English Tenses

1..SIMPLE PRESENT

The simple present tense is one of the most common tenses in English. you will find in this page the rules for forming the tense.
It may be used to express:

action at the present time;a state of being;a habitual action;an occurrence in the near future

We form the present simple by using: 

Subject + Infinitive

Third Person + Infinitive + (s)*

* we add :
 

 (s) to regular verbs.(es) to verbs ending by (s),(sh),(ch). (ies) to verbs ending by (y).

Example 1:                

                        I learn                     We learn
                       You learn               You learn
                       He/She learns      They learn

Example 2:(Third person)

                Fly       ===> It flies

                watch  ===> She watches

                wish    ===> He wishes

Some verbs are totally different, they are conjugated differently like TO BE and TO HAVE:

- For the verb “ to have” we say : I/you/we/they have but we say: He/She/It has.
- For the verb “To Be” it’s different, we say :

I am

You are

He/She/It  is

We are

You are

They are

2.. SIMPLE PAST

The simple past tense form is the same with all subjects. It is usually formed by adding -ED to the verb. you will find in this page the rules for forming this tense.
The past tense is a verb tense expressing action, activity, state or being in the past.

Usually we form the simple past by using:                 – Subject + Infinitive + ed

There are some irregular cases :

• we add(d) to  verbs ending by (e) like: live.
• we double the consonant to some verbs like: trap.
• we add (ied) to verbs ending by (y) like: cry.

Example 1:                

                              I learned                  We learned
                             You learned             You learned
                            He/She learned      They learned

Some verbs are totally different, they are conjugated differently like TO BE and TO HAVE:

- For the verb “ to have” we say:I/you/we/they/He/She/It had.

- For the verb “To Be” it’s different, we say :

• I was                    We were

• You were              You were

• He/She/It  was         They were

There are some verbs that are conjugated by using :  Subject + Past Particple , we call them Irregular Verbs: Check Irregular verbs course to see more informations about these verbs.

3..SIMPLE FUTURE

Simple Future has two different forms in English: “will” and “be going to.”
The simple future refers to a time later than now, and expresses facts or certainty. In this case there is no ‘attitude’.

The simple future is used:
a. to predict a future event: It will rain tomorrow.
b. (with I/we) to express a spontaneous decision: I will pay for the tickets by credit card.
c. to express willingness: I will do the washing-up. He will carry your bag for you.
d. (in the negative form) to express unwillingness: The baby will not eat his soup…

We form the  simple future by using:

- Subject + will + Infinitive

                - Subject + Going to + Infinitive

Example 1:

                 I will learn                  We will learn

                 You will learn             You will learn

                He/She will learn      They will learn

Example 2:

                I am going to travel            We are going to travel

               You are going to travel       You are going to travel

              He/She is going to travel      They are  going to travel

NB: we usually change:   I will by I’ll  , and  I will not by  I won’t.

4...PRESENT CONTINUOUS

We use the Present Continuous with Normal Verbs to express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now.

The form of this tense:

  Subject + To be + Infinitive + Ing

Examples:

• I am reading the book (i still read it now)

• He is going to cinema tonight (it express future)

• She is always coming to class late (habit)

Listed below are examples, uses and structure of the Present Continuous :

 

Examples	Usage
What are you doing? She’s reading in the garden. They’re not standing in the rain.	Things that are happening now, at the moment.
I’m reading The bible. My father is working in the supermarket. He’s studying hard this year.	Actions happening in a period around the present moment in time.
We’re having a test this evening. What are you doing tomorrow afternoon? I am not coming on Friday.	Future plans and arrangements.

In questions we invert the subject and the verb TO BE, like this: What are you doing?

5... PAST CONTINUOUS

We use the Past Continuous to talk about past actions in progress. The actions can also be interrupted by something (I was eating my breakfast when the telephone rang).

The form of this tense:

  Subject + To be (in the past) + Infinitive + Ing

Examples:

• I was  reading the book when you come.

• When  the phone rang, we were eating dinner.

• Yesterday at this time, I was still driving the car.

• She was always coming to class late (habit)

• 6..FUTURE CONTINUOUS

  •   Subject + Will be + Infinitive + Ing

  •   Sujet + To be + going to be + Infinitif + Ing

  Examples:

  •     I will be reading the book (in the future)

  •     Tonight, we will be eating dinner

  We use it to speak about a longer action in the future, in this example  Tonight, we will be eating dinner,the action of eating is longer and take time!

  7...PRESENT PERFECT

  Example sentences:    I have finished my homework.

  He has been in USA since 1999.

  Present perfect is used for many different functions:

  1-Actions which started in the past and are still continuing

  Example:   I have lived in London for twenty years. (I still live in London).

  2-Actions which happened at a time in the past

          Example: I have already visited Spain.

  3-Actions which happened in the past, but have an effect in the present

          Example:  They‘ve been painting the flat.

• The present perfect simple is formed with the auxiliary verb have in the corresponding form for the subject of the sentence, followed by the participle of the main verb.

• Form of the Present Perfect:

• Future Continuous has two different forms: “will be doing ” and “be going to be doing”.
  The form of this tense:

• 8..PAST PERFECT.                       Form of the Past Perfect

  
  The past perfect tense is often used in English when we are relating two events which happened in the past. It helps to show   which event heppened first.
  It is formed with the auxiliary verb have in the past (HAD), followed by the participle of the main verb.
  Example sentences:    I had finished my homework.

  He had been in USA since 1999.

  –The past perfect is used to show you which of two events happened first. Imagine that two things happened in the past:

   Examples:  

  • I had studied English before I travel to USA.

  • She had left the house when we arrived.

  • 9....FUTURE PERFECT

    The future perfect is a tense that expresses the past in the future: We use it when we talk about an action that will be past comparing to another action. (both actions are in the future)

    its form is: will + present perfect  OR to be going + present perfect

    Examples:

    • I will have learned future perfect bu the end of this course.
    • I am going to have learned future perfect bu the end of this course.
    • By the end of the year, my son will have been away for three months.
    • How many words are you going to have learned by the time you finish this year.