5 times in English. Tenses in English: a detailed explanation. Negative and interrogative sentences in Present Simple

It is one of the most difficult questions in teaching. Any learner of English, naturally, tries to master its grammar, relying on knowledge of the grammar of his language. And often the difficulties are caused by those grammatical structures, which have no analogues in the Russian language. For example, it is difficult for a Russian-speaking student to understand why there are more than a dozen different tenses in English, although in Russian we get along just fine with three.

It is in such cases that the grammar of the English language comes to the rescue in tables, where you can clearly trace the common features and differences of different grammatical forms. Teachers note that English grammar in tables and diagrams is much easier to store in memory and subsequently turns out to be easier to apply in practice.

So, let's make a table of the nine basic tenses of the English language. Before going directly to the table, you need to know a few basic rules that apply to any English tense.

• At any time of the English language there is auxiliary in addition to main verb (predicate).
• In a negative sentence of any tense, the particle not is added to auxiliary verb and put before main verb - predicate.
• In any question of any tense of the English language, it is necessary to use auxiliary, which is placed before the subject.

There are three main groups of English tenses:

1. Simple (or Indefinite) - simple,
2. Continuous (or Progressive) - long,
3. Perfect - completed.

Each of these groups has its own
Present - Present,
Past - Past and
Future - Future .

Thus, in our table we get nine times of the English language - three times in three groups. Consider first the three times of the Simple group, then Continuous and, finally, Perfect. In the process of studying the tables, pay attention to the common features of each group of tenses, as well as the form of the main verb in the tenses of each group.

English grammar in tables

Thus, from these tables it can be understood that each group has a common feature both in meaning and in the form of the times included in it.

• Simple group times are indeterminate actions not associated with any moment.
• The times of the Continuous group are prolonged action, process. In form, all tenses of this group use the verb be in the present, past or future, and the ending -ing of the main verb.
• Perfect band times are completed activities implying a result. All tenses of this group use the verb have in the present, past or future, and the third form of the semantic verb.

Also note that the auxiliary verb will is common to all groups in the future tense.

Present Perfect Continuous, Past Perfect Continuous, Future in the Past Continuous

Long times are not something easy, however, you can delve into their structure if you understand how they are formed and what functionality they perform.

We present to your attention a detailed table that reveals in detail the essence of these difficult grammatical phenomena. This is a kind of “memo for dummies”, helping out when you urgently need to remember this grammatical rule.

Tables of tenses of the English language help to easily understand the logic of building various grammatical structures of the English language and are a good help in doing exercises.

You can apply the acquired knowledge in practice and continue learning on our website. Here you will find all the basic rules, practice applying them in unique exercises, get real pleasure from professionally voiced texts of various levels and you will be able to choose the training material that is right for you.

English grammar exercises

After you have studied the English grammar tables, try the exercises to consolidate your knowledge.

Complete the sentence with the missing word

Fill in the gaps with the right words

Put the words in the correct order

Summer go every we usuallyevery camping usually ... summer go every we usuallyevery camping usually ... summer go every we usuallyevery camping usually ... summer go every we usuallyevery camping usually ... summer go every we usuallyevery camping usually ... summer go every we usually every camping usually .

Uncle to year Spain last went my ... uncle to year Spain last went my ... uncle to year Spain last went my ... uncle to year Spain last went my ... uncle to year Spain last went my ... uncle to year Spain last went my ... uncle to year Spain last went my .

The study of times is an integral part of getting to know the linguistics of another country. Without a clear understanding of the rules and understanding of grammatical subtleties, it is impossible to build a general picture of how to use verb tenses in English.

British colloquial speech is characterized by an extensive system of verb combinations, and therefore requires close attention. This article provides a detailed explanation of verb forms. You can either study each time separately, or immediately go to the summary.

Temporary forms in English

For people planning to learn English, times play an important role. This is one of the difficult topics, the understanding of which is the key to the correct construction of sentences in English. You can learn it by carefully studying this article. In it you will find many examples of the use of temporary forms and translations of sentences into Russian. In modern grammars, there are various approaches to highlighting the tense of a foreign speech verb. However, the inhabitants of foggy Albion, according to the classical version, indicate 12 temporary forms.

