In addition to a very complex system of tenses in the English language, students of it are faced with a unique phenomenon of English grammar - the tenses of the Continuous group. When describing actions that occur right at the moment of speech, the present continuous (or otherwise long, extended) tense is used - Present continuous tense.
Pronounced as: [ˈpreznt kənˈtɪnjuəs]. British:
, Amer.:
However, not only in situations where the sentence contains the circumstances of the time “now”, “at the moment” this tense is used. There are a few more nuances when you need to use the Present Continuous and no other present tense. And there are some cases when the use of Present Continuous is meant, but it cannot be used.
Scheme of sentence formation with Present Continuous Tense
The formation of time Pr. Progressive in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences.The first difficulty of this tense is that in statements with it, a linking verb is necessarily present even in a declarative sentence, it plays this role in a certain form. The form to be depends on the person and number of the subject:
- I require the form am;
- If the subject is we, you, they - they are followed by are;
- Subject of the 3rd person and unit. numbers (he, she, it) - to be is in the form is.
After the subject and to be in the required form comes the verb, to which the ending -ing is attached.
Don't disturb me, please, I am translate ing a very difficult text now! – Please don't bother me, I'm translating a very difficult text right now!
the nurse is change ing Ann's bandages now, she will pay attention to you later. - The nurse is now bandaging Anna, she will pay attention to you later.
We are wait ing for you near the bus stop, where are you? We are waiting for you near the bus stop, where are you?
Both in speech and in writing, the linking verb is often abbreviated and "merges", in the written version an apostrophe appears:
- I am → I'm;
- you are → you're;
- we are → we're;
- they are → they're;
- he is → he's (same with she/it).
Negative sentences
When negated, the word not appears, which always comes after the linking verb.
You are not doing anything now, why don't you want to help me? "You're not doing anything right now, why don't you want to help me?"
The reduction in negation can be according to the scheme above, or not itself will be reduced (except for combination with I):
- I am not → I'm not (the only option);
- you are not → you're not → you aren't;
- we are not → we're not → we aren't;
- he is not → he's not → he isn't (similar to she/it).
Interrogative sentences
In a question with Present Continuous time, the standard English rule is applied - the direct is replaced by the reverse, and am / are / is is transferred to the place before the subject.
Are you drinking vodka now? We are waiting for guests! Are you drinking vodka now? We are waiting for guests!
However, when the question begins with the words , and they replace the subject, then the word order will be direct.
What is going on in our apple garden? Who is whining there? What is happening in our apple orchard? Who's whining there?
Cases of using Present Continuous
When an action occurs at the moment of speaking
The most common use of this tense is when describing an action/event, which takes place at the moment of speech (or there is an emphasis on the fact that this is not being done right now, is not happening).
Dr. Peterson is inspecting a very dire patient now, he is very busy. Dr. Peterson is currently examining a very serious patient, he is very busy.
I am not waiting for anybody now, that's why I am resting in the bed. - I'm not waiting for anyone now, so I'm resting in bed.
Such sentences contain (or imply) the words now (now), just / right now (right now), at the moment (at the moment).
Important! These circumstances of time should be at the end of the sentence or before the subject, at the beginning.
Now Mary is cleaning a carpet in the hall. – Mary is now cleaning the carpet in the hall (in the Russian version, the word order and the position of the adverbial tense are free).
Not so long ago, situations began to occur in colloquial speech when the circumstances of the time are in a different place in the sentence, but this, according to classical rules, is considered rude vernacular.
When something changes, grows or develops
When the described situation is connected with continuous growth, development, progress, and the speaker can observe it.
Jimmy is growing so fast! Jimmy is growing up so fast!
Mum's Spanish is getting better. Mom's Spanish is getting better.
When an action lasts a limited period of time
The action lasts for a period of time. The person speaking directly is not following him, but means that it is happening.
John is on vocation: he is traveling across Siberia. John is on vacation: he travels around Siberia.
To signify the future
Present Continuous can be used instead (moreover, its use is more desirable) if the action is precisely planned at a specific moment in the future.
My husband and me are going to the very interesting performance tomorrow. My husband and I are going to a very interesting performance tomorrow.
Even if something should not happen very soon (for example, next year), but the speaker is sure that it will happen, using the Present Continuous is much more preferable.
