An easy way to learn English tenses. English Times. Tenses in English (Verb Tenses) Frequency of use of English tenses

English tenses- one of the most difficult topics for a Russian-speaking person. First of all, this is due to the fact that the student often simply does not understand their meaning and meaning. Traditionally, experts distinguish 12 tenses, while in the native language there are 3. In order to finally master this material, you need to structure your knowledge on this topic. The article will be useful to people who are already familiar with the theory, but cannot begin to practice.

Where to begin?

All English tenses are divided into three large groups:

• Present.
• Future.
• Past.

As you can see, at this stage the English language is no different from Russian.

Further, in each of the presented groups, different categories of tenses are distinguished: Simple(simple), Continuous(continued), Perfect(Perfect) and Perfect Continuous(perfect continuous). Why is such a large amount of time needed? This greatly facilitates the understanding of the interlocutor during the communication process. Each of these times has its own meaning. Having understood this issue, you will never again make mistakes in the process of using English sentences.

Simple tenses

Present Simple

This is the simple present tense. It is used to denote a sequence of different actions or a general fact:

She gets up, washes her face and has breakfast.
She wakes up, washes her face and has breakfast.

My name is Jane, I'm from London.
My name is Jane. I'm from London.

Present Simple is also used to express scientifically proven facts and regularly recurring events:

I always help my mother.
I always help my mom.

Ice melts at 0 degrees.
Ice melts at 0 degrees.

Past Simple

Expresses an ordinary fact or action in the past tense:

Yesterday I played football.
Yesterday I played football.

Just like the Present Simple, it can denote a regular action, but in the past:

This house was built 20 years ago.
The house was built 20 years ago.

Using the simple past tense - Past Simple, we are interested in conveying the fact itself.

Future Simple

And in this case, the overall value of time does not change.

The Future Simple can be used either for regular future actions:

I will visit you very often.
I will visit you very often.

Or to convey a simple fact in the future:

She will move to her mother next year.
Next year she will move in with her mother.

Brief conclusion:
English tenses of the Simple group are the most commonly used. They are used to exchange information. Attention is not focused on either the duration or the completion of actions.

Continuous tenses

Here it is necessary to remember the main value of the entire group - process.

Present Continuous is any process that occurs in the present time. The action could begin in the recent past and may end within a certain period of time:

She is sleeping now.
She's sleeping now.

It's raining at the moment.
It's raining at the moment.

Another variant of use is an expression of dissatisfaction, irritation:

You are always playing computer games!
You're always playing computer games!

The same goes for Past Continuous. It expresses a certain process at a specific moment in the past:

She was sleeping at 10 p.m. yesterday.
Yesterday at 10 pm she was asleep.

The Future Continuous also expresses a process at a certain point in the future:

Tomorrow at 9 a.m. I will be helping my best friend.
Tomorrow at 9 am I will help my best friend.

Brief conclusion:
English Continuous tenses are used to demonstrate a fragment of continuous time. This tense is almost always used with words such as now(now) and also at the moment(currently).

Perfect tenses

At this time, people have a lot of confusion. The key value of this group is the result. In the process of using this tense, we are interested precisely in the final outcome of some action or event.

Present Perfect

This is the result we have achieved so far:

I have already done my homework and I can go for a walk.
I've already done my homework and can go for a walk.

It turns out that the action itself (preparing lessons) is no longer being performed, it is completely completed. But in the current moment we can see the result of the action: the opportunity to go for a walk.

Verbs in the Present Perfect, as a rule, are translated into Russian in the past tense. However, the action in this time is perceived in the present, since it is tied to the current moment by the result.

Past Perfect

Used to indicate the result of a specific moment in the past:

He had done the task by 11 p.m.
By 11 pm he had completed the task.

The Past Perfect can also be used to denote a sequence of actions in the past and, accordingly, the coordination of tenses:

James said that he had noticed his old friend.
James said he spotted an old friend.

Thus, James noticed his old friend first, and then told about it. There was no way it could have happened the other way around.

Future Perfect

This time is necessary to transmit the future result:

I will have cleaned my room by 5 p.m.
I will clean the room by 5 pm.

At 5 o'clock the action will no longer be performed, but the result will remain - a clean room.

Thus, the Future Perfect tense is used to express an action that will begin and end before a certain point in the future with a certain result.

