Tenses
Tense is a grammatical term that refers to how a verb shows the time of happening in the sentence. Every English sentence has a verb that describes an action, state, or occurrence. These can happen in one of the three time zones in which we all exist – past, present, or future – but there are more than three tenses to express further nuances in the passage of time.
1. Simple Present Tense
How do we make the Simple Present Tense?
subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | main verb |
|
| do |
| base |
There are three important exceptions:
- For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary.
- For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary.
- For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions and negatives.
Look at these examples with the main verb like:
subject | auxiliary verb |
| main verb |
|
I, you, we, they |
|
| like | coffee. |
He, she, it |
|
| likes | coffee. |
I, you, we, they | do | not | like | coffee. |
He, she, it | does | not | like | coffee. |
Do | I, you, we, they |
| like | coffee? |
Does | he, she, it |
| like | coffee? |
Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is no auxiliary:
| subject | main verb |
|
|
+ | I | am |
| French. |
You, we, they | are |
| French. | |
He, she, it | is |
| French. | |
- | I | am | not | old. |
You, we, they | are | not | old. | |
He, she, it | is | not | old. | |
? | Am | I |
| late? |
Are | you, we, they |
| late? | |
Is | he, she, it |
| late? |
How do we use the Simple Present Tense?
We use the simple present tense when:
- the action is general
- the action happens all the time, or habitually, in the past, present and future
- the action is not only happening now
- the statement is always true
John drives a taxi. | ||
past | present | future |
| ||
It is John's job to drive a taxi. He does it every day. Past, present and future. |
Note that with the verb to be, we can also use the simple present tense for situations that are not general. We can use the simple present tense to talk about now. Look at these examples of the verb "to be" in the simple present tense - some of them are general, some of them are now:
Am I right? | ||
past | present | future |
| ||
The situation is now. |
I am not fat. | ||
past | present | future |
| ||
The situation is general. Past, present and future. |
2. Present Continuous Tense
We often use the present continuous tense in English. It is very different from the simple present tense, both in structure and in use.
How do we make the Present Continuous Tense?
The structure of the present continuous tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | main verb |
|
| be |
| base + ing |
Look at these examples:
| subject | auxiliary verb |
| main verb |
|
+ | I | am |
| speaking | to you. |
+ | You | are |
| reading | this. |
- | She | is | not | staying | in London. |
- | We | are | not | playing | football. |
? | Is | he |
| watching | TV? |
? | Are | they |
| waiting | for John? |
How do we use the Present Continuous Tense?
We use the present continuous tense to talk about:
- action happening now
- action in the future
Present continuous tense for action happening now
a) for action happening exactly now
I am eating my lunch. | |||||
past | present | future | |||
| |||||
| The action is happening now. |
|
b) for action happening around now
The action may not be happening exactly now, but it is happening just before and just after now, and it is not permanent or habitual.
John is going out with Mary. | ||||||||||||||||
past | present | future | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
| The action is happening around now. |
|
Present continuous tense for the future
We can also use the present continuous tense to talk about the future - if we add a future word!! We must add (or understand from the context) a future word. "Future words" include, for example, tomorrow, next year, in June, at Christmas etc. We only use the present continuous tense to talk about the future when we have planned to do something before we speak. We have already made a decision and a plan before speaking.
I am taking my exam next month. | |||||
past | present | future | |||
| |||||
| A firm plan or programme exists now. | The action is in the future. |
Look at these examples:
- We're eating in a restaurant tonight. We've already booked the table..
- They can play tennis with you tomorrow. They're not working.
- When are you starting your new job?
In these examples, we have a firm plan or programme before speaking. The decision and plan were made before speaking.
How do we spell the Present Continuous Tense?
We make the present continuous tense by adding -ing to the base verb. Normally it's simple - we just add -ing. But sometimes we have to change the word a little. Perhaps we double the last letter, or we drop a letter. Here are the rules to help you know how to spell the present continuous tense.
