Present tenses for future

Main points

* When you are talking about the future in relation to official timetables or the calendar, you use the present simple (`I walk').

* When talking about people's plans and arrangements for the future, you use the present continuous (`I am walking').

* In `if'-clauses, time clauses, and defining relative clauses, you can use the present simple (`I walk') to refer to the future.

1. When you are talking about something in the future which is based on an official timetable or calendar, you use the present simple tense. You usually put a time adverbial in these sentences.

My last train leaves Euston at 11.30.
The UN General Assembly opens in New York this month.
Our next lesson is on Thursday.
We set off early tomorrow morning.

2. In statements about fixed dates, you normally use the present simple.
Tomorrow is Tuesday.

It's my birthday next month.
Monday is the seventeenth of July.

3. When you want to talk about people's plans or arrangements for the future, you use the present continuous tense.

I'm meeting Bill next week.
They're getting married in June.

4. You often talk about the future using the present tense of verbs such as `hope', `expect', `intend', and `want' with a `to'-infinitive clause, especially when you want to indicate your uncertainty about what will actually happen.

We hope to see you soon.
Bill expects to be back at work tomorrow.

After the verb `hope', you often use the present simple to refer to the future.
I hope you enjoy your holiday.

5. In subordinate clauses, the relationships between tense and time are different. In `if'-clauses and time clauses, you normally use the present simple for future reference.

If he comes, I'll let you know.
Please start when you are ready.
We won't start until everyone arrives.
Lock the door after you finally leave.

6. In defining relative clauses, you normally use the present simple, not `will', to refer to the future.

Any decision that you make will need her approval.
Give my love to any friends you meet.
There is a silver cup for the runner who finishes first.

7. If you want to show that a condition has to be the case before an action can be carried out, you use the present perfect for future events.

We won't start until everyone has arrived.
I'll let you know when I have arranged everything.


Read more

`Will' and `going to'

Main points

* When you are making predictions about the future or talking about future intentions, you can use either `will' (`I will walk') or `going to' (`I am going to walk').

* For promises and offers relating to the future, you use `will' (`I will walk').

* For future events based on arrangements, you use the future continuous (`I will be walking').

* For events that will happen before a time in the future, you use the future perfect (`I will have walked').

1. You cannot talk about the future with as much certainty as you can about the present or the past. You are usually talking about what you think might happen or what you intend to happen. This is why you often use modals. Although most modals can be used with future reference, you most often use the modal `will' to talk about the future.

Nancy will arrange it.
When will I see them?

2. When you are making predictions about the future that are based on general beliefs, opinions, or attitudes, you use `will'.

The weather tomorrow will be warm and sunny.
I'm sure you will enjoy your visit to the zoo.

This use of `will' is common in sentences with conditional clauses.
You'll be late, if you don't hurry.

When you are using facts or events in the present situation as evidence for a prediction, you can use `going to'.

It's going to rain . (I can see black clouds)
I'm going to be late. (I have missed my train)

3. When you are saying what someone has decided to do, you use `going to'.
They're going to have a party.
I'm going to stay at home today.

WARNING: You do not normally use `going to' with the verb `go'. You usually just say `I'm going' rather than `I'm going to go'.

`What are you going to do this weekend?' - `I'm going to the cinema.'

When you are announcing a decision you have just made or are about to make, you use `will'.
I'm tired. I think I'll go to bed.

4. In promises and offers relating to the future, you often use `will' with the meaning `be willing to'.

I'll do what I can.
I'll help with the washing-up.

Note that you can use `will' with this meaning in an `if'-clause.
I'll put you through, if you'll hang on for a minute. (= if you are willing to hang on for a minute)

WARNING: Remember that you do not normally use `will' in `if'-clauses.

If you do that, you will be wasting your time.
The children will call out if they think he is wrong.

5. When you want to say that something will happen because arrangements have been made, you use the future continuous tense.

I'll be seeing them when I've finished with you.
I'll be waiting for you outside.
She'll be appearing at the Royal Festival Hall.

6. When you want to talk about something that has not happened yet but will happen before a particular time in the future, you use the future perfect tense.

By the time we phone he'll already have started.
By 2010, he will have worked for twelve years.


Read more

Talking about the past

Main points

* For actions, situations, or regular events in the past, you use the past simple (`I walked'). For regular events in the past, you can also use `would' or `used to'.

