Forms of education of tenses in English table. The use of tenses in English: the logic of use. Example sentences with Present Simple

Here you can find English times in tables with examples / Times in English language in the table with examples.

1. The Present Perfect Tense

The Present Perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb have/has and the past participle form of the verb (Past Participle). The ways of forming sentences with regular and irregular verbs are different.

• with regular verbs

• with irregular verbs.

Pay attention to these rules in the examples in the table below.

Education Present Perfect
affirmative form	negative form	Interrogative form
He (she, it) has seen her We have seen her You have seen her They have seen her	I have not seen her He (she, it) has not seen her We have not seen her You have not seen her They have not seen her	Have I seen her? Has he (she, it) seen her? Have we seen her? Have you seen her? Have they seen her?
Cases of using Present Perfect
1. If an action is described, the result of which is visible in the present tense	The prisoners have laid an escape plan; here it is.	The prisoners made an escape plan; here he is.
2. Instead of Present Perfect Continuous with verbs that are not used with Continuous tenses (know, recognize, see, etc.)	Tom has known Mary for ten years	Tom has known Mary for 10 years

2. The Past Perfect Tense

The Past Perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb had and the past participle form of the verb (Past Participle). The ways of forming sentences with regular and irregular verbs are different.

• with regular verbs

The ending -ed is added to the infinitive form.

• with irregular verbs.

The Past Participle form is used (third column of the table of irregular verbs).

Past Perfect Education
affirmative form	negative form	Interrogative form
He (she, it) had seen her You had seen her They had seen her	I had not seen her He (she, it) had not seen her We had not seen her You had not seen her They had not seen her	Had he (she, it) seen her? Had we seen her? Had you seen her? Had they seen her?
Cases of using Past Perfect
1. When an action is described that occurred before a certain moment in the past or before another past action.	The students had shown us the presentation by three o "clock We had called them when you came	The students showed us the presentation by three o'clock We called them when you came
2. An action that began before another action in the past and was still taking place at the time of its occurrence.	Mary had waited for me for several hours, when I found her	Maria had already been waiting for me for several hours when I found her.

3. The Future Perfect Tense

The Past Perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb have in the future tense (will have) and the past participle form of the verb (Past Participle). The ways of forming sentences with regular and irregular verbs are different.

• with regular verbs

The ending -ed is added to the infinitive form.

• with irregular verbs.

The Past Participle form is used (third column of the table of irregular verbs).

Future Perfect Education
affirmative form	negative form	Interrogative form
I will have seen her He (she, it) will have seen her We will have seen her You will have seen her They will have seen her	I will not have seen her He (she, it) will not have seen her We will not have seen her You will not have seen her They will not have seen her	Will I have seen her? Will he (she, it) have seen her? Will we have seen her? Will you have seen her? Will they have seen her?
Uses of the Future Perfect
1. When a future action is described that will occur up to a certain point in the future.	The students will have shown the presentation when your manager comes	The students will already be showing the presentation when your manager arrives.

Perfect Continuous Group Times

1. The Present Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense is formed with the help of the verb to be in the form of Present Perfect (have been / has been) and the present participle form of the verb (Present Participle). In other words, Present Perfect Continuous is formed using the auxiliary verb have / has been and adding the ending -ing to the semantic verb.

Education Present Perfect Continuous
affirmative form	negative form	Interrogative form
I have been waiting for you He (she, it) has been waiting for you We have been waiting for you You have been waiting for me	I have not been waiting for you He (she, it) has not been waiting for you We have been waiting for you You have been waiting for me They have been waiting for you	Have I been waiting for you? Has he (she, it) been waiting for you? Have we been waiting for you? Have you been waiting for me? Have they been waiting for you?
Cases of using Present Perfect Continuous
1. A long action that takes place in the present tense, indicating how long it takes.	They have been painting the walls since nine o'clock	They've been painting the walls since nine o'clock.
2. A long action that began in the past and ended just before the moment of speech.	Although the sun is shining, it is still cold as it has been raining hard.	Although the sun is shining, it is still cold as it was raining heavily.

2. The Past Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense is formed using the verb to be in the Past Perfect form (had been) and the present participle form of the verb (Present Participle). In other words, Present Perfect Continuous is formed using the auxiliary verb had been and adding the ending -ing to the semantic verb.

Education Past Perfect Continuous
affirmative form	negative form	Interrogative form
I had been waiting for you He (she, it) had been waiting for you We had been waiting for you You had been waiting for me They had been waiting for you	I had not been waiting for you He (she, it) had not been waiting for you We had not been waiting for you You had not been waiting for me They had not been waiting for you	Had I been waiting for you? Had he (she, it) been waiting for you? Had we been waiting for you? Had you been waiting for me? Had they been waiting for you?
Cases of using Past Perfect Continuous
1. A long-term action in the past that took place at the time of the onset of another past action, indicating how long it took.	They had been painting the walls for three hours when we came	They had already been painting the walls for three hours when we arrived.
2. A long action in the past that ended right before the onset of another past action.	John felt tired as he had been playing tennis for four hours.	John felt tired because he had been playing tennis for four hours.

The main difficulty of English for beginners is tenses. There are only 12 tenses in English, but due to the specifics of some tenses, confusion occurs. In this article I will tell you in detail about the tenses of the English language with an example of use.

From the article you will learn:

English tenses with examples and translation into Russian

In English, 12 tenses are traditionally distinguished. English tenses are divided into 3 groups:

1. Simple (Indefinite),
2. Continuous (Progressive),
3. perfect.

They, in turn, in combination with the main temporary forms Present, Past and Future form the corresponding tenses. Let's start with the Indefinite group.

Present Simple (Presen Indefinite) - Real Simple

How it is formed:

I form of the verb. This form is used in all persons and numbers, except for the singular number of the third person: then the endings are added - s, -es.

When used:

1. The action occurs with a certain frequency. It is used with such adverbs as always (always), rarely (rarely), often (often), usually (usually), never (never), etc., in addition, with the word every (every day, every month, every year etc.)

She never listens to me. She never listens to me.

I always go abroad in summer. In the summer I always go abroad.

He goes to the theater every weekend. He goes to the theater every weekend.

2. The action is scientifically proven.

Water boils at 100 degrees.— Water boils at 100 degrees.

3. The sequence of actions is described.

I get up, wash my hands and face, have breakfast etc.- I get up, wash my face, have breakfast, etc.

Present Continuous - Present Continuous

It should be noted that some English present tenses can denote the future.

How it is formed:

verb to be + I form of the verb + ing ending.

When used: 1. the action is happening at the moment.

I am watching TV now.- I'm watching TV now.

2. the action will take place in the near future, which is planned (!).

I am flying to New York next month. I am flying to New York next month.

Present Perfect - Present Perfect

The peculiarity is that the tenses of the English language of the Perfect group can denote the past, although they are called present.

Education: have / has + III form of the verb.

When to use the present perfect tense:

1. the action happened today, this year, this week, etc., i.e. period has not yet ended.

Has not written 10 books and he is just twenty!- He wrote 10 books, and he is only twenty! (Life is going)

We have met this month.- We saw each other this month (the month has not ended)

He has met me today.“He met me today.

2. with adverbs yet (still), just (only), recently (recently), ever (always), never (never), already (already), etc.

I have just found out about this.“I just found out about it.

I've never been to England.- I have never been to England.

She has already done this work. She has already done this work.

3. Action in the past affects the present state

We have gone to the forest and now he has a cold. We went to the forest and he caught a cold.

Past Simple - Past Simple

How is the past simple tense formed?

II form of the verb, i.e. verb + ending -ed (regular verbs), or II form irregular verb.

When used:

1. The presence of a temporary marker yesterday (yesterday), last (past, past) or otherwise.

He visited doctor last week. He was at the doctor's last week.