Brief conclusion:
Perfect is a perfect tense, which necessarily presupposes a certain result, which can also be negative.

Perfect Continuous tenses

Present Perfect Continuous

She has been sleeping for 2 hours already.
She has been sleeping for 2 hours already.

That is, the action began in the past and continues at the present moment.

Past Perfect Continuous

This is a process that began a long time ago and continued until a specific point in time in the past.

She had been sleeping for 3 hours when I came back.
By the time I returned, she had already slept for 3 hours.

Return is the very moment of the past before which the process (dream) took place.

Future Perfect Continuous

It is a process that continues for a specific amount of time to a specific point in the future.

She will have been sleeping for 4 hours when you come back.
By the time you return, she will have slept for 4 hours.

Brief conclusion:
The rather cumbersome construction of this tense can be “lightened” by using the Perfect tense. True, this advice is appropriate if you are not preparing for some important exam: tests like to test knowledge of all times.

1. Having firmly decided to master the tenses of the English language, first of all, make yourself a table with the theory and some examples of using tenses. Similar tables can be easily found on the Internet. As you write, you will inevitably remember some information.

2. Do not try to focus specifically on theoretical material. Try to immediately translate the examples and understand their meaning. It would be great if you have the opportunity to consult with a specialist who will clarify unclear points.

3. Don't try to learn everything at once. Organize the material by topic. For example, you will devote a week to getting acquainted with the times of the Simple group, a week to Continuous, and so on. There is definitely no need to rush: there are many pitfalls, subtleties of use and even exceptions awaiting you.

4. Practice constantly. As experienced people and qualified teachers say, the best way to learn English tenses is through constant practice. The more exercises you do, the faster you will be able to achieve positive results. It’s especially good if you decide to do translations from Russian into English: you’ll improve your timing and at the same time expand your own vocabulary.

5. Is there an opportunity to communicate with a foreigner who knows English well? Be sure to take advantage of this chance. Don't underestimate the benefits of virtual communication.

6. Use any modern opportunities to improve your own knowledge. For example, on GooglePlay you can find many useful applications for learning English tenses.

What aids should I use to study tenses?

1. First of all, you need a decent book with theoretical material. It is worth paying attention to the Round-Up manual from Virginia Evans. This is a modern, colorful edition. The books are presented in different difficulty levels: from 1 to 7. Contains quite a lot of material on grammar.

2. Table of English tenses and table of irregular verbs. Indispensable materials for successful language learning. At first, be sure to keep these manuals in front of your eyes during classes. Over time, you will look at such a “cheat sheet” less and less. It is also worth finding various exercises on the Internet on the topic of interest. There are plenty of them freely available.

3. Golitsinsky's grammar. This Russian-language publication is positioned as a textbook for schoolchildren, but it does not contain the most simple tasks. Using this collection of tasks, you will have to work a lot, because the book contains quite a lot of translation exercises. If you decide to study on your own, be sure to buy or download the correct keys to the textbook. Mistakes made should be highlighted with a marker and carefully worked through. During your studies, try to formulate on your own the reason for using a particular tense.

4. Textbooks for preparing for various international tests: TOEFL, IELTS and so on. These exams are quite demanding in terms of knowledge of all aspects of grammar, so after just a few weeks you will notice a positive effect. In addition, you will have to complete written assignments: write an essay or an essay. It would be great if you could find a qualified person to check the work.

Thus, mastering the tenses of the English language is quite possible. To do this, you just need to understand their correct meaning, after which you can immediately begin working on them in practice. The main thing is not to despair if any difficulties arise that you will definitely encounter along the way. Make an effort - and everything will definitely work out!

When learning English, even the most dedicated beginners have difficulty with tenses. After all, in English, unlike Russian, there are as many as 12 tense forms. Despite this, the system of English tenses is logical, orderly and strictly obeys the laws of grammar.

Learning all the rules for using verbs seems very difficult at first glance. But this is only at first glance. The easiest and most effective way to master all 12 tenses is to use tables that concisely and clearly present material about the formation and use of tenses in the English language.

Everyone knows from school that there are only three tenses in the Russian language - present/past/future. In English there are also three of them - present/past/future, but each tense, depending on the duration of the action, can be of 4 types: simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous. As a result, there are 12 temporary forms.

