12 basic English tenses along with formulas

Usage ● Describes an action that is taking place at the time of speaking Eg: The children are playing football now.. How to use the present perfect in English : ● To describe an action

12 basic English tenses along with formulas

I SIMPLE PRESENT:

1 Simple present tense formula

Simple present tense formula for regular verbs

● Assertion:S + V_S/ES + O

● Negative: S+ DO/DOES + NOT + V(Infinitive) +O

● Question: DO/DOES + S + V (Infinitive)+ O ?

Simple present tense formula for the verb Tobe

● Affirmative : S+ AM/IS/ARE + (an/a/the) N(s)/ Adj

● Negative: S + AM/IS/ARE + NOT + (an/a/the) N(s)/ Adj

● Question: AM/IS/ARE + S + (an/a/the) N(s)/ Adj

Eg:

● I am a student

● She is not beautiful

● Are you a student?

2 Usage:

- Describe an obvious fact, a truth (Eg: The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.)

- Describe a habit, an action that often happens in the present (Eg:I get up early every morning.)

- Talk about one's ability (Eg: He plays tennis very well.)

3 Signs to identify the simple present tense:

The following words appear in the sentence: every (every day, every week, every month, )

Frequency adverbs appear in the present simple: Always, usually, often,

sometimes, rarely, rarely, hardly, never

● I use the Internet just about every day

● I always miss you

II PRESENT CONTINUOUS PRESENT CONTINUOUS

1 Formula

● Affirmative: S + is/ am/ are + V_ing + O ( Eg: They are studying English.)

● Negative: S+ is/ am/ are + NOT + V_ing + O (Eg: I'm not cooking now.)

● Question: Is/ am/ are + S+ V_ing + O ( Is she watching TV at the moment?)

●

2 Usage

● Describes an action that is taking place at the time of speaking ( Eg: The children are playing football now.)

● Describes an action that is happening but not necessarily at the time of speaking (Eg: I am looking for a job)

● Express a complaint with a repetitive action that causes discomfort or

irritation In this case, the sentence usually has the adverb of frequency

"always" (Eg : He is always borrowing our books and then he doesn't

remember.)

● Used to express an action that is about to happen in the future according to a predetermined plan (Eg: I am flying to Thailand tomorrow.)

Important note to know :

Do not use the present continuous with verbs indicating perception and perception such as: be, see, hear, feel, realize, seem, remember, forget, understand, know, like, want, glance, smell, love, ,

Eg:

● I am tired now

● He wants to go for a cinema at the moment

● Do you remember me?

3 Identification signs:

In the sentence there are words: Now, right now, at present, at the moment,

In the preceding sentences is an imperative sentence: Look!, Watch! Be quite!,

III PRESENT PERFECT - PRESENT PERFECT

1 Formula

● Affirmation: S + have/ has + Past participle (V3) + O (Eg: She has

studied English for 2 years.)

● Negative: S + have/ has + NOT+ Past participle (V3) + O (Eg: I haven't seen my close friend for a month.)

● Question: Have/ has +S+ Past participle (V3) + O? (Eg: Have you eaten dinner yet?)

2 How to use the present perfect in English :

● To describe an action that happened in the past but does not specify the time, with a result related to the present:

Example: : My car has been stolen./ My car has been stolen.

● To describe an action that started in the past and is continuing in the present :

Example: They've been married for nearly fifty years / They've been married for 50 years.

3 Present perfect tense signs:

In the present perfect tense, there are usually the following words: Already, yet, just, ever, never, since, for, recently,

● just, recently, lately: recently, just recently

● ever: ever

● already: already

● for + period (for a year, for a long time, )

● since + date/time point(since 1992, since June, )

● yet: not yet (used in negative sentences and questions)

● so far = until now = up to now = up to the present: until now

IV PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

1 Formula:

● Affirmation: S has/have + been + V_ing + O (Eg: I have been looking you all day.)

● Negative: S+ hasn't/ haven't+ been+ V-ing + O (Eg: She has not been studying English for 5 years.)

● Question: Has/have+ S+ been+ V-ing + O? (eg: Has he been standing in the snow for more than 3 hours?)

