinitive of another verb means the intention to perform an action in the very near future and gives it a hint obligation, the inevitability to perform the action indicated by the infinitive:
I'm going to speak.
(I will speak)
He's going to be a teacher.
(He's going to be a teacher)
Using Past Continuous Tense
Past Continuous formed from an auxiliary verb to be in and present participles of the main verb:
I was working. (I worked)
He was working. (He worked)
She was working. (She worked)
It was working. (It worked)
We were working. (We worked)
They were working. (They worked)
You were working. (you worked)
What were you telling him?
(What did you say to him)
In the negative form, after the auxiliary verb, the particle is used not:
I was not working in the evening.
(I didn't work in the evening)
In oral speech in negative and interrogative-negative forms, instead of was not and were not, abbreviations are used mainly:
He wasn't working.
(He did not work)
They weren't working.
(They didn't work)
Wasn't he working?
(Didn't he work?)
Weren't they working?
(Didn't they work?)
Past Continuous used to express an action that took place at a certain moment in the past. The duration of the action is usually also indicated by adverbial words like at two o'clock, at midnight, at that moment, at 5 o'clock or subordinate clauses with a verb-predicate in Past Indefinite:
He was working on his English at that time.
(He was working on his English at the time)
Jack was sitting by the window when she came in.
(Jack was sitting near the window when she came in)
Past Conyinuous is used to express an action, that lasted for some period of time in the past:
I the spring of the year 1881 he was visiting his old schoolfellow.
(In the spring of 1881 he was visiting his old school friend)
In subordinate clauses, if the verb-predicate of the main clause is used in the past tense, Past Continuous is often used with verbs with the meaning of movement (to go, to come, etc.) to indicate an action that was future relative to the past:
She said she was coming to see you after supper.
(She said she would come to you after dinner)
Verb to go in Past Continuous with the infinitive of another verb expresses an action that was future relative to the past tense. Often this combination expresses the intention to perform an action:
He was going to be an engineer.
(He was going to be an engineer)
What were they going to do.
(What were they going to do)
Using Future Continuous Tense
Future Continuous is formed with an auxiliary verb to be in and present participles of the main verb:
I will be working.
He will be working.
She will be working.
It will be working.
We will be working.
You will be working.
They will be working.
Auxiliary verb in interrogative form will placed before the subject:
Will they be working?
In the negative form after the auxiliary verb will negative particle is used not:
They will not be working.
The Future Continuous is used to express long-term action that will take place at some point or time in the future:
Meet me at two o'clock. I'll be waiting for you.
We'll be playing all morning.
In modern English Future Continuous often used in the same sense as Future Indefinite, i.e. expresses future action:
You won't be coming back here anymore.
(You won't come back here again)
From now I'll be asking thousands of questions.
(From now on I will ask a thousand questions)
He'll be going to school soon.
(He will go to school soon)
Use of Present Perfect Tense.
Perfect (perfect) tenses express an action that happened before a certain moment or period in the present (Present Perfect), past (Past Perfect), future (Future Perfect) and future relative to the past (Future in the Past).
Perfect tenses usually express the presence of some result of an action associated with subsequent events.
Periectal tenses are formed from the corresponding forms of the indefinite tenses of the auxiliary verb to have and the past participle (Past Participle) of the main verb.
The Present Perfect is formed from the auxiliary verb to have in and the past participle (Past Participle) of the main verb.
The Past Participle of regular verbs is formed by adding the ending -ed to the infinitive, that is, the Past Participle of regular verbs does not differ from
Using Past Perfect Tense
Past Perfect is formed from the auxiliary verb to have in and the past participle (Past Participle) of the main verb. Verbs in the Past Perfect do not change in person and number:
I (he, she, it, we, you, they) had worked.
In spoken language, instead of had the abbreviated form is predominantly used ‘d, which in the letter is attached to the subject:
I'd (he'd, she'd, it'd, we'd, you'd, they'd) worked.