Basic rule | Just add -ing to the base verb: | ||||||||||
work | > | working | |||||||||
play | > | playing | |||||||||
assist | > | assisting | |||||||||
see | > | seeing | |||||||||
be | > | being | |||||||||
Exception 1 | If the base verb ends in consonant + stressed vowel + consonant, double the last letter:
(vowels = a, e, i, o, u) | ||||||||||
stop | > | stopping | |||||||||
run | > | running | |||||||||
begin | > | beginning | |||||||||
Note that this exception does not apply when the last syllable of the base verb is not stressed: | |||||||||||
open | > | opening | |||||||||
Exception 2 | If the base verb ends in ie, change the ie to y: | ||||||||||
lie | > | lying | |||||||||
die | > | dying | |||||||||
Exception 3 | If the base verb ends in vowel + consonant + e, omit the e: | ||||||||||
come | > | coming | |||||||||
mistake | > | mistaking |
3. Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense is a rather important tense in English, but it gives speakers of some languages a difficult time. That is because it uses concepts or ideas that do not exist in those languages. In fact, the structure of the present perfect tense is very simple. The problems come with the use of the tense. In addition, there are some differences in usage between British and American English.
How do we make the Present Perfect Tense?
The structure of the present perfect tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | main verb |
|
| have |
| past participle |
Here are some examples of the present perfect tense:
| subject | auxiliary verb |
| main verb |
|
+ | I | have |
| seen | ET. |
+ | You | have |
| eaten | mine. |
- | She | has | not | been | to Rome. |
- | We | have | not | played | football. |
? | Have | you |
| finished? |
|
? | Have | they |
| done | it? |
Contractions with the present perfect tense
When we use the present perfect tense in speaking, we usually contract the subject and auxiliary verb. We also sometimes do this when we write.
He's or he's??? Be careful! The 's contraction is used for the auxiliary verbs have and be. For example, "It's eaten" can mean:
- It has eaten. [present perfect tense, active voice]
- It is eaten. [present tense, passive voice]
I have | I've |
You have | You've |
He has | He's |
We have | We've |
They have | They've |
How do we use the Present Perfect Tense?
This tense is called the present perfect tense. There is always a connection with the past and with the present. There are basically three uses for the present perfect tense:
- experience
- change
- continuing situation
1. Present perfect tense for experience
We often use the present perfect tense to talk about experience from the past. We are not interested in when you did something. We only want to know if you did it:
I have seen ET. | |||||
past | present | future | |||
| |||||
The action or state was in the past. | In my head, I have a memory now. |
|
Connection with past: the event was in the past.
Connection with present: in my head, now, I have a memory of the event; I know something about the event; I have experience of it.
2. Present perfect tense for change
We also use the present perfect tense to talk about a change or new information:
I have bought a car. | ||
past | present | future |
- | + |
|
Last week I didn't have a car. | Now I have a car. |
|
John has broken his leg. | ||
past | present | future |
+ | - |
|
Yesterday John had a good leg. | Now he has a bad leg. |
|
Has the price gone up? | ||
past | present | future |
+ | - |
|
Was the price $1.50 yesterday? | Is the price $1.70 today? |
|
The police have arrested the killer. | ||
past | present | future |
- | + |
|
Yesterday the killer was free. | Now he is in prison. |
|
Connection with past: the past is the opposite of the present.
Connection with present: the present is the opposite of the past.
3. Present perfect tense for continuing situation
We often use the present perfect tense to talk about a continuing situation. This is a state that started in the past and continues in the present (and will probably continue into the future). This is a state (not an action). We usually use for or since with this structure.
I have worked here since June. | ||||||||||
past | present | future | ||||||||
| ||||||||||
The situation started in the past. | It continues up to now. | (It will probably continue into the future.) |
Connection with past: the situation started in the past.
Connection with present: the situation continues in the present.
For & Since with Present Perfect Tense
We often use for and since with the present perfect tense.
