“Tell me and Ι forget. Teach me and Ι remember. Involve me and Ι learn”. Benjamin Franklin
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Sentences can be active or passive. Therefore, tenses also have "active forms" and "passive forms." You must learn to recognize the difference to successfully speak English.
Active Form
In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing receiving the action is the object. Most sentences are active.
In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence. You can use the passive form if you think that the thing receiving the action is more important or should be emphasized. You can also use the passive form if you do not know who is doing the action or if you do not want to mention who is doing the action.
Gerunds and infinitives are sometimes referred to as verb complements. They may function as subjects or objects in a sentence.
What are Gerunds?
A gerund is a verb in its ing (present participle) form that functions as a noun that names an activity rather than a person or thing. Any action verb can be made into a gerund.
Spelling Tip
Verbing (Present Participle)
Add ing to most verbs. Ex. play > playing, cry > crying, bark > barking
For verbs that end in e, remove the e and add ing. Ex: slide > sliding, ride > riding
For verbs that end in ie, change the ie to y and add ing. Ex: die > dying, tie > tying
For a verb whose last syllable is written with a consonant-vowel-consonant and is stressed, double the last letter before adding ing. Ex: beg > begging, begin > beginning. However: enter > entering (last syllable is not stressed)
Gerund Examples
Gerunds can appear at the beginning of a sentence when used as a subject:
Jogging is a hobby of mine.
Gerunds can act as an object following the verb:
Daniel quit smoking a year ago.
Gerunds can serve as an object after a preposition:
I look forward to helping you paint the house. Note: The same spelling rules that apply to the progressive tenses also apply to gerunds.
Some verbs and verb phrases are directly followed a gerund:
Paul avoids using chemicals on the vegetables he grows.
Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive without causing a change in meaning:
Some people prefer getting up early in the morning.
Some people prefer to get up early in the morning
Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or infinitive but with a change in meaning:
He remembered sending the fax. (He remembered the act of send the fax)
He remembered to send the fax. (He remembered the fax and sent it.) What are Infinitives?
An infinitive is a verb form that acts as other parts of speech in a sentence. It is formed with to + base form of the verb. Ex: to buy, to work.
Infinitive Examples
Infinitives can be used as:
an object following the verb:
Jim always forgets to eat
a subject at the beginning of a sentence:
To travel around the world requires a lot of time and money.
an adverb modifying a verb:
You promised to buy me a diamond ring.
an adjective modifying a noun:
Tara has the ability to succeed.
Some verbs are directly followed by an infinitive:
Do you want to call your family now?
Some verbs are directly followed by a noun or pronoun and then by an infinitive:
I convinced Catherine to become vegetarian.
He advised me to sell all my shares of stock.
Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund without causing a change in meaning:
Will you continue working after you give birth?
Will you continue to work after you give birth?
Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund but with a change in meaning:
He stopped drinking coffee. (He never drank coffee again.)
He stopped to drink coffee. (He stopped what he was doing and drank some coffee.)
PLEASE KINDLY VISIT http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/verblist.htm FOR A LIST OF VERBS LIST .IT IS REALLY USEFUL
We use modal verbs to show if we believe something is certain, probable or possible (or not). We also use modals to do things like talking about ability, asking permission making requests and offers, and so on.
Possibility:
We use the modals could, might and may to show that something is possible in the future, but not certain:
They might come later. (= Perhaps/Maybe they will come later.)
They may come by car. (= Perhaps/Maybe they will come by car.)
If we don’t hurry we could be late. (= Perhaps/Maybe we will be late)
We use could have, might have and may have to show that something was possible now or at some time in the past:
It’s ten o’clock. They might have arrived now.
They could have arrived hours ago.
We use the modal can to make general statements about what is possible:
It can be very cold in winter. (= It is sometimes very cold in winter)
You can easily lose your way in the dark. (= People often lose their way in the dark)
We use the modal could as the past tense of can:
It could be very cold in winter. (= Sometimes it was very cold in winter.)
You could lose your way in the dark. (= People often lost their way in the dark)
Impossibility:
We use the negative can’t or cannot to show that something is impossible:
That can’t be true.
You cannot be serious.
We use couldn’t/could not to talk about the past:
We knew it could not be true.
He was obviously joking. He could not be serious.
Probability:
We use the modal must to show we are sure something to be true and we have reasons for our belief:
It’s getting dark. It must be quite late.
You haven’t eaten all day. You must be hungry.
We use must have for the past:
They hadn’t eaten all day. They must have been hungry.
You look happy. You must have heard the good news.
We use the modal should to suggest that something is true or will be true in the future, and to show you have reasons for your suggestion:
Ask Miranda. She should know.
It's nearly six o'clock. They should arrive soon.
We use should have to talk about the past:
It's nearly eleven o'clock. They should have arrived by now.
Ability:
We use can to talk about someone’s skill or general abilities:
She can speak several languages.
He can swim like a fish.
They can’t dance very well.
We use can to talk about the ability to do something at a given time in the present or future:
You can make a lot of money if you are lucky.
Help. I can’t breathe.
They can run but they can’t hide.
We use could to talk about past time:
She could speak several languages.
They couldn’t dance very well.
We use could have to say that someone had the ability/opportunity to do something, but did not do it:
She could have learned Swahili, but she didn’t have time.
I could have danced all night [but didn't].
Permission:
We use can to ask for permission to do something:
Can I ask a question, please?
Can we go home now.
could is more formal and polite than can:
Could I ask a question please?
Could we go home now?
may is another more formal and polite way of asking for permission:
May I ask a question please?
May we go home now?
We use can to give permission:
You can go home now if you like.
You can borrow my pen if you like.
may is a more formal and polite way of giving permission:
You may go home now, if you like.
We use can to say that someone has permission to do something:
We can go out whenever we want.
Students can travel free.
may is a more formal and polite way of saying that someone has permission:
Students may travel free.
Instructions and requests:
We use could you and would you as polite ways of telling or asking someone to do something:
Could you take a message please?
Would you carry this for me please?
Could I have my bill please?
can and will are less polite:
Can you take a message please?
Will you carry this for me please?
Suggestions and advice:
We use should to make suggestions and give advice:
You should send an email.
We should go by train.
We use could to make suggestions:
We could meet at the weekend.