In the article we will consider in detail their varieties, as well as simply and clearly analyze the rules of use and formation. According to this approach, there are three forms:

• past tense ( Past );
• present ( present );
• Future tense ( Future ).

Each option has four groups: continuous (long), Simple (simple) perfect continuous (perfect continuous) Perfect (perfect). This is how the general table of English tenses looks like:

1. Present tense (Group Present Tenses)

Present Indefinite, or as it is also called, Present Simple, in English is used to indicate that the action is happening at the moment of speech. There are 4 forms.

1.1 Present Simple (Present Simple)

Present Simple time is used in many cases. Let's look at them:

1. To emphasize the regularity of actions performed in the present. She wakes up at 6 am. - She gets up at 6 am. She gets up at the same time every day.
2. To state generally known facts, truths, axioms, etc. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west - The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
3. English tenses use this form when retelling a sequence of actions taking place in the present tense. The boy comes to visit his grandmother, greets her and gives her flowers - The boy comes to his grandmother, greets her and gives her flowers.
4. To indicate the daily routine, schedule, work schedule, etc. The shop opens at 9 am. - Shop opens at 9 am.
5. To point out habits. He drinks 5 cups of coffee a day - He drinks 5 cups of coffee a day.

Formation Rule: This form is the easiest of all. To form the present simple tense in English, you need to add an infinitive without the to particle to the subject. Remember that in the 3rd person singular (he\she\it) the suffix -s\-es is added to the infinitive.

The cat eats mice. - The cat eats mice. (eat+s)

We go to the movies. - We go to the movies.

The verb to be has special forms of conjugation in the present tense:

I am
He\she\it - is
You, we, they are

The tenses of the present group are made negative by adding the particle not to the auxiliary verb: do (I\we\they)\does (he\she\it) + not+ v1.

She does not go to the theatre. She doesn't go to the theatre.

I do not drink hard drinks. - I don't drink alcohol.

Tenses in English have an inversion in interrogative sentences: the auxiliary verb comes first ( do\does), the second place is occupied by the subject, then comes the semantic verb. For example, Does she go for a picnic with us? - She goes to a picnic with us.?

There are certain time markers, the use of which in speech indicates the need to use a certain verb form. So, the present tense in English is used if there are the following words: usually (usually); once in a while (sometimes); often (often); always (always); regularly (regularly); sometimes (sometimes), from time to time (from time to time).

1.2 Present Continuous (Present Continuous)

The Present Continuous is used to denote an action taking place at the moment of speaking, as well as an action planned in the near future.

He is watching TV now. - He is watching TV now.

They are going to the theater tonight. They are going to the theater tonight.

Formation rule: the present continuous tense in Continuous Tense is formed with the help of the auxiliary verb to be in the desired form + v4 (verb with the ending -Ing).

The mother is cooking dinner. - Mom is cooking dinner.

Present tenses in English form a negation by adding a particle not after the auxiliary verb used.

John is not reading a book now. John is not reading a book now.

In interrogative sentences, inversion occurs (like the present simple tense): the auxiliary verb comes first, then the subject and predicate come. Below is where you can find all the constructions and tenses in English: a table with examples and marker words.

Is he reading a book now? - Is he reading a book now?

1.3 Present perfect tense (Present Perfect)

The Present Perfect is used when talking about an action that started in the past, but has a result in the present, or has not yet ended at the time of speech. For example: The boy has broken the window. - The boy broke the window.

Formation rules: The form uses the verb to have as an auxiliary + v3. The table of English tenses below includes the constructions of all combinations.

V3- the form of the irregular verb is in the third column of the table. If the verb is correct, it is necessary to add the ending to the infinitive - ed.

They have finished their work. - They've finished their work.

The mother has already found her earing. - Mom has already found her earring.

In negative sentences not placed after the auxiliary verb used.

The mother has not found her earing yet. Mom hasn't found her earring yet.