- We use for to talk about a period of time - 5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years.
- We use since to talk about a point in past time - 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday.
for | since |
a period of time | a point in past time |
| x------------ |
20 minutes | 6.15pm |
three days | Monday |
6 months | January |
4 years | 1994 |
2 centuries | 1800 |
a long time | I left school |
ever | the beginning of time |
etc | etc |
Here are some examples:
- John hasn't called since February.
- He has worked in New York for a long time.
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense
How do we make the Present Perfect Continuous Tense?
The structure of the present perfect continuous tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | auxiliary verb | + | main verb |
|
| have |
| been |
| base + ing |
Here are some examples of the present perfect continuous tense
subject | auxiliary verb |
| auxiliary verb | main verb |
|
I | have |
| been | waiting | for one hour. |
You | have |
| been | talking | too much. |
It | has | not | been | raining. |
|
We | have | not | been | playing | football. |
Have | you |
| been | seeing | her? |
Have | they |
| been | doing | their homework? |
How do we use the Present Perfect Continuous Tense?
This tense is called the present perfect continuous tense. There is usually a connection with the present or now. There are basically two uses for the present perfect continuous tense:1. An action that has just stopped or recently stopped
We use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and stopped recently. There is usually a result now
I'm tired because I've been running. | |||||
past | present | future | |||
|
2. An action continuing up to now
We use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and is continuing now. This is often used with for or since.
I have been reading for 2 hours. | ||||
past | present | future | ||
| ||||
Action started in past. | Action is continuing now. |
|
For and Since with Present Perfect Continuous Tense
We often use for and since with the present perfect tense.
- We use for to talk about a period of time - 5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years.
- We use since to talk about a point in past time - 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday.
for | since | ||
a period of time | a point in past time | ||
|
| ||
20 minutes | 6.15pm | ||
three days | Monday | ||
6 months | January | ||
4 years | 1994 | ||
2 centuries | 1800 | ||
a long time | I left school | ||
ever | the beginning of time | ||
etc | etc |
5. Simple Past Tense
The simple past tense is sometimes called the preterite tense. We can use several tenses to talk about the past, but the simple past tense is the one we use most often.
How do we make the Simple Past Tense?
To make the simple past tense, we use:
- past form only
or - auxiliary did + base form
Here you can see examples of the past form and base form for irregular verbs and regular verbs:
| V1 | V2 | V3 |
|
regular verb | work | worked | worked | The past form for all regular verbs ends in -ed. |
irregular verb | go | went | gone | The past form for irregular verbs is variable. You need to learn it by heart. |
| You do not need the past participle form to make the simple past tense. It is shown here for completeness only. |
|
The structure for positive sentences in the simple past tense is:
subject | + | main verb |
|
| past |
The structure for negative sentences in the simple past tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | not | + | main verb |
|
| did |
|
|
| base |
The structure for question sentences in the simple past tense is:
auxiliary verb | + | subject | + | main verb |
did |
|
|
| base |
The auxiliary verb did is not conjugated. It is the same for all persons (I did, you did, he did etc). And the base form and past form do not change. Look at these examples with the main verbs go and work:
| subject | auxiliary verb |
| main verb |
|
+ | I |
|
| went | to school. |
You |
|
| worked | very hard. | |
- | She | did | not | go | with me. |
We | did | not | work | yesterday. | |
? | Did | you |
| go | to London? |
Did | they |
| work | at home? |
Exception! The verb to be is different. We conjugate the verb to be (I was, you were, he/she/it was, we were, they were); and we do not use an auxiliary for negative and question sentences. To make a question, we exchange the subject and verb. Examples:
| subject | main verb |
|
|
+ | I, he/she/it | was |
| here. |
You, we, they | were |
| in London. | |
- | I, he/she/it | was | not | there. |
You, we, they | were | not | happy. | |
? | Was | I, he/she/it |
| right? |
Were | you, we, they |
| late? |
How do we use the Simple Past Tense?