You could eat out tonight.
We use conditionals to give advice:
Dan will help you if you ask him.
Past tenses are more polite:
Dan would help you if you asked him.
Offers and invitations:
We use can I… and to make offers:
Can I help you?
Can I do that for you?
We can also use shall I …
Shall I help you with that?
Shall I call you on your mobile?
We sometime say I can ... or I could ... or I’ll (I will) ... to make an offer:
I can do that for you if you like.
I can give you a lift to the station.
I’ll do that for you if you like.
I’ll give you a lift to the station.
We use would you like (to) ... for invitations:
Would you like to come round to morrow?
Would you like another drink?
We use you must or we must for a very polite invitation:
You must come round and see us.
We must meet again soon.
Obligation and necessity
We use must to say that it is necessary to do something:
You must stop at a red light.
Everyone must bring something to eat.
You can wear what you like, but you must look neat and tidy.
I’m sorry, but you mustn’t make a noise in here.
We use had to for this if we are talking about the past:
Everyone had to bring something to eat.
We could wear what we liked, but we had to look neat and tidy.
Subject Modal Have Past Participle
They will have arrived by now
You might have seen the film
Jack&Jill would have been late
We use a modal verb with have to refer back:
… from a point of time in the past:
We were very worried. Someone might have taken the car.
… from the present
It is nearly eight o’clock. They will have arrived by now.
…or from the future:
We won’t eat until they arrive. They might not have had supper.
or to refer to past time:
You should have helped her when she asked.
They might have got lost. Nobody knows where they are.
We make questions by putting the subject after can/could:
Can I …? Can you …? Could I … Could you …? and so on.
The negative form is can’t in spoken English and cannot in written English.
We sometimes say cannot, but it is very emphatic.
The negative form of could is couldn’t in spoken English and could not in written English.
We sometimes say could not.
We use can and can’t :
To talk about ability:
Maria can speak four languages.
I can’t swim, but my sister can.
To say that something is possible or impossible:
Learning English can be difficult [= Learning English is sometimes difficult.]
Children can be very naughty [= Children are sometimes very naughty.]
It’s still light. It can’t be bedtime.
For requests and refusals of requests
Can I go home now?
You can go whenever you like.
You can borrow the car today, but you can’t have it tomorrow.
To offer to help someone:
Can I help you?
Can I carry that bag for you?
We use could and couldn’t as the past tense of can/can’t:
To talk about ability:
I could run very fast when I was younger.
She couldn’t get a job anywhere.
To say that something was possible or impossible:
Our teacher could be very strict when we were at school. [= Some teachers were very strict.]
People could starve in those days. [= People sometimes starved.]
You couldn’t use computers in the nineteenth century.
To make a polite request:
Could I go now please?
Could you lend me a dictionary please?
To make a polite offer:
Could I give you a lift?
I could carry that for you.
We use could have:
to show that something is possible now or was possible at some time in the past:
It’s ten o’clock. They could have arrived now.
They could have arrived hours ago.
MAY ,MIGHT,MAY HAVE & MIGHT HAVE
We make questions by putting the subject after may/might:
May I …? Could I … Might I …? Etc.
The negative forms are may not and might not..
We use may:
when we are not sure about something:
Jack may be coming to see us tomorrow.
Oh dear! It’s half past ten. We may be late for the meeting.
There may not be very many people there.
to make polite requests:
May I borrow the car tomorrow?
May we come a bit later?
When we use may not for a refusal it is emphatic:
You may not!
You may not borrow the car until you can be more careful with it.
We use might:
• when we are not sure about something:
I might see you tomorrow.
It looks nice, but it might be very expensive.
It’s quite bright. It might not rain today.
• As the past tense of may for requests:
He asked if he might borrow the car.
They wanted to know if they might come later.
• For very polite requests:
Might I ask you a question?
Might we just interrupt for a moment?
We use may have and might have to show that something has possibly happened now or happened at some time in the past:
It’s ten o’clock. They might have arrived now.[= Perhaps they have arrived]
They may have arrived hours ago. [= Perhaps they arrived hours ago.]
CAN or COULD
Possibility
We use the modal can to make general statements about what is possible:
It can be very cold in winter. (= It is sometimes very cold in winter)
You can easily lose your way in the dark. (= People often lose their way in the dark)
We use could as the past tense of can:
It could be very cold in winter. (=Sometimes it was very cold in winter.)
You could lose your way in the dark. (=People often lost their way in the dark)
We use could to show that something is possible in the future, but not certain:
If we don’t hurry we could be late. (=Perhaps/Maybe we will be late)
We use could have to show that something is/was possible now or at some time in the past:
It’s ten o’clock. They could have arrived now.
They could have arrived hours ago.
Impossibility:
We use the negative can’t or cannot to show that something is impossible:
That can’t be true.
You cannot be serious.
We use couldn’t/could not to talk about the past:
We knew it could not be true.
He was obviously joking. He could not be serious.
Ability:
We use can to talk about someone’s skill or general abilities:
She can speak several languages.
He can swim like a fish.
They can’t dance very well.
We use can to talk about the ability to do something at a given time in the present or future:
You can make a lot of money if you are lucky.
Help. I can’t breathe.
They can run but they can’t hide.
We use could to talk about past time:
She could speak several languages.
They couldn’t dance very well.
Permission:
We use can to ask for permission to do something:
Can I ask a question, please?
Can we go home now?
could is more formal and polite than can:
Could I ask a question please?
Could we go home now?
We use can to give permission:
You can go home now if you like.
You can borrow my pen if you like.
We use can to say that someone has permission to do something:
We can go out whenever we want.
Students can travel free.
Instructions and requests:
We use could you and as a polite way of telling or asking someone to do something:
Could you take a message please?
Could I have my bill please?
can is less polite:
Can you take a message please?
Offers and invitations:
We use can I … to make offers:
Can I help you?
Can I do that for you?
We sometimes say I can ... or I could ... to make an offer:
I can do that for you if you like.
I can give you a lift to the station.
WILL or WOULD
We use will:
to talk about the future – to say what we believe will happen
to talk about what people want to do or are willing to do
to make promises and offers
would is the past tense form of will. Because it is a past tense it is used:
to talk about the past.
to talk about hypotheses – things that are imagined rather than true.
for politeness.