I met him when I studied at the University. I met him when I was at university.

2. The action happened in the past without any conditions.

I knew you would come.“I knew you would come.

3. Sequence of actions.

He took the taxi, asked to stop at the Time Square, looked through the window etc.- He took a taxi, asked to stop at Times Square, looked out the window, etc.

Past Continuous - Past Continuous

How is the past continuous tense formed?

Verb to be in 2nd form + verb + ing ending.

When used:

1. The process lasted for a long time without interruption.

For example.

He was playing the piano the whole evening. He played the piano all evening.

2. The process was interrupted by another action.

They came in when she was speaking by the phone. They entered while she was on the phone.

Past Perfect - Past Perfect

How it is formed:

2 form of the verb have + 3 form of the verb.

When used:

1. When agreeing on times.

He said that he had not noticed you. He said he didn't see you.

2. One action happened before another.

Example: He had left before I could figure out something. He left before I could understand anything.

3. There is a temporary excuse by.

He had made his decision by summer.— By the summer he made a decision.

Future Simple - Future Simple

How it is formed:

Shall (only used with 1 person) will + I form of the verb.

When used:

The action will take place in the future. Used with time markers tomorrow, next, or a due date.

I will call you tomorrow.- I'll call you tomorrow.

He will visit us in 3 weeks. He will visit us in 3 weeks.

Future Continuous - Future Continued

How is formed.

Auxiliary verb will/shall+be+1 verb form+ing

When used. The process continues into the future.

She will be dancing the whole day tomorrow. Tomorrow she will be dancing all day.

Present Perfect Continuous - Present Perfect Continuous

How it is formed:

Have/has + been + verb+ing

When used:

1. The action lasts from a moment in the past to a moment in the present (translated by the present)

I have been waiting for this moment all my life.“I've been waiting for this moment all my life.

2. with the preposition since (s).

Their family has been owning this castle since the 17th century. Their family has owned this castle since the 17th century.

Past Perfect Continuous - Past Perfect Continuous

How it is formed:

Had + been + verb + ing

When used:

One action is interrupted by another or is its cause.

I had been working hard the whole year, so I was exhausted. “I worked hard all year and was just exhausted.

Future Perfect Continuous - Future Perfect Continued

English tenses such as Future Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous are extremely rare.

How it is formed:

Will/shall + have + been + verb + ing

When used:

The period of the past and the future is affected, the preposition of time by.

For example: I will have been working in this company for 10 years by 1st May.- By May 1, it will be 10 years since I work in this company.

Thus, we examined 10 tenses of the English language (all are built on 3 main ones).

Present Simple Tense(Russian Present Simple) is used more often than any other tense in English. Therefore, in order to speak English well, you need to learn how to use this tense correctly.

How can the past and future be, when the past no longer is, and the future is not yet? As for the present, if it were always present and never moved on to become the past, it would not be time, but eternity.

How can there be a past and a future when the past is no more and the future is not yet? What about the real one? If it always existed, it would never become the past, which means that it would not be time, but eternity.

~ Augustine of Hippo

The name itself present simple or the simple present tense already speaks for itself. And at first, many may mistakenly take it for a complete analogue of the present tense in Russian.

Yes indeed, Present Simple Tense (or Present Indefinite Tense) has a lot in common with it: we use this tense to describe simple, regular actions, habits, preferences. However, there are other special uses of the Present Simple tense in English, which you will learn about by reading this article.

So, let's figure out in order what this Present Indefinite Time is, how to form negation and questions in Present Simple and how to use it correctly.

Which is correct: Present Simple or Present Indefinite?

"Everything ingenious is simple." This is how I would like to describe the times of the Simple group, because “simple” is translated into Russian as “simple”, and the times themselves denote simple everyday actions.

To begin with, let's figure out why the well-known to us Present Simple Tense(Russian present simple tense) is often also called Present Indefinite(Russian Present Indefinite tense), and is there a difference between them.

present simple very often describes an action where the time is not specified. In the examples I work in LA(Russian I work in Los Angeles) or I live in NY(Russian I live in New York) the verb expresses the action in general; time, as such, is not specified.

That is why, Present Simple is also called Present Indefinite, because “indefinite” is translated as “indefinite”. And such a name in some cases better conveys the meaning of this time.

Although present simple called present (Russian present), it does not always describe an action that is happening now, at the present time. For an action taking place at the moment of speaking, use (Russian. Real long-term action).

So as we see present simple and Present Indefinite are just different names for the same time. By the way, two terms are also used in Russian when translating: the present simple and the present indefinite.

In linguistics and in teaching English, you may encounter both names, although the frequency of use of the names may vary depending on the region and the preferences of the publishers that print study guides for learners of English.

Present Simple: reference table

Reference table: Rules for the formation of an affirmative form, negation and questions in Present Simple and its use in English

As you can see from the table, the verbs in the Present Simple affirmative form are the same as the infinitive form without the to particle in all persons. except 3rd person singular adding ending -s/-es.

Auxiliary verbs do/does can be found in questions and denials, and even then not always. For example verb be(Russian to be) and modal verbs can(Russian to be able), must(Russian to be due), need(Rus. need) form a negative and an interrogative form in present simple without the help of an auxiliary verb.

In order to leave absolutely no questions, let's look at how the affirmative, negative and interrogative forms are formed in more detail and analyze everything with examples.

Education rules Present Simple: affirmative sentences

The Present Simple is called simple because auxiliary verbs are not used to form its affirmative form. Below are rules and reference tables Present Simple for the formation of affirmative, negative and interrogative forms in English.

Formation of the affirmative form Present Simple

The reference table for the formation of the affirmative form in Present Simple and the spelling rules for endings - (e) s for the 3rd person singular

Affirmative Present Simple- one of the few, for the formation of which no auxiliary verb is required, but endings are used, and then only in the 3rd person singular.

Remember!

To form an affirmative sentence in the Present Simple, use first form of the verb(infinitive) without particle to after the subject (subject performing the action). If the subject is in the 3rd person singular. numbers, the ending is added to the verb -(e)s

For example:

I work in a hotel(rus. I work in a hotel): I- subject, work- verb

We dance every Sunday(Russian We dance every Sunday): We- subject, dance- verb

My son plays in a band(Russian. My son plays in a band): my son- subject, plays- verb

If the action is done I(rus.ya), you(Russian you, you), we(Russian we), they(Russian they), plural noun ( boys- boys, dogs- dogs, friends- friends), then the verb does not change in any way.

However, if the action is performed he(rus.on), she(Russian she), it(Russian it, this, singular for inanimate objects), singular noun ( a girl- girl, a cat- cat Kitty, a friend- friend), then the ending -s is added to the verbs, sometimes -es.

Examples of affirmative sentences in Present Simple with translation:

Spelling rules for endings -s, -es in Present Simple.

Let's look at when verbs in the Present Simple take the ending -s, and when -es, and when they do not follow the rules, that is, they are exceptions.

1. To most verbs in the Present Indefinite tense in the 3rd person singular, the ending is added -s:

play plays(Russian plays)

sit-sits(Russian sits)

clean-cleans(Russian cleans)

2. Verbs that end in -s, -sh, -ch, tch, -x, -z, add an ending -es. This is due to the history of the language and the convenience of pronunciation: when two similar sounds are nearby, it is difficult for us to pronounce them without a vowel-link:

kiss-kisses(Russian kisses)

wish-wishes(Russian wishes)

march marches(Russian marches)

watch-watches(Russian looks)

box-boxes(Russian boxing)

buzz-buzzes(Russian buzzes)

3. Verbs ending in -o, also add an ending -es. Fortunately, there are few such verbs:

do-does(Russian does)

go-goes(Russian is coming)

4. If the verb ends in consonant and -y, the ending is used -es. In this case -y changes to -i :

cry-cries(Russian cries, screams)

study-studies(Russian studies)

try-tries(Russian tries)

5. If the verb ends in vowel and -u, just add the ending -s. There is no change to -y:

play plays(Russian plays)

pray-prays(Russian prays)

say-says(Russian speaking)

6. Verb have in Present Simple does not add endings -s or -es. For the 3rd person singular, the form is used has. Compare:

I have a cat(rus. I have a cat, literally - I have a dog)

He has a dog(Russian He has a dog, literally - He has a dog)

7. Verb be in Present Simple tense has my forms: am, is, are, which you can read about later in this article.

Negative and interrogative sentences in Present Simple

Present Simple: Examples of Negative Sentences

Reference table for the formation of the full and abbreviated negative form in Present Simple.

