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08.16.2013 Anastasia Koltai English Grammar

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12 (All) English Tenses withExamples

Tense and aspect, although they are two dierent categories, always appear together.There are six tenses and two aspects in English.

With reference to tense and aspect, we can speak about the following structures inpractical usage. All English Tenses with Examples!

(Note: progressive aspect is often called continuous.)

Present Simple (present tense + common aspect)

Armative: Subject + Base Form of the Verb *note: for 3rd Person Singular (he/ she/ it) add ‘s’ to the base form

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I/ You/ We/ They work in a bank. He/ She works in a bank.

Negative: Subject + don’t/ doesn’t + Base Form of the Verb

I/ You/ We/ They don’t (do not) work. He/ She/ It doesn’t (does not) work.

 

Interrogative: Question Word + do/does + Subject + Base Form of the Verb

Where do I/ you/we/they work? Where does he/ she work?

 

1. Usual, regular action:

I usually go ๐shing at weekends. I don’t go ๐shing at weekends. Do I go ๐shing atweekends?You always know the answer. You don’t always know the answer. Do you always know theanswer?She never puts milk in her tea. She doesn’t put milk in her tea. Does she ever put milk inher tea?My father plays the violin. My father doesn’t play the violin. Does your father play theviolin?We sometimes go to the cinema on Friday. We don’t go to the cinema on Friday. Do we goto the cinema on Fridays?They never walk in the wood. They don’t walk in the wood. Do they walk in the wood?

2. General existence; stating a fact:

An ostrich has two legs. A rabbit doesn’t have two legs. How many legs does a spiderhave?The earth goes round the sun. The sun doesn’t go round the earth. Does the moon goround the earth?Water is liquid at room temperature. Gold isn’t liquid at room temperature. Is gold solidat room temperature?

3. Dramatic narrative (theatre, sports, etc. events):

Johnson takes the ball, he bounces it to the oor, then he throws and scores two points.

4. Timetables

The train leaves at half past four. The train doesn’t leave at ๐ve. What time does the trainleave?The course starts on 1 July. The course doesn’t start in June. When does the coursestart?

Recommended for you: How To Use Simple Present Dierence Between Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous?

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Present Progressive (present tense + progressive aspect)

Armative: Subject + BE + Verb-ING

You are cooking.

 

Negative: Subject + BE not + Verb-ING

You aren’t (are not) cooking.

 

Interrogative: Question Word + BE + Subject + Verb-ING

What are you cooking?

 

1. Action happening now:

I’m watching a ๐lm on TV now. I‘m not watching a ๐lm. Am I watching a ๐lm?Watch out, a car’s coming. It isn’t not coming. Is it coming?The boys are sleeping upstairs. They boys aren’t sleeping upstairs. Are the boys sleepingupstairs?

2. Action happening about this time, but not necessarily now:

He‘s studying Spanish and German. He‘s not studying French. What languages is hestudying?They‘re going to a business course. They aren’t going to a cooking course. What course arethey going to?You‘re visiting museums while you’re here. You‘re not visiting factories.  Are you visitingmuseums in our city?

3. De�nite arrangement in the near future:

I‘m travelling to Paris tomorrow. I‘m not travelling to Paris tomorrow. Am I travelling toParis tomorrow?My son is taking his girlfriend to dinner tonight. My son isn’t taking his girlfriend to dinnertonight. Is he taking his girlfriend to dinner tonight?You‘re going to Italy on holiday this year, aren’t you? You aren’t going to Greece. Whereare you going on holiday this year?

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9 Brilliant Websites to Learn and Practice Present Perfect How to make Past Participle, Present Perfect Sentences etc.?

Past Simple (past tense + common aspect)

Armative: Subject + Verb in Past Simple (2nd form)

I/ You/ He/ She/ It/ We/ They lived in London ten years ago.

 

Negative: Subject + didn’t (did not) + Base Form of the Verb

I/ You/ He/ She/ It/ We/ They didn’t like the ๐lm.

 

Interrogative: Question Word + did + subject + Base Form of the Verb

Where did I/ you/ he/ she/ it/ we/ they meet Richard?

 

Actions, events in the past:

I had lunch with Mrs Robinson yesterday. I didn’t have lunch with Mrs Robinsonyesterday. Did I have lunch with Mrs Robinson yesterday?Mother went to work on Tuesday. Mother didn’t go to work on Tuesday. Did Mother go towork on Tuesday?You did the shopping this morning. You didn’t do the shopping this morning. Where didyou do the shopping this morning?She travelled to Spain last year. She didn’t travel anywhere last year. Where did she travellast year?

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Past Progressive (past tense + progressive aspect)

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Armative: Subject + was/ were + Verb-ING

I/He/She was having a shower when you called. We/ You/ They were watching TV when Bob arrived.