Beliefs
We use will
to say what we believe will happen in the future:
We'll be late.
We will have to take the train.
We use would as the past tense of will:
to say what we believed would happen:
I thought I would be late …… so I would have to take the train.
Offers and promises
We use I will or We will to make offers and promises:
I’ll give you a lift home after the party.
We will come and see you next week.
Willingness
to talk about what people want to do or are willing to do:
We’ll see you tomorrow.
Perhaps dad will lend me the car.
We use would as the past tense of will:
to talk about what people wanted to do or were willing to do:
We had a terrible night. The baby wouldn’t go to sleep. He kept waking up and crying.
Dad wouldn’t lend me the car, so we had to take the train.
to talk about something that we did often in the past because we wanted to do it:
When they were children they used to spend their holidays at their grandmother’s at the seaside. They would get up early every morning and they’d have a quick breakfast then they would run across the road to the beach.
Conditionals
We use will in conditionals with if and unless to say what we think will happen in the future or present:
I’ll give her a call if I can find her number.
You won’t get in unless you have a ticket.
We use would to talk about hypotheses, about something which is possible but not real:
to talk about the result or effect of a possible situation:
It would be very expensive to stay in a hotel.
in conditionals with words like if and what if. In these sentences the main verb is usually in the past tense:
I would give her a call if I could find her number.
If I had the money I'd buy a new car.
You would lose weight if you took more exercise.
If he got a new job he would probably make more money.
What if he lost his job. What would happen then?
We use conditionals to give advice:
Dan will help you if you ask him.
Past tenses are more polite:
Dan would help you if you asked him.
Phrases with would:
would you…, would you mind (not) -ing, for requests:
Would you carry this for me please?
Would you mind carrying this?
Would you mind not telling him that?
would you like ...; would you like to ..., for offers and invitations:
Would you like to come round to morrow?
Would you like another drink?
I would like …; I’d like … (you)(to) ..., to say what we want or what we want to do:
I’d like that one please.
I’d like to go home now.
I’d rather… (I would rather) to say what we prefer:
I’d rather have that one.
I’d rather go home now.
I would think, I would imagine, I'd guess, to give an opinion when we are not sure or when we want to be polite:
It’s very difficult I would imagine.
I would think that’s the right answer.
WILL HAVE or WOULD HAVE
We use the perfective will have when we are looking back from a point in time when something will have happened.
By the end of the decade scientists will have discovered a cure for influenza.
I will phone at six o’clock. He will have got home by then.
or looking "back" from the present:
Look at the time. The match will have started.
It’s half past five. Dad will have finished work.
We use would have as the past tense form of will have:
I phoned at six o’clock. I knew he would have got home by then.
It was half past five. Dad would have finished work.
We use would have in past conditionals to talk about something that did not happen:
If it had been a little warmer we would have gone for a swim.
He would have been very angry if he had seen you.
Examples:
•You called Debbie.
•Did you call Debbie?
•You did not call Debbie.
Complete List of Simple Past Forms
USE 1 Completed Action in the Past
Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
Examples:
•I saw a movie yesterday.
•I didn't see a play yesterday.
•Last year, I traveled to Japan.
•Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.
•Did you have dinner last night?
•She washed her car.
•He didn't wash his car.
USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions
We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
Examples:
•I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.
•He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.
•Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?
USE 3 Duration in Past
The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.
Examples:
•I lived in Brazil for two years.
•Shauna studied Japanese for five years.
•They sat at the beach all day.
•They did not stay at the party the entire time.
•We talked on the phone for thirty minutes.
•A: How long did you wait for them?
B: We waited for one hour.
USE 4 Habits in the Past
The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.
Examples:
•I studied French when I was a child.
•He played the violin.
•He didn't play the piano.
•Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid?
•She worked at the movie theater after school.
•They never went to school, they always skipped class. USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations
The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this use of the Simple Past is quite similar to the expression "used to."
Examples:
•She was shy as a child, but now she is very outgoing.
•He didn't like tomatoes before.
•Did you live in Texas when you were a kid?
•People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past.
IMPORTANT When-Clauses Happen First Clauses are groups of words which have meaning but are often not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when I dropped my pen..." or "when class began..." These clauses are called when-clauses, and they are very important. The examples below contain when-clauses.
Examples:
•When I paid her one dollar, she answered my question.
•She answered my question when I paid her one dollar.
When-clauses are important because they always happen first when both clauses are in the Simple Past. Both of the examples above mean the same thing: first, I paid her one dollar, and then, she answered my question. It is not important whether "when I paid her one dollar" is at the beginning of the sentence or at the end of the sentence. However, the example below has a different meaning. First, she answered my question, and then, I paid her one dollar.
Example:
•I paid her one dollar when she answered my question.
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You just called Debbie.
•Did you just call Debbie?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•Tom repaired the car. Active
•The car was repaired by Tom. Passive
SIMPLE PERFECT OR SIMPLE PAST ?
Past Continuous
FORM
[was/were + present participle]
Examples:
•You were studying when she called.
•Were you studying when she called?
•You were not studying when she called.
Complete List of Past Continuous Forms
USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past
Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Examples:
•I was watching TV when she called.
•When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
•While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.
•What were you doing when the earthquake started?
•I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear the fire alarm.
•You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off.
•While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.
•Sammy was waiting for us when we got off the plane.
•While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went off.
•A: What were you doing when you broke your leg?
B: I was snowboarding.
USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption
In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.
Examples:
•Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
•At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
•Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.
IMPORTANT
In the Simple Past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the Past Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.
Examples:
•Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner.
I started eating at 6 PM.
•Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner.
USE 3 Parallel Actions
When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.
Examples:
•I was studying while he was making dinner.
•While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.
•Were you listening while he was talking?
•I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I made several mistakes.
•What were you doing while you were waiting?
•Thomas wasn't working, and I wasn't working either.
•They were eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.
USE 4 Atmosphere
In English, we often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the past.
Example:
•When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was yelling directions, and customers were waiting to be helped. One customer was yelling at a secretary and waving his hands. Others were complaining to each other about the bad service.
USE 5 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"
The Past Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the expression "used to" but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing."
Examples:
•She was always coming to class late.
•He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.