Next year we are moving to the village. - Next year we are moving to the village (it is understood that, for example, real estate has already been bought there and repairs are underway).
When the new state contrasts with the previous one
The described action is stated as a new rule/way of life, and it is different from what was before.
These days young people are listening to the very strange music. “Young people listen to very strange music these days.
When the action is happening today (but not at the time of speaking)
Something is not happening specifically at the moment of speech, but the speaker of the sentence implies that this action is taking place today.
Usually I prefer coffee, but today I'm drinking tea all day long. Usually I prefer coffee, but today I drink tea all day.
When the action starts before and continues after the specified time
With the words constantly / always, if a continuous process is described that began before the moment of speech and does not stop later. Or something is repeated with enviable regularity (in this case, Present Continuous emphasizes concern, discontent, irritation).
Our continents are constantly moving. Our continents are constantly moving (continue to move).
She is always losing her keys from our apartments. She keeps losing her keys to our apartment.
When is the Present Continuous not to be used?
There is a large group of verbs with which, even if the fact of the action takes place at the moment of speech, this tense cannot be used according to the rules of the English language. These verbs are the so-called "", they, in turn, are divided into several subgroups.
1. Feelings, emotions, physical sensations. Examples of such verbs: feel (feel), hear (hear), like / dislike (like / dislike), love (love), hate (hate).
I love her so much and I will do everything for her! I love her so much and would do anything for her!
I feel a terrible headache, I must drink medicine. - I have (right now, at the moment of speaking) a terrible headache, I must take the medicine.
2. Desires, intentions. For example: want (want), hope / wish (hope), regret (regret).
I wish I were a shark! - How I want to be a shark!
I hope that you will clear it with your husband. “I hope that you will agree on this with your husband.
3. Mental, mental state. Examples of such words: understand (to understand), know (to know), mean (to keep in mind).
I understand everything, why are you shouting? “I understand everything, why are you screaming?”
I mean all people's life, not only mine. “I mean the lives of all people, not just my own.
4.Verbs of the measurement system, such as: weigh (weigh), cost (cost).
These jaws weigh about fifty kilos. These jaws weigh about 50 kg.
We are so sorry, this dress costs one hundred pounds now, there is no discount for it. “Huge apologies, but this dress is now £100, not on sale.
5. The verb to be in the meaning of "to be" and, used in the sense of "to have, to be the owner of something".
John is a very gifted kid. John is a very gifted child.
Patrick has a very young wife with big claims. – Patrick has a very young wife with big claims.
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Present continuous tense (Present Progressive Tense) is the present continuous tense. In speech, it occurs as often as in present simple. The main thing to know about Present Continuous, - this time shows the duration of the action in the present. Duration can manifest itself in different ways: the action can last for a short time, or it can take a long period of time. At Present Continuous there are many functions, so this time occupies an important place in the grammar of the English language.
How is Present Continuous Tense Formed?
Statement
As in any English sentence, the subject comes first and the verb comes second. Predicate in Present Continuous consists of an auxiliary verb to be and main verb. to be in Present Continuous changes, so we need to remember its forms: am, is, are. The main verb has a particle to and the ending appears ing.
By general rule we add to the verb - ing. But with some verbs, slight transformations occur with the advent of this ending, for example:
- e
, leaving the final vowel: com e
– com ing
(come),
Mak e – Mak ing (do), write e – write ing (write). - For verbs ending in - ie , vowels - ie are replaced by - y : l ie –l ying (lie), t ie – t ying (tie up) d ie – d ying (die).
- If a short verb ends in a vowel with a consonant, then that consonant is doubled:
swi m – swi mm ing(to swim), sto p – sto pp ing(stop), ge t – ge tt ing(receive).
Negation
A negative sentence differs from an affirmative one only in that a particle appears between the auxiliary verb and the main verb not. That is, the predicate looks like this: first to be, after it the particle not and then the main verb.
Question
To ask a question in Present Continuous, we take out to be in first place, then put the subject and after it the main verb.
For your convenience, we have divided the time functions Present Continuous into 3 groups: entry-level material (green frame), intermediate level (yellow) and high-level (red). If you are just starting to study this topic, then it will be enough for you to know the functions of the green box, since these are the basic rules for Present Continuous. If you need more advanced grammar, then study the yellow table. And for the most sophisticated English connoisseurs, the rules from the red table are suitable.