Interrogative sentences are built in the same way as the previous tense forms of verbs. The auxiliary verb comes first, then the subject and the predicate.

Has he finished his work yet? - Has he finished his work yet?

In this example, you can mark markers such as already (already), not ... yet (not yet), just (just), this week (this week).

1.4 Present Perfect Continuous (Present Perfect Continuous)

Some verb tenses are similar in usage. So, the real perfect long tense form is similar to the real perfect with the only difference being that here the emphasis is on the duration of the process. That is, the period includes an action that began in the past, lasted for some time and ended shortly before the moment of speech, or is still ongoing.

I have been washing my car. - I washed my car.

If you see the combination of auxiliary verbs have\has been, the tense in English is the present perfect continuous, whose formation formula is to have+ been +v4 (-ing).

In negative sentences not takes a position after the auxiliary verb.

My father has not been watching TV. - My dad didn't watch TV.

In interrogative sentences, the subject and the auxiliary verb are reversed.

Have you been playing tennis? - Did you play tennis?

Often there are words helpers in English tenses. So, since (from), all day (all day), by (to ...), for (during), when (when) are markers of the present perfect long time.

2. Future tense (Future Tenses group)

Future tense Future Indefinite (Simple) in English is used to indicate future actions and exists in four forms.

2.1 Future Simple

The future simple tense indicates an action that is yet to happen.

The Future Simple is formed with the verb will + the infinitive without the to particle.

I will do homework.- I will do my homework.

In negative sentences, the formation of tenses is similar in that the third position is occupied by a negative particle not, and in interrogative sentences the already known inversion is used: auxiliary verb - subject - main verb.

She will not (won't) wash her car. She won't wash her car.

Will she wash her car? - Will she wash her car?

The times of the future group use such auxiliary indicators as tomorrow (tomorrow), in a few days (in a few days), next week (next week), etc.

2.2 Future Continuous

The future long tense is used when it is necessary to say about an action or process that will take place at a certain period of time in the future.

Future Continuous is formed using the verb will + be + v4.

Negative and interrogative variants are formed similarly to the previous examples. for those who want to have before their eyes all tenses in English: the table includes the structured information given in the article.

She will be singing a song when he comes. - She will sing a song when he comes.

She will not be signing a song when he comes. - She won't sing a song when he comes.

Will she be writing a letter when he comes? - Will she sing a song when he comes?

Often when acts as an indicator of the future tense. The table of English tenses below includes possible helper words.

2.3 Future Perfect

The future perfect is used when the speaker intends to complete some action by a specified time in the future.

The Future Perfect construction is formed using the verb will + have + v3.

I will have washed my car by 6 pm. - I will have washed my car by 6 o'clock in the evening.

I will not have washed my car by 6 pm. - I won't have washed my car by 6 pm.

Will you have washed your car by 6 pm? - Will you have washed your car by 6 pm?

Often, the future perfect tense in English is used by as an indicator of a certain period.

2.4 Future Perfect Continuous

The Future Perfect Continuous is rarely used in English. The cases of application are close in the future perfect with the only difference that the period under consideration emphasizes the duration of the action / process.

Future Perfect Continuous is formed by using auxiliary verbs will + have + been + v4.

She will have been studying here for 5 months by December. - By December, she will have been studying here for 5 months.

3. Past tense (Past Tenses group)

3.1 Past Simple

The simple past tense in English is used to denote a single action in the past or a sequence of actions.

To form Past Simple, you need to put the main verb in the 2nd form. For regular verbs, you must add the suffix -ed, and the irregular form must be looked for in the second column of the table of irregular verbs.

She saw me yesterday. - She saw me yesterday.

He finished his work yesterday. - He finished work yesterday.

The negative form of the past simple tense is formed using do in past tense (did) + not + body infinitive without to. includes information about each option.

She did not see me yesterday. - She didn't see me yesterday.

The past tense in English forms interrogative sentences using inversion: did takes the first position:

Did she see you yesterday? - Did she see you yesterday?