We use the simple past tense to talk about an action or a situation - an event - in the past. The event can be short or long.
Here are some short events with the simple past tense:
The car exploded at 9.30am yesterday. | |||||
past | present | future | |||
| |||||
The action is in the past. |
|
|
Here are some long events with the simple past tense:
I lived in Bangkok for 10 years. | |||||
past | present | future | |||
| |||||
The action is in the past. |
|
|
Notice that it does not matter how long ago the event is: it can be a few minutes or seconds in the past, or millions of years in the past. Also it does not matter how long the event is. It can be a few milliseconds (car explosion) or millions of years (Jurassic period). We use the simple past tense when:
- the event is in the past
- the event is completely finished
- we say (or understand) the time and/or place of the event
Note that when we tell a story, we usually use the simple past tense. We may use the past continuous tense to "set the scene", but we almost always use the simple past tense for the action. Look at this example of the beginning of a story:
"The wind was howling around the hotel and the rain was pouring down. It was cold. The door opened and James Bond entered. He took off his coat, which was very wet, and ordered a drink at the bar. He sat down in the corner of the lounge and quietly drank his..."
6. Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous tense is an important tense in English. We use it to say what we were in the middle of doing at a particular moment in the past.
How do we make the Past Continuous Tense?
The structure of the past continuous tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb BE | + | main verb |
| conjugated in simple past tense |
| present participle | |
was | base + ing |
For negative sentences in the past continuous tense, we insert not between the auxiliary verb and main verb. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and auxiliary verb. Look at these example sentences with the past continuous tense:
| subject | auxiliary verb |
| main verb |
|
+ | I | was |
| watching | TV. |
+ | You | were |
| working | hard. |
- | He, she, it | was | not | helping | Mary. |
- | We | were | not | joking. |
|
? | Were | you |
| being | silly? |
? | Were | they |
| playing | football? |
How do we use the Past Continuous Tense?
The past continuous tense expresses action at a particular moment in the past. The action started before that moment but has not finished at that moment. For example, yesterday I watched a film on TV. The film started at 7pm and finished at 9pm.
At 8pm yesterday, I was watching TV. | |||||
past | present | future | |||
| |||||
At 8pm, I was in the middle of watching TV. |
|
|
When we use the past continuous tense, our listener usually knows or understands what time we are talking about. Look at these examples:
- I was working at 10pm last night. .
- What were you doing at 10pm last night?
We often use the past continuous tense to "set the scene" in stories. We use it to describe the background situation at the moment when the action begins. Often, the story starts with the past continuous tense and then moves into the simple past tense. Here is an example:
" James Bond was driving through town. It was raining. The wind was blowing hard. Nobody was walking in the streets. Suddenly, Bond saw the killer in a telephone box..."
7. Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is quite an easy tense to understand and to use. This tense talks about the "past in the past".
How do we make the Past Perfect Tense?
The structure of the past perfect tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb HAVE | + | main verb |
| conjugated in simple past tense |
| past participle | |
had | V3 |
For negative sentences in the past perfect tense, we insert not between the auxiliary verb and main verb. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and auxiliary verb.
Look at these example sentences with the past perfect tense:
| subject | auxiliary verb |
| main verb |
|
+ | I | had |
| finished | my work. |
+ | You | had |
| stopped | before me. |
- | She | had | not | gone | to school. |
- | We | had | not | left. |
|
? | Had | you |
| arrived? |
|
How do we use the Past Perfect Tense?
The past perfect tense expresses action in the past before another action in the past. This is the past in the past. For example:
- The train left at 9am. We arrived at 9.15am. When we arrived, the train had left.
The train had left when we arrived. | ||||||||
past | present | future | ||||||
Train leaves in past at 9am. |
|
| ||||||
| ||||||||
We arrive in past at 9.15am. |
|
|
You can sometimes think of the past perfect tense like the present perfect tense, but instead of the time being now the time is past.
past perfect tense |
| present perfect tense | ||||
had | |
|
|
|
| have | |
|
|
| | ||||
past | now | future |
| past | now | future |
For example, imagine that you arrive at the station at 9.15am. The stationmaster says to you:
- "You are too late. The train has left."