* For events that happened before and after a time in the past, and for temporary situations, you use the past continuous (`I was walking').

* For present effects of past situations, you use the present perfect (`I have walked'), and for past effects of earlier events you use the past perfect (`I had walked').

* For future in the past, you use `would', `was/were going to', or the past continuous (`I was walking').

1. When you want to talk about an event that occurred at a particular time in the past, you use the past simple.

The Prime Minister flew into New York yesterday.
The new term started last week.

You also use the past simple to talk about a situation that existed over a period of time in the past.

We spent most of our time at home last winter.
They earned their money quickly that year.

2. When you want to talk about something which took place regularly in the past, you use the past simple.

They went for picnics most weekends.
We usually spent the winter at Aunt Meg's house.

WARNING: The past simple always refers to a time in the past. A time reference is necessary to say what time in the past you are referring to. The time reference can be established in an earlier sentence or by another speaker, but it must be established.

When you want to talk about something which occurred regularly in the past, you can use `would' or `used to' instead of the past simple.

We would normally spend the winter in Miami.
People used to believe that the world was flat.

WARNING: You do not normally use `would' with this meaning with verbs which are not used in the continuous tenses.

3. When you want to talk about something which continued to happen before and after a given time in the past, you use the past continuous.

I hurt myself when I was mending my bike.
It was midnight. She was driving home.

You also use the past continuous to talk about a temporary state of affairs in the past.
Our team were losing 2-1 at the time.

We were staying with friends in Italy.
For more information on continuous tenses, see Unit 60.

4. When you are concerned with the present effects or future effects of something which happened at an indefinite time in the past, you use the present perfect.

I'm afraid I've forgotten my book, so I don't know.
Have you heard from Jill recently? How is she?

You also use the present perfect when you are thinking of a time which started in the past and still continues.

Have you ever stolen anything? (= at any time up to the present)
He has been here since six o'clock. (= and he is still here)

5. When you are looking back from a point in past time, and you are concerned with the effects of something which happened at an earlier time in the past, you use the past perfect.

I apologized because I had left my wallet at home.
They would have come if we had invited them.

6. When you want to talk about the future from a point of view in past time, you can use `would', `was / were going to', or the past continuous.

He thought to himself how wonderful it would taste.
Her daughter was going to do the cooking.
Mike was taking his test the week after.


Read more

Talking about the present

Main points

* For the general present, general truths, and habitual actions, you use the present simple (`I walk').

* For something which is happening now, or for temporary situations, you use the present continuous (`I am walking').

1. If you are talking about the present in general, you normally use the present simple tense. You use the present simple for talking about the general present including the present moment.

My dad works in Saudi Arabia.
He lives in the French Alps near the Swiss border.

2. If you are talking about general truths, you use the present simple.
Water boils at 100 degrees centigrade.

Love makes the world go round.
The bus takes longer than the train.

3. If you are talking about regular or habitual actions, you use the present simple.

Do you eat meat?
I get up early and eat my breakfast in bed.
I pay the milkman on Fridays.

4. If you are talking about something which is regarded as temporary, you use the present continuous.

Do you know if she's still playing tennis these days?
I'm working as a British Council officer.

5. If you are talking about something which is happening now, you normally use the present continuous tense.

We're having a meeting. Come and join in.
Wait a moment. I'm listening to the news.

6. There are a number of verbs which are used in the present simple tense even when you are talking about the present moment. These verbs are not normally used in the present continuous or the other continuous tenses. These verbs usually refer to:


thinking:believe forget imagine know realize recognize suppose think understand want wish
liking and disliking:admire dislike hate like love prefer
appearance:appear look like resemble seem
possession:belong to contain have include own possess
perception:hear see smell taste
being:be consist of exist

I believe he was not to blame.
She hates going to parties.
Our neighbours have two cars.

Note that you normally use verbs of perception with the modal `can', rather than using the present simple tense.

I can smell gas.

Some other common verbs are not normally used in the present continuous or the other continuous tenses.

concern, deserve, fit, interest, involve, matter, mean, satisfy, surprise

What do you mean?

WARNING: Some of the verbs listed above can be used in continuous tenses in other meanings. For example, `have' referring to possession is not used in continuous tenses. You do not say `I am having a car'. But note the following examples.

We're having a party tomorrow.
He's having problems with his car.
She's having a shower.