•I didn't like them because they were always complaining.
While vs. When
Clauses are groups of words which have meaning, but are often not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when she called" or "when it bit me." Other clauses begin with "while" such as "while she was sleeping" and "while he was surfing." When you talk about things in the past, "when" is most often followed by the verb tense Simple Past, whereas "while" is usually followed by Past Continuous. "While" expresses the idea of "during that time." Study the examples below. They have similar meanings, but they emphasize different parts of the sentence.
Examples:
•I was studying when she called.
•While I was studying, she called.
REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs
It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Past Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Past.
Examples:
•Jane was being at my house when you arrived. Not Correct
•Jane was at my house when you arrived. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You were just studying when she called.
•Were you just studying when she called?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•The salesman was helping the customer when the thief came into the store. Active
•The customer was being helped by the salesman when the thief came into the store. Passive
Past Perfect
FORM
[had + past participle]
Examples:
•You had studied English before you moved to New York.
•Had you studied English before you moved to New York?
•You had not studied English before you moved to New York.
Complete List of Past Perfect Forms
USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Past
The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.
Examples:
•I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai.
•I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet.
•Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several times.
•Had Susan ever studied Thai before she moved to Thailand?
•She only understood the movie because she had read the book.
•Kristine had never been to an opera before last night.
•We were not able to get a hotel room because we had not booked in advance.
•A: Had you ever visited the U.S. before your trip in 2006?
B: Yes, I had been to the U.S. once before.
USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Past (Non-Continuous Verbs)
With Non-Continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past.
Examples:
•We had had that car for ten years before it broke down.
•By the time Alex finished his studies, he had been in London for over eight years.
•They felt bad about selling the house because they had owned it for more than forty years.
Although the above use of Past Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs.
IMPORTANT Specific Times with the Past Perfect
Unlike with the Present Perfect, it is possible to use specific time words or phrases with the Past Perfect. Although this is possible, it is usually not necessary.
Example:
•She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.
MOREOVER
If the Past Perfect action did occur at a specific time, the Simple Past can be used instead of the Past Perfect when "before" or "after" is used in the sentence. The words "before" and "after" actually tell you what happens first, so the Past Perfect is optional. For this reason, both sentences below are correct.
Examples:
•She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.
•She visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.
HOWEVER
If the Past Perfect is not referring to an action at a specific time, Past Perfect is not optional. Compare the examples below. Here Past Perfect is referring to a lack of experience rather than an action at a specific time. For this reason, Simple Past cannot be used.
Examples:
•She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska. Not Correct
•She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You had previously studied English before you moved to New York.
•Had you previously studied English before you moved to New York?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanic's license. Active
•Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanic's license. Passive
Past Perfect Continuous
FORM
[had been + present participle]
Examples:
•You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.
•Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived?
•You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.
Complete List of Past Perfect Continuous Forms
USE 1 Duration Before Something in the Past
We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. "For five minutes" and "for two weeks" are both durations which can be used with the Past Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect Continuous; however, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.
Examples:
•They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived.
•She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business.
•How long had you been waiting to get on the bus?
•Mike wanted to sit down because he had been standing all day at work.
•James had been teaching at the university for more than a year before he left for Asia.
•A: How long had you been studying Turkish before you moved to Ankara?
B: I had not been studying Turkish very long.
USE 2 Cause of Something in the Past
Using the Past Perfect Continuous before another action in the past is a good way to show cause and effect.
Examples:
•Jason was tired because he had been jogging.
•Sam gained weight because he had been overeating.
•Betty failed the final test because she had not been attending class.
Past Continuous vs. Past Perfect Continuous
If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or "since Friday," many English speakers choose to use the Past Continuous rather than the Past Perfect Continuous. Be careful because this can change the meaning of the sentence. Past Continuous emphasizes interrupted actions, whereas Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes a duration of time before something in the past. Study the examples below to understand the difference.
Examples:
•He was tired because he was exercising so hard.
This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he was exercising at that exact moment.
•He was tired because he had been exercising so hard.
This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he had been exercising over a period of time. It is possible that he was still exercising at that moment OR that he had just finished.
REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs
It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Past Perfect Continuous with these verbs, you must use Past Perfect.
Examples:
•The motorcycle had been belonging to George for years before Tina bought it. Not Correct
•The motorcycle had belonged to George for years before Tina bought it. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You had only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived.
•Had you only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris. Active
•The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris. Passive
NOTE: Passive forms of the Past Perfect Continuous are not common.
Used To
FORM
[used to + VERB]
Example:
•I used to go to the beach every day.
It is better not to use "used to" in questions or negative forms; however, this is sometimes done in informal spoken English. It is better to ask questions and create negative sentences using Simple Past.
USE 1 Habit in the Past
"Used to" expresses the idea that something was an old habit that stopped in the past. It indicates that something was often repeated in the past, but it is not usually done now.
Examples:
•Jerry used to study English.
•Sam and Mary used to go to Mexico in the summer.
•I used to start work at 9 o'clock.
•Christine used to eat meat, but now she is a vegetarian.
USE 2 Past Facts and Generalizations
"Used to" can also be used to talk about past facts or generalizations which are no longer true.
Examples:
•I used to live in Paris.
•Sarah used to be fat, but now she is thin.
•George used to be the best student in class, but now Lena is the best.
•Oranges used to cost very little in Florida, but now they are quite expensive.
"Used to" vs. Simple Past
Both Simple Past and "Used to" can be used to describe past habits, past facts and past generalizations; however, "used to" is preferred when emphasizing these forms of past repetition in positive sentences. On the other hand, when asking questions or making negative sentences, Simple Past is preferred.
Examples:
•You used to play the piano.
•Did you play the piano when you were young?
•You did not play the piano when you were young.
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•Jerry used to pay the bills. Active
•The bills used to be paid by Jerry. Passive
The difference between USED TO and WOULD
Question
The difference between USED TO and WOULD — Trinh Pham, Vietnam
Answer
Used to and would are both use to describe something that happened regularly in the past but doesn't happen any longer, as shown in the following two sentences about quitting smoking:
1.I used to smoke, but I quit last year.
2.Whenever I craved a cigarette, I would chew gum instead.
