Temporal forms in English. Tenses in English

There are present, past and future tenses in both Russian and English. Verbs ( verbs ) change over time ( tense ). But this is where the similarity with Russian times ends, because for each of these three times the British have other varieties. In this article we will provide a short and simple guide based on charts and tables to understand the times in English language for Dummies ( dummies ).

Table and examples of times:

All three tenses (past, present and future) have three main aspects: simple ( simple ), long ( continuous ) and perfect ( perfect ). Long-term are used for repeated actions, or those actions that last over time.

Perfect tenses exist to describe actions or states of being that occurred in the past, and it does not matter when. The main thing is that at the time of the conversation they had already ended. These tenses are used whenever we need to connect the past and present.

Simple tenses in English for dummies

Simple times ( Simple tenses ) apply to actions or states in the past, present or future.

The table shows that the form of the verb in the simple past tense does not change depending on the person, so it is very easy to remember the structure of sentences. Well, knowledge of irregular verbs will come with practice of reading and listening.

Simple future tense ()

Talks about events that have not yet happened. Formed the same way for all persons - by adding an auxiliary verb will + base verb.

Long tenses in English for dummies.

Long times ( Continuous tenses ) are needed to describe the actions that occur at the time of speech. This can be either in the present period or at a specific period in the past or future.

Present continuous ()

The diagram clearly shows the difference between the continuous and simple forms of the present tense.

Formed using an auxiliary verb to be + ing - form of the semantic verb (Present Participle) .

Past Continuous

Constructed with an auxiliary verb to be in the past tense + semantic verb in the ing form .

Future Continuous

This tense is used to talk about actions that may be interrupted in the future, or to say what will happen at a specific time in the future. Compare the diagram with Future Simple .

The Future Continuous is formed using the following formula: Will be + verb-ing

Perfect or perfect tenses in English for dummies

Express completed actions, the result of which is important at the time of the story. May be accompanied by adverbs already (already), yet (Not yet), just (just now), for (during), since (since) ever (ever) never (never). Formed using an auxiliary verb have + semantic verb in the Past Participle form.

present perfect

From the following diagram you can understand that the main difference between the present perfect and simple past tense is the moment in the past when the action ended. For the Present Perfect it is not important when it happened, but for the Past Simple it is important.

How the present perfect tense is formed:

Example: Has not already paid for the dinner. (He has already paid for dinner.)

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

This confusion occurs because 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 usage of English tenses.

I warn you right away that in this article I will not explain to you the grammatical formation of sentences. In it I will give precisely an understanding of the times.

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

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) - denotes an action that occurs in the present tense.

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

3. Future - denotes an action that will occur in the future tense.

However, the English times do not end there. Each of these groups of times is divided into:

1. Simple- simple.

2. Continuous- long-term.

3. Perfect- completed.

4. Perfect Continuous- long-term completed.

The result is 12 times.

It is the use of these 4 groups that baffles English language learners. After all, in the Russian language there is no such division.

How do you know what time 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 construct 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 your interlocutor
  That is, be able to choose the right time depending on the meaning you put into your words.

To understand English tenses, let's look at each group in detail.

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

We'll start with the easiest group - Simple.

Bonus! Do you want to easily learn English tenses and use them in your speech? in Moscow and find out how easy it is to master tenses and start speaking English in 1 month using the ESL method!

Simple group tenses in English

Simple is translated as “simple”.

We use this tense when we talk about facts that:

• happen in the present tense
• happened in the past
• will happen 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 all the times of this group in detail here:

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

Continuous tenses in English

Continuous is translated as “long, continuous.”

When we use this tense, we talk about action as a process that:

• happening at the moment
• happened in the past at a certain moment,
• 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 talk 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’m driving the car, that is, I’m in the process of driving.”

Let's look at another example.

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

We are talking about the fact that tomorrow you will board 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 a client. You tell him that you will not be able to talk to him at this time, since you will be in the middle of a flight.

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

You can read in detail about each time of this group here:

Now let's move on to the Perfect group.

Perfect tenses in English

Perfect is translated as “completed/perfect.”

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

• we have received by now,
• we got to a certain point in the past,
• we will receive by 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 in 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 your car, now it works, and you can go to your friends’ country house.

Let's compare this group with others.