Using Present Continuous
First level
- Present Continuous illustrates an action that is happening now, at the moment of speech. There may be clarifying words here: now(now), at the moment(Currently). Also, we can use this time for two actions that occur simultaneously in the present.
– What is he doing now? – What is he is doing now?
– He is talking to his friend. - He is talking with a friend. (at the moment he is standing and talking to a friend)She is eating chocolate ice cream while I am drinking water. - She eats chocolate ice cream while i drink water
- Present Continuous is used when the action takes place in the present, but not at a specific moment of speech. In this case, we want to show that the action is extended in time: it could have started yesterday or two days ago, but now it continues and will continue for some time. Throughout this long period of time, we periodically perform this action.
I am reading an interesting book. - I I read interesting book. (I started reading it before the speech and will read it for some time, but right now I'm not busy reading)
We are moving into a new house. - We moving to a new house. (we have begun to collect and transport things, but we are not busy with this activity at the moment of speech)
In this function, we may encounter words such as now(now), these days(these days, these days) currently(now, now).
This play is currently running at the theatre. - This play goes now in the theatre.
- We want to show that the situation is temporary, that is, we know, suspect or feel that the action will not last long. In such cases, there are words that specify the time period, such as for(during), during(during), until(not yet).
He is staying in New York for three months. - He remains in New York on the three months. (in three months his stay will end and he will return home)
He is working as a waiter until he finds a better job. - He working waiter till won't find a better job. (he temporarily works as a waiter)
- We are talking about an action that is slowly developing or changing. Such an action can show the words get(become), change(change), become(become), rise(get up), fall(fall), grow(grow), improve(improve), begin(start off), start(start off).
Your English is getting better. – Your English becomes better. (English didn't get better overnight, but gradually it improves)
The weather is improving. – Weather getting better. (the weather was bad for a while, now it's getting better)
When else is the Present Continuous used?
Average level
- When we talk about a planned action that we will take in the near future. We use Present Continuous only with those actions that have already firmly decided to perform.
Here you can use the words: this/next week(this/next week) this/next weekend(this/next weekend) this/next year(this/next year) today(in the evening), today(today), tomorrow(tomorrow).
next week we are buying a new car. - Next week we buy new car. (we firmly decided to buy a car, we have already chosen a model and a store where we will buy it)
I am having a business meeting tomorrow. - I have a business meeting tomorrow. (the meeting has already been scheduled and will definitely take place)
- When we talk about the near future using verbs of motion such as go(go), leave(leave), come(come), move(move), return(come back), start(start off).
I'm tired. I am going to bed. - I'm tired. I I'm going sleep. (I felt tired, so I decided to go to sleep)
This film is too boring. I am leaving. This movie is too boring I'm leaving. (I don’t like the film, so I leave the session without waiting for the end)
- When we want to show discontent, indignation, irritation. In these cases, we use the words always(always), constantly(constantly), all the time(all the time) to show that the person regularly does things we don't like.
You are always interrupting me! - You constantly me interrupting! (I really don't like it)
He is coming late all the time! - He late all the time! (the speaker is unhappy with this)
- Present continuous tense with state verbs.
Usually, the present continuous tense in English is not used with state verbs ( state verbs or state verbs). - these are verbs that convey the state of a person: his feelings, relationships, mental processes. These verbs denote actions, but these actions take place inside our consciousness, and we cannot watch how they proceed ( to feel- feel, to think- think, to love- be in love, to wish- wish to need- to need). Therefore, we cannot use them in tenses Continuous, since this aspect shows the duration.
However, there are a few cases where state verbs used with Present Continuous. This happens when the verb has several meanings and one of them shows action, and also when we want to show that the situation is temporary.
The steak tastes good. This steak tastes great. (steak is always so delicious)
The chef is tasting the steak. - Cook tries steak to taste. (he is trying it now)
Difficult cases of using Present Continuous
High level
- Present Continuous used when we are talking about something new, especially if this new is opposed to something old.
He has left university, now he is working with his friend. He dropped out of university and now working With my friend.
These days most people are spending time in front of computer screens instead of reading books. - Most people today holds time at the computer instead of reading books.
- Present Continuous used when we are talking about unusual behavior. We want to show that a person does something that is not characteristic of him, behaves differently than usual.