	Simple/Indefinite An action that occurs “in general” or an action that is repeated over and over day to day.	Continuous/ Progressive An action that occurs at a specific moment, a specific period of time, or an action planned for the near future	Perfect The completed action with the result is available at the time of speech.	Perfect Continuous An action that began and lasted until the moment of speech or ended immediately before this moment.
Present	I walk	I am walking	I have walked	I have been walking
Past	I walked	I was walking	I had walked	I had been walking
Future	I shall walk	I shall be walking	I shall have walked	I shall have been walking

Time formation table with examples

	Present	Past	Future
Simple	Rec. verb: do / does Ending: -, -s Formula: V (+s) - I don't play - He doesn't eat	Rec. verb: did Ending: -ed, — Formula: V2 - I didn't play — He didn’t eat	Rec. verb: will/shall Ending: - Formula: will/shall + V - I won't play - He won't eat
Continuous	Rec. verb: be (is / am / are) Formula: am/is/are + Ving — I am not playing - He is not eating	Rec. verb: was / were Window: -ing Formula: was/were + Ving — I wasn’t playing - He wasn't eating Was I playing? Was he eating?	Rec. v.: will be / shall be Window: -ing Formula: will/shall + be + Ving I will be playing He will be eating — I won’t be playing - He won't be eating Will I be playing? Will he be eating?
Perfect	Rec. v.: have / has Window: -ed Formula: have/has + V3 - I have not played - He has not eaten Have I played?	Rec. verb: had Window: -ed Formula: had + V3 — I had not played — He had not eaten	Rec. v.: will have / shall have Window: -ed Formula: will/shall + have V3 I will have played He will have eaten — I won't have played — He won’t have eaten Will I have played? Will he have eaten?
Perfect Continuous	Rec. v.: have been / has been Window: -ing Formula: have/has + been + Ving I have been playing He has been eating — I have not been playing - He hasn't been eating Have I been playing? Has he been eating?	Rec. verb: had been Window: -ing Formula: had been + Ving I had been playing He had been eating — I had not been playing — He had not been eating Had I been playing? Had he been eating?	Rec. v.: will have been / shall have been Window: -ing Formula: will/shall + have been + Ving I will have been playing He will have been eating — I won’t have been playing - He won't have been eating Will I have been playing? Will he have been eating?