To say that we are NOT doing something, an auxiliary verb is used in negative sentences do does(for he, she, it

Remember!

To form negative sentences in Present Simple to an auxiliary verb do/does which stands between the subject and the main verb-predicate in the form of an infinitive, a negative particle is added not.

For example:

I don't watch(Russian I don't watch)

They don't study(Russian They don't study)

He doesn't paint(Russian: He doesn't draw)

The boy doesn't box(Russian boy does not box)

In the last two examples He doesn't paint(Russian. He does not draw) and The boy doesn't box(Russian boy does not box), as you noticed, the main verbs paint and box used indefinitely -(e)s, which is used to form the affirmative form in Present Simple, compare: He paints(Russian He draws), He boxes(Rus. He is boxing)

Important!

When using an auxiliary verb does to form a negation in Present Simple (3rd person singular) main verb loses the ending -(e)s: doesn't go, doesn't watch, doesn't play

This is due to the fact that the auxiliary verb does already finished -es, and you don't need to use it in the main verb. Below are 10 more examples of negative Present Simple sentences.

Examples of negative sentences in Present Simple with translation:

Offer in English	Translation	Offer in English	Translation
I don't know. = I don't know..	I dont know.	He doesn't know. = He doesn't know.	He does not know.
We don't love cats. = We don't love cats	We don't like cats.	She does not love cats. = She doesn't love cats	She doesn't like cats.
Friends do not lie. = Friends don't lie	Friends don't lie	My friend does not lie. = My friend doesn't lie.	My friend is not lying.
My parents don't speak German. = My parents don't speak German.	My parents don't speak German.	He does not speak German. = He doesn't speak Germa	He does not speak German. = He doesn't speak Germa
I don't like rude people. = I don't like rude people.	I don't like rude people.	My sister does not like rude people. = My sister doesn't like rude people.	My sister doesn't like rude people.

Forms don't and doesn't, as you probably already guessed, are an abbreviated form of do not and does not.

Abbreviated forms don't and doesn't used in colloquial speech, but it is better to give preference to the full form do not and does not.

Present Simple: interrogative sentences

Reference table for the formation of simple and special questions in Present Simple and short answers

An auxiliary verb is also used to form questions in the Present Simple. do(for 1st and 2nd person, 3rd person plural) or does(for he, she, it and for all singular nouns).

There are two types of questions: general and specific. General questions require a clear “Yes” or “No” answer, while specific questions are asked to clarify details and details.

Compare:

Do you like ice cream? -Yes, I do(rus. Do you like ice cream? - Yes)

Which ice cream do you like? - Chocolate(rus. What kind of ice cream do you like? - Chocolate)

Remember!

To ask a general question in Present Simple, you need to put an auxiliary verb do/does before the subject. Remember that when using an auxiliary verb does, the ending -(e)s disappears from the main verb.

For example:

Do you live in Rostov?(Russian. Do you live in Rostov?)

Do they go to school?(Rus. Do they go to school?)

Does your brother have a car?(rus. Does your brother have a car?, dos. Does your brother have a car?)

Does the cat eat mice?(rus. Does this cat eat mice?)

Remember!

To ask a special question (Wh-question) in Present Simple, you need to put a question word What, Where, When etc. first, followed by an auxiliary verb do/does, then the subject and the main verb in the form of an infinitive, that is, without an ending -(e)s .

For example:

Where do you live?(rus. Where do you live?)

When do they go to school?(Russian. When do they go to school?)

What car does your brother have?(eng. What car does your brother have?)

Why does the cat eat mice?(eng. Why does this cat eat mice?)

Short answers to general issues in Present Simple are formed according to the scheme: Yes/No+ subject in the form of a personal pronoun ( I, he, we, you, etc.) and an auxiliary verb do/does for a positive answer or don"t/doesn"t for negative.

The auxiliary verb don "t / doesn" t in a short answer must necessarily be consistent with the subject: if they ask about your actions, then the answer will be about your actions, and not the actions of the interlocutor.

For example:

Do you love me?(rus. Do you love me?) - Yes, I do(Russian Yes, I love) or No, I don't(Russian No, I do not like)

Does your girlfriend like flowers?(rus. Does your girlfriend like flowers?) - Yes, she does(Russian Yes, loves) or No, she doesn't(Russian No, does not like)

Below are 10 more examples of Present Simple interrogative sentences.

Examples of interrogative sentences in Present Simple with translation:

The verb to be in Present Simple

Conjugation of the verb to be in the present tense: affirmative form, negation, questions and short answers

Everyone knows that there are exceptions to almost every rule. This was not without Present Simple Tense.

Below are the verb conjugation tables to be in affirmative, negative and interrogative forms in Present Simple:

Table: conjugation of the verb to be (am, is, are) in the present tense, statement

Table: conjugation of the verb to be (am, is, are) in the present tense, negation

Table: conjugation of the verb to be (am, is, are) in the present tense, questions

How do you see, verb to be conjugates by faces in Present Simple and has its own forms am, is, are. This is the only verb in English that has its own form depending on the person and number of the subject.

Rules for using Present Indefinite in English

Present Simple is a tense that is often used to describe regular actions that take place in the present.

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, Present Indefinite- this is the time that we use not only to describe actions taking place in the present tense.

This is a tense that can describe various actions, both occurring regularly and once, occurring in the present or even those that will occur in the future.

So let's figure it out when the Present Simple is used and what it conveys in English.

Present Simple for present tense

Present Indefinite is often used to refer to repeated actions in the present tense.

1. Present Simple is used to indicate condition, regular, repetitive actions, habits, daily routine.

In this meaning, Present Simple with a verb is often used adverbs of frequency(adverbs of frequency), designed to answer how often an action occurs:

100% always(Russian always)

85% usually(Russian usually)

60% often(Russian often)

50% sometimes(Russian sometimes)

10% hardly ever(Russian rarely)

0% never(Russian never)

You can read more about the hint words for Present Simple in the article, but now let's look at examples:

2. We also use the Present Simple when we say about scientific facts, laws of nature, generally accepted statements and all known facts .

Example sentences with Present Simple:

3. Present Simple is also used when description of sequential actions, especially often found in the description of instructions, recipes, manuals.

Example sentences with Present Simple:

Present Simple for future tense

Using the Present Simple to indicate future actions that happen on schedule

1. We use Present Indefinite with future tense for schedules of trains, planes, screenings in the theater and cinema, concerts etc.

In this case, Present Simple shows that the action occurs regularly, repeats with some frequency.

Example sentences with Present Simple:

2. Another use case for the Present Simple for the future tense is conditional clauses (First Conditional).

(Russian Conditional sentences of the first type) denotes a real action that will definitely be performed in the near future, subject to some condition.

In such proposals present simple used in sentences if, even when the sentences refer to the future. They are translated into Russian by verbs in the future tense.

Example sentences with Present Simple:

3. A similar case of using the Present Simple to express the future tense is its use in subordinate clauses of time .

We use Present Simple after conjunctions when, as soon as, until, unless, before, after in subordinate clauses that indicate action in the future.

