The Indefinite form
Present Simple
Intermediate
I1. Permanent or long-lasting situations
Where do you work?
The store opens at 9 o'clock.
2. Regular habits and daily routines
I usually get up at 7 o'clock.
When do they usually have lunch?
3. Facts
What does 'strange' mean?
Water doesn't boil at 20 degrees.
4. Feelings
I love walking around late at night during the summer.
What do you like? I don't want to live in Texas.
5. Opinions and states of mind
He doesn't agree with you.
What do you consider your best accomplishment?
6. Timetables and schedules
When do courses begin this semester?
The train doesn't arrive until 10.35.
7. Common present time expressions include:
usually, always, often, sometimes, on Saturdays, at weekends (on weekends US English), rarely, on occasion, never, seldom
Structure
1. Positive
In the positive form add an 's' to the base form of the 3rd person singular. If the verb ends in -y preceded by a consonant, change the -y to -ies.
I, You, We, They -> eat lunch at noon.
He, She, It -> works well in any situation.
2. Negative
Conjugate the helping verb 'do' not (don't and doesn't) the base form of the verb to make negatives.
I, You, We, They -> don't enjoy opera.
He, She, It -> doesn't belong to the club.
3. Questions
Conjugate the helping verb 'do' (do or does) the base form of the verb in question forms.
Do -> I, you, we, they -> work in this town?
Does -> he, she, it -> live in this city?
II
Simple present tense with 'be'
The verb 'be' is different from the
other verbs in this tense. Let's look at 'be' first:
Here's the positive
form (positive means a normal sentence, not a negative or a question. This is
sometimes called 'affirmative')
Positive
|
Positive Short Form
|
I am
|
I'm
|
you
are
|
you're
|
he
is
|
he's
|
she
is
|
she's
|
it
is
|
it's
|
we
are
|
we're
|
they
are
|
they're
|
Next, here's the negative. It's very easy. You only add 'not'.
Negative
|
Negative short form
|
I am not
|
I'm not
|
you
are not
|
you
aren't
|
he
is not
|
he
isn't
|
she
is not
|
she
isn't
|
it
is not
|
it
isn't
|
we
are not
|
we
aren't
|
they
are not
|
they
aren't
|
And finally let's talk about the question form of the present simple with 'be'.
Firstly, here's the 'yes / no' question form:
Yes / No Questions
|
am I ?
|
are you ?
|
is he ?
|
is she ?
|
is it ?
|
are we ?
|
are they ?
|
If you'd like to make a 'wh' question, you just put the question word at the front:
Wh Questions
|
|
where
|
am I ?
|
what
|
are you ?
|
why
|
is he ?
|
who
|
is she ?
|
when
|
are we ?
|
how
|
are they ?
|
Present Simple
Advanced
Form
[VERB] + s/es in third person
Examples:
·
You speak English.
·
Do you speak English?
·
You do not speak English.
1. Repeated
Actions
Use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or
usual. The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or
something that often happens. It can also be something a person often forgets
or usually does not do.
Examples:
·
I play tennis.
·
She does not play tennis.
·
Does he play
tennis?
·
The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.
·
Every twelve months, the Earth circles the Sun.
2. Facts or
Generalizations
The Simple Present can also indicate the speaker believes that a fact
was true before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It is not
important if the speaker is correct about the fact. It is also used to make
generalizations about people or things.
Examples:
·
Cats like milk.
·
Do pigs like milk?
·
California is in
America.
·
Windows are not made of wood.
3. Scheduled
Events in the Near Future
Speakers occasionally use Simple Present to talk about scheduled events
in the near future. This is most commonly done when talking about public
transportation, but it can be used with other scheduled events as well.
Examples:
·
The train leaves tonight at 6 PM.
·
When do we board the
plane?
·
The party starts at 8 o'clock.
4. Now
(Non-Continuous Verbs)
Speakers sometimes use the Simple Present to express the idea that an
action is happening or is not happening now. This can only be done with
Non-Continuous Verbs and certain Mixed Verbs.
Examples:
·
I am here now.