She is eating too much these days. – She is too much is eating Last few days. (she didn't eat that much before)
He is being nervous recently. - He became nervous lately. (he has always been calm, but recently his behavior has changed)
- Present Continuous found in subordinate clauses time after unions when(when), if(if), unless(not yet) in case(if), as long as(till), while(while). In such sentences there is a long action that stands in Present Continuous, and the singular, which is expressed present simple. Usually these sentences show familiar situations where a single action takes place against the backdrop of a long one.
I try not to make noise in case my daughter is doing her homework. - I try not to make noise when, if my daughter does homework.
I never talk on the phone when I am eating. - I never talk on the phone when I eat.
Present Continuous- one of the most favorite times of the British. As you can see, in English Present Continuous used in many situations, which means that it often occurs in speech. To better remember how to use Present Continuous, we recommend taking the following test and downloading our plate.
(*.pdf, 186 Kb)
Test
Use of Present Continuous
Let's talk about the present:Present continuous tense
Present Continuous is used to express actions that are happening right now, as well as actions that continue in the present for some time. For the first example, let's take the lyrics of the song "Queen" "A winter's fall":It is winter-fall: red skies are gleaming, seagulls are flying… - Winter has come: shine scarlet skies, in them soar seagulls.
Now let's compare:
I am writing to my parents. I write(to) them every weekend. - I am writing to my parents. I write to them every week.
In the first case it is clear that we are talking about the process of action at the moment. Those. I am sitting and writing right now.
In the second case the action is repeated regularly and is peculiar to me. Those. I am a very responsible child - I do not forget my parents. It's not at this point in time - it's at all.
Formed Present Continuous with an auxiliary verb to be in the correct form: am, is or are) + ending ing: She is sitt ing.
I am dying of thirst, you know. - You know, I'm dying of thirst.
IN interrogative sentences the auxiliary verb (am, is, are) comes first.
Are you coming to visit me at Christmas? - Are you coming to visit me at Christmas?
IN negative sentences a negative particle is added to the auxiliary verb not.
The washer is not working fine now. - The washing machine is not working right now.
Remember that the ending ing added to most verbs, without changing the base form: wait - wait ing.
e, this letter is omitted: us e- us ing, BUT: dye - dye ing.
If the verb ends in - ie, then - ie changes to y: lie - ly ing, die - dy ing.
A short stressed vowel followed by a consonant doubles that consonant before -ing: sit - sit ting, stop - stop ping, begin - begin ning.
-ic changes to ick: picni c- picni cking.
Present Continuous is used:
1. To express actions in a process that are taking place at the time of speech or description. Most often with the words:
Now - now
At the moment - at the moment
At present - currently
Just now - right now, etc.
Exceptions: feelings, sensations and thoughts, including momentary ones - which are transmitted in the form of a simple present tense: I feel, you seem, I think, etc.
We are working with Brian just at this moment, recording a new album. - At the moment, Brian and I we work: write down new album.
Here, as in many grammar references, in the list of exceptions we see the verb think. It's right and... wrong. In colloquial speech, you can often hear the verb think in the shape of continuous those. thinking. What is the correct way to use this verb?
If we are talking about our attitude to something, we must use think. I think this is true. - I think (it seems to me) this is true (even if it seems so to me only at the moment). At the same time, when it comes to the process of thinking, it is possible to use thinking. What are you thinking about? - What are you thinking about (now)? I am thinking about my letter to Santa. - I'm thinking about my letter to Santa (I mean Santa Claus). It is not necessary that the process of thinking is happening at the moment. This is often translated into Russian by the word "I'm thinking." I am thinking about becoming a vegetarian. - I'm thinking (want) to become a vegetarian.
At the end of this lyrical digression, one cannot help but recall the once very popular song of the London Beat group, which is called: I "ve been thinking about you - I (all the time) thought about you.
2. To express an ongoing process, an action that is not happening at the moment of speech (not right now), but lasts a certain time in the present.
For example: I am currently looking for a job. Now I am looking for a job. It is clear that right now I will not be able to pass ten interviews and view all the ads. This is an action that started at a certain moment and will continue until I find her.
Please tell me about the article you are working on. - Please tell me about the article you are working on. (He is working on the article, perhaps at the moment, and has worked before, and will continue to work).