Example sentences with Present Simple:

In future articles, we will take a closer look at difference between Present Simple and other tenses in English that are relevant to the present.

Instead of a conclusion:

In this article, we tried to explain as simply as possible how the Present Simple is formed and when to use the Simple Indefinite tense in English.

As you have seen, there is nothing easier than building affirmative, interrogative or negative sentence in Present Simple to describe the constant, regular activities that happen to you on a daily basis.

And now we invite you to test your knowledge by completing the following test on Present Simple.

Exercises for Present Simple

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate form of the verb in Present Indefinite:

go(es), travel(s), fly(s), do(es), use(s), drink(s), live(s), want(s), visit(s), look(s), like(s)

We often ____ to foreign countries.
She ____ her homework every evening.
I don't often ____ coffee.
my friend ____ in a very big house.
They always ____ us in summer.
Why do you ____ so sad?
Tom and Ann ____ to the cinema every Friday.
We never ____ to our grandparents, we usually ____ a train.
Lilly ____ swimming and sunbathing a lot.
Richard's parents ____ him to go to a private school.

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This article discusses tenses in english - detailed explanation what it is, what it is and how it is used.

Actually, there are three of them, as in other modern Indo-European languages: present (Present), past (Past) and future (Future). But usage is affected by the form of the verb to which the tense refers. There are only four such forms (Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous).

3x4 = 12, so sometimes they talk about twelve times , which is basically wrong, although in the tables given for visual understanding, there are really 12 fields with different options.

a brief description of

Times (Tenses) express the temporal relationship between the current moment and the one being discussed. It does not matter whether a person pronounces words orally, perceives them by ear, writes or reads. It is always possible to single out conditionally the present moment, and the one described or pronounced in the sentence. For example, in the phrase “prepare to disembark, the ship is approaching port,” the narration is in the present tense, although these real events described in the old book could have taken place a very long time ago.

The reader, as it were, is transported into the past, and plunges into another world. The linguistic richness of many literary works is based on such conventions. An educated person gets used to them, and perceives automatically, without thinking about word forms. And he also easily composes phrases with the correct use of temporary constructions. But Russian phraseology differs from English. When translating or constantly switching to someone else's speech, difficulties arise, especially for beginners.

The main difficulty is the development of perfect and continuous forms of verbs in Western European countries. Germanic and Romance languages ​​in this respect arranged more complicated than the Slavic ones. In Russian, there are practically no differences between the basic and continuous forms. "I live" — an action that by definition continues. Changing the meaning often occurs by adding prefixes that turn the word, in fact, into a completely different lexical unit. "I lived" — action continued in the past — has already ended.

English is analytical, which is unlike most Germanic languages. Phrases are made up of relatively short elements that retain their spelling. There are no prefixes, suffixes and endings, as in synthetic ones. Getting used to it and fully understanding the process is the key to success for a translator or a person speaking to the British.

It's really easy to get used to, given the rigor of the language constructs. Word order is fixed and predetermined. Having some experience, it is no longer possible to make a mistake, you just need to gain sufficient vocabulary. It even becomes boring to speak in such a rigid framework. Slavic languages ​​give more freedom in the formation of phrases. Almost all words are successfully interchanged, many are generally skipped, although inserting them is also not a mistake.

So, what do the times express in relation to the current time interval:

• present - at least approximately coincides with the current time period;
• past - events developed earlier, or have already occurred;
• future - expresses a forecast, planning of events that are probable later.

Table of English tenses with examples

Only the verbs change depending on time. But even without taking into account the context and other members of the sentence, they provide comprehensive information about the duration and completeness. Such accuracy is due to the presence of 4 verbal word forms:

• Simple - simple;
• Continuous - long;
• Perfect - perfect (without determining the duration);
• Perfect Continuous - continuous perfect.

Each intersects with three time categories. This is a radical difference from Slavic linguistics, where simple form similar to the long one, the perfect happens only in the past and the future. Non-standard techniques are actively used, such as a complete replacement of the verb, when describing a completed or ongoing activity. But expressing tense forms of verbs in English table standardized.

Let's give an example of the correct verb to live (to live), how a similar scheme looks like, filled with specific words.

	Past	present	Future
Simple	I lived	I live	I'll live
continuous	I was living	I am living	I'll be living
Perfect	I had lived	I have lived	I'll have lived
Perfect Continuous	I've been living	I have been living	I'll have been living

The example uses the colloquial (and commonly used) abbreviation I'll instead of the full phrase I will. Since the second and third dictionary forms of regular verbs are the same, we will also give a similar table for the wrong one to know (to know), now in the second person instead of the first.

	Past	present	Future
Simple	You knew	you know	You'll know
continuous	You were knowing	You are knowing	You'll be knowing
Perfect	You had known	You have known	You'll have known
Perfect Continuous	You had been knowing	You have been knowing	You'll have been knowing

Of course, not all of the above options are used in practice in everyday vernacular. The perfect-continuum form refers rather to complicated book turns, and is rarely used even in scientific or fiction. But to know it is necessary for the completeness of linguistic representations.

In Russian vocabulary, only a small proportion of such constructions is applicable. I did, I do, I will do - the simple form coincides with the long one. The perfect exists only in the past and the future - I did it, I will do it. There is no combination of perfect and continual at all. The gerund living or going is translated approximately as a verbal adjective "living" or "going", but is used in a different context. In Russian, usually only in the third person, and such turns of speech are in any case considered undesirable. Modern phraseology tries to avoid them. For English speakers, these are frequently used parts of speech of direct action. They should definitely be mastered by beginners who study, how tenses are formed in english.

Signs of tenses in English

Neighboring words may indirectly indicate that a certain time must be applied. The need to apply the future is shown: always - always, often - often, usually - usually, sometimes - sometimes, never - never, everyday - daily, on Mondays (etc.) - on Mondays or other days, at weekends - on weekend. Signs of the present are present in generalized phrases or conveying periodic repetition of events. For example, the bus leaves (arrives) on certain days of the week. So detailed explanation of tenses in English help you express yourself beautifully and unmistakably.

Signs of the past: yesterday - yesterday, the day before yesterday - the day before yesterday, last week - last week, ago - ago, earlier - earlier, in the past - in the past.

Signs of the future: tomorrow - tomorrow, the day after tomorrow - the day after tomorrow, next week - next week, in an hour - within an hour, in ten hours - 10 hours later, later - soon, soon - soon, in the future - in the future.

How are formed

The dictionaries give three forms of irregular verbs . For correct ones, the second and third are formed in the standard way by adding the ending -ed to the first (main). For example: stay, stayed, stayed. Incorrect example: be, was (were), been. Here the second option also differs depending on the number: in the singular was, in the plural were. With the pronoun You, only were is used, but it should not always be translated as "you". The Russian "you" also has the right to exist. To translate a live conversation helps intonation and the nature of the relationship with the interlocutor. In a literary work, the context, but sometimes it is still difficult to determine what is meant

Simple present. In the present simple, the formation of phrases occurs as follows: after the pronoun comes the first dictionary form of the verb. It cannot be separated from the pronoun. She looks - she looks. She draw - she draws.

Simple past. The simple past is formed similarly to the present, but instead of the first verb form given in dictionaries, the second is used. She looked - she looked. She drew - she drew.