·
He needs
help right now.
·
Do you have your passport
with you?
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
·
You only speak
English.
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
·
Once a week, Tom cleans the car. Active
·
Once a week, the car is cleaned by Tom. Passive
Past Simple
Intermediate
Form
The past simple is invariable. The formation of the past simple is the
same for all persons.
Positive and negative
I
You
She/He/It
We
They
|
lived
didn't live
|
in
Lothersdale
|
left
didn't leave
|
Question
Where
|
did
|
I
You
She/He/It
We
They
|
work?
|
Points to note
1. The good news is that the past simple of most verbs is formed by
adding '-ed'. If the verb already ends with '-e' just add '-d'.
Remember
a) If the verb contains only one syllable, with the pattern one vowel + one consonant you double the consonant.
robbed skipped stopped planned
b) If the verb ends in '-y' or '-w' the the consonant is not doubled.
Remember
a) If the verb contains only one syllable, with the pattern one vowel + one consonant you double the consonant.
robbed skipped stopped planned
b) If the verb ends in '-y' or '-w' the the consonant is not doubled.
played showed
c) If the verb is two syllables and the stress is on the second the syllable then the end consonant.
ad'mitted com'mitted pre'ferred un'plugged
Note: the verbs ending in '-l' in British English are double, while in American English they are not.
travelled (UK) traveled (US)
d) Verbs ending in a consonant + '-y' change the '-y' to '-i'
buried carried harried
2. Unfortunately for you the most common verbs in the English language are irregular. For a complete list of irregular verbs see the appendix of irregular verbs.
c) If the verb is two syllables and the stress is on the second the syllable then the end consonant.
ad'mitted com'mitted pre'ferred un'plugged
Note: the verbs ending in '-l' in British English are double, while in American English they are not.
travelled (UK) traveled (US)
d) Verbs ending in a consonant + '-y' change the '-y' to '-i'
buried carried harried
2. Unfortunately for you the most common verbs in the English language are irregular. For a complete list of irregular verbs see the appendix of irregular verbs.
Use
The past simple is used to talk about action completed in the past and
had no direct result in the present. The duration of the action or when the
action happened is not important. The three main uses are as follows.
1. A finished action in the past.
·
Abel Tasman discovered Fiji
in 1643.
·
Thomas Hardy wrote 19 novels and several poems in his lifetime.
2. Consecutive
actions in a narrative.
·
Mary crept in the room as quiet as a mouse. She threw back the curtains. What did she see? Mary didn't believe her eyes but there in
front of her was her husband with.....
3. Action of habit
·
When I was a child I lived
in the countryside. I took the
dog for a walk when I arrived
home from school. Every Saturday we swam
at the local pool where I was
taught by Mr. Weber.
Note: these actions are often expresses with 'used to'.
Points to note
You must always use the past simple if you state when the action
happened. Therefore there are certain expressions of past time that are always
associated with the past simple.
A definite time in the past.
A definite time in the past.
·
last week, yesterday, when I was a
teenager, in 1992, 2 years ago
An indefinite time in the past.
·
ages ago, a long time ago, the other day,
at some point
Frequency
·
often, sometimes, always
Past Simple
Advanced
The Simple Past in English is very easy to form but can be a little confusing
to use. This video and the notes below will help you understand how, when and
where to use the Simple Past. Remember, that you can also do a lot of tests and
exercises in English4Today as well as listen to podcasts in the English4Today
Blog about the Simple Past.
BE CAREFUL!
The Simple Past in English may look like a tense in your own language, but the meaning may be different.
The Simple Past in English may look like a tense in your own language, but the meaning may be different.
1. Simple past form
Regular verbs: base+ed
e.g. walked, showed, watched,
played, smiled, stopped
Simple Past: be, have, do:
Subject
|
Verb
|
||
Be
|
Have
|
Do
|
|
I
|
was
|
had
|
did
|
You
|
were
|
had
|
did
|
He,she,
it
|
was
|
had
|
did
|
We
|
were
|
had
|
did
|
You
|
were
|
had
|
did
|
They
|
were
|
had
|
did
|
Affirmative
1.