Let's talk about a fact (Simple):

I cooked dinner.
I was cooking dinner.

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

I was cooking dinner.
I was cooking dinner.

You say you were in the process of cooking. For example, they didn’t answer the phone because they were cooking (we were in the process) and didn’t hear the call.

Let's talk about the result (Perfect):

I have cooked dinner.
I cooked dinner.

You currently have the result of this action - a ready-made dinner. For example, you call the whole family for lunch 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:

Now let's move on to the last group, Perfect Continuous.

Perfect Continuous tenses in English

Perfect Continuous is translated as “complete continuous”. As you noticed from the name, this group of tenses includes characteristics of 2 groups at once.

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

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

1. We received 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 is still going on

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 now).

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-made dinner.

Let's compare this time with others similar to it.

Let's talk 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 you are currently involved in this process.

We talk about the result (Perfect)

I have painted a picture.
I painted a picture.

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

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

1. I have been painting a picture for an hour.
I painted the picture for an hour.

We say that at the moment we have a result - a completed picture. You also point out that you were in the drawing process for one hour 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. Unlike Continuous times, where we care only about what is happening at a certain (given) moment, and not how long we have been doing this.

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

General table comparing tenses of the groups Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous

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

Bottom line

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

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 obtaining the result - Perfect Continuous.

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

Hi there! Today we’ll talk about the main secret of the English language - the Present Perfect and its adverbs. In this article, we will remind you how the Present Perfect is constructed and when it is used, what markers can be used with it, and we will tell you about the nuances of their use.

Present Perfect - past or present?

In English, the past tense can be presented in different variations, depending on what the author places emphasis on (the result of the action, time or duration).

Present Perfect —present perfect tense. It has no analogue in Russian and is translated by a perfective verb in the past tense (I have found it. - I found it.)

To construct the Present Perfect, take have/has as an auxiliary verb, and the main one will always be in the third form (the ending “-ed” or the third column in the table). In both negation and question, the verb will retain the third form.

I have finished my project. - I finished your project.
I haven't finished my project. - I didn't finish your project.
Have you finished your project? - You finished your project?

By using the Present Perfect we mean past actions that are related to the present. How can they be connected?

• The action began in the past and is still ongoing.

I have learned English since childhood. - I learned English since childhood (and still learning).

• The present is the result of a past action.

I have broken my leg and I am at hospital now. - I broke leg and I'm in the hospital now.

• The job is done, but the time is not over yet.

I have made all the tasks this week. - I did all the tasks for this week (and the week is still going on).

On simple examples everything is easy. And when you are faced with atypical contexts and experience doubts and the torment of choosing between the Present Perfect and other times, then special ones will come to the rescue markers.

Marker words Present Perfect

Usually Present Perfect markers are represented by adverbs, which very vaguely tell us about the time of action. For example, “already” - when exactly? Today? Yesterday?

In order not to be confused and doubtful, it is enough to learn these adverbs and always use the Present Perfect with them:

ever- ever, ever, ever;
never- never;
just- just, exactly, barely, just, only, completely, just, only, now;
already- already, previously, even;
not … yet- still no, no yet, not yet, no, not yet;
before- before, before, not yet, already, before;
lately- a long time ago, recently, recently, lately;
of late- recently, lately, recently;
so far- already, by now, at this hour, so far, until now, up to this moment;
recently- recently, the other day, recently, just now, not so long ago;
by now- Nowadays;
up to now- until now, until now;
since- since (from some point);
still- still.

Where to put markers in a sentence?

Some Present Perfect adverbs have specific usage patterns.

• The most common Present Perfect markers "already" and "just" used before the semantic verb and after “have/has”.

I have already bought a gift. - I already bought a gift.
He has just started this task. - He only started this task.

There are cases when we will put " already” at the end to express surprise.

You have come already! - You came already!

• "Never"- a word that already contains a negation, so with its participation the verb will only be in the affirmative form.

I have never seen him. - I have never seen him (note, in the Russian version there is a double negative - “never + not”, in English “I have never seen him”).

• « Already», « lately», « recently», « of late" usually appear in the middle of a sentence (before the semantic verb), but they can also be placed at the end.