Later, you tell your friends:
- "We were too late. The train had left."
We often use the past perfect tense in reported speech after verbs like said, told, asked, thought, wondered:
Look at these examples:
- He explained that he had closed the window because of the rain.
- I wondered if I had been there before.
- I asked them why they had not finished.
8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
How do we make the Past Perfect Continuous Tense?
The structure of the past perfect continuous tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb HAVE | + | auxiliary verb BE | + | main verb |
| conjugated in simple past tense |
| past participle |
| present participle | |
had | been | base + ing |
For negative sentences in the past perfect continuous tense, we insert not after the first auxiliary verb. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and first auxiliary verb. Look at these example sentences with the past perfect continuous tense:
| subject | auxiliary verb |
| auxiliary verb | main verb |
|
+ | I | had |
| been | working. |
|
+ | You | had |
| been | playing | tennis. |
- | It | had | not | been | working | well. |
- | We | had | not | been | expecting | her. |
? | Had | you |
| been | drinking? |
|
? | Had | they |
| been | waiting | long? |
How do we use the Past Perfect Continuous Tense?
The past perfect continuous tense is like the past perfect tense, but it expresses longer actions in the past before another action in the past. For example:
- Ram started waiting at 9am. I arrived at 11am. When I arrived, Ram had been waiting for two hours.
Ram had been waiting for two hours when I arrived. | ||||||||
past | present | future | ||||||
Ram starts waiting in past at 9am. |
|
| ||||||
| ||||||||
I arrive in past at 11am. |
|
|
You can sometimes think of the past perfect continuous tense like the present perfect continuous tense, but instead of the time being now the time is past.
past perfect continuous tense |
| present perfect continuous tense | ||||
had | | | |
|
| | | have | |
|
|
| | ||||
past | now | future |
| past | now | future |
For example, imagine that you meet Ram at 11am. Ram says to you:
- "I am angry. I have been waiting for two hours."
Later, you tell your friends:
- "Ram was angry. He had been waiting for two hours."
9. Simple Future Tense
The simple future tense is often called will, because we make the simple future tense with the modal auxiliary will.
How do we make the Simple Future Tense?
The structure of the simple future tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb WILL | + | main verb |
| invariable |
| base | |
will | V1 |
For negative sentences in the simple future tense, we insert not between the auxiliary verb and main verb. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and auxiliary verb. Look at these example sentences with the simple future tense:
| subject | auxiliary verb |
| main verb |
|
+ | I | will |
| open | the door. |
+ | You | will |
| finish | before me. |
- | She | will | not | be | at school tomorrow. |
- | We | will | not | leave | yet. |
? | Will | you |
| arrive | on time? |
? | Will | they |
| want | dinner? |
How do we use the Simple Future Tense?
No Plan
We use the simple future tense when there is no plan or decision to do something before we speak. We make the decision spontaneously at the time of speaking. Look at these examples:
- Hold on. I'll get a pen.
- We will see what we can do to help you.
- Maybe we'll stay in and watch television tonight.
In these examples, we had no firm plan before speaking. The decision is made at the time of speaking.
We often use the simple future tense with the verb to think before it:
- I think I'll go to the gym tomorrow.
- I think I will have a holiday next year.
- I don't think I'll buy that car.
Prediction
We often use the simple future tense to make a prediction about the future. Again, there is no firm plan. We are saying what we think will happen. Here are some examples:
- It will rain tomorrow.
- People won't go to Jupiter before the 22nd century.
- Who do you think will get the job?
Be
When the main verb is be, we can use the simple future tense even if we have a firm plan or decision before speaking. Examples:
- I'll be in London tomorrow.
- I'm going shopping. I won't be very long.