Table of tenses

	Present	Past	Future
Simple	1) Normal, repetitive action I always do my homework. 2) Laws and natural phenomena, scientific facts The sun rises in the east. 3) Domestic situations Do you want to spend a lot of money here? 4) Stories, anecdotes, reviews, sports commentary Then the knight gets on his black horse and rides away. 5) Train schedules, movie theater schedules The plane from New York arrives at 16:45.	1) Fact or single completed action in the past The Titanic sank in 1912. I went to Greece five years ago. 2) Past actions that occurred in chronological order. I get up, took a shower, brushed my teeth, got dressed and went out to have coffee. 3) Repeated action in the past I took French courses when I was ten.	1) Simple action in the future He will read this book. 2) An action that will last in the future for a certain period of time Will you be my best friend? 3) Sequence of actions in the future He will meet me and tell me the situation. 4) Recurring actions in the future She will visit them a few times while she is in Great Britain. 5) Assumptions about the future I'm afraid she won't come today. 6) Decision made at the time of conversation I will have chips, and you? 7) Promises, requests, offers, threats Be quiet, everything will be OK.
Continuous	1) An action taking place at a given moment or period of time I can’t hear what she is talking about now. He is reading a new story by Edgar Allan Poe. 2) Action covering a time period in the present He is studying at the University. 3) Changing situation Is your French getting better now? 4) Any planned action (indicating place and time) They are meeting their friend at 6 at the café. 5) An action that will take place in the near future (with verbs of motion) The family is moving to the other town. 6) Expressing a negative characteristic Ann is always making a noise when I’m reading.	1) A long-term action that occurred in the past at a certain moment I was playing computer game at 7 o’clock. 2) Two or more long-term actions that occurred simultaneously in the past Mary was playing piano and her little sister was dancing. 3) A long action in the past, interrupted by another (short) action. As she was sleeping, somebody knocked at her door. 4) Description of the setting or atmosphere Sam entered the room. The smell of cigarettes was filling it. 5) Expressing a negative characteristic The dog was constantly playing in the kitchen.	1) An action that will occur at a certain point in the future: This time next Monday I shall be flying to Tahiti. 2) An action that will certainly occur in the future Jhon won’t be meeting you tomorrow, because he is ill. 3) A polite question about the interlocutor’s plans for the near future, in particular when we need this person to do something for us Will you be reading the magazine for long? My friend needs it urgently.
Perfect	1) An action completely completed in the past, the result of which has a connection with the present They have bought a new TVset, so they may sell the old one. 2) An action that began in the past and continues in the present I have known Kate since school years. 3) In subordinate clauses of time after such conjunctions as after, when, before, as soon as, till, until, in order to convey a future action that will end before the beginning of the action referred to in the main sentence We’ll serve you a pancake only after you have eaten the soup.	1) An action that occurred before a specific moment in the past By the end of the month he had learned to read. Fortunately the mist had diffused before we left the house. 2) An action that began in the past and lasted before or during another moment in the past I found out that Lisa and Steve had not met since our graduation party. 3) In phrases such as “barely”, “only”, “didn’t pass and..., how”, “didn’t have time and..., how”. She hadn’t said a sentence when someone interrupted her. They had scarcely finished supper when Susy brought a big choclate cake.	1) Future action that will be completed before a certain point in the future He'll have translated the text by noon. By the time they come home, grany will have cooked lunch. 2) Past intended action (“should be”, “probably”) The students will have noticed speaker’s negative attitude to any form of discrimination.
Perfect Continuous	1) An action that began in the past, lasted for some time and continues in the present Mother has been cooking dinner for two hours already. 2) A long action in the past, completed immediately before the moment of speech, and the result of which affects the present The roads are wet. It has been raining all the night.	1) A long-term action that began before a certain moment in the past and continues at that moment Mary had been singing for an hour when he came. 2) A long-term action that began before a certain moment in the past and ended right before it Students had been discussing some important topics and they looked upset after that long conversation.	1) Future continuous action that will begin earlier than another future moment or action and will continue at this moment He will have been working at the thesis for a month when Jack joins him

Hint words to help

In the English language there are many so-called “clue words” or sign words that can tell you exactly what tense should be used in a given sentence. The ability to recognize such words greatly helps when choosing tenses. But one should take into account the fact that some of these feature words can be used in several groups of tenses.

	Past	Present	Future
Simple/Indefinite	yesterday last year/month, etc one year/month ago	every morning/day, etc. always usually frequently/often sometimes	tomorrow tonight

English tenses are considered the most difficult topic, because in Russian we have only 3 tenses, and in English there are 12.

When studying them, everyone has many questions.

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

This confusion occurs because we learn the rules of grammar but do not fully understand them.

However, English tenses are not as complicated as they seem.

Their use depends on what idea you want to convey to your interlocutor. To do this correctly, you need to understand the logic and usage of English tenses.

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

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

Let's start.

What tenses are there in English?

In English, as well as in Russian, there are 3 blocks of tenses familiar to us.

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

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

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

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

1. Simple- simple.

2. Continuous- long-term.

3. Perfect- completed.

4. Perfect Continuous- long-term completed.

The result is 12 times.

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

How do you know what time to use?

To use English tenses correctly, you need 3 things.

• Understand the logic of English tenses
  That is, to know what time is intended for what and when it is used.
• Be able to construct sentences according to the rules
  That is, not only to know, but to be able to speak these sentences.
• Understand exactly what idea you want to convey to your interlocutor
  That is, be able to choose the right time depending on the meaning you put into your words.

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

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

We'll start with the easiest group - Simple.

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Simple group tenses in English

Simple is translated as “simple”.

We use this tense when we talk about facts that:

• happen in the present tense
• happened in the past
• will happen in the future.

For example

I drive a car.
I drive a car.

We say that a person knows how to drive a car and this is a fact.

Let's look at another example.

She bought a dress.
She bought a dress.

We are talking about the fact that sometime in the past (yesterday, last week or last year) she bought herself a dress.

Remember: when you talk about some action as a fact, then use the Simple group.

You can study all the times of this group in detail here:

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

Continuous tenses in English

Continuous is translated as “long, continuous.”

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

• happening at the moment
• happened in the past at a certain moment,
• will happen in the future at a certain moment.