2 Usage:

To describe an action that started in the past and continues and continues up

to the present Emphasis is on the "continuity" of the action

Example: He has been standing in the snow for more than 3 hours./ He has been standing in the snow for more than 3 hours.

Distinguish from present perfect tense:

The present perfect emphasizes the result and the present perfect continuous emphasizes the process.

3 How to recognize the present perfect continuous:

- Word recognition: all day, all week, all month, since, for, for a long time, almost every day this week, recently, lately, in the past week, in recent years,

up until now, and so far

Example : I am so tired I have been searching for a new apartment all the morning.

V PAST SIMPLE (PAST SIMPLE)

1 Formula

With regular verbs:

● (Assert): S + V(past)+ O ( Eg: He worked as a policeman.)

● (Negative): S + DID+ NOT + V (infinitive) + O ( She didn't eat bread for the breakfast.)

● (Interrogative): DID + S+ V (infinitive)+ O ? (Did you call Zoey

yesterday?)

With the verb Tobe:

● (Affirmative): S + WAS/WERE + (an/a/the) + N(s)/ Adj

● (Negative): S+ WAS/ WERE + NOT + (an/a/the) + N(s)/ Adj

● (Interrogative): WAS/WERE + S+ (an/a/the) + N(s)/ Adj?

2 How to use simple past tense:

Describes an action that started and ended in the past

Eg:

● I went to the concert last week.

● A few weeks ago, a woman called to report a robbery.

3 Identification signs:

Words that often appear in the simple past tense: Yesterday (yesterday), last (night/ week/ month/ year), ago ( ago), …

VI BECAUSE PAST CONTINUOUS PAST CONTINUOUS

1 Formula:

● Affirmation: S + was/were + V_ing + O (Eg: She was watching the news

at 7 o'clock yesterday.)

● Negative: S + wasn't/weren't+ V-ing + O (Eg: The weren't watching the news at 7 o'clock yesterday.)

● Question: Was/Were + S+ V-ing + O? ( Eg: Were you watching the news

at 7 o'clock yesterday?)

2 Usage:

● Used to describe an action that was happening at a specific time in the past.

Example: At 12 o'clock yesterday, we were having lunch (At 12 o'clock yesterday, we were having lunch.)

● Used to describe an action in progress when another action interrupts The action that is taking place is divided into the past continuous, and the action that is taking place is divided into the past simple.

Ex: He was chatting with his friend when his mother came into the room (He was chatting with friends when his mother entered the room.)

3 Telltale signs:

In the sentence there are words: While, when, as, at 10:00 (hour) last night,

For example:

● It happened at five the afternoon while she was watching the news on TV.

● He was doing his homework in his bedroom when the burglar came into the house.

VII PAST PERFECT (PAST PERFECT)

1 Formula

● Affirmative: S + had + V3/ED + O (Ex: They had gone to school before they went home.)

● Negative: S + had+ not + V3/ED + O ( They hadn't eaten breakfast before they went to school.)

● Question: Had +S + V3/ED + O ? (Had they eaten breakfast before they went to school?)

2 Usage

To describe an action that happened and completed before another action in the past.

When two actions happened together in the past, we use the past perfect for the action that happened before and the simple past for the action that

happened later.

+ When the past perfect is often used in conjunction with the simple past, we often use it with prepositions and conjunctions such as: by (meaning like before), before, after, when, till, untill, as soon as, no sooner…than

Ex: Yesterday, I went out after I had finished my homework (Yesterday, I went out after I finished my homework.)

3 Identification signs:

Signs to recognize the past perfect tense:

● Recognition words: until then, by the time, prior to that time, before, after, for, as soon as, by,

● In sentences, there are often words: before, after, when by, by the time,

by the end of + time in the past

Eg:

The old tenant had vacated the property by the time we lookd at it There was

no furniture left inside

When I got up this morning, my father had already left

VIII PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS - PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

1 Formula:

● Affirmation:She+ had + been + V_ing + O (Ex: I had been buying)

● Negative: S+ hadn't+ been+ V-ing + O (Ex: I hadn't been buying)

● Question: Had+S+been+V-ing + O? (Ex: Had I been buying)

2 How to use the past perfect continuous

● To express an action that happened in the past before another action in the past (emphasis on continuity).