However, there are two important differences between used to and would. The first difference is that would should not be used unless it has already been established that the time frame is in the past, while used to does not require this. This example, with used to at the beginning, sounds natural:
•I used to watch cartoons every Saturday morning when I was very little. Now I rarely watch TV.
However, when used to is replaced with would, the same example becomes awkward and ungrammatical:
•*I would watch cartoons every Saturday morning when I was very little. Now I rarely watch TV.
But if the past time frame is established before would appears,would sounds fine.
•When I was little, I would get up and watch cartoons every Saturday morning. Now I rarely watch TV.
The second difference between used to and would is that would is not used with stative verbs such as love, be, understand, and feel. Compare these two sentences with the stative verb love:
1.When I was a student, I used to love sleeping late on the weekends. (natural and grammatical)
2.*When I was a student, I would love sleeping late on weekends. (awkward and ungrammatical)
To summarize, the use of would is more restricted than that of used to. Therefore, if you aren't sure which one to use, it's best to choose used to.
Past habit – used to/would/past simple
When we talk about things that happened in the past but don’t happen anymore we can do it in different ways.
Used to
•We used to live in New York when I was a kid.
•There didn’t use to be a petrol station there. When was it built?
We can use ‘used to’ to talk about past states ….
•I used to go swimming every Thursday when I was at school.
•I used to smoke but I gave up a few years ago.
… or we can use ‘used to’ to talk about repeated past actions
Remember that ‘used to’ is only for past states/actions that don’t happen now – we can’t use it for things that still happen now. Also, ‘used to + infinitive’ should not be confused with ‘be/get used to + ‘ing’ form’ – this is covered in a separate section.
Would
•Every Saturday I would go on a long bike ride.
•My teachers would always say “Sit down and shut up!”
We can use ‘would’ to talk about repeated past actions.
Often either ‘would’ or ‘used to’ is possible. Both of these sentences are possible.
•Every Saturday, I would go on a long bike ride.
•Every Saturday I used to go on a long bike ride.
However, only ‘used to’ is possible when we talk about past states.
•We used to live in New York when I was a kid.
•We would live in New York when I was a kid.
Past simple
•We went/used to go/would go to the same beach every summer.
We can use the past simple in the same way as ‘used to’ and ‘would’ to talk about repeated past actions.
•I had/used to have a dog called Charlie.
We can also use the past simple for past states.
•I went to Egypt in 1988.
However, if something happened only once we can’t use ‘used to’ or ‘would’ – we must use the past simple.
Would Always
FORM
[would always + VERB]
Examples:
•You would always take your surfboard with you when you went to the beach.
•Would you always take your surfboard with you when you went to the beach?
•You would not always take your surfboard with you when you went to the beach.
USE 1 Habit in the Past
Like "used to" and Simple Past, "would always" expresses the idea that something was an old habit which stopped in the past. It says that an action was often repeated in the past, but it is not usually done now. Unlike "used to" and Simple Past, "would always" suggests that someone willingly acted that way and sometimes expresses annoyance or amusement at the habit. It also often suggests the habit was extreme. To express the opposite idea, we can say "would never" to indicate that someone never did something in the past, but now they do.
Examples:
•She would always send me strange birthday gifts.
•Sam and Mary would always choose the most exotic vacation destinations.
•Sally would not always arrive early to class. She came late once or twice.
•Ned would always show up at our house without calling first.
•Mindy would not always walk to school. Sometimes, she took the bus.
•Christine would always come late to the meetings.
•Jeff would never pay for drinks when we went out together with our friends.
Refusing to do something or normally not doing something is also a form of habit.
REMEMBER "Would Always" is Different
"Would always" is not exactly the same as "used to" or the Simple Past. "Would always" cannot be used to talk about past facts or generalizations. It can only be used for repeated actions.
Examples:
•Sarah was shy, but now she is very outgoing. Correct
•Sarah used to be shy, but now she is very outgoing. Correct
•Sarah would always be shy, but now she is very outgoing. Not Correct
Forms Related to "Would Always"
In addition to "would always," English speakers often use "would constantly," "would often," "would forever" or simply "would." Although the last form "would" is correct, it is not suggested because it can easily be confused with other verb forms such as the Conditional or Future in the Past. Similarly, speakers can use "would rarely," "would occasionally" and "would seldom" to express the idea that an action was not often repeated.
Examples:
•Jerry would come to the parties every weekend.
•Jerry would constantly bring his girlfriend to the parties.
•Jerry would often bring his best friend to the parties.
•Jerry would occasionally bring his older brother to the parties.
•Jerry would seldom bring his sister to the parties.
•Jerry would never bring his younger brother to the parties.
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•My mother would always make the pies. Active
•The pies would always be made by my mother. Passive
Use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual. The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens. It can also be something a person often forgets or usually does not do.
Examples:
•I play tennis.
•She does not play tennis.
•Does he play tennis?
•The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.
•The train does not leave at 9 AM.
•When does the train usually leave?
•She always forgets her purse.
•He never forgets his wallet.
•Every twelve months, the Earth circles the Sun.
•Does the Sun circle the Earth?
USE 2 Facts or Generalizations
The Simple Present can also indicate the speaker believes that a fact was true before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It is not important if the speaker is correct about the fact. It is also used to make generalizations about people or things.
Examples:
•Cats like milk.
•Birds do not like milk.
•Do pigs like milk?
•California is in America.
•California is not in the United Kingdom.
•Windows are made of glass.
•Windows are not made of wood.
•New York is a small city. It is not important that this fact is untrue.
USE 3 Scheduled Events in the Near Future
Speakers occasionally use Simple Present to talk about scheduled events in the near future. This is most commonly done when talking about public transportation, but it can be used with other scheduled events as well.
Examples:
•The train leaves tonight at 6 PM.
•The bus does not arrive at 11 AM, it arrives at 11 PM.
•When do we board the plane?
•The party starts at 8 o'clock.
•When does class begin tomorrow?
USE 4 Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)
Speakers sometimes use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is happening or is not happening now. This can only be done withNon-Continuous Verbs and certain Mixed Verbs.
Examples:
•I am here now.
•She is not here now.
•He needs help right now.
•He does not need help now.
•He has his passport in his hand.
•Do you have your passport with you?
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You only speak English.