For example

I am driving a car.
I'm driving.

Unlike the Simple group, here we do not mean a fact, but talk about a process.

Let's see the difference between fact and process.

Fact:“I know how to drive a car, I have a license.”

Process:“I got behind the wheel some time ago and now I’m driving the car, that is, I’m in the process of driving.”

Let's look at another example.

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

We are talking about the fact that tomorrow you will board a plane and for some time you will be in the process of flying.

That is, for example, you need to get in touch with a client. You tell him that you will not be able to talk to him at this time, since you will be in the middle of a flight.

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

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

Now let's move on to the Perfect group.

Perfect tenses in English

Perfect is translated as “complete/perfect.”

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

• we have received by now,
• we got to a certain point in the past,
• we will receive by a certain point in the future.

Note that even in the present tense this tense is translated into Russian as the past. However, despite this, you say that the result of this action is important in the present moment.

For example

I have fixed my car.
I fixed the car.

We focus on the result that we currently have - a working machine. For example, you say that you fixed your car, now it works, and you can go to your friends’ country house.

Let's compare this group with others.

Let's talk about a fact (Simple):

I cooked dinner.
I was cooking dinner.

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

I was cooking dinner.
I was cooking dinner.

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

Let's talk about the result (Perfect):

I have cooked dinner.
I cooked dinner.

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

Remember: when you want to focus on the result of an action, use the Perfect group.

Read more about all the times of the Perfect group in these articles:

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

Perfect Continuous tenses in English

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

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

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

1. We received the result of this action

For example: “He repaired the car for 2 hours” (the action lasted 2 hours, and at the moment he has a result - a working car).

2. The action is still going on

For example: “He has been fixing the car for 2 hours” (he started fixing the car 2 hours ago, was in the process and is still fixing it now).

We can say that the action began some time ago, lasted and:

• ended/continues in the present,
• ended/continued until a certain point in the past,
• will end/will continue until a certain point in the future.

For example

I have been cooking this dinner for 2 hours.
I cooked dinner for 2 hours.

That is, you started cooking 2 hours ago and by now you have the result of your action - a ready-made dinner.

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

Let's talk about the process (Continuous):

I am painting a picture.
I am drawing a picture.

We say that we are currently in the process of drawing. It doesn’t matter to us how much time it has already taken, it is important to us that you are currently involved in this process.

We talk about the result (Perfect)

I have painted a picture.
I painted a picture.

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

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

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

We say that at the moment we have a result - a completed picture. You also point out that you were in the drawing process for one hour to get this result.

2. I have been painting a picture for an hour.
I paint a picture for one hour.

We say that we are now in the process of drawing, while we focus on the fact that we have been busy with this process for an hour. Unlike Continuous times, where we care only about what is happening at a certain (given) moment, and not how long we have been doing this.

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

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

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

Time	Example	Accent
Simple	I did my homework. I was doing my homework.	We're talking about facts. For example, you once studied at university and did your homework. It is a fact.
Continuous	I was doing my homework. I was doing my homework.	We talk about the process, emphasizing the duration of the action. For example, you didn’t clean your room because you were busy doing your homework.
Perfect	I have done my homework. I've done my homework.	We talk about the result. For example, you came to class with your homework ready. The teacher doesn't care how long it took you. He is interested in the result - whether the work is done or not.
Perfect Continuous	I have been doing my homework for 2 hours. I did my homework for 2 hours.	We emphasize not only the result, but also the duration of the action before receiving it. For example, you complain to a friend that homework is too difficult. You spent 2 hours on it and: did it (got the result), still doing at the moment.

Bottom line

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

1. We talk about action as a fact - Simple.

2. We talk about action as a process - Continuous.

3. We talk about action, focusing on the result - Perfect.

4. We talk about the action, emphasizing that it took a certain time before obtaining the result - Perfect Continuous.

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

English grammar seems complicated and confusing to beginners. However, first impressions are deceiving. For example, the tense system is an example of a clearly thought-out and logically constructed scheme that allows you to understand the time of events at the first glance at the verb. Desperate to grasp this logic and comprehend the essence of each aspect? Do not worry! The purpose of today's article is to explain in detail all the tenses in English for dummies, beginners and all those who dedicatedly learned the theory, but still do not know how to apply the memorized rules in practice.