3. To express upcoming actions. Those. formally refers to the future, in such sentences there is usually an indication of the date, time of some event:
I am leaving at the end of the week. - I'm leaving at the end of the week. (planned action).
Try the next task. Put the verbs in Present simple or Present Continuous.
- It (to snow) outside. It (to come) down quite hard, look.
- The sun (to rise) in the east.
- Do these shoes (to belong) to your wife?
- Why do you (to look) at me like that?
- She (not to take) dancing classes this winter.
- The climate (to get) warmer.
There is one topic in the study of the language, which, perhaps, can be discussed endlessly. Of course, we mean tenses in English. Learners who are just starting out with the language can sometimes find it hard to get used to the way English-speakers make time for themselves. In fact, each temporary form in English has its own analogue in Russian, it’s just that we don’t single out these forms as separate groups. Therefore, it is not at all difficult to understand the times, and today you will see for yourself.
To begin with, let's do a quick overview of all time groups so that you have an idea of what we are going to talk about today. As in Russian, English sentences can be built in the past, present and future. But besides these tenses, English also has 4 tenses, namely: Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous. In general, it turns out that one idea can be expressed in twelve temporary forms. Each form has a different way of forming the verbs that appear in the sentence. They can be used to determine the time. Detailed table for clarity:
| Formation of tenses in English | ||||
| Time / Kind | Simple (Simple) | Continuous or Progressive (long) | Perfect (perfect) | Perfect Continuous / Progressive (Perfect Continuous) |
| Past (past) |
V2 | to be (2nd form) + V-ing | had + V3 | had + been + v-ing |
| Present (present) | V1 | to be (1st form) + V-ing | have / has + V3 | have / has + been + v-ing |
| Future (future) |
will + V1 | will be + v-ing | will + have + V3 | will + have + been + v-ing |
Having briefly analyzed the English tenses, let's move on to their more detailed study and consider the rules for the formation of tenses with examples.
Why are tenses needed in English?
But first I would like to dwell on the question of why the tenses of the English language are needed and whether it is worth learning them all. The system of tenses in English helps to correctly convey your idea to others. That is, you can make it clear what action is in question. Was it in the past or present? Has it ended or is it still going on? Or does it happen regularly? - all these questions will disappear on their own , if it is known what tense was used in the sentence.
"So I'm just starting to learn the language, and I immediately have to learn all 12 tenses of the English language?" - you ask. Ideally yes, you need to learn all tenses. But, most likely, you will not be able to do it all at once. Therefore, start your training from the time of the Simple group. Knowing simple time, you will be able to explain what happened to you or will happen to you, what you need and why. But you should not be limited to this time, and therefore, having dealt with it, gradually continue to study other groups. The latest can be considered the Perfect Continuous group. Often they resort to it when the level of the language of the students is already “passing” for the average, because the tenses of this group are used quite rarely and are used more to demonstrate their knowledge.
Tenses in English: Simple group
|
Simple (Simple) |
Present (Present) |
Past (past) |
Future (future) |
|
| + | V1 | V2 | will + V1 | |
| — | do / does + not + V1 | did + not + V1 | will + not + V1 | |
| ? | Do/Does…V1? | Did…V1? | Will…V1? |
present simple
Present Simple or simple present tense , perhaps the most used. The use of this English tense is necessary to express regularly repeated actions, habits, schedules and facts.
As you can see from the table above, the present tense is formed using the verb in its initial form, that is, in the form in which the word is listed in the dictionary. However, this form may vary slightly depending on the person and number. Thus, if an action is performed by a third party in singular, verbs have the ending -s (-es):
|
Pronouns / Pronouns |
tobe in present tense |
| I | V1 |
| He | V1 + -s (-es) |
Examples:
For the formation of negative and interrogative sentences the auxiliary verb do is used. If it is used with third persons in the singular, then this verb turns into does, because it takes the ending -s (-es) from the semantic verb.
