Grammar Review

Topic One: Tenses

Structure of the lecture:

The Tenses

The Basics

ActualUsages

The Simple

The Progressive

The Perfect

The Perfect

Progressive

THE TIME LINE:

Time Line

Now

Past Future

The Simple: Simple present It snows in

Alaska. Tom watches

television every day.

Link 1

The Simple: Simple past It snowed

yesterday. Tom watched

television last night.

The Simple: Simple Future It will snow

tomorrow. It is going to

snow tomorrow. Tom will watch

television tonight. Tom is going to

watch television tonight. (Link 1)

The Progressive: be + v.-ingPresent Progressive

Am/is/are doing…

Tom is sleeping right now.

The Progressive: be +v.-ing Past Progressive

was/were doing

Tom was sleeping when I arrived.

The Progressive: be + v.-ing Future Progressive

will be doing…

Tom will be sleeping when we arrive.

Link 2

The Perfect: have + v-edPresent Perfect

has/have done…

Tom has already eaten.

The Perfect: have + -edPast Perfect

had done…

Tom had already eaten when his friend arrived.

The Perfect: have + v-edFuture Perfect

will have done…

Tom will already have eaten when his friend arrives.

Link 4

Perfect Progressive: have + been + -ingPresent Perfect Progressive

has/have been doing…

Tom has been studying for two hours.

Perfect Progressive: have + been + -ingPast Perfect Progressive

had been doing…

Tom had been studying for two hours before his friend came.

Perfect Progressive: have + been + -ingFuture Perfect Progressive

will have been doing…

Tom will have been studying for two hours by the time his friend arrives.

Link 5

Summary: The Simple

Summary: The Progressive

Summary: The Perfect

Summary: The Perfect Progressive

Simple Present Vs. Present Progressive

I ______ for two hours every night. (Study) John ________ right now. (sleep)

study– habitual or everyday activity is sleeping— in progress at the moment

of speaking

See Link 7 for more practice exercises

Stative Verbs Yum! This food ______ (taste) good. I ___

__ (like) it very much. The chef is in his kitchen. He ______ (tast

e) the sauce.

tastes, like: have stative meanings; describe a state that exists.

is tasting: an action See Link 8 for a list of stative verbs

Am/is/are being +Adjective Jack doesn’t feel well, but he refuses

to see a doctor. He _____(be) foolish. Sue never does anything right. She

___ (be) foolish.

is being: a temporary, in-progress behavior

is: Click on link 9 for more exercises

Simple Past– Irregular Verbs I ______ (buy) a new car three days

ago. I ______(bring) back home a big pile of

books to read last night.

bought brought Click on Link 10 for a list of irregular

Verbs

Past Progressive Vs. Simple past

While I _______ (walk) down the street, it ______ (begin) to rain.

was walking; began: one action (walk) began earlier and was in the progress when the other action (begin) occurred.

Click on Link 10 for more exercises

Present Perfect _____ you _____ (visit) Mexico? I _______ (meet) many people since I came

here in June.

Have…visited: The exact time it happened is not important; adverbs: ever, never, already, yet, still, just

have met: repetition before Now; so far, since

Click on Link 12 for more exercises

Present Perfect vs. Simple past

I can not get into my apartment now. I ______ (lose) my key.

I did something stupid yesterday. I ____(lose) my key.

have lost: something happened at the past and it has an effect till now.

lost: something that happened in the past.

Present Perfect Progressive

You ___(study) for five straight hours. I __ (think) about changing my major.

have been studying: Duration of an action, used with for, since, all day…

have been thinking: general activity in progress recently, lately

Present Perfect Progressive

I ___ (live) here since 1995.

have lived; have been living: words like work, study

Click on Link 13 for more exercises

Past Perfect Sam ___ already ___ (leave) when Ann got

there. Sam ___ (leave) before Ann ____(get) there.

had…left had left/left; got: with before or after

Click on Link 14 for more exercises

Will vs. Be going toTo express a prediction Be careful! You ____ (hurt) yourself! Watch out! You ___ (hurt) yourself!

will hurt; are going to hurt A prediction: a statement about

something s/he thinks will be true or will occur in the future, either will or be going to is possible. See GIU U19

Will vs. Be going toTo express a prior plan Why did you buy this paint? I ____ (paint) my bedroom tomorrow.

am going to paint a prior plan: something the speaker

intends to do in the future because in the past s/he has made a plan or decision to do it; In this case, only be going to is used.

Will vs. Be going toTo express willingness A:The phone’s ringing. B: I __ (get) it. My friend told me that he would call me this aft

ernoon at six. It is noon time. I __________(answer) the phone at six.

will get it: no prior plan, volunteer; use Will only.

am going to answer: with prior plan Click on Link 15 for more exerices

Time cause: When/before/after…

Bob will come soon. When Bob ____ (come), we ____ (see) him.

comes; will see: Time cause= When/before.. + subject

+ verb. The meaning of time cause is future, but the simple tense is used.

Click on Link 16 for more exercises.

Present Progressive -Future

My wife has an appointment with a doctor. She _______ (see) Dr. North next Tuesday.

is seeing used when the idea concerns a

planned event or definite intention. Click on Link 18 for more exercises.

More Exercises for Practice

Review of Verb Tenses: Link 19 Link 20 Link 21