3.2 Past Continuous

The past continuous is used when it is necessary to denote an action that took place at a certain moment in the past.

To get the Past Continuous, you need to put to be in the past tense (was\were) +v4.

She was writing a letter at 3 o'clock yesterday. She was writing a letter at 3 o'clock yesterday.

3.3 Past perfect tense (Past Perfect)

The past perfect tense shows the precedence of an action in the past.

Past Perfect is formed by putting the verb to have in the past tense (had) + v3.

By the way, it is useless to look for an answer what type of verb had been v3: what time is impossible to say, because such a verb form does not exist. It is possible to use either had been + v4 or had + v3.

I had washed the dishes before I went to the theatre. - I washed the dishes before I went to the theatre.

3.4 Past perfect continuous tense (Past Perfect Continuous)

The tenses of the past group include the past perfect continuous tense, which is used to emphasize a segment of the preceding process in the past.

Past Perfect Continuous is formed using the verbs had + been + v4.

I had been washing my car before you came. - I was washing my car before you came.

A table of temporary forms is attached to the lesson, which will help you better understand their use.

Table of English tenses

Anyone who went through this in school recalled with horror the huge circuits, the abundance of additional particles, complex structures.

Both events happened in the past. Perhaps there is a difference? Of course have! She "sat" for several hours. The action when she "sat down" just happened. Also, various questions are asked to these proposals.

What did you do? - Sat.

What did she do? - Sela.

In our language, this is called the imperfect and perfect form of the verb. This means that within each time we have its varieties.

You can say "Masha was resting by the lake in the morning." She was there for a long time, but then she left. What is happening lasts, but not indefinitely.

So it is in Russian - without explanation it is not clear.

The British - smart guys - clearly put everything on the shelves.

Only three tenses in English?

They are divided into three groups:

The past has happened before. The present, accordingly, is happening here and now, and the future will only happen for now.

Now consider the duration

1. Simple. This is an action in general: regular, repetitive. I am going to school. In general: yesterday, today, tomorrow. I am, have been and will be a student.
2. Continuous. Means a specific long-term action. I'm going to the university. I am not talking about the fact that I am a student and attend lectures every day, but that I am on my way there.
3. Perfect (Perfect). We need sentences in this tense to show how actions in the past have affected the present. I went to the store and bought a large bag of groceries. I did it an hour ago, but now we have something to cook a delicious dinner from.
4. Perfect continuous (Perfect Continuous). Applicable when I did something for a long time and finished. Let's say, since I've been cooking borscht, my wife has washed the dishes.

If you combine all 12 tenses of the English language into a table with examples, it will become clearer.

Plus, you don't need to use qualifying words: "now", "from five to seven" and so on.

So many versions… How are they formed?

Group Simple

present simple

It tells us about some regular events. Or about things for which time does not play a special role.

Often accompanied by these words:

usually (usual), every day, week, month (every day, week, month), often (often), always (always).

This is the kind that is given in the dictionary. Designated Verb 1.

Lilli always sleeps till 9 o'clock. Lily always sleeps until nine o'clock.

My friend usually goes to the beach after work. My friend usually goes to the beach after work.

past simple

Reports about some actions committed in the past. Simply speaks of the fact of action, without focusing on duration.

❗At this time, we are talking about actions in the past that have nothing to do with the present.❗

Signal words:

yesterday (yesterday), last week (last week), a long time ago (a long ago).

It is formed by adding the -ed particle to the semantic verb, or we take the verb we need from the second column.

My father worked on this company. Dad worked for this company. ( Only the fact matters.)

Ann was very beautiful. Anna was very beautiful.

Future Simple

It simply reports something that will take place in the future.

Add the following words:

tomorrow (tomorrow), next year (next year).

❗Be sure to put will before the predicate.❗

My uncle will call you tomorrow. My uncle will call you tomorrow.

My sister will do it next week. My sister will do it next week.

❗The Simple group is used most often in normal conversation. Therefore, we advise you to start learning from it. In addition, it is also quite easy to learn.❗

Group Continuous

❗It matters when it happens.❗

This is not a regular activity. It happens all at once at a specific time.