Read more

The perfect tenses

Main points

* You use the present perfect (`I have walked') to relate the past to the present.

* You use the past perfect (`I had walked') to talk about a situation that occurred before a particular time in the past.

1. You use the present perfect tense when you are concerned with the present effects of something which happened at an indefinite time in the past.

I'm afraid I've forgotten my book.
Have you heard from Jill recently?

Sometimes, the present effects are important because they are very recent.
Karen has just passed her exams.

You also use the present perfect when you are thinking of a time which started in the past and is still continuing.

Have you really lived here for ten years?
He has worked here since 1987.

You also use the present perfect in time clauses, when you are talking about something which will be done at some time in the future.

Tell me when you have finished.
I'll write to you as soon as I have heard from Jenny.

2. When you want to emphasize the fact that a recent event continued to happen for some time, you use the present perfect continuous.

She's been crying.
I've been working hard all day.

3. You use the past perfect tense when you are looking back from a point in past time, and you are concerned with the effects of something which happened at an earlier time in the past.

I apologized because I had forgotten my book.
He felt much happier once he had found a new job.
They would have come if we had invited them.

You also use the past perfect when you are thinking of a time which had started earlier in the past but was still continuing.

I was about twenty. I had been studying French for a couple of years.
He hated games and had always managed to avoid children's parties.

4. You use the future perfect tense when you are looking back from a point in the future and you are talking about something which will have happened at a time between now and that future point.

In another two years, you will have left school.
Take these tablets, and in twenty-four hours the pain will have gone.

You also use the future perfect when you are looking back from the present and guessing that an action will be finished.

I'm sure they will have arrived home by now.
It's too late to ring Don. He will have left the house by now.

5. You can also use other modals with `have', when you are looking back from a point in time at something which you think may have happened at an earlier time.

I might have finished work by then.
He should have arrived in Paris by the time we phone.
For more information on modals with `have', see Units 79 to 91.


Read more

The continuous tenses

Main points

* Continuous tenses describe actions which continue to happen before and after a particular time.

* Continuous tenses can also indicate duration and change.

1. You use a continuous tense to indicate that an action continues to happen before and after a particular time, without stopping. You use the present continuous for actions which continue to happen before and after the moment of speaking.

I'm looking at the photographs my brother sent me.
They're having a meeting.

2. When you are talking about two actions in the present tense, you use the present continuous for an action that continues to happen before and after another action that interrupts it. You use the present simple for the other action.

The phone always rings when I'm having a bath.
Friends always talk to me when I'm trying to study.

3. When you are talking about the past, you use the past continuous for actions that continued to happen before and after another action, or before and after a particular time. This is often called the `interrupted past'. You use the past simple for the other action.

He was watching television when the doorbell rang.
It was 6 o'clock. The train was nearing London.

WARNING: If two things happened one after another, you use two verbs in the past simple tense.

As soon as he saw me, he waved.

4. You can use continuous forms with modals in all their usual meanings.
See Units 79 to 91 for more information on modals.

What could he be thinking of?
They might be telling lies.

5. You use continuous tenses to express duration, when you want to emphasize how long something has been happening or will happen for.

We had been living in Athens for five years.
They'll be staying with us for a couple of weeks.
He has been building up the business all his life.
By 1992, he will have been working for ten years.

Note that you do not have to use continuous tenses for duration.

We had lived in Africa for five years.
He worked for us for ten years.

6. You use continuous tenses to describe a state or situation that is temporary.

I'm living in London at the moment.
He'll be working nights next week.
She's spending the summer in Europe.

7. You use continuous tenses to show that something is changing, developing, or progressing.

Her English was improving.
The children are growing up quickly.
The video industry has been developing rapidly.

8. As a general rule, verbs which refer to actions that require a deliberate effort can be used in continuous tenses, verbs which refer to actions that do not require a deliberate effort are not used in continuous tenses.

I think it's going to rain. (`think' = `believe'. Believing does not require deliberate effort)
Please be quiet. I'm thinking . (`think' = `try to solve a problem'. Trying to solve a problem does require deliberate effort)

However, many verbs are not normally used in the continuous tenses. These include verbs that refer to thinking, liking and disliking, appearance, possession, and perception.

Read more

The past tenses

Main points

* There are four past tenses - past simple (`I walked'), past continuous (`I was walking'), past perfect (`I had walked'), and past perfect continuous (`I had been walking').

* All the past tenses are used to refer to past time.