I was in Japan last year
2.
She had a headache yesterday.
3.
We did our homework last night.
Negative and interrogative
Note: For the negative and interrogative simple past form of “do”
as an ordinary verb, use the auxiliary “do”, e.g. We didn’t
do our homework last night. The negative of “have”
in the simple past is usually formed using the auxiliary “do”,
but sometimes by simply adding not or the contraction “n’t”.
as an ordinary verb, use the auxiliary “do”, e.g. We didn’t
do our homework last night. The negative of “have”
in the simple past is usually formed using the auxiliary “do”,
but sometimes by simply adding not or the contraction “n’t”.
The interrogative form of “have”
in the simple past normally
uses the auxiliary “do”.
uses the auxiliary “do”.
·
They weren’t in Rio
last summer.
·
Were they in Iceland last January?
Simple
past, regular verbs
Affirmative
|
||
Subject
|
verb
+ ed |
|
I
|
washed
|
|
Negative
|
||
Subject
|
did not
|
infinitive without to
|
They
|
didn’t
|
visit
…
|
Interrogative
|
||
Did
|
subject
|
infinitive without to
|
Did
|
she
|
arrive…?
|
Interrogative negative
|
||
Did not
|
subject
|
infinitive without to
|
Didn’t
|
you
|
like..?
|
Example:
to walk, simple past.
to walk, simple past.
Affirmative
|
Negative
|
Interrogative
|
I
walked |
I
didn’t walk
|
Did
I walk?
|
You
walked |
You
didn’t walk
|
Did
you walk?
|
He,she,it
walked |
He
didn’t walk
|
Did
he walk?
|
We
walked |
We
didn’t walk
|
Did
we walk?
|
You
walked |
You
didn’t walk
|
Did
you walk?
|
They
walked |
They
didn’t walk
|
Did
they walk?
|
Note:
For the negative and interrogative form of all
verbs in the simple
past, always use the auxiliary ‘did”.
past, always use the auxiliary ‘did”.
Examples: Simple
past, irregular verbs
past, irregular verbs
to go
a. He went
to a club last night.
b. Did
he go to the cinema last night?
c. He didn’t go to bed early last night.
to give
d. We gave
her a doll for her birthday.
e. They didn’t give John their new address.
f. Did
Barry give you my
passport?
passport?
to come
g. My parents came to visit me last July.
h. We didn’t come because it was raining.
i. Did
he come to your party last week?
2. Simple past, function
The simple past
is used to talk about a completed action in a time before
now. Duration is not important. The time of the action can be
in the recent past or the distant past.
is used to talk about a completed action in a time before
now. Duration is not important. The time of the action can be
in the recent past or the distant past.
·
John Cabot sailed to America in 1498.
·
He lived in Fiji in 1976.
·
We crossed the Channel yesterday.
You always use the simple past when you say when something happened,
so it is associated with certain past time expressions
so it is associated with certain past time expressions
Examples:
·
frequency:often,sometimes,
always;
·
a definite point
in time:last week,
when I was a child, yesterday, six weeks ago.
·
an indefinite
point in time:the
other day, ages ago, a long time ago etc.
Note:
the word ago
is a useful way of expressing the distance into
the past. It is placed after the period of time e.g.
a week ago, three years ago, a minute ago.
the past. It is placed after the period of time e.g.
a week ago, three years ago, a minute ago.
Examples:
a. Yesterday, I arrived in Geneva.
a. Yesterday, I arrived in Geneva.
b. She finished
her work at seven o’clock.
c. We saw
a good film last week.
d. I went
to the theatre last night.
e. She played
the piano when she was a child.
f. He sent me a letter six
months ago.
g. Peter left five minutes ago.
Future Simple
Intermediate
The future simple tense
is often called will, because we
make the future simple tense with the modal auxiliary will.
How do we make
the Future Simple Tense?