Note that when we have a plan or intention to do something in the future, we usually use other tenses or expressions, such as the present continuous tense or going to Will you be at work tomorrow?
10. Future Continuous Tense
How do we make the Future Continuous Tense?
The structure of the future continuous tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb WILL | + | auxiliary verb BE | + | main verb |
| invariable |
| invariable |
| present participle | |
will | be | base + ing |
For negative sentences in the future continuous tense, we insert not between will and be. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and will. Look at these example sentences with the future continuous tense:
| subject | auxiliary verb |
| auxiliary verb | main verb |
|
+ | I | will |
| be | working | at 10am. |
+ | You | will |
| be | lying | on a beach tomorrow. |
- | She | will | not | be | using | the car. |
- | We | will | not | be | having | dinner at home. |
? | Will | you |
| be | playing | football? |
? | Will | they |
| be | watching | TV? |
How do we use the Future Continuous Tense?
The future continuous tense expresses action at a particular moment in the future. The action will start before that moment but it will not have finished at that moment. For example, tomorrow I will start work at 2pm and stop work at 6pm:
At 4pm tomorrow, I will be working. | |||||
past | present | future | |||
| |||||
|
| At 4pm, I will be in the middle of working. |
When we use the future continuous tense, our listener usually knows or understands what time we are talking about. Look at these examples:
- I will be playing tennis at 10am tomorrow.
- They won't be watching TV at 9pm tonight.
- What will you be doing at 10pm tonight?
11. Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect tense is quite an easy tense to understand and use. The future perfect tense talks about the past in the future.
How do we make the Future Perfect Tense?
The structure of the future perfect tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb WILL | + | auxiliary verb HAVE | + | main verb |
| invariable |
| invariable |
| past participle | |
will | have | V3 |
Look at these example sentences in the future perfect tense:
| subject | auxiliary verb |
| auxiliary verb | main verb |
|
+ | I | will |
| have | finished | by 10am. |
+ | You | will |
| have | forgotten | me by then. |
- | She | will | not | have | gone | to school. |
- | We | will | not | have | left. |
|
? | Will | you |
| have | arrived? |
|
? | Will | they |
| have | received | it? |
How do we use the Future Perfect Tense?
The future perfect tense expresses action in the future before another action in the future. This is the past in the future. For example:
- The train will leave the station at 9am. You will arrive at the station at 9.15am. When you arrive, the train will have left.
The train will have left when you arrive. | ||||||||
past | present | future | ||||||
|
| Train leaves in future at 9am. | ||||||
| ||||||||
|
| You arrive in future at 9.15am. |
Look at some more examples:
- You can call me at work at 8am. I will have arrived at the office by 8.
- They will be tired when they arrive. They will not have slept for a long time.
- "Mary won't be at home when you arrive."
"Really? Where will she have gone?"
You can sometimes think of the future perfect tense like the present perfect tense, but instead of your viewpoint being in the present, it is in the future:
present perfect tense |
| future perfect tense | ||||
| | |
|
|
|
| will | |
|
| | ||||
past | now | future |
| past | now | future |
12.Future Perfect Continuous Tense
How do we make the Future Perfect Continuous Tense?
The structure of the future perfect continuous tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb WILL | + | auxiliary verb HAVE | + | auxiliary verb BE | + | main verb |
| invariable |
| invariable |
| past participle |
| present participle | |
will | have | been | base + ing |
For negative sentences in the future perfect continuous tense, we insert not between will and have. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and will. Look at these example sentences with the future perfect continuous tense:
| subject | auxiliary verb |
| auxiliary verb | auxiliary verb | main verb |
|
+ | I | will |
| have | been | working | for four hours. |
+ | You | will |
| have | been | travelling | for two days. |
- | She | will | not | have | been | using | the car. |
- | We | will | not | have | been | waiting | long. |
? | Will | you |
| have | been | playing | football? |
? | Will | they |
| have | been | watching | TV? |
How do we use the Future Perfect Continuous Tense?