* The past tenses are often used as polite forms.

* The past tenses have special meanings in conditional clauses and when referring to imaginary situations.

1. There are four tenses which begin with a verb in the past tense. They are the past simple, the past continuous, the past perfect, and the past perfect continuous. These are the past tenses. They are used to refer to past time, and also to refer to imaginary situations, and to express politeness.

2. The past simple and the past continuous are used with reference to past time. You use the past simple for events which happened in the past.

I woke up early and got out of bed.

If you are talking about the general past, or about regular or habitual actions in the past, you also use the past simple.

She lived just outside London.
We often saw his dog sitting outside his house.

If you are talking about something which continued to happen before and after a particular time in the past, you use the past continuous.

They were sitting in the kitchen, when they heard the explosion.
Jack arrived while the children were having their bath.

The past continuous is often used to refer to a temporary situation.

He was working at home at the time.
Bill was using my office until I came back from America.

3. You use the past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses when you are talking about the past and you are concerned with something which happened at an earlier time, or which had started at an earlier time but was still continuing.

I had heard it was a good film so we decided to go and see it.
It was getting late. I had been waiting there since two o'clock.

4. You sometimes use a past tense rather than a present tense when you want to be more polite. For example, in the following pairs of sentences, the second one is more polite.

Do you want to see me now?
Did you want to see me now?
I wonder if you can help me.
I was wondering if you could help me.

5. The past tenses have special meanings in conditional clauses and when referring to hypothetical and imaginary situations, for example after `I wish' or `What if...?'. You use the past simple and past continuous for something that you think is unlikely to happen.

If they saw the mess, they would be very angry.
We would tell you if we were selling the house.

You use the past perfect and past perfect continuous when you are talking about something which could have happened in the past, but which did not actually happen.

If I had known that you were coming, I would have told Jim.
They wouldn't have gone to bed if they had been expecting you to arrive.


Read more

The present tenses

Main points

* There are four present tenses - present simple (`I walk'), present continuous (`I am walking'), present perfect (`I have walked'), and present perfect continuous (`I have been walking').

* All the present tenses are used to refer to a time which includes the present.

* Present tenses can also be used for predictions made in the present about future events.

1. There are four tenses which begin with a verb in the present tense. They are the present simple, the present continuous, the present perfect, and the present perfect continuous. These are the present tenses.

2. The present simple and the present continuous are used with reference to present time. If you are talking about the general present, or about a regular or habitual action, you use the present simple.

George lives in Birmingham.
They often phone my mother in London.

If you are talking about something in the present situation, you use the present continuous.

He's playing tennis at the University.
I'm cooking the dinner.

The present continuous is often used to refer to a temporary situation.
She's living in a flat at present.

3. You use the present perfect or the present perfect continuous when you are concerned with the present effects of something which happened at a time in the past, or which started in the past but is still continuing.

Have you seen the film at the Odeon?
We've been waiting here since before two o'clock.

4. If you are talking about something which is scheduled or timetabled to happen in the future, you can use the present simple tense.

The next train leaves at two fifteen in the morning.
It's Tuesday tomorrow.

5. If you are talking about something which has been arranged for the future, you can use the present continuous. When you use the present continuous like this, there is nearly always a time adverbial like `tomorrow', `next week', or `later' in the clause.

We're going on holiday with my parents this year.
The Browns are having a party next week.

6. It is only in the main clauses that the choice of tense can be related to a particular time. In subordinate clauses, for example in `if'- clauses, time clauses, and defining relative clauses, present tenses often refer to a future time in relation to the time in the main clause.

You can go at five if you have finished.
Let's have a drink before we start.
We'll save some food for anyone who arrives late.

7. The present simple tense normally has no auxiliary verb, but questions and negative sentences are formed with the auxiliary `do'.

Do you live round here?
Does your husband do most of the cooking?
They don't often phone during the week.
She doesn't like being late if she can help it.

Read more

Past Perfect

The Past Perfect is used to connect two past times: a previous past time with a later one. In practice it is used to talk about events that happened bafore a certain past time. For example:

- When I arrived, the plane had left. - Before I left (past time), the plane left (previous past time)

- Before I went to Canada, I hadn't been abroad. - I went to France (past time), and before that time I never went abroad (previous past time).

Form

The Past Perfect is made with had and the past participle. For example:

- I had eaten
- She had played
- They had flown
and so on.