Let's start with a general explanation of the English tense system.

In Russian speech we use three types of tense: present, past and future. In the English language, there are more than 12 types, as many believe. But this is not entirely the right approach.

In fact, the British have exactly the same 3 types of time, but each of them is divided into 4 more subtypes:

• – just an action;
• - an action taking place at a specific moment in time.
• – completed action;
• Perfect Continuous - an action that has been going on for some time, brings certain results, but has not yet been completed.

If you know how to understand these semantic shades, then the use of tenses will not cause any problems. We will try to develop this skill and provide accessible explanations for each aspect.

All the rules for tenses in English for dummies

Here we will find examples of all possible tense groups, an explanation of their use and detailed information about sentence construction.

Present

If for us the present is everything that relates to a given moment, then for the British the present plays with four different colors.

1) Present Simple

Facts, everyday actions, abilities, skills. This aspect carries the most generalized understanding of time.

• I write poems - I write poems(always, every day, never, often, rarely).
• He writes poems– in the 3rd person the predicate is always supplemented with –s.

For questions and negatives, remember to use the auxiliary do.

3) Present Perfect

The result of a completed action. Such sentences are always translated into Russian using perfective verbs (what did you do?). In this case, the duration of action is not indicated specifically, but approximately.

• I have written poems- I wrote poetry(just now, already, not yet, once upon a time, by such and such a day, hour, month).

All types of statements are constructed using the auxiliary verb have (for the 3rd person has).

?	–
Have you written? Has she written?	I haven't written; she hasn't written

4) Present Perfect Continuous

An action that has already brought some results, but is not yet completed. The extent of events over time is emphasized.

• I have been writing poemssince2005 – I write poetry since 2005(from childhood, from such and such a time, from ... to, all day, during, recently).

2) Past Continuous

Events took place at a specific moment in the past.

• She was writing this letter at 5 o’clock yesterday –ShewroteThisletteryesterdayat 5hours(at that moment).

4) Past Perfect Continuous

An action that continued for a long time and was completed at a certain point in the past.

• She had been writing theletterforafewdaysbeforeshesentit– She wrote this letter for several days before sending it.(before when).

2) Future Continuous

The action is planned to take place at a specific point in the future.

• I will be flying to Spain at this time tomorrow –TomorrowVThistimeIwillflyVSpain.

4) Future Perfect Continuous

The action will last until a certain point in the future. This aspect is used in speech extremely rarely.

• By April 15, I will have been living in Spain for 3 months –K 15AprilIwillliveVSpainalready 3month.

?	–
Will you have been living?	I won't have been living.

We hope we have coped with the task and clarified the tenses in English even for dummies. To consolidate the theory you have learned, we recommend solving practical exercises on verb tenses in English.

Good luck in improving your knowledge and see you again!

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Every day I hear from my students that they “use tenses in English at random,” which makes it difficult to speak confidently and freely. English grammar is not difficult, however, we do not have 8-10 years to master it intuitively, as we do with our native language, and therefore we need to get used to the new system of sentence organization in a relatively short time. For some this process is easier, but for others it is more difficult.

In this article we will figure out how tenses work in english and let's go step by step through 6 most important temporary forms. Naturally, we start from practice.

Why are there so many tenses in English?

English time has two components:

TENSE (Grammatical tense) = ASPECT (Simple, Perfect or Continuous) + TIME (Past, Present or Future)

The basic meaning of each aspect will be preserved when moving along the time line and the forms will be formed according to the same pattern (=models) with changes according to time, person and number.

Let's now see how this works in individual tenses.

1. “Simple” complex - Present Simple

The irony is that we start learning English from the most illogical time, from the exception time Present Simple. It is also absent in Slavic languages. When we talk about the present, we mean the current time. And this is not at all about Present Simple. Therefore, it is incomprehensible to us and confusing.

Present Simple is the time that describes repetitive actions or action "in principle". We use it to talk about habits, how things are structured or work, and our beliefs and opinions. Since we don’t have one, we rely on “test” marker words.

Examples

• We go dancing every week. (We go dancing every week)
• He often goes dancing with his wife. (He and his wife often go dancing)
• I don't like Italian cuisine. (I don't like Italian food)
• She doesn't like vegetarian food. (She doesn't like vegetarian food)
• Do you have your own business? (Do you have your own business?)
• Does your husband have his own business? (Does your husband have his own business?)