 

Negative: Subject + wasn’t (was not)/ weren’t (were not) + Verb-ING

I/ He/ She wasn’t having a shower when you called. We/ You/ They weren’ watching TV when Bob arrived.

 

Interrogative: Question word + was/ were + Verb-ING

What were you doing when Bob arrived? What was she doing when you called?

 

Action in progress in the past:

I was working in the garden when my sister arrived. I wasn’t working in the garden whenmy sister arrived. Was I working in the garden when my sister arrived?We were watching a ๐lm at ten last night. We weren’t watching a ๐lm at ten last night.Were we watching ๐lm at ten last night?She was playing with the kids from eight to nine. She wasn’t playing with the kids fromeight to nine. Who was she playing with?

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Present Perfect Simple (present perfect tense + common aspect)

Armative: Subject + have/ has + Past Participle (3rd Form of the Verb)

I/ You/ We/ They have ๐nished the letter. He/ She has ๐nished the letter.

Negative: Subject + haven’t (have not)/ hasn’t (has not) + Past Participle

I/ You/ We/ They haven’t ๐nished the letter. He/ She hasn’t ๐nished the letter.

 

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Interrogative: Question Word + have/ has + Past Participle

Have I/ you/we/ they ๐nished the letter? Has he/she ๐nished the letter?

 

1. Action with a result:

Sorry, I‘ve parked at the wrong place. I haven’t parked at the wrong place. Have I parkedat the wrong place?You‘ve (already) printed the letters. You haven’t printed the letters (yet). Have you printedthe letters (yet)?We‘ve (already) done the rooms. We haven’t done the rooms yet. Have we done the rooms(yet)?He has already repaired the lawn-mower. He hasn’t repaired the lawn-mower yet. Has herepaired the lawn-mower yet?

2. Action in incomplete time:

Our friends have visited us four times this summer. Our friends haven’t visited us thissummer. How many times have our friends visited us this summer?I‘ve been to the cinema a lot lately. I haven’t been to the cinema lately. Have I been to thecinema lately?You‘ve been on holiday this year. You haven’t been on holiday this year. Have you been onholiday this year?

3. Action in the past without saying when:

Jane has already been to Italy. Jane has never been to Italy. Has Jane ever been to Italy?You have already swum in this lake. You haven’t swum in this lake yet. Have you everswum in this lake?You‘ve been to the hairdresser’s. You haven’t been to the hairdresser’s. Where have youbeen?

4. Action beginning in the past and still continuing:

The Simpsons have lived here for eight years. The Simpsons haven’t lived here for long.How long have the Simpsons lived here?He has driven a car since 2002. He hasn’t driven a car since 2002. Has he driven a carsince 2002?You‘ve worked here for two years. You haven’t worked here for two years. How long haveyou worked here?

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Present Perfect Progressive (present perfect tense + progressive aspect) Armative: Subject + have/ has been + Verb-ING

I/ you/ We/ They have been learning English for a year. He/ She has been learning English for a year.

 

Negative: Subject + haven’t/hasn’t been + Verb-ING

I/ You/ We/ They haven’t been playing tennis for a long time. He/ She hasn’t been playing tennis for a long time.

 

Interrogative: Question Word + have/ has + Subject + been Verb-ING

How long have I/ you/ we/ they been learning English? How long has he/ she been learning English?

 

Action beginning in the past and still continuing (with the progress emphasized):

They‘ve been staying in this hotel for ten days. They haven’t been staying in this hotel forten days. Have they been staying in this hotel for ten days?He has been mowing the lawn all this morning. He hasn’t been mowing the lawn all thismorning. How long has he been mowing the lawn?You‘ve been missing classes lately. You haven’t been coming to class lately. What have youbeen doing lately?

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Past Perfect Simple (past tense + common aspect) Armative: Subject + had + Past Participle

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They had already met Sarah before the party.

 

Negative: Subject + hadn’t (had not) + Past Participle

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They hadn’t met Sarah before the party.

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Interrogative: Question Word + had + Subject + Past Participle

Had I/ you/ he/ she/ we/ they met Sarah before the party?

 

Action in the past before another:

She said she had written three letters the day before. She said she hadn’t written anyletters the day before. How many letters had she written the day before?They had lived in York before they moved to Liverpool. They hadn’t lived in York beforethey moved to Liverpool. Where had they lived before they moved to Liverpool?You‘d locked the door before you left. You hadn’t locked the door before you left. Had youlocked the door before you left?

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Past Perfect Progressive (past perfect tense + progressive aspect) Armative: Subject + had been + Verb-ING

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They had been living in German for years before  movinghere.

 

Negative: Subject + hadn’t been + Verb-ING

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They hadn’t been living in Germany for a long time beforemoving here.

 

Interrogative: Question Word + had + Subject + been Verb-ING

How long had I/ you/ he/ she/ we/ they been living in Germany before movinghere?