In the interrogative form, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject:
In the negative form, a negative particle is used after the auxiliary verb not:
I had not worked.
In oral speech in negative and interrogative-negative forms, the abbreviated form hadn't is also used:
He hadn't worked
Hadn't he worked?
an earlier action in the past, expressed by the verb in Past Indefinite:
I told you I had met her.
(I told you that I met her)
When she had closed the suitcase, she put on her coat.
(Closing the suitcase, she put on her coat)
In the darkness he couldn't see the man who had spoken.
(In the dark, he couldn't see the person who said it)
The sun had set and it became dark.
(The sun had already set. It was getting dark)
The form was becoming dark expresses an action that took place at a specific time period in the past (the sun has set by that time period)
Notes.
- During the list of past actions in the sequence in which they occurred, verbs are used in:
I opened the door, closed it and went into the bedroom.
(I opened the door, closed it and went to the bedroom)
- In a complex sentence with conjunctions after after and before before. When there is no need to specifically note that one action precedes another, Past Indefinite is used in both the main and subordinate clauses:
He stood motionless after she disappeared.
(He stood still after she was out of sight)
I was a school teacher before I got into the army.
(I was a school teacher before joining the army)
Past Perfect is used to express past action, which has already ended at a certain point in the past. This moment can be indicated by such phrases: by two o'clock by two o'clock, by that time by that time, by the 1st of September by the first of September, etc.:
I had done my homework by eight o'clock.
(By eight o'clock I had already done my homework)
The negative form of the Past Perfect indicates that the action has not ended at a certain point in the past:
I had not read the book by Saturday.
(Before Saturday, I had not read the book yet)
The Past Perfect is used to express an action started up to a certain point in the past and continued up to that moment. In this sense, Past Perfect is used mainly with verbs that do not have the Continuous form:
When he came, I had been there for half an hour.
(When he came, I had already been there for half an hour)
After she had worked, he went to her side and watched her.
(After she worked for a while, he came over and watched her)
In subordinate clauses of time and condition, Past Perfect is used to express a past action that was future relative to the past:
She said that she would go home as soon as she had passed all her exams.
(She said she would go home as soon as she passed all her exams)
In this case past perfect translated into Russian in the form of the future tense.
Using Future Perfect Tense.
Future Perfect Tense formed with the help of the auxiliary verb to have in and past participles (Past Participle) of the main verb:
I will have done.
He (She, It) will have done.
We (You, They) will have done.
In the interrogative form, the first auxiliary verb will is placed before the subject:
Will he have done?
In the negative form, the particle not is placed after the first auxiliary verb will:
He will not have done.
In oral speech, the same abbreviations are used as in Future Indefinite:
I'll have done; I won't have done.
The Future Perfect is used to express a future action that will end at a certain moment or at the beginning of another action in the future:
You'll have forgotten me by then.
(By then you'll forget me)
You'll have to read the story by the time you come back.
(I'll read the story while you get back)
In subordinate clauses of time and condition, instead of Future Perfect, we use:
Her room will be ready before she has finished her tea.
(Her room will be ready before she finishes her tea)
We will get a new flat when they have built the house.
(We will get a new apartment when this house is built)
Using Future Indefinite (Simple) in the Past Tense
In English, the future action, which is considered from the point of view of some moment in the past, is expressed by a separate form of the verb, which is called Future Indefinite in the Past.
This time is used in stories about past events when retelling in indirect speech or thoughts of another person regarding the future time:
In his letter Peter wrote that he would go to Warsaw in January.
(In his letter, Peter wrote that he would go to Warsaw in January)
Future Indefinite in the past is formed using the auxiliary verbs should and would and the infinitive of the main verb without the particle to:
I should work (I'd work)
He would work (He'd work)
She would work (She'd work)
We should work (We'd work)
You would work (You'd work)
They would work (They'd work)
In brackets are abbreviated forms that are used in oral speech.