Words to help:

now (now), tomorrow/yesterday at 5 o'clock (tomorrow/yesterday at 5 o'clock), when you came (when you came), etc.

To correctly form this tense, we need the verb to be and the ing form of the verb.

Natasha is drinking tea. Natasha is drinking tea (now).

Steve was listening to the radio. Steve was listening to the radio. (when called.)

Alice will be cooking after classes. After class Alice will cook.

❗Belonging to the past and present is determined by the form of the verb to be (am, is, are, was, were). The first 3 are for the present, the remaining 2 are for the past (and remember the person and number☺). When it comes to the future, we use will be.❗

Group Perfect

Recall that this is something accomplished.

Offers include:

until that time (by the time), before (until), when (when), as soon as (as soon as), ever (ever), never (never), already (already, earlier), so far (before until now), lately (for a long time, lately)

Present Perfect

We talk about an action or event that happened before, but is related to the present.

❗The uniqueness of this time is that an action done in the past has a result in the present.❗

Put have or has (depending on the person and number) before the semantic verb, which must be put in the 3rd form. To do this, add the ending -ed to the regular verbs, and in the list of irregular verbs we take the one we need from the 3rd column. Linda has lost her passport. Linda has lost her passport. (She did it recently, so she won't be able to fly abroad for this reason.)

Aunt Mary has learned these rules already. Aunt Mary has already learned these rules. (She has learned them and will be able to put them into practice now.)

past perfect

It is used when you have finished doing something by a certain moment in the past, it is formed in the same way as the previous one, only has has changed to had.

The moment by which the action ended, we express the verb in Past Simple.

Father had cooked dinner before I came. My father had prepared dinner before I arrived.

Jane had finished her homework when we arrived. Jane had finished her homework when we arrived.

Future Perfect

Indicates that an action has been completed by a specific time or event in the future.

To express the end of an event by some action, the Present Simple is used.

Use it according to the formula: will have + past participle.

Helen will have arrived by tomorrow evening. Helen will arrive tomorrow evening.

Michael will have typed it when his friend returns. Michael will have it printed by the time his friends arrive.

Perfect Continuous Group

It differs from the Perfect family mainly in that it emphasizes the duration of action.

❗This group of tenses is rarely used in ordinary conversation.❗

The construction looks like this: have/has (had/will have) + been + verb1 + ing.

Victor had been reading an article for half an hour before his friend called him. Victor read the article for about half an hour before his friend called him.

Chloe has been traveling for 5 years. Chloe has been traveling for five years now. (still continues to travel).

Andrew will have been playing the piano for 10 years next month. Andrew will be 10 years old next month playing the piano.

To make everything easy to remember, let's look at the table with the formula for each time.

How are Verb1, Verb2 and Verb3 formed? And why helped, but wrote (rather than written)?

Dictionaries always contain the infinitive. It looks like this:

to help, to write (sometimes without the to particle).

This is the main form (Verb1) in which it is used in Present Simple.

Verb2 and Verb3 are formed directly from the main form. We add the ending ed to our semantic verb.

Help + ed = helped.

This rule is. But there are exceptions to it.

They are presented in . And write also applies to them. Therefore, we do not use written, but wrote (the second column of the table). And in the third form - written (third column).

For the final consolidation, we suggest that you repeat the 12 tenses of the English language using the example of the charming cat Boni, who has fun catching mice.

How to remember everything?

• Don't try to learn everything at once. Start with one group (like Simple). Move on to the next one only after a good fixation of the previous one.
• Exercise to bring to automatism.
• Try to really understand when what time is applied. Without a clear understanding, you will be confused in them.
• Perform different types of exercises: text coupled with audio.
• Try to mentally determine when your actions occur. You woke up. Is it Present Simple? Or washing dishes. It must be Present Continuous. Try to apply knowledge in everyday life.
• Learn the most commonly used irregular verbs. It is impossible to speak without their participation.
• Rest! If you do it by force, you will not achieve much success. Better less, but more often.