 

Action in the past before another (with the progress emphasized):

He said he had been mowing the lawn all that morning. He said he hadn’t been mowingthe lawn all that morning. How long had he been moving the lawn when you met him?

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They had been working for the same company for a long time before they changed jobs.They hadn’t been working for the same company for a long time before they changedjobs. Had they been working for the same company for a long time before they changedjobs?They had been  living in York before they moved to Liverpool. They hadn’t been living inYork before they moved to Liverpool. How long had they been living in York before theymoved to Liverpool?

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Future Simple (future tense + common aspect) Armative: Subject + Will + Base Form of the Verb

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They will see Jane when she comes back from India.

 

Negative: Subject + Won’t (will not) + Base Form of the Verb

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They won’t see Jane when she comes back from India.

 

Interrogative: Question Word + Will + Subject + Base Form of the Verb

Will I/ you/ he/ she/ we/ they see Jane when she comes back from India?

 

Fact, action or event in the future:

I will be thirty years old next year. I won’t be thirty years old again. Will I be thirty yearsold again?We‘ll meet them at the station at six. We won’t meet them at the station. Where will wemeet them?You‘ll cross the channel by ferry. You won’t cross the channel. How will you cross thechannel?

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Future Progressive (future tense + progressive aspect) Armative: Subject + Will Be + Verb-ING

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They will be having fun at the party.

 

Negative: Subject + Won’t Be + Verb-ING

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They won’t be having fun at the party.

 

Interrogative: Question Word + Will + Subject + Be Verb-ING

Will I/ you/ he/ she/ we/ they be having fun at the party?

 

Action in progress at a given time of the future:

This time tomorrow we will be ying to Los Angeles. We won’t be ying to New York. Wherewill we be ying?You‘ll be doing housework with me at six tomorrow. You won’t be playing football. Whatwill you be doing at six tomorrow?I‘ll be playing tennis from seven to nine. I won’t be playing tennis at six. When will I beplaying tennis?

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Future Perfect Simple (future perfect tense + common aspect) Armative: Subject + Will Have + Past Participle

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They will have met Dora’s husband by this time tomorrow.

 

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Negative: Subject + Won’t Have + Past Participle

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They won’t have met Dora’s husband by this timetomorrow.

 

Interrogative: Question Word + Will + Subject + Have + Past Participle

Will you have met Dora’s husband by this time tomorrow?

 

Action completed by a given time of the future:

I will have done this work by the end of next week. I won’t have done this work by the endof next week. Will I have done this work by the end of next week?They‘ll have arrived by the time we return. They won’t have arrived by the time we return.Will they have arrived by the time we return?She will have taken three exams by next Tuesday. She won’t have taken any exams by nextTuesday. How many exams will she have taken by next Tuesday?

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Future Perfect Progressive (future perfect tense + progressive aspect) Armative: Subject + Will Have Been + Verb-ING

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They will have been working with John for ten years nextweek.

 

Negative: Subject + Won’t Have Been + Verb-ING

I/ You/ He/ She/ We/ They won’t have been working with John for ten years nextweek.

 

Interrogative: Question Word + Will + Subject + Have Been + Verb-ING

How long will I/ you/ he/ she/ we/ they have been working with John next week?

 

Action completed by or still in progress at a given time of the future (with the

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progress emphasized):

We will have been staying here for a week tomorrow. We won’t have been staying here fora week tomorrow. How long will we have been staying here?You will have been living here for thirty years by this time next year.  You won’t have beenliving here for thirty years by this time next year How long will you have been living hereby this time next year?I‘ll have been playing the guitar for ten years by next year. I won’t have been playing theguitar for ten years by next year. How long will I have been playing the guitar?

Recommended for you: Main dierences between American and British English? Where is the position of adverb in question form and in negative form?

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Carolyn Kuhns · Northland Baptist Bible CollegeYes, it's very useful as I'm preparing advanced students and they need to be able to visualize thedifferences.

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MyEnglishTeacher.euThanks! Glad you like it 

Like · Reply ·  1 · Jan 9, 2014 10:56am

Nishit Jainyou didn't wrote about future continuous tense

Like · Reply ·  2 · Nov 19, 2013 6:12am

MyEnglishTeacher.euHi there,It's called Future Progressive in this post Thank you for the comment!

Like · Reply ·  1 · Jan 9, 2014 10:58am

Eleni AlmazidouThe verb that follows did should be used in its base form. did+main verb. So you should use: didn'twrite and not didn't wrote 

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Ashish Gorana · Ass. Software Engineer at Rigel Networks LLC.Eleni Almazidou I am agreeLike · Reply · Jun 12, 2016 11:45am

Sim Niran · Lecturer at NPIC KOH KONGIt is nice for all students learner

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MyEnglishTeacher.euThat's kind of you to say   Thank you!Like · Reply · Jan 9, 2014 10:58am

Shah Zubair Awan · Jeddah, Saudi Arabiaglad to read it and are very usefull for me .

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