Usage

As mentioned the Past Perfect connects two past times: a past situation and another one before it. There are few rules, so here are some examples to help you see how it's used.

- I wasn't busy yesterday. I had already finished my work.
I wasn't busy in one past time, because previously I had finished my work.
- I ate a small lunch, because I'd already eaten a big breakfast.
I ate lunch at one past time, and I ate breakfast at a previous past time.
- When I arrived, the concert had just started.
I arrived in the past, and the concert started sometime before.

Past Perfect - Present Perfect

The Present Perfecrt connects the past and the present, for example:
- I haven't eaten today, so I want some food.
The Past Perfect connects two past times, for example:
- I hadn't eaten yesterday, so I wanted some food.

Similarly:

- We don't need an umbrella because the rain has stopped.
- We didn't need an umbrella, because the rain had stopped.

Read more

Future Continuous

The Future Continuous is used for an activity that happens in a future period of time. For example:

- This week I'm working in Boston, but next week I'll be working in Los Angeles.
- Where will you be staying? I'll be staying at the Warwick Hotel.

Form

The Future Continuous is made with the will + the verb "to be" + the -ing form. For example:

- I will be arriving at 4.00.
- They will be staying for a few days.
- She will be going to America.

Negatives add not, for example:
- I won't be arriving at 4.00.
- We won't be staying for a few days.
- She won't be going to America.
- Will you be studying late tonight?

Questions invert will and the subject, for example:
- Will you be arriving at 4.00?
- Will they be staying for a few days?
- Will she be going to America?

Usage

The Future Continuous is used for an activity that happens during a future period of time. For example:

- I'll be having a meeting from 3.00 to 4.00
- She'll be eating dinner with her friends this evening.

The Future Continuous is also used for an activity that happens around a certain time. For example:

- I'll be arriving at 7.00. (I'll be arriving around the time of 7.00)
- I'll be seeing you at Mike's birthday party.
- What time will you be leaving? I'll be leaving at 10.00. (I can't leave at exactly 10.00, but the process of leaving happens around 10.00.)

The Future Continuous is sometimes used for formal offers, for example:

- "Will you be needing a cab home, sir?"

The Future Continuous is often used to check information, for example:

- Will you be be having lunch with us?
Compare with the Future Simple, which sounds more like an offer, for example:
- Will you have lunch with us?

The Future Continuous is also used to make sympathetic predictions about people's feelings, for example:
- You'll be feeling hungry after a hard day's work.
- You'll be needing some rest before you go.

Read more

Past Progressive

We use the Past Progressive when we talk about something which was happening around a period of time in the past.

We use the Past Progressive (blue) together with the Simple Past (pink). The Past Progressive is used for the action in the past which was in progress when a new action (Simple Past) happened.

Two actions which were in progress in the past do not influence each other.

Past Progressive/Continuous - Form of affirmative, negative sentences, questions

Form of the Past Progressive/Continuous

We use a form of to be (was or were), the infinitive of the verb and the ending –ing.

to be (was, were) + infinitive + -ing
Affirmative sentences:

I/he/she/it was playing football.
We/you/they were playing football.

NOTE: Use was with I, he, she, it -
and were with all other pronouns.

In affirmative sentences we do not use short forms in the Past Progressive.
Negative sentences:

I/he/she/it was not playing football.
We/you/they were not playing football.

We use short forms in the Past Progressive in negative sentences:

I/he/she/it wasn't playing football.
We/you/they weren't playing football.
Questions:

In the Past Progressive we put the auxiliary (was or were) before the subject
(Auxiliary - Subject - Verb - Rest).

Was I/he/she/it playing football?
Were we/you/they playing football?

Past Progressive/Continuous - Short and long forms

Long forms and short forms in the Past Progressive

We use short forms of the auxiliaries. The Past Progressive is formed with the auxiliary to be (was, were), so short forms are only possible in negative sentences.

affirmative
long form	short form
I was reading	can't be formed
he, she, it:
he was reading
we, you, they:
we were reading

negative (not after to be)
long form	short form
I was not reading	I wasn't reading
he, she, it:	he, she, it:
he was not reading	he wasn't reading
we, you, they:	we, you, they:
we were not reading	we weren't reading

Past Progressive/Continuous - Signal words

Signal words tell you what tense you have to use. In the Past Progressive we often use a period of time. A typical signal word is while. The Past Progressive is frequently used in sentences together with the Simple Past.

while (In this part of the sentence we usually use Past Progressive.)