In the interrogative form, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject:
Would they work?
In the negative form, after the auxiliary verb, the particle is used not:
She wouldn't work (She wouldn't work)
Future Indefinite in the Past is used mainly in subordinate clauses, if the verb of the main clause expresses the past action:
We arranged to start the following Saturday from Kingstone.
Harris and I would go down in the morning, and take the boat Chertsey.
George would meet us there.
(We agreed that we would hit the road next Saturday from Kingston.
Hariss and I will leave there in the morning and take the steamboat to Chartsey.
And George will meet us there)
None of the forms of the future tense, including Future Indefinite in the Past, are used in the subordinate clauses of time and condition in English. An action that was future from the point of view of the past is expressed in such sentences by the form
I hope that before we parted, he would tell me what it was.
(I was hoping he would tell me what it was before we parted ways)
I wrote down to you to ask you not to see anyone till I came.
(I wrote to you and asked you not to meet with anyone until I arrived)
Using Future Continuous in the Past Tense
is formed in the same way as , but instead of will, would is used:
He would be working.
She would be working, etc.
Future Continuous in the Past is used instead of Future Continuous mainly in subordinate clauses if the verb predicate is used in the past tense:
He said that at sunset he would be waiting for you.
(He said he'll be waiting for you at sunset)
Verbs that are not used in the continuous form.
A verb in the Continuous form expresses an action as a process that lasts at the moment of speech or at a certain period of time. Verbs whose meaning does not express action as a process, as a rule, are not used in the Continuous form. These include:
a) verbs that express relationships between objects: to be to be; to have have; to possess, to own have; to consist consist; to contain, to hold contain; to belong belong; to depend depend, etc.
b) verbs with the meaning of sensation: to see see; to hear hear; to smell smell; smell;
c) verbs that express desire, feeling, will: to want to want; to wish, to desire wish, want; to love, to like love, like; to hate hate; to refuse refuse; to object mind; agree agree; to prefer prefer;
d) verbs with the meaning of mental activity: to know know: to believe believe; to suppose assume; to recognize learn; to remember remember, recall; to understand understand.
But in oral speech there are cases of using these verbs in the form continuous.
Using the Future Perfect in the Past Tense
Future Perfect in the Past is formed in the same way as , but instead of the auxiliary verb will, the verb should or would is used:
I should have done.
He/She/It would have done
We should have done.
You/They would have done.
Future Perfect in the past is used instead of Future Perfect mainly in subordinate clauses, if the verb of the main clause expresses the past action:
I thought you would have gone by now.
(I thought I would never find you)
In subordinate clauses of time and condition, instead of Future Perfect in the Past, we use
Using Present Perfect Continuous Tense
The Perfect Continuous tenses express an action that began before the moment of speech (Present Perfect Continuous Tense) or before the moment of speech in the past or future (Past Perfect Continuous and Future Perfect Continuous) and continues / continued up to this moment.
Using Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Continuous formed with an auxiliary verb to be in and present participles of the main verb. The verb in the Past Perfect Continuous does not change by person:
I (he, she, it, we, you, they) had been working.
The interrogative, negative and interrogative-negative forms of the Past Perfect Continuous are formed according to the same rules as the corresponding forms.
Interrogative form: Had you been working?
Negative form: I had not been working; I hadn't been working.
Interrogative-negative form: Had he not been working? Hadn't he been working?
Past Perfect Continuous can also be called Beforepast Continuous. This tense expresses a continuous action that began before some point in the past, or lasted at this moment, or ended immediately before it. The duration of the action or its beginning is indicated in the same way as in sentences with a verb in Present Perfect Continuous. But in most cases, the duration of the action is not indicated:
I explained that I had been loking for it for the last two hours.
(I explained that I had been looking for him for two hours)
There sat her father. The newspaper he had been reading had dropped on the carpet.