Simple future. The simple future is expressed as follows: after the pronoun comes will (or abbreviated ‘ll) then the first form of the verb. She will look or She'll look - she will look. She will draw or She'll draw - she will draw. implied generalized actions or regularly repeated , without reference to a specific period.

continuous present. The continuous present is formed by using to be in the form am, is or were, followed by a gerund derived from the main verb. He is staying - he is standing (right now).

continuous past. The continuous past is expressed in a similar way, only changing is (am, are) to was (were). He was staying - he stood (were instead of was in the plural).

continuous future. The continuous future is formed as follows: pronoun + will be + gerund. He will be staying - he will stand. They imply specific events that will last for a certain period.

perfect present. The perfect present is a specific speech construction that is absent in Russian. It means the event recently completed . The pronoun is followed by have (or has) and the 3rd form of the main verb. For the correct ones, it coincides with the second one. We have tried - we tried. We have written - we wrote. It should be noted that in the Russian translation, words are used that differ in prefixes from the main non-prefixed options “try” or “write”.

Perfect past. In the past perfect, we use had instead of have. Otherwise, the formation of phrases is similar to how it conveys perfect tenses in english present. We had tried - we (long ago) made an attempt. We had written - we (long ago) wrote something. So they say and write about events that have been completed for a long time. The choice of Present or Past in the perfect depends on the general logic associated with the context.

If any action is inherently long, the scope of using the Present Perfect expands. So, for daily exercises in the morning, “yesterday” is already a long time ago. But for a good feature film, which takes months or years to process, yesterday's presentation to the audience is still relatively recent. If in a text or conversation close to each other two completed events of different duration are mentioned, it is worth mentioning one of them (earlier) in the past perfect, and the second (later) in the present. Without disturbing the natural logic of the story too much. A year ago is a long time anyway.

perfect future. Expresses the intention to do something. Education scheme: pronoun + will have + 3rd form of the verb. We will have tried - we will try. We will have written - we will write. We can talk about things that will come true for sure, or about conjectural, but very likely. Sometimes such a perfect construction expresses self-confidence, a desire to impress the interlocutor, to promise something.

Perfect Continuous Present. The pronoun is followed by have (has) been and the gerund. They have been listening - they listened. Expressions in such a complicated format are absolutely uncharacteristic of Russian speech, which tends to simplify and reduce. But often, in fact, they correspond more to completed events than the usual perfect. Listening is by definition a long-term action. In this case, they mean recently completed compared to its normal duration or frequency. For meals, “recently” means people were sitting at the table no more than an hour ago. But a trip to the resort a week later will still be a relatively fresh fact.

Perfect Continuous Past. The only difference from the present above is had instead of have (has). They have been listening - they listened. What happened here ended so long ago that it no longer falls within the time frame of the presentation.

Perfect Continuous Future. Formation scheme: pronoun + will have been + gerund. They will have been listening - they will listen. This expresses only continuous actions.

Examples

When considered all tenses in english, it is worth giving more options using various pronouns.

The correct verb to warm (warm):

	Past	present	Future
Simple	He warmed	He warmes	He'll warm
continuous	He was warming	He is warming	He'll be warming up
Perfect	He had warmed up	He has warmed up	He'll have warmed up
Perf. Cont.	He had been warming	He has been warming	He'll have been warming

In the perfect, it translates "to heat up", "to warm up", "to warm up". Subtle nuances transmitted in Russian by numerous prefixes are often expressed by the prepositions in, on, at, to, out, off, above, under. But this is already beyond the scope of the discussion, and testifies to the skill of an experienced translator.

Irregular verb to break (break):

	Past	present	Future
Simple	you broke	you break	You'll break
continuous	You were breaking	You are breaking	You'll be breaking
Perfect	You had broken	You have broken	You'll have broken
Perf. Cont.	You had been breaking	You have been breaking	You'll have been breaking

Here you can clearly see difference between br oke and br oken .

Using Present Indefinite (Simple) Tense

Present Indefinite used to express a repeated or constant action in relation to the present:

I go to school. (I go to school)

He works. (He works)

She comes here at six o'clock. (She comes here at 6 o'clock)

Present Indefinite used to express an action that characterizes the subject constantly or throughout the present period of time:

You read very well. (You read very well)

He dances very badly. (He dances very badly)

Present Indefinite is used to express an action or state that is not limited by time and occurs regardless of the person's desire:

Sugar dissolves in water. (Sugar dissolves in water)

Present Indefinite is used to express an action happening at the moment of speaking:

• with verbs that are not used in the continuous form: to see, to hear, to know, to feel, to like to hate, to love, to understand.

I don't see anything. (I do not see anything)

I don't understand it. (I do not understand this)

• if the speaker is only stating a fact and not conveying the action as a continuing process.

Here she comes. (Here she comes)

Present Indefinite used to express future action in subordinate clauses of time and condition, which are introduced by unions when(when); after(after); before(before, before); till, untill(bye); as soon as(once); if(if); unless(if not) and so on:

I'll be here till you come. (I'll be here until you come)

Wait until I get my coat. (Wait while I change my coat)

Present Indefinite used to express a planned future action (in most cases with verbs denoting movement). In such sentences, adverbial words are usually used that indicate the time of action. In the corresponding Russian sentences, the present tense can also be used:

I leave Moscow tomorrow. (I'm leaving Moscow tomorrow)

When does the doctor come? (When does the doctor come?)

Present Indefinite used in a connected narrative to express an action or a series of successive actions in the past. Such use Present Indefinite enlivens the story, events seem to occur at the moment of speech.

All of a sudden, one evening comes little Emily from her work and him with her. (Suddenly, one evening, little Emily comes home from work and he is with her)

Use of Past Indefinite (Simple) Tense.

Past Indefinite is a tense form of a verb that expresses an action that has happened or happened in the past. Past Indefinite regular verbs are formed by adding to the infinitive without the particle to ending -ed:

Verbs in Past Indefinite have the same form in all persons singular and plural:

• -e, then in Past Indefinite it is not written:

• if the infinitive ends with a letter -y preceded by a consonant, then before the end -ed it changes to -i:

to study-study

• if the infinitive ends with one consonant preceded by a short stressed vowel, then the final before -ed doubles:

to stop - stopped

• final letter -r doubles if the last syllable is stressed:

prefer - preferred

• final letter -l doubles if it is preceded by a short vowel (stressed or unstressed):

to travel - traveled

In Past Indefinite, irregular verbs are used in the second form.

to speak - spoke

to write - wrote

The interrogative form Past Indefinite of regular and irregular verbs is formed using an auxiliary verb to do and the infinitive of the main verb without the particle to:

Did you study at this university? (Did you study at this university?)

Did she go to a park? (Did she go to the park?)

The negative form of Past Indefinite is formed with the help of a negative particle not after the auxiliary verb:

I didn't like that party. (I didn't like that party)

In oral speech, they are usually abbreviated: I didn't like that party.

In the interrogative-negative form Past Indefinite auxiliary verb did is placed before the subject, and the particle not after him:

Why didn't you say it? (Why didn't you tell me this?)

but if an abbreviation is used, then didn't come before the subject:

Why didn't you go there? (Why didn't you go there?)

The verb to do in Past Indefinite can also be used to reinforce the thought being expressed:

I did love you! (I really loved you!)

The verb to be in Past Indefinite has two forms: was for the first and third person singular and were for everyone else.

In the interrogative form of the verb to be placed before the subject:

Were you at home? (Were you at home?)

In the negative form, after was / were, the particle is used not:

I was not in Great Britain. (I have not been to the UK)

They were not there. (They weren't there)

The abbreviation is usually used: I wasn’t…You weren’t…

The verb to have in Past Indefinite has the form - had.

I had a friend. (I had a friend)

She had a good car. (She had a nice car)

He had a house. (He had a house)

The interrogative form of the verb to have in Past Indefinite is: did+have. To form a question did used before the subject have after him.

Did you have books? (Did you have books?)

The negative form, as a rule, is formed without the auxiliary verb to do, and is used as in with negative particles. not or no.