We use the future perfect continuous tense to talk about a long action before some point in the future. Look at these examples:
- I will have been working here for ten years next week.
- He will be tired when he arrives. He will have been travelling for 24 hours
13.Past Future Tense
How do we use the Past Future Tense?
The past future tense is commonly used for conditional sentence or reported speech.
How do we make the Past Future Tense?
The structure for positive sentences in Past Future Tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | main verb |
|
| Should/ would |
| base |
Example:
- If I were you, I should marry him (conditional sentence)
- She said that she would go abroad this month (reported speech)
The structure for negative sentences in the Past Future Tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | not | + | main verb |
|
| Should/ would |
|
|
| base |
Example:
- He said that he would not attend the party that night
- If I were you, I should not marry her
The structure for question sentences in the simple past tense is:
auxiliary verb | + | subject | + | main verb |
Should/ would |
|
|
| base |
Example: Would you marry that women if you were poor?
Note:
Although the sentence like Would you help me or Would you come in, please! has same pattern with the structure for question sentences in the simple past tense, but it is not past future. This sentence which use Would is function as imperative sentence.
14.Past Future Continous Tense
How do we use the Past Future Continous Tense?
The Past Future Continous Tense is rarely used and it is only used for reported speech.
How do we make the Past Future Continous Tense?
The structure for positive sentences in Past Future Continous Tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb Would/ should | + | Auxiliary verb BE | + | main verb |
Present Participle | ||||||
base + ing |
Example: They told us that they would be having dinner when visited them that night.
The structure for negative sentences in the Past Future Continous Tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb Would/ should | + | not | + | Auxiliary verb BE | + | main verb |
Present Participle | ||||||||
base + ing |
Example: She told me that she would not be making the cake when her husband bought
the cake in bakery shop.
The structure for question sentences in the Past Future continous tense is:
auxiliary verb Would/ should | + | Subject | + | Auxiliary verb BE | + | main verb |
Present Participle | ||||||
base + ing |
Example: Would you be going when your father arrived at home?
15.Past Future Perfect Tense
How do we use the Past Future Perfect Tense?
The past future tense is commonly used for conditional sentence as main sentence that explain the unreal past
How do we make the Past Future Perfect Tense?
The structure for positive sentences in Past Future Perfect Tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | auxiliary verb HAVE | + | main verb |
| Should/ would |
| have |
| V3 |
Example:
- You would have met a lot of friends if you had attended the party last night.
- If it had not rained, we should have gone to the beach yesterday
The structure for negative sentences in the Past Future Perfect Tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb Would/ should | + | not | + | Auxiliary verb HAVE | + | main verb |
V3 |
Example:
You would not have met him if you had entered this room
The structure for question sentences in the Past Future Perfect tense is:
auxiliary verb Would/ should | + | Subject | + | Auxiliary verb HAVE | + | main verb |
V3 |
Example:
Would you have arrived on time if you had driven the car?
16.Past Future Perfect Continous Tense
How do we use the Past Future Perfect Continous Tense?
The Past Future Continous Tense is rarely used for conditional sentence or reported speech.
How do we make the Past Future Perfect Tense?
The structure for positive sentences in Past Future Perfect Continous Tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb Would/ should | + | Auxiliary verb HAVE | + | been | + | main verb |
Present Participle | ||||||||
base + ing |
Example:
She expected that her baby would have been sleeping for hours when she arrived home.
The structure for negative sentences in the Past Future Perfect Continous Tense:
subject | + | auxiliary verb Would/ should | + | not | + | Auxiliary verb HAVE | + | been | + | main verb |
Present Participle | ||||||||||
base + ing |
Example:
She expected that her husband would not have been playing tape recorder when she read a novel.
The structure for question sentences in the Past Perfect Future continous tense is:
auxiliary verb Would/ should | + | Subject | + | Auxiliary verb HAVE | + | been | + | main verb |
Present Participle | ||||||||
base + ing |
Example:
Would you have been taking a bath when she came?
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