•Do you only speak English?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•Once a week, Tom cleans the car. Active
•Once a week, the car is cleaned by Tom. Passive
PRESENT CONTINIOUS
FORM
[am/is/are + present participle]
Examples:
•You are watching TV.
•Are you watching TV?
•You are not watching TV.
Complete List of Present Continuous Forms
USE 1 Now
Use the Present Continuous with Normal Verbs to express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now.
Examples:
•You are learning English now.
•You are not swimming now.
•Are you sleeping?
•I am sitting.
•I am not standing.
•Is he sitting or standing?
•They are reading their books.
•They are not watching television.
•What are you doing?
•Why aren't you doing your homework?
USE 2 Longer Actions in Progress Now
In English, "now" can mean: this second, today, this month, this year, this century, and so on. Sometimes, we use the Present Continuous to say that we are in the process of doing a longer action which is in progress; however, we might not be doing it at this exact second.
Examples: (All of these sentences can be said while eating dinner in a restaurant.)
•I am studying to become a doctor.
•I am not studying to become a dentist.
•I am reading the book Tom Sawyer.
•I am not reading any books right now.
•Are you working on any special projects at work?
•Aren't you teaching at the university now?
USE 3 Near Future
Sometimes, speakers use the Present Continuous to indicate that something will or will not happen in the near future.
Examples:
•I am meeting some friends after work.
•I am not going to the party tonight.
•Is he visiting his parents next weekend?
•Isn't he coming with us tonight?
USE 4 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"
The Present Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happens. Notice that the meaning is like Simple Present, but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing."
Examples:
•She is always coming to class late.
•He is constantly talking. I wish he would shut up.
•I don't like them because they are always complaining.
REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs/ Mixed Verbs
It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Present Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Present.
Examples:
•She is loving this chocolate ice cream. Not Correct
•She loves this chocolate ice cream. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You are still watching TV.
•Are you still watching TV?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•Right now, Tom is writing the letter. Active
•Right now, the letter is being written by Tom. Passive
Present Perfect
FORM
[has/have + past participle]
Examples:
•You have seen that movie many times.
•Have you seen that movie many times?
•You have not seen that movie many times.
Complete List of Present Perfect Forms
USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now
We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
Examples:
•I have seen that movie twenty times.
•I think I have met him once before.
•There have been many earthquakes in California.
•People have traveled to the Moon.
•People have not traveled to Mars.
•Have you read the book yet?
•Nobody has ever climbed that mountain.
•A: Has there ever been a war in the United States?
B: Yes, there has been a war in the United States.
How Do You Actually Use the Present Perfect?
The concept of "unspecified time" can be very confusing to English learners. It is best to associate Present Perfect with the following topics:
TOPIC 1 Experience
You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have never had a certain experience. The Present Perfect is NOT used to describe a specific event.
Examples:
•I have been to France.
This sentence means that you have had the experience of being in France. Maybe you have been there once, or several times.
•I have been to France three times.
You can add the number of times at the end of the sentence.
•I have never been to France.
This sentence means that you have not had the experience of going to France.
•I think I have seen that movie before.
•He has never traveled by train.
•Joan has studied two foreign languages.
•A: Have you ever met him?
B: No, I have not met him. TOPIC 2 Change Over Time
We often use the Present Perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period of time.
Examples:
•You have grown since the last time I saw you.
•The government has become more interested in arts education.
•Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at the university since the Asian studies program was established.
•My English has really improved since I moved to Australia. TOPIC 3 Accomplishments
We often use the Present Perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and humanity. You cannot mention a specific time.
Examples:
•Man has walked on the Moon.
•Our son has learned how to read.
•Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.
•Scientists have split the atom.
TOPIC 4 An Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting
We often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has not happened. Using the Present Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action to happen.
Examples:
•James has not finished his homework yet.
•Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but she can communicate.
•Bill has still not arrived.
•The rain hasn't stopped. TOPIC 5 Multiple Actions at Different Times
We also use the Present Perfect to talk about several different actions which have occurred in the past at different times. Present Perfect suggests the process is not complete and more actions are possible.
Examples:
•The army has attacked that city five times.
•I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.
•We have had many major problems while working on this project.
•She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but nobody knows why she is sick.
Time Expressions with Present Perfect
When we use the Present Perfect it means that something has happened at some point in our lives before now. Remember, the exact time the action happened is not important.
Sometimes, we want to limit the time we are looking in for an experience. We can do this with expressions such as: in the last week, in the last year, this week, this month, so far, up to now, etc.
Examples:
•Have you been to Mexico in the last year?
•I have seen that movie six times in the last month.
•They have had three tests in the last week.
•She graduated from university less than three years ago. She has worked for three different companies so far.
•My car has broken down three times this week. NOTICE "Last year" and "in the last year" are very different in meaning. "Last year" means the year before now, and it is considered a specific time which requires Simple Past. "In the last year" means from 365 days ago until now. It is not considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect. Examples: •I went to Mexico last year. I went to Mexico in the calendar year before this one. •I have been to Mexico in the last year. I have been to Mexico at least once at some point between 365 days ago and now. USE 2 Duration From the Past Until Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)
With Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Present Perfect to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect.
Examples:
•I have had a cold for two weeks.
•She has been in England for six months.
•Mary has loved chocolate since she was a little girl.
Although the above use of Present Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs.
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You have only seen that movie one time.
•Have you only seen that movie one time?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•Many tourists have visited that castle. Active
•That castle has been visited by many tourists. Passive
Present Perfect Continuous
FORM
[has/have + been + present participle]
Examples:
•You have been waiting here for two hours.
•Have you been waiting here for two hours?
•You have not been waiting here for two hours.
Complete List of Present Perfect Continuous Forms
USE 1 Duration from the Past Until Now
We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect Continuous.
Examples:
•They have been talking for the last hour.
•She has been working at that company for three years.
•What have you been doing for the last 30 minutes?
•James has been teaching at the university since June.
•We have been waiting here for over two hours!
•Why has Nancy not been taking her medicine for the last three days?
USE 2 Recently, Lately
You can also use the Present Perfect Continuous WITHOUT a duration such as "for two weeks." Without the duration, the tense has a more general meaning of "lately." We often use the words "lately" or "recently" to emphasize this meaning.