The structure of the future simple tense is:
subject
|
+
|
auxiliary
verb WILL
|
+
|
main
verb
|
invariable
|
base
|
|||
will
|
V1
|
|||
For negative sentences in the future simple 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 future simple 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?
|
When we use the future simple tense in speaking, we often contract the
subject and auxiliary verb:
I
will
|
I'll
|
you
will
|
you'll
|
he will
she will it will |
he'll
she'll it'll |
we
will
|
we'll
|
they
will
|
they'll
|
For negative sentences in the future simple tense, we contract with won't, like this:
I
will not
|
I
won't
|
you
will not
|
you
won't
|
he will not
she will not it will not |
he won't
she won't it won't |
we
will not
|
we
won't
|
they
will not
|
they
won't
|
How do we use
the Future Simple Tense?
No Plan
We use the future simple 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.
In these examples, we had no firm plan before speaking. The decision is
made at the time of speaking.
We often use the future simple tense with the verb to think before it:
·
I think
I'll go to the gym tomorrow.
·
I don't think I'll buy that car.
Prediction
We often use the future simple 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.
·
Who do you think will get the job?
Be
When the main verb is be,
we can use the future simple tense even if we have a firm plan or decision
before speaking. Examples:
·
I'm going shopping. I won't be very long.
·
Will you be at work tomorrow?
Способ образования Simple Future с Be Going To
am / is / are + going to + глагол
Например:
You are going to meet Jane tonight.
Ты встретишься с Джейн сегодня вечером.
Are you going to meet Jane tonight?
Ты встретишься с Джейн сегодня вечером?
You are not going to meet Jane tonight.
Ты не встретишься с Джейн сегодня вечером.
You are going to meet Jane tonight.
Ты встретишься с Джейн сегодня вечером.
Are you going to meet Jane tonight?
Ты встретишься с Джейн сегодня вечером?
You are not going to meet Jane tonight.
Ты не встретишься с Джейн сегодня вечером.
Future Simple
Advanced
Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and
"be going to." Although the two forms can sometimes be used
interchangeably, they often express two very different meanings. These
different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time and
practice, the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be
going to" refer to a specific time in the future.
FORM Will
[will + verb]
Examples:
·
You will help him later.
·
Will you help him later?
·
You will not help him later.
FORM Be Going To
[am/is/are + going to + verb]
Examples:
·
You are going to meet Jane tonight.
·
Are you going to meet Jane
tonight?
·
You are not going to meet Jane tonight.
USE 1 - "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action
"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something
voluntarily. A voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone
else. Often, we use "will" to respond to someone else's complaint or
request for help. We also use "will" when we request that someone
help us or volunteer to do something for us. Similarly, we use "will
not" or "won't" when we refuse to voluntarily do something.
Examples:
·
I will
send you the information when I get it.
·
I will
translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.
·
Will you help me move this
heavy table?
·
Will you make
dinner?
·
I will
not do your homework for you.
·
I won't
do all the housework myself!
·
A: I'm really hungry.
B: I'll make some sandwiches.
B: I'll make some sandwiches.
·
A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.
B: I'll get you some coffee.
B: I'll get you some coffee.
·
A: The phone is ringing.
B: I'll get it.
B: I'll get it.
USE 2 - "Will" to Express a Promise
"Will" is usually used in promises.
Examples:
·
I will
call you when I arrive.
·
If I am elected President of the United States,
I will make sure everyone has
access to inexpensive health insurance.
·
I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.
·
Don't worry, I'll be careful.
·
I won't
tell anyone your secret.
USE 3 - "Be
going to" to Express a Plan
"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses
the idea that a person intends to do something in the future. It does not
matter whether the plan is realistic or not.
Examples:
·
He is
going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.
·
She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.
·
A: When are we going to meet
each other tonight?
B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.
B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.
·
I'm
going to be an actor when I grow up.
·
Michelle is going to begin medical school next year.
·
They are going to drive all the way to Alaska.
·
Who are you going to invite
to the party?
·
A: Who is going to make John's birthday cake?
B: Sue is going to make John's birthday cake.
B: Sue is going to make John's birthday cake.