He has lately read many books. - He recently I read a lot of books.
She has made good progress recently. - She has made progress in Lately.
They have not spoken of late. - Lately they didn't talk.
I have already been here. - I already was here.

• « Before" And " yet", as a rule, are placed at the end of the sentence.

I have seen this film before. - I saw this film earlier.
They haven't finished their project yet. - They more haven't finished your project.

• « Yet"—for denials and questions. " Ever» - for questions only.

I haven't had lunch yet. - I more didn't have lunch.
Have you ever been to New York? - You When-someday been to New York?
Have you cooked dinner yet? - You already have you prepared dinner?

In questions " yet"used to find out something, to get information. Often " not yet" used for a short answer - " Not yet»:

- Have you congratulated Bill? - Not yet. I "ll call him right now. - Did you congratulate Bill? - Not yet. I'll call him right now.

• « So far», « up to now», « by now" are most often found at the end, but can be placed at the beginning and before the semantic verb.

She has read all his books by now. - To date she read all his books.
He has so far written ten letters to her. - By this time he had already written her ten letters.
Up to now I haven’t found my keys. - Still I didn't find my keys.

• « Still»indicates that the situation remains unchanged; The process has been delayed and has not yet been completed.

I still haven"t finished writing my composition. - I no way I won't finish writing my essay.
He still hasn't found a new job! - He no way won't find a job!

What to choose: Past Simple or Present Perfect?

In American English the markers " just», « already», « yet” are accompanied by both Present Perfect and Past Simple. Don't be surprised if you come across:

The mail just came. - The mail just arrived (American version).
The mail has just come(British version).
I already heard the news. - I have already heard this news (American).
I've already heard the news (British).

The combination " just now» is used exclusively with the Past Simple.

She was here just now. - She was just here.

At the marker recently There are 2 meanings: “not so long ago” and “lately”.

In the meaning of “not so long ago” we will use the Past Simple.

I started playing the piano only recently. - I started playing the piano not so long ago.

To mean “lately” we use the Present Perfect.

I haven't heard from her recently. - I haven't heard of her V Lately.

Conclusion

And that’s all for today! Not so scary Present Perfect how they write about him. We hope our secrets have helped you understand these slightly treacherous times.

May your English be perfect! And don't forget, there's always a better You living inside!

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

Hello guys! Many will agree that the topic of this article evokes fear. Tenses in English - This combination of words can scare even an experienced English student, let alone a beginner.

Just about English times

• It is worth understanding that in English there are 3 pillars on which all grammar rests - “ to be», « to have" And " to do».
• Each of these whales can swim in three times: Present,Past And Future.
• In turn, Present, Past and Future will flow into the seas Simple,Continuous, Perfect And Perfect Continuous.
• In the meantime, whales (or whales) swim in these seas, they have babies, or rather, new forms are formed.

Are you confused? Let's take a closer look.

How to learn all tenses in English

You just need to sort everything out and systematize your learning until it becomes automatic. You will know how much you have studied and how much is still to come, then the study of times will not seem like something limitless and endless.

• Present Simple used to express a common, regularly repeated action.
• Past Simple used to express an action that happened in the past.
• Future Simple used to express an action that will happen in the future.

• Present Continuous used to express an action taking place at the moment.
• Past Continuous used to express an action that occurred at a certain point in time in the past.
• Future Continuous used to express an action that will occur at a certain point in time in the future.

• Present Perfect used to express a completed (or still ongoing) action, the result of which is associated with the present.
• Past Perfect used to express an action that ended earlier than another action or a specific moment in the past.
• Future Perfect used to express an action that will be completed by a specific point in time in the future.

Important! There is also the time Future in the Past, which we talked about in the corresponding article.

• Present Perfect Continuous used to express an action that began in the past and continues in the present, or the duration of the action is important.
• Past Perfect Continuous used to express an action that began at a certain point in the past and continued for some time before the beginning of another action.
• Future Perfect Continuous used to express an action that, having begun at a certain moment, will still continue at some point in time in the future.

How not to be afraid of tenses in English?