I hadn't problems. (I didn't have a problem)

I had no choice. (I had no choice)

Past Indefinite expresses a single or permanent action in the past. The time of the past action is often specified by the words: yesterday (yesterday), last week (last week), last year (last year), etc. :

I was there yesterday. (I was there yesterday)

He was at the hospital last week. (He was in the hospital last week)

She was here this morning. (She was here in the morning)

Past Indefinite is used to express a series of successive actions in the past:

I woke up, washed myself and went out of home. (I woke up, washed and left the house)

Past Indefinite is used to express a repeated action in the past:

I saw him every day. (I saw him every day)

She came many times to our house. (She came to us many times)

Using Future Indefinite (Simple) Tense.

Future Indefinite used to express a single, permanent or repeated action in the future:

I'll go over with you tomorrow morning.

(I'll go with you tomorrow morning)

I'll always come back.

(I will always return)

He'll work at the factory next year.

(AT next year he will work in a factory)

In subordinate clauses of time and condition, Future Indefinite is not used! To express future action in such sentences, !

I'll message you know when I come home.

(I'll text you when I get home)

I'll ask him when he arives.

(I will ask him when he arrives)

Using Present Continuous Tense

Present Continuous Tense expresses an action as a process, that is, an action that continues at the moment of speech or at the present time.

Present Continuous is formed from an auxiliary verb to be in and present participle (Present Participle) of the main verb.

Present Participle is formed by adding an ending -ing to the infinitive of the main verb without a particle to.

read + ing - reading

work+ing - working

I am working (I'm working)

(I'm working)

He is working (He's working)

(He works)

She is working (She's working)

(She works)

It is working (It's working)

(It works)

In the interrogative form, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.

Are the boys playing football?

(Boys playing soccer?)

Is he working in the garden?

(Is he gardening now?)

The girls are not singing.

(Girls don't sing now)

In interrogative-negative sentences, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject, and the particle not after the subject.

Am I now preparing for my examinations?

(Am I not studying for exams?)

Action taking place in moment of speech:

Why are you crying?

(Why are you crying?)

You are not listening to me.

(You don't listen to me)

Present Continuous is used to express long time, although not necessarily at the moment of speech:

What are you doing here in Paris?

(What are you doing here in Paris?)

I'm studying at the Sorbonne.

(I study at the Sorbonne)

Present Continuous is used to express to express a long action taking place simultaneously with another action in the present tense:

I'm only happy when I'm working.

(I'm only happy when I'm working)

Present Continuous is used to express planned future action, especially with verbs denoting movement. In this case, the adverb of time must be used:

We're flying to Paris in the morning.

(We're leaving for Paris in the morning)

Is he coming tonight?

(Will he come tonight?)

Verb to go in Present Continuous with the infinitive of another verb means the intention to perform an action in the very near future and gives it a hint obligation, the inevitability to perform the action indicated by the infinitive:

I'm going to speak.

(I will speak)

He's going to be a teacher.

(He's going to be a teacher)

Using Past Continuous Tense

Past Continuous formed from an auxiliary verb to be in and present participles of the main verb:

I was working. (I worked)

He was working. (He worked)

She was working. (She worked)

It was working. (It worked)

We were working. (We worked)

They were working. (They worked)

You were working. (you worked)

What were you telling him?

(What did you say to him)

In the negative form, after the auxiliary verb, the particle is used not:

I was not working in the evening.

(I didn't work in the evening)

In oral speech in negative and interrogative-negative forms, instead of was not and were not, abbreviations are used mainly:

He wasn't working.

(He did not work)

They weren't working.

(They didn't work)

Wasn't he working?

(Didn't he work?)

Weren't they working?

(Didn't they work?)

Past Continuous used to express an action that took place at a certain moment in the past. The duration of the action is usually also indicated by adverbial words like at two o'clock, at midnight, at that moment, at 5 o'clock or subordinate clauses with a verb-predicate in Past Indefinite:

He was working on his English at that time.

(He was working on his English at the time)

Jack was sitting by the window when she came in.

(Jack was sitting near the window when she came in)

Past Conyinuous is used to express an action, that lasted for some period of time in the past:

I the spring of the year 1881 he was visiting his old schoolfellow.

(In the spring of 1881 he was visiting his old school friend)

In subordinate clauses, if the verb-predicate of the main clause is used in the past tense, Past Continuous is often used with verbs with the meaning of movement (to go, to come, etc.) to indicate an action that was future relative to the past:

She said she was coming to see you after supper.

(She said she would come to you after dinner)

Verb to go in Past Continuous with the infinitive of another verb expresses an action that was future relative to the past tense. Often this combination expresses the intention to perform an action:

He was going to be an engineer.

(He was going to be an engineer)

What were they going to do.

(What were they going to do)

Using Future Continuous Tense

Future Continuous is formed with an auxiliary verb to be in and present participles of the main verb:

I will be working.

He will be working.

She will be working.

It will be working.

We will be working.

You will be working.

They will be working.

Auxiliary verb in interrogative form will placed before the subject:

Will they be working?

In the negative form after the auxiliary verb will negative particle is used not:

They will not be working.

The Future Continuous is used to express long-term action that will take place at some point or time in the future:

Meet me at two o'clock. I'll be waiting for you.

We'll be playing all morning.

In modern English Future Continuous often used in the same sense as Future Indefinite, i.e. expresses future action:

You won't be coming back here anymore.

(You won't come back here again)

From now I'll be asking thousands of questions.

(From now on I will ask a thousand questions)

He'll be going to school soon.

(He will go to school soon)

Use of Present Perfect Tense.

Perfect (perfect) tenses express an action that happened before a certain moment or period in the present (Present Perfect), past (Past Perfect), future (Future Perfect) and future relative to the past (Future in the Past).

Perfect tenses usually express the presence of some result of an action associated with subsequent events.

Periectal tenses are formed from the corresponding forms of the indefinite tenses of the auxiliary verb to have and the past participle (Past Participle) of the main verb.

The Present Perfect is formed from the auxiliary verb to have in and the past participle (Past Participle) of the main verb.

The Past Participle of regular verbs is formed by adding the ending -ed to the infinitive, that is, the Past Participle of regular verbs does not differ from

Using Past Perfect Tense

Past Perfect is formed from the auxiliary verb to have in and the past participle (Past Participle) of the main verb. Verbs in the Past Perfect do not change in person and number:

I (he, she, it, we, you, they) had worked.

In spoken language, instead of had the abbreviated form is predominantly used ‘d, which in the letter is attached to the subject:

I'd (he'd, she'd, it'd, we'd, you'd, they'd) worked.

In the interrogative form, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject:

In the negative form, a negative particle is used after the auxiliary verb not:

I had not worked.

In oral speech in negative and interrogative-negative forms, the abbreviated form hadn't is also used:

He hadn't worked

Hadn't he worked?

an earlier action in the past, expressed by the verb in Past Indefinite:

I told you I had met her.

(I told you that I met her)

When she had closed the suitcase, she put on her coat.

(Closing the suitcase, she put on her coat)

In the darkness he couldn't see the man who had spoken.

(In the dark, he couldn't see the person who said it)

The sun had set and it became dark.

(The sun had already set. It was getting dark)

The form was becoming dark expresses an action that took place at a specific time period in the past (the sun has set by that time period)

Notes.

1. During the list of past actions in the sequence in which they occurred, verbs are used in:

I opened the door, closed it and went into the bedroom.

(I opened the door, closed it and went to the bedroom)

1. In a complex sentence with conjunctions after after and before before. When there is no need to specifically note that one action precedes another, Past Indefinite is used both in the main and in the subordinate clause:

He stood motionless after she disappeared.

(He stood still after she was out of sight)

I was a school teacher before I got into the army.

(I was a school teacher before joining the army)

Past Perfect is used to express past action, which has already ended at a certain point in the past. This moment can be indicated by such phrases: by two o’clock by two o’clock, by that time by that time, by the 1st of September by the first of September, etc.:

I had done my homework by eight o'clock.