USE - 4
"Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction
Both "will" and "be going to" can express the idea
of a general prediction about the future. Predictions are guesses about what
might happen in the future. In "prediction" sentences, the subject
usually has little control over the future and therefore USES 1-3 do not apply.
In the following examples, there is no difference in meaning.
Examples:
·
The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.
·
The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.
·
John Smith will be the next President.
·
John Smith is going to be the next President.
·
The movie "Zenith" will win several Academy Awards.
·
The movie "Zenith" is going to win several Academy
Awards.
IMPORTANT
In the Simple Future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has
in mind. Often, there is more than one way to interpret a sentence's meaning.
Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses
beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the
time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Simple Future, Simple Present is used.
Examples:
·
When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not
Correct
·
When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
·
You will never help him.
·
Will you ever help him?
·
You are never going to meet Jane.
·
Are you ever going to meet Jane?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
·
John will finish the work by 5:00 PM. Active
·
The work will be finished by 5:00 PM. Passive
·
Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. Active
·
A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. Passive
Future Simple in the Past
Intermediate
Для русского языка кажется
немного абсурдным или фантастичным само определение "Будущее в
Прошедшем". На самом деле Future-in-the-Past не является отдельным
грамматическим временем со своими правилами употребления. Данное время
употребляется только в придаточных предложениях, если в главном предложении
глагол стоит в Прошедшем времени.
Давайте сравним русские и английские
предложения:
Он знает, что она выйдет за
него замуж.
Он знал, что она выйдет за него замуж.
Он знал, что она выйдет за него замуж.
Никакой разницы в этих
русских придаточных предложениях нет, но в английском языке она есть.
He knows that she will marry him.
He knew that she would marry him.
He knew that she would marry him.
Все типы предложений в
Future-in-the-Past образуются также, как и в Future Simple. В этих временах
разные лишь вспомогательные глаголы Shall - Should, Will - Would, но они очень
схожи между собой.
Утвердительное предложение
I thought that we should go
there together. - Я подумала, что мы должны идти туда вместе.
They hoped that they would win the game. - Они надеялись, что они выиграют игру.
She promised we'd spend the holiday together. - Она пообещала, что мы проведем каникулы вместе. (Should и Would могут образовывать краткие формы).
Примечание
В следующих предложениях
используется не форма Future in-the-Past, а модальный глагол Would.
I would like a glass of beer, please.
Отрицательное предложение
Отрицание образуется
традиционно: после вспомогательного глагола ставится отрицательная частица not. Not и вспомогательный глагол
могут образовывать краткие формы.
Mary felt that Jack would not
understand her. - Мэри почувствовала, что Джек ее не поймет.
The children knew that I shouldn't punish them. - Дети знали, что я их не накажу.
Future Simple in the past
Advanced
Like Simple Future, Future in the Past has two different forms in
English: "would" and "was going to." Although the two forms
can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two different
meanings.
FORM Would
[would + VERB]
Examples:
·
I knew you would help him.
·
I knew you would not help him.
FORM Was/Were
Going To
[was/were + going to + VERB]
Examples:
·
I knew you were going to go to the party.
·
I knew you were not going to go to the party.
USE - 1 Future in
Past
Future in the Past is used to express the idea that in the past you
thought something would happen in the future. It does not matter if you are
correct or not. Future in the Past follows the same basic rules as the Simple
Future. "Would" is used to volunteer or promise, and "was going
to" is used to plan. Moreover, both forms can be used to make predictions
about the future.
Examples:
·
I told you he was going to come to the party. plan
·
I knew Julie would make dinner. voluntary
action
REMEMBER No
Future in Time Clauses
Like all future forms, Future in the Past cannot be used in clauses
beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the
time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of using Future in the Past, you
must use Simple Past.
Examples:
·
I already told Mark that when he would arrive, we would go out for
dinner. Not Correct
·
I already told Mark that when he arrived, we would go out for dinner. Correct
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
·
I knew John would finish the work by 5:00 PM. Active
·
I knew the work would be finished by 5:00 PM. Passive
·
I thought Sally was going to make a beautiful dinner. Active
·
I thought a beautiful dinner was going to be made by Sally. Passive
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