(Her father was sitting there. The newspaper he was reading fell on the carpet)
With verbs that don't have a form continuous, instead of Past Perfect Continuous, Past Perfect is used.
When we came to see Kate, she had been ill for three days.
(When we came to visit Katya, she had been sick for three days)
After consideration tenses in English with examples remains to be summed up.
Outcome
The previous sections have discussed in detail tenses in English - how are they formed and what they mean. When you get acquainted with them, there seem to be many different options, it is difficult to get used to the perception of complex language structures and quickly recognize what is said or written. Especially if you speak or write on your own. Simple rules will help you navigate:
- The 3rd form of an irregular verb (for example, spoken) occurs only in the regular perfect. Since the 2nd only appears in the Simple Past, it is also easy enough for the correct ones to distinguish between them.
- The gerund (for example, speaking) is used only when describing long actions, whether it is the usual Continuous or, in addition, with the perfect.
- The word been occurs only in Perfect Cont
Having recognized the continuum and perfect forms, it is already quite easy to deal with the attitude to the present moment. Will ('ll) is exclusively in the future. The 2nd form of the verb, was (were) and had - only in the past. But you need to get used to the correct word order. After a certain training, it is impossible to make a mistake, standard schemes are firmly eaten into memory. A person automatically recognizes speech with the words "been" and long modal sequences as "abstruse", which is better not to copy in everyday life.
In order not to miss new useful materials,
Present Perfect(present perfect tense) is considered one of the most difficult to understand. We are not used to what can be represented by a variety of options that differ in what exactly the author focuses on in the sentence (the time the action takes, its result, duration or its absence).
Time Present Perfect- the present perfect tense, but is translated into Russian by the verb of the past tense of the perfect form. And the thing is that this time just tells about past events, completed actions. But these actions or events have a direct connection with the present, their result affects this very present. How not to recall a classic example here:
I have lost my keys. I can't open the door. I lost my keys and can't open the door.
The second effect is the effect of the first, and the first is the cause of the second. This example is simple and straightforward, but there are times when you wonder if you should use the present perfect tense. To make this task a little easier, you need to pay attention to marker words. Present Perfect in a sentence, they are an indicator of this particular time. There are such markers in all tenses of the English language, and knowing them can be a great help in a situation where you are in doubt about choosing the right grammatical form.
Usually companion words Present Perfect presented indefinitely. These temporal indicators emphasize the connection of an action that began in the past and ended not so long ago with. You need to know these adverbs :
- ever- ever, whenever, ever;
- never- never;
- just- just, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, now;
- already- already, earlier, even;
- not…yet- still not, not yet, not yet, no, not yet;
- before- before, before, until, already, before;
- lately- for a long time, recently, recently, lately;
- of late- recently, lately, recently;
- so far- already, by now, at this hour, by now, until now, up to this moment;
- recently- recently, the other day, recently, just now, not so long ago;
- by now- Nowadays;
- up to now- until now, until now.
According to the meaning of these adverbs with Present Perfect it is already possible to understand that they are all closely connected with the present time, although they serve to explain the action of the past. These words, as a rule, are placed before the semantic verb, but some of them have their own peculiarities of use:
- with an adverb never the verb is used only in the affirmative form, since the sentence already contains one negation:
I have never seen him. - I never didn't see him.
- These pointer words Present Perfect, how already, lately, recently, of late usually stand in the middle of a sentence, but can also stand at the end:
He has lately seen many films. - Recently he has seen many films.
I've already been here for an hour. - I am here already hour.
He has made good progress recently. – Recently he has made significant progress.
We haven't spoken of late. – Recently we didn't talk.
Adverbs yet and before are usually used at the end of a sentence:
I have seen this cartoon before. - I saw this cartoon before.
He has not finished his work yet. - He more did not finish his work.
note: adverb yet is used in negative and interrogative sentences, and the adverb ever most often used in questions.