Examples:
•Recently, I have been feeling really tired.
•She has been watching too much television lately.
•Have you been exercising lately?
•Mary has been feeling a little depressed.
•Lisa has not been practicing her English.
•What have you been doing?
IMPORTANT
Remember that the Present Perfect Continuous has the meaning of "lately" or "recently." If you use the Present Perfect Continuous in a question such as "Have you been feeling alright?", it can suggest that the person looks sick or unhealthy. A question such as "Have you been smoking?" can suggest that you smell the smoke on the person. Using this tense in a question suggests you can see, smell, hear or feel the results of the action. It is possible to insult someone by using this tense incorrectly.
REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs/ Mixed Verbs
It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Present Perfect Continuous with these verbs, you must use Present Perfect.
Examples:
•Sam has been having his car for two years. Not Correct
•Sam has had his car for two years. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You have only been waiting here for one hour.
•Have you only been waiting here for one hour?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•Recently, John has been doing the work. Active
•Recently, the work has been being done by John. Passive
NOTE: Present Perfect Continuous is less commonly used in its passive form.
Simple Future
Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to." Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time and practice, the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a specific time in the future.
FORM Will
[will + verb]
Examples:
•You will help him later.
•Will you help him later?
•You will not help him later.
FORM Be Going To
[am/is/are + going to + verb]
Examples:
•You are going to meet Jane tonight.
•Are you going to meet Jane tonight?
•You are not going to meet Jane tonight.
Complete List of Simple Future Forms USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action
"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use "will" to respond to someone else's complaint or request for help. We also use "will" when we request that someone help us or volunteer to do something for us. Similarly, we use "will not" or "won't" when we refuse to voluntarily do something.
Examples:
•I will send you the information when I get it.
•I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.
•Will you help me move this heavy table?
•Will you make dinner?
•I will not do your homework for you.
•I won't do all the housework myself!
•A: I'm really hungry.
B: I'll make some sandwiches.
•A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.
B: I'll get you some coffee.
•A: The phone is ringing.
B: I'll get it.
USE 2 "Will" to Express a Promise
"Will" is usually used in promises.
Examples:
•I will call you when I arrive.
•If I am elected President of the United States, I will make sure everyone has access to inexpensive health insurance.
•I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.
•Don't worry, I'll be careful.
•I won't tell anyone your secret. USE 3 "Be going to" to Express a Plan
"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is realistic or not.
Examples:
•He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.
•She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.
•A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?
B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.
•I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.
•Michelle is going to begin medical school next year.
•They are going to drive all the way to Alaska.
•Who are you going to invite to the party?
•A: Who is going to make John's birthday cake?
B: Sue is going to make John's birthday cake. USE 4 "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction
Both "will" and "be going to" can express the idea of a general prediction about the future. Predictions are guesses about what might happen in the future. In "prediction" sentences, the subject usually has little control over the future and therefore USES 1-3 do not apply. In the following examples, there is no difference in meaning.
Examples:
•The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.
•The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.
•John Smith will be the next President.
•John Smith is going to be the next President.
•The movie "Zenith" will win several Academy Awards.
•The movie "Zenith" is going to win several Academy Awards.
IMPORTANT
In the Simple Future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has in mind. Often, there is more than one way to interpret a sentence's meaning.
No Future in Time Clauses
Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Simple Future, Simple Present is used.
Examples:
•When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct
•When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You will never help him.
•Will you ever help him?
•You are never going to meet Jane.
•Are you ever going to meet Jane?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•John will finish the work by 5:00 PM. Active
•The work will be finished by 5:00 PM. Passive
•Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. Active
•A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. Passive
Future Continuous
Future Continuous has two different forms: "will be doing " and "be going to be doing." Unlike Simple Future forms, Future Continuous forms are usually interchangeable.
FORM Future Continuous with "Will"
[will be + present participle]
Examples:
•You will be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
•Will you be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight?
•You will not be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
FORM Future Continuous with "Be Going To "
[am/is/are + going to be + present participle]
Examples:
•You are going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
•Are you going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight?
•You are not going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
REMEMBER: It is possible to use either "will" or "be going to" to create the Future Continuous with little difference in meaning.
Complete List of Future Continuous Forms USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Future
Use the Future Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the future will be interrupted by a shorter action in the future. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Examples:
•I will be watching TV when she arrives tonight.
•I will be waiting for you when your bus arrives.
•I am going to be staying at the Madison Hotel, if anything happens and you need to contact me.
•He will be studying at the library tonight, so he will not see Jennifer when she arrives.
Notice in the examples above that the interruptions (marked in italics) are in Simple Present rather than Simple Future. This is because the interruptions are in time clauses, and you cannot use future tenses in time clauses.
USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption in the Future
In USE 1, described above, the Future Continuous is interrupted by a short action in the future. In addition to using short actions as interruptions, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.
Examples:
•Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to be eating dinner.
I will be in the process of eating dinner.
•At midnight tonight, we will still be driving through the desert.
We will be in the process of driving through the desert.
REMEMBER
In the Simple Future, a specific time is used to show the time an action will begin or end. In the Future Continuous, a specific time interrupts the action.
Examples:
•Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to eat dinner.
I am going to start eating at 6 PM.
•Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to be eating dinner.
I am going to start earlier and I will be in the process of eating dinner at 6 PM.
USE 3 Parallel Actions in the Future
When you use the Future Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions will be happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.
Examples:
•I am going to be studying and he is going to be making dinner.
•Tonight, they will be eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.
•While Ellen is reading, Tim will be watching television.
Notice "is reading" because of the time clause containing "while." (See Explanation Below)
USE 4 Atmosphere in the Future
In English, we often use a series of Parallel Actions to describe atmosphere at a specific point in the future.
Example:
•When I arrive at the party, everybody is going to be celebrating. Some will be dancing. Others are going to be talking. A few people will be eating pizza, and several people are going to be drinking beer. They always do the same thing.
REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses
Like all future tenses, the Future Continuous cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Future Continuous, Present Continuous is used.
Examples:
•While I am going to be finishing my homework, she is going to make dinner. Not Correct
•While I am finishing my homework, she is going to make dinner. Correct
AND REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs
It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Future Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Future.