• Be prepared for the fact that you should have a good feel for the difference between times, from a logical point of view. The tenses in English and Russian are not 100% similar, so it is not always possible to draw a parallel.
• After getting acquainted with each new tense, you must practice it well by completing various grammatical exercises in order to remember the construction and, of course, the situation where we use this tense.
• It is important to learn irregular verbs. For this purpose, there are now special songs that consist of all irregular verbs. Give it a try. This is very effective method studying irregular verbs. Especially for music lovers.
• Study English tenses systematically, without trying to learn everything in one day. As soon as you begin to navigate one time, you can move on to the next. Then be sure to practice the mixed exercises where the tasks will be collected in order to check if you are not confused about these tenses.
• It is advisable to practice English every day for 15 minutes. In this case, the new store of knowledge will be stored in your memory for a long time and you will use it automatically.
• If you are studying English tenses on your own, look for useful videos on the Internet. On our website you will find many useful grammar video lessons. This is much more interesting and reliable than looking for rules anywhere on the Internet.
• Don't overwork yourself! It's important to give yourself rest. If you turn English into daily hard labor, it will not benefit you, but will only discourage you from learning it.
• When learning tenses in English, pay attention to whether your memory is visual or auditory. Based on this, you can understand which tasks are best to give preference to achieve the most effective result.
• Don't try to learn all tenses in English at once. To start, learn 5-6 basic tenses. This will be quite enough to communicate in English competently.
• As a result, it is important to be able to use these tenses in a conversation. This is quite difficult to do on your own. Suppose you can find rules, exercises and answers to them on your own, but understanding whether you use English tenses in your speech is not an easy task.

Conclusion

With English tenses there are usually 3 scenarios:

• The student decides that he doesn’t need tenses in English because he just wants to improve his conversational skills.
• The student finds a popular grammar textbook and slowly studies each tense on his own.
• The student turns to the teacher and trusts him on his path to mastery at times in full.

Which one do you choose?

Definitely the second and third! It is impossible to communicate in a language like a native speaker without knowing the tenses. Definitely, if you want to know English, tenses are very important. So which side should you approach them from?

The EnglishDom online school employs many experienced teachers who have already proven to many students that learning tenses is not a disaster.

Many students come to a free introductory lesson with the request “just not grammar,” and after a few lessons with the teacher, they take grammar tests and other interactive tasks with great pleasure. So don't be afraid! U can do it! Times are waiting for you :)

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

Do you know what is the most important quality for an English learner? Observation and attention to those signs and clue words that exist in the language. If you look closely, it seems that the English language itself helps you avoid making mistakes and gives special signals. You just have to follow the signs and you will definitely get out at the right time.

It is not by chance that we used the word “pointers”. English does have indicators, or tense markers, that indicate the regularity of an action, a specific period of time, or a specific point in time.

Of course, time markers are far from the key to deciphering English grammar; don’t hope that everything will be so simple, and always be vigilant. However, time indicators help to understand the logic of temporal relations in speech or text in English.

Present Continuous

In English, the Present Continuous is very common and indicates the duration of an action in the present.

Sign up and get 7 days of Personal Plan for free!

Registration

• Now - now

• At the moment - at the moment

• Still - still

John is still washing the dishes. John is still washing the dishes.

Future Simple

• Tomorrow - tomorrow

• Next month / year - next month / year

• In ... days / years - in ... days / years

• the day after tomorrow - the day after tomorrow
• tonight - tonight
• one of these days - the other day
• next week - next week
• next month - next month
• next year - next year
• in an hour - within an hour
• in a minute - within a minute
• later - later
• soon - soon
• in (the) future - in the future

Future Continuous

• this time tomorrow / next week - at this time tomorrow / next week
• for - for... (any time)

Future Perfect

• By - to.

• Before - before.

Chris will have found a job before Christmas. Chris will find a job before Christmas.

Past Simple

• Yesterday - yesterday.

• A week / a year ago - a week / a year ago.

• Last month / year - last month/year.

• When - when.

• the day before yesterday - the day before yesterday
• just now - just now
• the other day - the other day
• last week - last week
• last month - last month
• last year - last year
• last decade - in the last decade
• last century - in the last century
• an hour ago - an hour ago
• three hours ago - three hours ago
• two weeks ago - two weeks ago
• in 1992- in 1992
• at 6 o"clock - at 6 o'clock

Past Continuous

• From … till … - from … to …

• All day long / for the whole day - all day.
He was working hard all day long. He worked hard all day.