I haven't had lunch yet. - I more didn't have lunch.
Have you ever had a car accident? - You someday got into a car accident?
- Adverbs so far, up to now, by now most often found at the end of a sentence, but can be at the beginning and sometimes in the middle:
She has read fourteen novels by Stephen King by now. – Nowadays she has read fourteen novels by Stephen King.
- Pointer words just(meaning "just now") already, yet in British English are used in Present Perfect, and in the American Present Perfect and past simple:
The mail has just come (BrE). = The mail just came (Ame). - Mail just now came.
I've already heard this news (BrE). = I already heard this news (AmE). - I already heard this news.
And if we meet a combination just now, then be sure to choose the simple past tense - :
She was here just now. - She is just now was here.
- When we use this adverb with Present Perfect, how recently, we mean "recently":
I haven't heard from her recently. - I haven't heard of her. recently.
If we need to use in a sentence recently in the meaning of "not so long ago", then we write the sentence in the simple past tense ( past simple):
I started painting only recently. – I started to draw not so long ago.
We met quite recently. - We met quite recently.
He has so far written ten letters to this company. - By now he has already written ten letters to this company.
Up to now I haven't found this book. - Still I didn't find this book.
Now you know all marker words Present Perfect. We hope this will help you better understand the use of this time. Now test your strength and take the next test.
Test
Adverbs with Present Perfect in English
The formation of tenses in English is subject to strict rules of grammar. Here it is important to observe the order of words and the coordination of tenses. For each life situation, a certain temporary construction is selected.
In English, the form of the verb is not affected by gender, so, for example, in the phrases “He said” and “She said”, only pronouns will differ, and the verb (the verb) will not change and will sound like said. But this is little consolation for those who decide to become a pro in English. After all, you will have to master 12 times. And about what these temporary forms are, how they are formed, and, in fact, why you need to learn how to operate with this very time, we will talk below.
How times are formed
in English?
The formation of English tenses occurs with the help of auxiliary verbs. Also, depending on the tense form, the ending of the semantic verb changes.
Why is it important to distinguish tenses when learning a language?
If you do not want to get lost in time, and also completely confuse your interlocutor, then you will first have to master at least the Present group. Of course, in everyday life, native speakers themselves do not operate with all 12 tenses. Much also depends on whether we are talking about British English or American English. It is believed that Americans are not so scrupulous in matters of grammar, so some flaws are easily forgiven to foreigners. But still, in order not to find yourself in a situation lost in translation, that is, not to get confused in the translation, it is important to understand how tenses are formed in the English language.
Russian and English times: similarities and differences
We are accustomed to three tenses: present, past and future. This is why English grammar seems so difficult. In fact, in Russian there are three tenses for us. For those who study our language as a foreign language, the situation with temporary forms does not look so rosy. They say that foreigners can spend more than one month studying the verb “go” alone. There are also present, past and future tenses in English, which are called, respectively, Present, Past and Future. Everything is simple here: if, for example, we are talking about a fact that happened in the past, then we use Past. But the problem is that in English, the past tense alone can have 4 forms.
Formation of tenses in English: table
In each of the three tenses (Present, Past and Future) there are four more subgroups:
Simple
Continuous
Perfect
Perfect Continuous
This is where the 12 tenses come from. The main questions about English tenses usually arise when the student moves from the Simple group to the more complex Continuous or Perfect. It is not easy for a Russian person to understand why continuous and perfect forms are still needed, and why the same phrase, like “I worked”, can be said both as “I worked” and “I have worked”.
The use of tenses in English: a table with examples
Questions about the tenses of the English language will disappear by themselves if you master the main rules for constructing temporary forms and learn how to automatically determine which group this or that situation can be attributed to. In short, the tenses of the Simple group are used to denote single actions. The Continuous group combines actions stretched over time. Perfect characterizes processes completed by some point in the past, present or future. The most difficult and little used of all tenses in English are the tenses of the Perfect Continuous group. The perfect long tense also characterizes actions completed by a certain moment, however, these actions are extended in time.