While we were watching TV, Andy was surfing the internet.

when (In this part of the sentence we usually use Simple Past. The Past Progressive is used in the other part of the sentence.)

The ladies were talking when the accident happened.

Past Progressive/Continuous – Spelling

Be careful with some words when adding -ing to the infinitive.
1) consonant after a short, stressed vowel at the end of the word

Double the consonant.

sit – he was sitting
put - he was putting

If the consonant is not stressed, we do not double it:
benefit - benefiting (Here we stress the first 'e', not the 'i'.)

In British English we double one -l at the end of the word:
travel - travelling
2) one -e at the end of the word

Leave out the -e.

write – he was writing
take – he was taking

BUT:
double –e: add -ing
see – he was seeing
3) verbs ending in -ie

Change 'ie' to 'y'.
lie - he was lying
4) verbs ending in -c

Change 'c' to 'ck'.
picnic - he was picnicking

Past Progressive/Continuous - Special verbs

Special verbs in the Past Progressive

affirmative sentence	negative sentence	question
I was having a bath.	I was not having a bath.	Was I having a bath?
he, she, it:
He was having a bath.	He was not having a bath.	Was he having a bath?
we, you, they:
You were having a bath.	We were not having a bath.	Were we having a bath?

2) do as a full verb
affirmative sentence	negative sentence	question
I was doing an exercise.	I was not doing an exercise.	Was I doing an exercise?
he, she, it:
He was doing an exercise.	He was not doing an exercise.	Was he doing an exercise?
we, you, they:
We were doing an exercise.	We were not doing an exercise.	Were we doing an exercise?

We often use the short forms with these verbs.

Past Progressive/Continuous – Summary
Past Progressive - Use
1) actions were in progress at special time in the past

Peter was reading a book yesterday evening.
2) two actions were happening at the same time (the actions do not influence each other)

Anne was writing a letter while Steve was reading the New York Times.
3) together with the Simple Past

While we were sitting at the breakfast table, the telephone rang.
4) repeated actions irritating the speaker (with always, constantly, forever)

Andrew was always coming in late.
Past Progressive - Signal words

while
Past Progressive - Form

to be (was, were) + infinitive + -ing

Past Progressive - Examples

Affirmative sentences:

I was playing football.

You were playing football.

Negative sentences:

I was not playing football. I was't playing football.

You were not playing football. You weren't playing football.

Questions:

Was I playing football?

Were you playing football?

Past Progressive/Continuous – Use

The Past Progressive is used when we talk about something which was happening at a special time in the past. It is also called Past Continuous. Have a look at the following examples:
1) action was in progress at special time in the past

Peter was reading a book yesterday evening.
She was listening to the radio.
2) two actions were happening at the same time (the actions do not influence each other)

Anne was writing a letter while Steve was reading the New York Times.
3) together with the Simple Past

While we were sitting at the breakfast table, the telephone rang.

Note:
Past Progressive: were sitting at the table
Simple Past: the telephone rang.

The action in the Simple Past interrupted the action in the Past Progressive.
4) repeated actions irritating the speaker (with always, constantly, forever)

Andrew was always coming in late. (I don't like it.)

Simple Past:

Andrew always came late. (Here I don't give a comment.) Read more

Present Continuous

The Present Continuous is used for actions that are happening around the present time. For example, "I am studying English" means that I am in the process of studying English now.

Form

The Present Continuous is formed by adding the verb "to be" and the -ing form

Singular Affirmative I am studying You are studying She is studying He is studying It is studying Negative I am not studying You are not studying She is not studying He is not studying It is not studying Questions Do I have a pen? Do you have a pen? Does she has a pen? Does he has a pen? Does it have a pen?

Plural Affirmative We are studying You are studying They are studying Negative We do not have a pen = We don't have a pen You do not have a pen = You don't have a pen They do not have a pen = They don't have a pen Questions Do we have a pen? Do you have a pen? Do they have a pen?

For negatives we simply add not after the auxilary verb "to be", for example:
- I am playing - I am not playing.

For questions we invert the subject and auxiliary verb to be, for example:
- You are playing - Are you playing?

Usage

The Present Continuous is used for actions happening at the present time. For example:
- We are studying English.
- You are using a computer.