Examples:
As you can see, this time does not have any complex grammatical rules.
past simple
Past Simple or simple past tense in English is used to express the same simple repetitive actions, but only in the past. For its formation, a verb in the second form is used. It is of two types. If the verb is correct, then it is enough to add the ending -ed to it. If it is incorrect, then you just need to memorize the second form, because each irregular verb has its own. Compare:
In this case, the person performing the action does not affect the verb in any way, that is, for all persons the form of the verb is the same. Consider the use of this tense with the help of examples:
In this case, the auxiliary verb did is used to form negative and interrogative sentences. It takes over the function of the past tense determiner, so the semantic verb returns to its original form:
Future Simple
The Future Simple or the simple future tense in English is used to express simple actions that will happen in the future. It has an auxiliary verb will in all three forms of the sentence:
| She will help you. | She will help you. | |
| I will explain you how to do this. | I will explain to you how to do it. | |
| They will share their main ideas. | They will share their main ideas. | |
| You will not (won't) remember anything. | You won't remember anything. | |
| She won't be available because she'll turn off her phone. | She won't be available because she'll turn off her phone. | |
| They won't sign the documents. | They won't sign the papers. | |
| Will you be with me? | You will be with me? | |
| Will they like the description of the product? | Will they like the product description? | |
| Will he lie or not? | Will he lie or not? |
Tenses in English: Continuous group
|
continuous / Progressive (Long) |
Present (Present) |
Past (past) |
Future (future) |
|
| + | to be (1st form) + V-ing | to be (2nd form) + V-ing | will be + v-ing | |
| — | to be (1st form) + not + V-ing | to be (2nd form) + not + V-ing | will + not + be + v-ing | |
| ? | to be (1st form) … V-ing? | to be (2nd form) … V-ing? | Will … be V-ing? |
Present Continuous
Present Continuous (Present Progressive) or present continuous tense in English (also known as continuous tense in English) is a tense that shows that the action is ongoing, that is, is in the process of being performed at a given time. It is usually built with the help of the auxiliary verb to be, which is expressed in three forms, depending on the person and number:
Examples:
| I am typing him a message right now. | Right now I'm typing a message for him. | |
| We are watching TV all day long. | We watch TV all day. | |
| They are translating the text at the moment. | They are currently translating the text. | |
| He is not (isn't) reading now. | He is not reading now. | |
| Jim isn't writing a new post. | Jim is not writing a new post. | |
| I am not (‘m not) learning Turkish. | I don't study Turkish. | |
| Is she working here till summer? | Does she work here until the summer? | |
| Are you doing this on purpose, huh? | You're doing this on purpose, right? | |
| Are they studying the course at the moment? | Are they studying this course at the moment? |
Past Continuous
(Past Progressive) or the past continuous tense is used to show that some action lasted at a certain point in the past. For its formation, auxiliary and semantic verbs are also required. The same verb to be acts as an auxiliary, but only in the past tense:
| Pronouns | to be in past tense |
| I | was |
| We | were |
The semantic verb is formed in the same way as for the present continuous tense.
Examples:
| I was sleeping when he called me. | I was asleep when he called me. | |
| She was cooking while I was reading a newspaper. | She was cooking while I was reading the newspaper. | |
| They were watching a cartoon when the electricity was suddenly cut off. | They were watching a cartoon when the lights suddenly went out. | |
| He was not (wasn't) surfing the Internet at 8 in the evening. | He wasn't surfing the internet at 8 pm. | |
| They were not (weren't) talking to each other when I came in. | When I entered, they did not speak to each other. | |
| I wasn't analyzing the results. | I didn't analyze the results. | |
| Was she laughing during your presentation? | Did she laugh during your presentation? | |
| Were they training in the evening? | Did they train in the evening? | |
| Was she teaching her student at 3 p.m.? | Was she studying with her student at 3pm? |
Future Continuous
Accordingly, Future Continuous (Future Progressive) or future continuous shows an action that will take place at a particular moment in the future. All 3 forms of the sentence in this tense need an auxiliary verb will be and a semantic verb with the ending -ing:
| When I come back, they will be listening to music. | When I return, they will be listening to music. | |
| I will be passing the exam this time tomorrow. | I will be taking my exam at this time tomorrow. | |
| They will be rehearing here at 9 p.m. | They will rehearse here at 9pm. | |
| Diana will not (won't) be recording a song tonight. | Diana will not be recording a song tonight. | |
| Unfortunately, I will not be spending time with my friends during my vacations. | Unfortunately, I will not be spending time with my friends during the holidays. | |
| They will not be building a website this time on Monday. | They will not be developing the website at this time on Monday. | |
| Will they be chilling the whole day? | Will they chill all day? | |
| Will she be washing the dishes when we go downstairs? | Will she wash the dishes when we go downstairs? | |
| Will they be conducting a research? | Will they do research? |
Tenses in English: Perfect Group
|
Perfect (Perfect) |
Present (Present) |
Past (past) |
Future (future) |
|
| + | have / has + V3 | had + V3 | will + have + V3 | |
| — | have / has + not + V3 | had + not + V3 | will + not + have + V3 | |
| ? | Have/Has…V3? | Had…V3? | Will … have V3? |
Present Perfect
The present perfect or present perfect tense is a tense in English used to express actions that have completed by now. It differs from the simple past tense in that it emphasizes the result in the present that caused the action in the past.