(By eight o'clock I had already done my homework)

The negative form of the Past Perfect indicates that the action has not ended at a certain point in the past:

I had not read the book by Saturday.

(Before Saturday, I had not read the book yet)

The Past Perfect is used to express an action started up to a certain point in the past and continued up to that moment. In this sense, Past Perfect is used mainly with verbs that do not have the Continuous form:

When he came, I had been there for half an hour.

(When he came, I had already been there for half an hour)

After she had worked, he went to her side and watched her.

(After she worked for a while, he came over and watched her)

In subordinate clauses of time and condition, Past Perfect is used to express a past action that was future relative to the past:

She said that she would go home as soon as she had passed all her exams.

(She said she would go home as soon as she passed all her exams)

In this case past perfect translated into Russian in the form of the future tense.

Using Future Perfect Tense.

Future Perfect Tense formed with the help of the auxiliary verb to have in and past participles (Past Participle) of the main verb:

I will have done.

He (She, It) will have done.

We (You, They) will have done.

In the interrogative form, the first auxiliary verb will is placed before the subject:

Will he have done?

In the negative form, the particle not is placed after the first auxiliary verb will:

He will not have done.

In oral speech, the same abbreviations are used as in Future Indefinite:

I'll have done; I won't have done.

The Future Perfect is used to express a future action that will end at a certain moment or at the beginning of another action in the future:

You'll have forgotten me by then.

(By then you'll forget me)

You'll have to read the story by the time you come back.

(I'll read the story while you get back)

In subordinate clauses of time and condition, instead of Future Perfect, we use:

Her room will be ready before she has finished her tea.

(Her room will be ready before she finishes her tea)

We will get a new flat when they have built the house.

(We will get a new apartment when this house is built)

Using Future Indefinite (Simple) in the Past Tense

In English, the future action, which is considered from the point of view of some moment in the past, is expressed by a separate form of the verb, which is called Future Indefinite in the Past.

This time is used in stories about past events when retelling in indirect speech or thoughts of another person regarding the future time:

In his letter Peter wrote that he would go to Warsaw in January.

(In his letter, Peter wrote that he would go to Warsaw in January)

Future Indefinite in the past is formed using the auxiliary verbs should and would and the infinitive of the main verb without the particle to:

I should work (I'd work)

He would work (He'd work)

She would work (She'd work)

We should work (We'd work)

You would work (You'd work)

They would work (They'd work)

In brackets are abbreviated forms that are used in oral speech.

In the interrogative form, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject:

Would they work?

In the negative form, after the auxiliary verb, the particle is used not:

She wouldn't work (She wouldn't work)

Future Indefinite in the Past is used mainly in subordinate clauses, if the verb of the main clause expresses the past action:

We arranged to start the following Saturday from Kingstone.

Harris and I would go down in the morning, and take the boat Chertsey.

George would meet us there.

(We agreed that we would hit the road next Saturday from Kingston.

Hariss and I will leave there in the morning and take the steamboat to Chartsey.

And George will meet us there)

None of the forms of the future tense, including Future Indefinite in the Past, are used in the subordinate clauses of time and condition in English. An action that was future from the point of view of the past is expressed in such sentences by the form

I hope that before we parted, he would tell me what it was.

(I was hoping he would tell me what it was before we parted ways)

I wrote down to you to ask you not to see anyone till I came.

(I wrote to you and asked you not to meet with anyone until I arrived)

Using Future Continuous in the Past Tense

is formed in the same way as , but instead of will, would is used:

He would be working.

She would be working, etc.

Future Continuous in the Past is used instead of Future Continuous mainly in subordinate clauses if the verb predicate is used in the past tense:

He said that at sunset he would be waiting for you.

(He said he'll be waiting for you at sunset)

Verbs that are not used in the continuous form.

A verb in the Continuous form expresses an action as a process that lasts at the moment of speech or at a certain period of time. Verbs whose meaning does not express action as a process, as a rule, are not used in the Continuous form. These include:

a) verbs that express relationships between objects: to be to be; to have have; to possess, to own have; to consist consist; to contain, to hold contain; to belong belong; to depend depend, etc.

b) verbs with the meaning of sensation: to see see; to hear hear; to smell smell; smell;

c) verbs that express desire, feeling, will: to want to want; to wish, to desire wish, want; to love, to like love, like; to hate hate; to refuse refuse; to object mind; agree agree; to prefer prefer;

d) verbs with the meaning of mental activity: to know know: to believe believe; to suppose assume; to recognize learn; to remember remember, recall; to understand understand.

But in oral speech there are cases of using these verbs in the form continuous.

Using the Future Perfect in the Past Tense

Future Perfect in the Past is formed in the same way as , but instead of the auxiliary verb will, the verb should or would is used:

I should have done.

He/She/It would have done

We should have done.

You/They would have done.

Future Perfect in the past is used instead of Future Perfect mainly in subordinate clauses, if the verb of the main clause expresses the past action:

I thought you would have gone by now.

(I thought I would never find you)

In subordinate clauses of time and condition, instead of Future Perfect in the Past, we use

Using Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The Perfect Continuous tenses express an action that began before the moment of speech (Present Perfect Continuous Tense) or before the moment of speech in the past or future (Past Perfect Continuous and Future Perfect Continuous) and continues / continued up to this moment.

Using Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Past Perfect Continuous formed with an auxiliary verb to be in and present participles of the main verb. The verb in the Past Perfect Continuous does not change by person:

I (he, she, it, we, you, they) had been working.

The interrogative, negative and interrogative-negative forms of the Past Perfect Continuous are formed according to the same rules as the corresponding forms.

Interrogative form: Had you been working?

Negative form: I had not been working; I hadn't been working.

Interrogative-negative form: Had he not been working? Hadn't he been working?

Past Perfect Continuous can also be called Beforepast Continuous. This tense expresses a continuous action that began before some point in the past, or lasted at this moment, or ended immediately before it. The duration of the action or its beginning is indicated in the same way as in sentences with a verb in Present Perfect Continuous. But in most cases, the duration of the action is not indicated:

I explained that I had been loking for it for the last two hours.

(I explained that I had been looking for him for two hours)

There sat her father. The newspaper he had been reading had dropped on the carpet.

(Her father was sitting there. The newspaper he was reading fell on the carpet)

With verbs that don't have a form continuous, instead of Past Perfect Continuous, Past Perfect is used.

When we came to see Kate, she had been ill for three days.

(When we came to visit Katya, she had been sick for three days)

After consideration tenses in English with examples remains to be summed up.

Outcome

The previous sections have discussed in detail tenses in English - how are they formed and what they mean. When you get acquainted with them, there seem to be many different options, it is difficult to get used to the perception of complex language structures and quickly recognize what is said or written. Especially if you speak or write on your own. Simple rules will help you navigate:

1. The 3rd form of an irregular verb (for example, spoken) occurs only in the regular perfect. Since the 2nd only appears in the Simple Past, it is also easy enough for the correct ones to distinguish between them.
2. The gerund (for example, speaking) is used only when describing long actions, whether it is the usual Continuous or, in addition, with the perfect.
3. The word been occurs only in Perfect Cont

Having recognized the continuum and perfect forms, it is already quite easy to deal with the attitude to the present moment. Will ('ll) is exclusively in the future. The 2nd form of the verb, was (were) and had - only in the past. But you need to get used to correct order words. After a certain training, it is impossible to make a mistake, standard schemes are firmly eaten into memory. A person automatically recognizes speech with the words "been" and long modal sequences as "abstruse", which is better not to copy in everyday life.

English tenses are considered the most difficult topic, because in Russian we have only 3 tenses, and in English there are 12.