How are the tenses of the Simple group formed?
The times of the Simple group will have to be mastered even by those who need to learn only the simplest spoken English. Without knowledge of the forms of the simple verb to be, you simply cannot tell elementary information about yourself. The temporary group Simple is used to describe an action in general, without focusing on its duration or completeness.
Formation of tenses in English. Table for the Simple group:
Present Simple, or Simple present tense in English
Present tenses in English are used to characterize actions taking place in the present tense. We turn to Present Simple in those situations when we want to provide some general information about a person (tell about his belonging to a certain class, profession, etc.). For example, "I am a student" (I am a student). Also, the present simple tense is needed to report an action that is repeated systematically. For example, "He cooks" (he cooks). In this example, it means that he, in principle, knows how to cook food, does it all the time, and not at any particular period of time. Also present simpl is used for:
· Descriptions of natural phenomena and facts (The Earth goes around the Sun - the Earth revolves around the Sun);
· Sports comments (Messi scores a goal - Messi scores a goal);
· Schedules of transport, broadcasts, movie shows, etc. (The train from Moscow arrives at 6:05 p.m. - The train from Moscow arrives at 18:05);
· Internal state, feelings (Do you want to go away? - Do you want to leave?).
You can also recognize Present Simple in speech by marker words that determine the frequency of the action:
· always (always);
usually (usually);
· never (never);
sometimes (sometimes);
· rarely (infrequently);
seldom (rarely);
regularly (regularly);
· every day (every day);
often (often).
Past Simple (Simple Past)
The tenses of the past group characterize actions committed in the past. We use Past Simple when we need to report a repeating action in the past. In order to build an interrogative or negative form, we need the auxiliary verb did. In this case, the main verb will not change. You can also understand that Past Simple is in front of you by such marker words as:
· Yesterday (yesterday);
In 2008 (in 2008);
15 years ago (15 years ago);
· last week (last week);
the day before yesterday (the day before yesterday).
The simple present tense tells us about a fact or a single simple action completed in the past. For example, "In 2000 Angelina Jolie won an Oscar - In 2008, Angelina Jolie won an Oscar." Past Simple also characterizes several actions that happened in the past in chronological order (“I came home, called Jane and had dinner with my friend - I came home, called Jane and had lunch with my friend”). In order to report an action that has been repeated many times in the past, you will also need Past Simple (I took Spanish courses when I was young - I went to Spanish courses when I was young).
Future Simple (Future Simple)
The tenses of the Future group English grammar “marks” with the auxiliary verb will. Are you saying that some action will happen in the future? Just add will to the semantic verb. The Future Simple tense is used in the following situations:
· Single simple action in the future (I will sign it - I will sign it);
The decision that we make at the time of the conversation (I will buy a ticket and you stay here - I will buy a ticket, and you stay here);
· Actions that are repeated in the future (I will visit Jane a few times in Paris - I will visit Jane in Paris several times);
Identification of several actions that take place in the future sequentially (I will meet with him and I will explain how to do this - I will meet with him and explain how to do this).
Future Simple is often accompanied in a sentence by such circumstances of time as:
tomorrow (tomorrow);
next summer (next summer);
in ten years (in ten years);
in 2020 (in 2020).
Group Times Continuous
in English
For a Russian-speaking person, the times of the Continuous group are quite difficult to understand. After all, for us there is no difference whether the action is taking place at the present moment or whether we perform it periodically. A Russian-speaking person will say "I'm watching TV" regardless of whether he enjoys watching a TV show at the moment, or whether this process is part of his daily habit. In English grammar, Continuous tenses are needed to describe an action that is stretched out in the process. This is any long-term action that takes place at a certain moment.