This tense requires the auxiliary verb have, which changes to has in the third person. But with verbs used in the role of semantic, not everything is so simple. Past participles are responsible for them. The participle can be formed in two ways:
- If the verb is correct, then it is enough to add the ending -ed:
Suggestion examples:
| The son has broken the window with a ball. | The son broke the window with the ball. | |
| My children have already made the list of presents. | My children have already made a list of gifts. | |
| I have heard this story many times. | I have heard this story many times. | |
| I have not (haven't) hurt people ever. | I have never hurt people. | |
| She has not (hasn't) decided yet. | She hasn't made a decision yet. | |
| They haven't learned these formulas by heart; that's why I'm sure they have written cheat sheets | They didn't memorize these formulas, so I'm pretty sure they wrote the spurs. | |
| Has she been to Europe? | Has she been to Europe? | |
| Have you ever watched an eclipse? | Have you ever watched an eclipse? | |
| Have they met him yet? | Have they already met him? |
past perfect
Or the past perfect tense is used to show that some action took place before a specific moment in the past. It is formed using the auxiliary verb had and all the same past participles:
| I had prepared a surprise for my children by 7 o'clock in the evening. | I have prepared a surprise for children by 7 pm. | |
| We had considered all suggestions by Friday. | We considered all proposals by Friday. | |
| I wanted to visit her but she had moved already. | I wanted to visit her, but she had already moved. | |
| She had not (hadn't) spent too much time before she understood the concept. | She didn't spend too much time before she understood the concept. | |
| They hadn't finished the construction by the deadline. | They didn't finish building by the deadline. | |
| We hadn't published the magazine by Monday. | We hadn't published the magazine by Monday. | |
| Had she edited everything by the end of the day? | She edited everything before the end of the day? | |
| Had he learned the details carefully before he started doing the project? | Did he carefully study all the details before starting the project? | |
| Had she come back by Thursday? | Was she back by Thursday? |
Future Perfect
Future Perfect or future perfect tense, as you might have guessed, shows that the action will be completed by a certain moment in the future. To form this tense, in addition to the auxiliary verb have, the verb will will be required. The semantic participle is the past tense:
| I will have changed everything by this time. | By this time I will change everything. | |
| She will have been in the Maldives at 3 a.m. | She will be in the Maldives at 3 am. | |
| The builders will have built the stadium by next winter. | The builders will build the stadium by next winter. | |
| They will not (won't) have spent much time on family till they understand its value. | They will not spend much time on the family until they understand its value. | |
| She won't have reached her goals until she starts working. | She won't achieve her goals until she starts working. | |
| I think George and Quincy won't have made up before your birthday party. | I think George and Quincy won't make up before your birthday. | |
| Will they have made it by March? | Will they make it by March? | |
| Will she have got his real intentions before they get married? | Will she understand his true intentions before they get married? | |
Tenses in English: Perfect Continuous Group
|
Perfect (Perfect) |
Present (Present) |
Past (past) |
Future (future) |
|
| + | have / has + been + v-ing | had + been + v-ing | will + have + been + v-ing | |
| — | have / has + not + been + v-ing | had + not + been + v-ing | will + not + have + been + v-ing | |
| ? | Have / Has … been + V-ing? | Had…been + V-ing? | Will … have + been + V-ing? |
Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous or Present Perfect Continuous is a tense used to show an action that started and lasted up to a certain point or continues to last until now.