When studying them, everyone has many questions.

• What time should be used?
• Would it be considered a mistake to use one tense instead of another?
• Why is it necessary to use this tense and not another?

This confusion is due to the fact that we learn the rules of grammar, but do not fully understand them.

However, English tenses are not as complicated as they seem.

Their use depends on what idea you want to convey to your interlocutor. To do this correctly, you need to understand the logic and use cases of English tenses.

I immediately warn you, in this article I will not explain to you the grammatical formation of sentences. In it, I will give precisely the understanding of times.

In the article, we will look at the use cases of 12 tenses and compare them with each other, as a result of which you will understand how they differ, and when which time should be used.

Let's start.

What tenses are there in English?

In English, as well as in Russian, there are 3 blocks of tenses familiar to us.

1. Present (present) - indicates an action that is happening in the present tense.

2. Past (past) - denotes an action that takes place in the past tense (once upon a time).

3. Future (future) - denotes an action that will take place in the future tense.

However, the English tenses do not end there. Each of these time groups is subdivided into:

1. Simple- simple.

2. continuous- lengthy.

3. Perfect- completed.

4. Perfect Continuous- long-term completed.

The result is 12 times.

It is the use of these 4 groups that confuses English learners. Indeed, in Russian there is no such division.

How do you know what tense to use?

To use English tenses correctly, you need 3 things.

• Understand the logic of English tenses
  That is, to know what time is intended for what and when it is used.
• Be able to build sentences according to the rules
  That is, not only to know, but to be able to speak these sentences.
• Understand exactly what idea you want to convey to the interlocutor
  That is, to be able to choose the right time depending on the meaning that you put into your words.

To understand English tenses, let's take a closer look at each group.

Once again, I will not explain the grammatical formation of sentences. And I will explain to you the logic by which we determine which group time should be used.

Let's start with the easiest group - Simple.

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Times of the Simple group in English

Simple translates as "simple".

We use this tense when we talk about facts that:

• taking place in the present
• happened in the past
• will take place in the future.

For example

I drive a car.
I drive a car.

We say that a person knows how to drive a car and this is a fact.

Let's look at another example.

She bought a dress.
She bought a dress.

We are talking about the fact that sometime in the past (yesterday, last week or last year) she bought herself a dress.

Remember: when you talk about some action as a fact, then use the Simple group.

You can study in detail all the tenses of this group here:

Now let's compare Simple with another group of tenses - Continuous.

Continuous tenses in English

Continuous is translated as "long, continued."

When we use this tense, we are talking about an action as a process that:

• happening at the moment
• happened in the past at some point,
• will happen in the future at a certain moment.

For example

I am driving a car.
I'm driving.

Unlike the Simple group, here we do not mean a fact, but we are talking about a process.

Let's see the difference between fact and process.

Fact:"I can drive a car, I have a license."

Process:“I got behind the wheel some time ago and now I am driving a car, that is, I am in the process of driving.”

Let's consider one more example.

I will be flying to Moscow tomorrow.
Tomorrow I will fly to Moscow.

We are talking about the fact that tomorrow you will get on a plane and for some time you will be in the process of flying.

That is, for example, you need to get in touch with the client. You tell him that you will not be able to talk to him at this time, as you will be in the process of flying.

Remember: when you want to emphasize the duration of an action, that is, that the action is a process, use the Continuous times.

You can read more about each time of this group here:

Now let's move on to the Perfect group.

Perfect tenses in English

Perfect translates as "complete / perfect."

We use this time when we focus on the result of an action, which:

• we got by now,
• we got to a certain point in the past,
• we will get to a certain point in the future.

Note that even in the present tense, this tense is translated into Russian as the past. However, despite this, you say that the result of this action is important at the present moment.

For example

I have fixed my car.
I fixed the car.

We focus on the result that we currently have - a working machine. For example, you say that you fixed the car, now it works, and you can go to your friends' country house.

Let's compare this group with others.

We are talking about the fact (Simple):

I cooked dinner.
I was cooking dinner.

For example, you tell a friend about the fact that you cooked a delicious dinner yesterday.

I was cooking dinner.
I was cooking dinner.

You say you were in the process of cooking. For example, they did not pick up the phone, because they were preparing (were in the process) and did not hear the call.

We are talking about the result (Perfect):

I have cooked dinner.
I cooked dinner.

You currently have the result of this action - dinner ready. For example, you invite the whole family to dinner because dinner is ready.

Remember: when you want to focus on the result of an action, use the Perfect group.

Read more about all the times of the Perfect group in these articles:

And now let's move on to the last group of Perfect Continuous.

Tenses of the Perfect Continuous group in English

Perfect Continuous translates as "completed continuous." As you noticed by the name, this group of tenses includes signs of 2 groups at once.

We use it when we talk about a long-term action (process) and about obtaining a result.

That is, we emphasize that the action began some time ago, lasted (was in progress) a certain time and at the moment:

1. We got the result of this action

For example: “He repaired the car for 2 hours” (the action lasted 2 hours, and at the moment he has a result - a working car).

2. The action still continues

For example: “He has been fixing the car for 2 hours” (he started fixing the car 2 hours ago, was in the process and is still fixing it).

We can say that the action began some time ago, lasted and:

• ended/continues in the present,
• ended / continued until a certain point in the past,
• will end / will continue until a certain point in the future.

For example

I have been cooking this dinner for 2 hours.
I cooked dinner for 2 hours.

That is, you started cooking 2 hours ago and by now you have the result of your action - a ready dinner.

Let's compare this time with others like it.

We are talking about the process (Continuous):

I am painting a picture.
I am drawing a picture.

We say that we are currently in the process of drawing. It doesn't matter to us how much time it has already taken, it is important to us that at the moment you are involved in this process.

Talking about the result (Perfect)

I have painted a picture.
I drew a picture.

We say that at the moment we have a result - a finished picture.

We talk about the result and the process (Perfect Continuous)

1. I have been painting a picture for an hour.
I drew a picture for an hour.

We say that at the moment we have a result - a finished picture. You also emphasize that you spent one hour in the process of drawing to get this result.

2. I have been painting a picture for an hour.
I paint a picture for one hour.

We say that we are now in the process of drawing, while we focus on the fact that we have been busy with this process for an hour. In contrast to Continuous times, where we only care about what happens at a certain (current) moment, and not how much we are already doing it.

Remember: if you want to emphasize not only the result, but also its duration (how long it took you to get it), then use Perfect Continuous.

General table for comparing the times of the Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous groups

Let's look again at what each group of tenses is responsible for. Look at the table.

Time	Example	Accent
Simple	I did my homework. I did my homework.	We are talking about a fact. For example, you once studied at the university and did your homework. It is a fact.
continuous	I was doing my homework. I did my homework.	We talk about the process, we emphasize the duration of the action. For example, you didn't clean your room because you were busy doing homework.
Perfect	I have done my homework. I've done my homework.	We are talking about the result. For example, you came to class with your homework ready. The teacher doesn't care how long it took you. He is interested in the result - the work is done or not.
Perfect Continuous	I have been doing my homework for 2 hours. I did my homework for 2 hours.	We emphasize not only the result, but also the duration of the action until it is received. For example, you complain to a friend that homework is too difficult. You spent 2 hours doing it and: did it (got the result), still doing at the moment.

Outcome

Use English tenses depending on what meaning you want to convey to the interlocutor. The most important thing is to understand what the emphasis is on in each of the tenses.

1. We talk about action as a fact - Simple.

2. We talk about action as a process - Continuous.

3. We talk about action, focusing on the result - Perfect.

4. We talk about the action, emphasizing that it took a certain time before getting the result - Perfect Continuous.

I hope that now the logic of English times has become clear to you, and you will be able to convey the correct meaning to your interlocutor.