The Present Continuous is also used for processes happening around the present time. For example:
- It is raining today.
- I am working in Paris this month.
- The world is turning.
The time period of the first sentence is today, the second sentence one month, and the third sentence forever, but all of these sentences are about processes that happen around the present. They started before the present, are happening now, and will continue after the present. This is a key idea of the Present Continuous.

The Present Continuous is also used for repeated actions or habits. Such repetition is seen as one continuing process. For example:
- I am getting up early this week.
Obviously I'm not getting up just one time for a whole week, but during one week I will get up early every day, so this can be seen as one process.

The Present Continuous is also used for future arrangements at a particular time. For example:
- I'm going to Rome at 10.30 tomorrow.
- She's coming to my apartment this evening.

Spelling

To make the -ing form, also known as the present participle, we usually add -ing to the verb. For example:
- study - studying
- eat - eating
- jump - jumping

For verbs ending in -e, we leave out the -e and add -ing. For example:
- write - writing: not writeing
- skat - skating: not skateing.

For verbs ending in a vowel and a consonant, we usually double the last consonant and add -ing. For example:
- run - running: not runing
- cut - cutting: not cuting

For verbs ending in -ie we change the -ie to -y and add -ing. For example:
- lie - lying: not lieing. Read more

Future Perfect

The Future Perfect is used to show the time by which something finishes. For example:

- I will have finished by 4.00.
- By 4.00 I will finish a certain activity.

Form

The Future Continuous is made with will + have + the past participle. For example:

- I will have arrived by 4.00.
- They will have left by next week.
- He will have gone to America by the end of the month.

Negatives add not, for example:
- I won't have arrived by 4.00.
- They won't have left by next week.
- He won't have gone to America until next month.

Questions invert will and the subject, for example:
- Will you have arrived by 4.00?
- Will they have left by next week?
- Will he have gone to America by next month?

Usage

The Future Perfect shows the time before which something will finish. For example:
- Next Friday, I'll have worked here for 5 years.
When next Friday comes, it will be 5 years since I started working here.

We often use by to show the time before which something is completed, for example:
- Can I borrow you book? - You can have it tomorrow, I'll have read it by then.
- I'll have left by the time you arrive.

Read more

Most common English tenses (table)

The most common tenses in English

Tense	Signal words	Use	Form	Examples
Simple Present	every day sometimes always often usually seldom never first ... then	something happens repeatedly how often something happens one action follows another things in general after the following verbs (to love, to hate, to think, etc.) future meaning: timetables, programmes	infinitive he/she/it + -s	I work he works I go he goes

Present Progressive	now at the moment Look! Listen!	something is happening at the same time of speaking or around it future meaning: when you have already decided and arranged to do it (a fixed plan, date)	to be (am/are/is) + infinitive + -ing	I'm working he's working I'm going he's going
Simple Past	last ... ... ago in 1990 yesterday	action took place in the past, mostly connected with an expression of time (no connection to the present)	regelmäßig: infinitive + -ed unregelmäßig: 2. Spalte	I worked he worked I went he went
Past Progressive		an action happened in the middle of another action someone was doing sth. at a certain time (in the past) - you don't know whether it was finished or not	was/were + infinitive + -ing	I was working he was working I was going he was going
Simple Present Perfect	yet never ever already so far, up to now, zum Teil: since for recently	you say that sth. has happened or is finished in the past and it has a connection to the present action started in the past and continues up to the present	have/has + past participle (infinitive + -ed) oder (3. Spalte)	I've worked he's worked I've gone he's gone
Present Perfect Progressive		emphasis: length of time of an action action began in the past and has just stopped how long the action has been happening	have/has + been + infinitive + -ing	I've been working he's been working I've been going he's been going
Simple Past Perfect		mostly when two actions in a story are related to each other: the action which had already happened is put into Past Perfect, the other action into Simple Past the past of the Present Perfect	had + past participle (infinitive + -ed) oder (3. Spalte)	I had worked he had worked I had gone he had gone
will - future		predictions about the future (you think that sth. will happen) you decide to do sth. spontaneously at the time of speaking, you haven't made a decision before main clause in if clause type I	will + infinitive	I'll work he'll work I'll go he'll go
going to - future		when you have already decided to do sth. in the future what you think what will happen	be (am/are/is) + going to + infinitive	I'm going to work he's going to work I'm going to go he's going to go

Read more