It has the auxiliary verbs have been, which change to has been in the third person. The semantic verb is the same verb that was used in Continuous tenses. Among all English tenses of this group present time Perfect Continuous is the most common:
| It has been raining all day long. | It rained all day. | |
| My friend has been persuading me to go with him for an hour. | My friend urges me to go with him for an hour. | |
| I'm tired because we have been creating a studio all night. | I'm tired because we've been creating the studio all night. | |
| She has not (hasn't) been learning French since she moved from Canada. | She doesn't study French since moving from Canada. | |
| Bryan hasn't been enjoying his weekends since his mother-in-law came to visit them. | Brian didn't enjoy the weekend because his mother-in-law came to visit. | |
| We haven't been sleeping all night. | We didn't sleep all night. | |
| How long have you been living here? | How long have you been living here? | |
| Have you been fighting again? | Did you fight again? | |
| Who has been touching my documents?! | Who touched my documents?! |
Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect Continuous is used in the same way as Present Perfect Continuous, only in this case the action ends at a certain point in the past. Sentences are formed in this tense with the help of the auxiliary verbs had been and the semantic verb with the ending -ing. Since this form is not used very often and there are not many options for its use, consider just a few examples:
Future Perfect Continuous
Future Perfect Continuous or Future Perfect Continuous means certain moment in future. Time is used in very rare cases. It uses the auxiliary verbs will have been and the same semantic verb:
That's all. We hope that the explanation of the topic helped you, and the use of tenses in English is no longer a problem for you. Try to use all tense forms as often as possible when speaking, compose examples with them, perform various exercises on English tenses and make a translation.
In order not to constantly return to this article, redraw or make your own table of English tenses. It will be like a cheat sheet for you. Refer to it periodically, even if you have completed the study of this topic, since repetition of the past will never be harmful. If at first you still have a little confusion with the times, with proper practice you will quickly understand how to use them. The main thing is that we deal with all tenses in stages and do not move from one group to another until we fully master the material.
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Tenses of the English verb, as a rule, inspire sacred horror in all students. Still - there are as many as 16 of them! But the devil is not so terrible as he is painted. We will try to explain to you as simply as possible, especially since for a start you can limit yourself to 4 times. In today's post, we will analyze the Present Continuous Tense - Present Continuous Tense.
- To better understand the tenses of the English verb, it is not necessary to memorize their name. It will be enough to clearly know three things: 1) when the action occurs; 2) how the desired form of the verb is formed; 3) what is the auxiliary verb.
The Present Continuous Tense - Present Continuous Tense
As mentioned above, there are three main things to know.
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1. When does the action take place? The Present Continuous Tense denotes an action that is taking place at the moment of speech, directly now. That is, the action is indicated in the process, so this time is sometimes called Present Progressive Tense.
2. How is it formed? The present continuous tense form of the verb is formed with the verb to be (present tense) and . Simply put, am/is/are + verb ending ing.
Consider the example of the sentence "I am writing a letter." Before us is a sentence, the action of which is taking place at the moment - "I am now writing a letter." The verb-predicate is the word “I write”, and it is this word that we must put in the Present Continuous Tense. Since the subject is “I”, we therefore take the form of the verb “am”, and add the ending ing to the verb-predicate write. As a result, we get the sentence I am writing a letter.
3. What is the auxiliary verb? An auxiliary verb is needed to form the interrogative (?) and negative (-) forms of all tenses of the English verb and to form the affirmative (+) form of some tenses of the English verb. For the Present Continuous Tense, the auxiliary verb is to be, or rather, its forms am / is / are.
In the interrogative form, the auxiliary verb (Are you eating now?) is put in the first place. In the negative form, not is “attached” to the auxiliary verb (He isn’t sleeping now).
For clarity, we will conjugate our sentence “I am writing a letter” by faces in the affirmative, interrogative and negative form.
Please note that only the forms of the verb to be change depending on the person of the subject, the present participle (ING-th form of the verb) does not change.
Here is a translation of several sentences in the present continuous tense:
- We are drinking tea now
- I am not reading now - I am not reading now
- Are you currently working? are you working now?
- Is he playing now? is he playing now?
- She is not drinking coffee now - She is not drinking coffee now
Note: There are some English verbs, which are not used in the present continuous tense, these are the so-called verbs of feelings and perception:
With these verbs - even if the action is happening at the moment - it is used:
- I'm tired. I want to go home.
- Do you know that girl? Yes, but I don't remember her name.
- You are speaking too fast. I don't understand.