2. Either the past or the present - Present Perfect

Present Perfect— “borderline” time: it shows the connection between two time points: past and present.

We use Present Perfect For completed actions without specifying time their commission, or for actions lasting some period known to us. It roughly corresponds to our “say” (as opposed to “speak”) or “learn” (as opposed to “learn”).

We often take a long time to get used to this time, so I recommend paying extra attention to it and practicing it more than others.

Examples

• I have been to Cuba twice. (I've been to Cuba twice)
• Have you seen this new Tarantino’s movie yet? (Have you seen Tarantino's new film yet?)
• They have just announced a new iPhone. (They just announced a new iPhone)
• She hasn't been on holiday this year. (She hasn't been on vacation yet this year)
• Why hasn't she told me? (Why didn't she tell me?)
• They have known each other since university. (They know each other from university)
• I have been here for 2 years. (I've been here for two years)

3. Present past - Past Simple

Another exception tense: simple past (Past Simple). Which is funny, because it’s precisely what it’s not: it’s what we have to cram for. Time Past Simple at the same time it is the most common in the English language. THE MOST. Without it, we will not be able to tell anything or communicate.

We use Past Simple to talk about events in the past, especially for narratives where several events happened in succession.

Examples

• We had an amazing holiday in France last year. (We had a great holiday in France last year)
• They finished the meeting 5 minutes ago. (They finished the meeting 5 minutes ago)
• When did you start this job? (When did you start working there?)
• I last saw him at the budget meeting. (I last saw him at the budget meeting)
• She took some things from the shelf and left the room. (She took a couple of things from the shelf and left the room)
• It got dark so soon that we needed to find a hotel for the night. (It got dark so quickly that we had to find a hotel to stay for the night)

4. How to talk about the process - Present Continuous

Present Continuous/Progressive- time expressing the aspect of “process”. It is easily felt with the help of test phrases “in progress, not finished yet, at the moment.”

In the Continuous/Progressive aspect, only action verbs can be used.

We use Present Continuous to describe the situation that we are currently observing or some unfinished projects, something temporary and current. IMPORTANT: At Continuous we We cannot indicate how long the action lasts.

Examples

• We are thinking of hiring a lawyer. (We're going to hire a lawyer)
• Why are you crying? (Why are you crying?)
• What are you working on at the moment? (What are you working on now?)
• Do you know this person? (Are you knowing this person? would be wrong)
• He is completing his engineering course at MIT. (He is studying engineering at MIT)

5. Process with duration - Present Perfect Continuous

The following important spoken tenses in English are: Present Perfect Continuous. Unfortunately, it is not entirely clear to us, because we do not feel it at all. Here we will directly depend on external duration marker.

And yes, it is indeed used in colloquial speech. For native speakers, this tense is quite natural and often used.

Present Perfect Continuous combines both “process” and “result”. Thus, it expresses an action that has already lasted for a certain period of time and is still (more often than not, will continue). ATTENTION: same as Present Continuous, it can only be used with action verbs.

Examples

• She has been working here for 2 months. (She has been working here for 2 months)
• How long have you been driving? (How long have you been driving? / How long have you been driving?)
• For the last two days, I 've been thinking of changing the job. (I've been thinking about changing jobs for the past two days)
• Have you been drinking? Why do you look drunk? (What have you been drinking? Why do you look drunk?)
• Are you learning to play the piano? (without duration) / How long have you been learning to play the piano? (with duration) (Are you learning to play the piano? / How long have you been learning to play the piano?)

6. The future is uncertain - Future Simple

Future Simple is one of the important tenses in English, although not the most frequently used. In the future, the position of the action on the timeline becomes unimportant.

We use Future Simple for what WE THINK will happen. But it is never used for plans and intentions.

Examples

• He will probably go to university to study maths. (He will apparently go to university to study mathematics)
• Can you please find the data about the last transaction? — I will do it after lunch. (Please find the data on the last operation. - Yes, I will do it after lunch)
• I think she will move in with him soon. (I think she will move soon, she will move to live with him)
• Bitcoin will keep rising this year. (Bitcoin will continue to rise this year - as forecast)
• Tomorrow it will rain