Grammatical tenses in English. Table for the Continuous group:
Present Continuous (Present Continuous)
If the action occurs at the moment of speech, then we use the Present Continuous, or the present continuous. This temporary construction is built using the auxiliary verb to be, which, depending on the person and number, takes one of three forms. For the pronoun I (I), we use the form am. In the third person singular (pronouns he, she, it) to be takes the form is, and in the plural - are.
Let's look at how Present Continuous is used with specific examples:
I am looking at you - I am looking at you (now, that is, at the moment of speech).
His English is getting better - His English is getting better (action is in progress).
She is working from 9 till 7 - She works from 9 to 7 (an action that covers a period of time in the present).
I am meeting him at 7 at the cinema - I meet him at 7 o'clock at the cinema (an action that is planned, and at the same time we know the time and place).
They are going to the opera - They go to the opera (action in the near future, Present Continuous in this case is used exclusively with verbs of motion).
He is always annoying me - He always annoys me (expression of a negative assessment about a habit, regular behavior).
To help recognize the present continuous tense in speech, marker words such as now (now) and at the moment (at the moment) can help. If we are talking about some kind of habit and inclination (often in a negative context), then in this case Present Continuous is accompanied by the following adverbs:
· all the time (all the time);
· always (always);
constantly (constantly).
Past Continuous (Past Continuous)
The tenses of the past group, as a rule, refer to the second form of the verb. The Past Continuous is no exception in this regard. This tense is formed by adding the 2nd form of the auxiliary verb to be, namely was for the singular and were for the plural. The ending -ing is necessarily added to the semantic verb.
The Past Continuous should be used in the following situations:
Long-term action that in the past took place in a certain period (He was playing football at 11 o "clock - He played football at 11 o'clock);
An action that took place in the past while another action took place (He was reading when somebody knocked at his window - He read when someone knocked on the window).
Also, Past Continuous can often be found in descriptive literary texts, where the author sets the task of creating the right atmosphere:
It was getting dark, and the wind was howling - It was getting dark and the wind was howling.
In phrases with Past Continuous, we often observe circumstances that indicate a period of time:
all day long (all day);
· all the time (all the time);
the whole day (the whole day);
· from 7 till 11 (from 7 to 11).
Future Continuous (Future Continuous)
Not all tenses in English have Russian counterparts. For example, Future Continuous from the point of view of a Russian speaker is unlikely to be any different from a simple future. However, residents of English-speaking countries refer to this time in the following situations:
· A continuous action that will take place at a certain point in the future (This time next Monday she will be flying to Paris - Next Monday at this time she will fly to Paris);
· A long-term action against the background of which another shorter one will occur in the future. At the same time, we do not know whether the first action will be interrupted or will be continued. (We will be sleeping when he arrives to New York - We will sleep when he arrives in New York);
To denote two or more actions that will take place in the future at the same time (While they are playing chess I will be cooking dinner - While they are playing chess, I will cook dinner).
Future Continuous is formed using the auxiliary form will be and the semantic verb with the ending -ing.
The future continuous tense can also be recognized by marker words. These could be times:
at 5 o "clock (at five o'clock);
at that moment (at this moment);
in an hour (in an hour);
This time tomorrow (at the same time tomorrow), etc.
If we are talking about subordinate clauses with Future Continuous, then here we often see unions such as: if (if), as (while), while (while), when (when), until (not yet), before (before).
Perfect band times
The Perfect group can be briefly characterized by the word “result”. The completion of the action here is associated with some specific moment in the present, past or future.
How tenses are formed in English. Table for the Perfect group:
The 3rd form of a verb in English is formed by adding the ending -ed to the stem. The exception is irregular verbs, which do not change according to the rules. In this case, the form will have to be remembered.