Examples:
•Jane will be being at my house when you arrive. Not Correct
•Jane will be at my house when you arrive. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You will still be waiting for her when her plane arrives.
•Will you still be waiting for her when her plane arrives?
•You are still going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives.
•Are you still going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•At 8:00 PM tonight, John will be washing the dishes. Active
•At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes will be being washed by John. Passive
•At 8:00 PM tonight, John is going to be washing the dishes. Active
•At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes are going to be being washed by John. Passive
NOTE: Passive forms of the Future Continuous are not common
Future Perfect
Future Perfect has two different forms: "will have done" and "be going to have done." Unlike Simple Future forms, Future Perfect forms are usually interchangeable.
FORM Future Perfect with "Will"
[will have + past participle]
Examples:
•You will have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
•Will you have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.?
•You will not have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
FORM Future Perfect with "Be Going To"
[am/is/are + going to have + past participle]
Examples:
•You are going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
•Are you going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.?
•You are not going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
NOTE: It is possible to use either "will" or "be going to" to create the Future Perfect with little or no difference in meaning.
Complete List of Future Perfect Forms USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Future
The Future Perfect expresses the idea that something will occur before another action in the future. It can also show that something will happen before a specific time in the future.
Examples:
•By next November, I will have received my promotion.
•By the time he gets home, she is going to have cleaned the entire house.
•I am not going to have finished this test by 3 o'clock.
•Will she have learned enough Chinese to communicate before she moves to Beijing?
•Sam is probably going to have completed the proposal by the time he leaves this afternoon.
•By the time I finish this course, I will have taken ten tests.
•How many countries are you going to have visited by the time you turn 50?
Notice in the examples above that the reference points (marked in italics) are in Simple Present rather than Simple Future. This is because the interruptions are in time clauses, and you cannot use future tenses in time clauses. USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Future (Non-Continuous Verbs)
With Non-Continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Future Perfect to show that something will continue up until another action in the future.
Examples:
•I will have been in London for six months by the time I leave.
•By Monday, Susan is going to have had my book for a week.
Although the above use of Future Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs.
REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses
Like all future forms, the Future Perfect cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Future Perfect, Present Perfect is used.
Examples:
•I am going to see a movie when I will have finished my homework. Not Correct
•I am going to see a movie when I have finished my homework. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You will only have learned a few words.
•Will you only have learned a few words?
•You are only going to have learned a few words.
•Are you only going to have learned a few words?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•They will have completed the project before the deadline. Active
•The project will have been completed before the deadline. Passive
•They are going to have completed the project before the deadline. Active
•The project is going to have been completed before the deadline. Passive
Future Perfect Continuous
Future Perfect Continuous has two different forms: "will have been doing " and "be going to have been doing." Unlike Simple Future forms, Future Perfect Continuous forms are usually interchangeable.
FORM Future Perfect Continuous with "Will"
[will have been + present participle]
Examples:
•You will have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally arrives.
•Will you have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally arrives?
•You will not have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally arrives.
FORM Future Perfect Continuous with "Be Going To"
[am/is/are + going to have been + present participle]
Examples:
•You are going to have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally arrives.
•Are you going to have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally arrives?
•You are not going to have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally arrives.
NOTE: It is possible to use either "will" or "be going to" to create the Future Perfect Continuous with little or no difference in meaning.
Complete List of Future Perfect Continuous Forms
USE 1 Duration Before Something in the Future
We use the Future Perfect Continuous to show that something will continue up until a particular event or time in the future. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Friday" are all durations which can be used with the Future Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect Continuous and the Past Perfect Continuous; however, with Future Perfect Continuous, the duration stops at or before a reference point in the future.
Examples:
•They will have been talking for over an hour by the time Thomas arrives.
•She is going to have been working at that company for three years when it finally closes.
•James will have been teaching at the university for more than a year by the time he leaves for Asia.
•How long will you have been studying when you graduate?
•We are going to have been driving for over three days straight when we get to Anchorage.
•A: When you finish your English course, will you have been living in New Zealand for over a year?
B: No, I will not have been living here that long.
Notice in the examples above that the reference points (marked in italics) are in Simple Present rather than Simple Future. This is because these future events are in time clauses, and you cannot use future tenses in time clauses. USE 2 Cause of Something in the Future
Using the Future Perfect Continuous before another action in the future is a good way to show cause and effect.
Examples:
•Jason will be tired when he gets home because he will have been jogging for over an hour.
•Claudia's English will be perfect when she returns to Germany because she is going to have been studying English in the United States for over two years.
Future Continuous vs. Future Perfect Continuous
If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or "since Friday," many English speakers choose to use the Future Continuous rather than the Future Perfect Continuous. Be careful because this can change the meaning of the sentence. Future Continuous emphasizes interrupted actions, whereas Future Perfect Continuous emphasizes a duration of time before something in the future. Study the examples below to understand the difference.
Examples:
•He will be tired because he will be exercising so hard.
This sentence emphasizes that he will be tired because he will be exercising at that exact moment in the future.
•He will be tired because he will have been exercising so hard.
This sentence emphasizes that he will be tired because he will have been exercising for a period of time. It is possible that he will still be exercising at that moment OR that he will just have finished.
REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses
Like all future forms, the Future Perfect Continuous cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Future Perfect Continuous, Present Perfect Continuous is used.
Examples:
•You won't get a promotion until you will have been working here as long as Tim. Not Correct
•You won't get a promotion until you have been working here as long as Tim. Correct
AND REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs
It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Future Perfect Continuous with these verbs, you must use Future Perfect .
Examples:
•Ned will have been having his driver's license for over two years. Not Correct
•Ned will have had his driver's license for over two years. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
•You will only have been waiting for a few minutes when her plane arrives.
•Will you only have been waiting for a few minutes when her plane arrives?
•You are only going to have been waiting for a few minutes when her plane arrives.
•Are you only going to have been waiting for a few minutes when her plane arrives?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
•The famous artist will have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it is finished. Active
•The mural will have been being painted by the famous artist for over six months by the time it is finished. Passive
•The famous artist is going to have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it is finished. Active
•The mural is going to have been being painted by the famous artist for over six months by the time it is finished. Passive
NOTE: Passive forms of the Future Perfect Continuous are not common.