Example: I had been thinking about that before you mentioned it

● Expresses an action that was continuous before a definite time in the past.

Example: We had been making chicken soup 2 hours before 10:00 last night,

so when I came, the room was still hot and steamy.

3 Identification signs

Signs: until then, by the time, prior to that time, before, after

Ex: Had you been waiting long before the taxi arrived?

IX SIMPLE FUTURE

1 Formula:

● Affirmative: S + shall/will + V(infinitive) + O (Ex: We'll enjoy it)

● Negative: S + shall/will + not + V(infinitive) + O (He won't go to school.)

● Question: Shall/will+S + V(infinitive) + O ? (Will they have dinner

together?)

Example: The prime minister will open the debate in parliament tomorrow.

2 Usage:

● Expresses a temporary intention that occurs at the moment of speaking (EX: Are you going to the beach? I will go with you – Do you want to go

to the beach? I will go with you.)

● Talk about a prediction based on past experience (EX: I think it'll be extremely hot there – I think it's going to be very hot)

● When giving opinions, suggestions (EX: Don't worry, I'll let everyone know - Don't worry, I'll let everyone know

Note:

The future simple can be used to describe both planned and unplanned

actions However, to distinguish it from the intended near future tense, the simple future tense is often used for spontaneous actions at the moment of speaking rather than being intended as in the near future Eg:

Mother: There is no sugar left (The way is gone.)

Son: Ok, I will go to market and buy it for you (I will go to the market to buy for you.)

3 Identification signs

In common sentences there are: tomorrow, Next day/ Next week/ next month/ next year, in + time, probably, perhaps, …

X FUTURE CONTINUOUS Tense

1 Formula:

● Affirmative: S + shall/will + be + V-ing+ O

● Negative: S + shall/will + not + be + V-ing + O

● Question: Shall/Will+S + be + V-ing + O?

2 Usage:

● Used to talk about an action that will happen in the future at a specified time (EX: At 10 o'clock tomorrow, my friends and I will be going to the museum.)

● Used to talk about an action that is going on in the future when another action is interrupted (EX:When you come tomorrow, I will be watching

my favorite TV show.)

3 Signs:

In the sentences, there are adverbs of time in the future with a definite time:

- at this time/ at this moment + future time: At this moment….

- At + specific time + future time: at

Eg:

- At this time tomorrow I will be watching my favorite TV show (At this time tomorrow, I'm watching my favorite TV show.)

- At 6 am tomorrow, I will be running in the park (At 6 a.m tomorrow, I'm jogging in the park.)

XI FUTURE PERFECT Tense

1 Formula:

● Affirmative: S + shall/will + have + V3/ED

● Negative: S + shall/will + not + have + V3/ED

● Question: Shall/Will+ S + have + V3/ED ?

2 Usage:

● Used to express an action or event completed before a certain time in the future.

Example: I will have finished my homework before 10 o'clock this evening I will finish my homework by 10pm tonight.

● Used to express an action or event completed before another action or event in the future.

Example: I will have made the meal ready before the time you come tomorrow (Tomorrow I have prepared meals before you come tomorrow.)

3 Signs:

● By + future time,

● By the end of + time in the future,

● Before + future time

● By the time…

Example:

- By the end of this month I will have taken an English course (By the end of this month, I have already taken an English course.)

- Ngan will have served on the Board of West Coast College for 20 years by the time she retires.

XII FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

1 Formula

2 Usage

Use the future perfect continuous: to express an action that continued in the past until a given time in the future:

Eg:

● I will have been studying English for 10 years by the end of next month.

● By 2001, I will have been living in London for sixteen years.

3 Signs:

For + time period + by/ before + future timestamp

Eg:

● for 10 years by the end of this year (for 10 years until the end of this year)

● for 2 days before the time my parents come back tomorrow (two days before my parents come back tomorrow).

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