Present Perfect (Present Perfect)
Examples of Present Perfect in school textbooks do not always allow you to get a complete picture of how to actually use this time. In fact, it is very widespread. Present Perfect is usually used in such situations:
- To denote an action that is already absolutely completed in the past, but, nevertheless, it is still connected with the present through the result (I have read this book so you can take it - I have already read this book, so you can take it);
- To characterize an action that began in the past, but at the same time, it continues at the present moment (I have lived in London for 6 years - We have been living in London for 6 years).
In sentences with the present perfect tense, there are often adverbs and circumstances that emphasize the effectiveness of the action:
· never (never);
just (just now);
already (already);
yet (yet);
· ever (ever);
For example: Have you ever been to Cyprus? - Have you ever been to Cyprus?
Past Perfect (Past perfect tense)
If the action was completed before a certain moment or action in the past, then, according to the rules of English grammar, you will have to choose the Past Perfect tense. For example, "The rain had stopped before he woke up - The rain ended before he woke up." Or: "By that time they had finished their work - By that time they had finished their work."
You can often recognize the Past Perfect by the union by and circumstances of time, like: by that time (by that time), by Monday (by Monday), by then (by that time), etc.
Future Perfect (Future perfect tense)
Future Perfect is used in situations where we need to report an action that will be completed before a certain point in the future: "I will have written the article by night - I will write an article by night." We also use the future perfect tense when we talk about some kind of supposed action that took place in the past. In other words, the Future Perfect is needed in order to express an assumption about what probably happened. For example, "You will have noticed our attitude to this problem - You (surely) noticed our attitude to this problem."
The marker phrases for the Future Perfect are also circumstances of time that indicate the moment for the completion of the action:
by Sunday (by Sunday);
by that time (by that time);
by 2033 (by 2033).
Formation of group times
Perfect Continuous
The times of the Perfect Continuous group in colloquial speech are not so common. Students usually start with these constructions at later stages. As the name implies, Perfect Continuous describes a continuous action that has begun, continues and ends at a certain point.
Grammatical tenses in English. Table for the Perfect Continuous group:
Present Perfect Continuous (Present Perfect Continuous)
The Present Perfect Continuous shows an action that started in the past and continues to the moment of speaking. For example: "She has been working for 5 hours already - She has already been working for 5 hours." This time is also used to characterize a long-term action that has just ended, the result of which affects the present: "I"m tired. We have been working all night - I'm tired. We worked all night."
In phrases with the present perfect continuous tense in English, there are often circumstances of time and other phrases that indicate the time period during which the action is performed. For example:
for a week (during the week);
Since morning (from the morning);
lately (recently);
· all my life (all my life), etc.
Past Perfect Continuous (Past Perfect Continuous)
The Past Perfect Continuous is similar to the previous one, but describes an extended action that began in the past up to a certain point (which also happened in the past and is always used in the Past Simple). This process may continue or end just before this very moment.
"Tom had been reading for 2 hours when Jane came - Tom had been reading for two hours when Jane came." In this case, the action began before Jane arrived. At the same time, Tom continues to read even after being interrupted.
The past perfect continuous tense is characterized by the use of temporary marker phrases, such as:
for five months (within 5 months);
for a long time (for a long time);
Since 7 o "clock (from 7 o'clock), etc.
Future Perfect Continuous (Future Perfect Continuous)
Among all the tenses of English grammar, Future Perfect Continuous is the least common in speech. This tense describes a continuous action that will begin in the future and continue until a certain moment (it is used in the Future Simple):
He will be resting for a week when she will join him - He will be resting for a whole week when she joins him.
Learning to distinguish English tenses is not as difficult as it seems at first glance: marker words will help you navigate. Remember that the simple past tense, for example, can be determined from a specific date. The ending -ing in the verb indicates that the action is not single, but continuous, that is, continuing. It is important to remember that if you start a sentence with past tense verbs, then the second part of the sentence must also use the past tense. Of course, in this matter one cannot do without practice. Watch as many English-language films and TV shows as possible, read books, and gradually you will learn to feel the tenses of the English language and stop thinking about where to put which verb.