The formation of tenses in English is subject to strict rules of grammar. Here it is important to observe the order of words and the coordination of tenses. For each life situation, a certain temporary construction is selected.

In English, the form of the verb is not affected by gender, so, for example, in the phrases “He said” and “She said”, only pronouns will differ, and the verb (the verb) will not change and will sound like said. But this is little consolation for those who decide to become a pro in English. After all, you will have to master 12 times. And about what these temporary forms are, how they are formed, and, in fact, why you need to learn how to operate with this very time, we will talk below.

How times are formed
in English?

The formation of English tenses occurs with the help of auxiliary verbs. Also, depending on the tense form, the ending of the semantic verb changes.

Why is it important to distinguish tenses when learning a language?

If you do not want to get lost in time, and also completely confuse your interlocutor, then you will first have to master at least the Present group. Of course, in everyday life, native speakers themselves do not operate with all 12 tenses. Much also depends on whether we are talking about British English or American English. It is believed that Americans are not so scrupulous in matters of grammar, so some flaws are easily forgiven to foreigners. But still, in order not to find yourself in a situation lost in translation, that is, not to get lost in translation, it is important to understand how tenses are formed in English.

Russian and English times: similarities and differences

We are accustomed to three tenses: present, past and future. This is why English grammar seems so difficult. In fact, in Russian there are three tenses for us. For those who study our language as a foreign language, the situation with temporary forms does not look so rosy. They say that foreigners can spend more than one month studying the verb “go” alone. There are also present, past and future tenses in English, which are called, respectively, Present, Past and Future. Everything is simple here: if, for example, we are talking about a fact that happened in the past, then we use Past. But the problem is that in English, the past tense alone can have 4 forms.

Formation of tenses in English: table

In each of the three tenses (Present, Past and Future) there are four more subgroups:

Simple
Continuous
Perfect
Perfect Continuous

This is where the 12 tenses come from. The main questions about English tenses usually arise when the student moves from the Simple group to the more complex Continuous or Perfect. It is not easy for a Russian person to understand why continuous and perfect forms are still needed, and why the same phrase, like “I worked”, can be said both as “I worked” and “I have worked”.

The use of tenses in English: a table with examples

Questions about the tenses of the English language will disappear by themselves if you master the main rules for constructing temporary forms and learn how to automatically determine which group this or that situation can be attributed to. In short, the tenses of the Simple group are used to denote single actions. The Continuous group combines actions stretched over time. Perfect characterizes processes completed by some point in the past, present or future. The most difficult and little used of all tenses in English are the tenses of the Perfect Continuous group. The perfect long tense also characterizes actions completed by a certain moment, however, these actions are extended in time.

How are the tenses of the Simple group formed?

The times of the Simple group will have to be mastered even by those who need to learn only the simplest spoken English. Without knowledge of the forms of the simple verb to be, you simply cannot tell elementary information about yourself. The temporary group Simple is used to describe an action in general, without focusing on its duration or completeness.

Formation of tenses in English. Table for the Simple group:

Present Simple, or Simple present tense in English

Present tenses in English are used to characterize actions taking place in the present tense. We turn to Present Simple in those situations when we want to provide some general information about a person (tell about his belonging to some class, profession, etc.). For example, "I am a student" (I am a student). Also, the present simple tense is needed to report an action that is repeated systematically. For example, "He cooks" (he cooks). In this example, it means that he, in principle, knows how to cook food, does it all the time, and not at any particular period of time. Also present simpl is used for:

· Descriptions of natural phenomena and facts (The Earth goes around the Sun - the Earth revolves around the Sun);

· Sports comments (Messi scores a goal - Messi scores a goal);

· Schedules of transport, broadcasts, movie shows, etc. (The train from Moscow arrives at 6:05 p.m. - The train from Moscow arrives at 18:05);

· Internal state, feelings (Do you want to go away? - Do you want to leave?).

You can also recognize Present Simple in speech by marker words that determine the frequency of the action:

· always (always);
usually (usually);
· never (never);
sometimes (sometimes);
· rarely (infrequently);
seldom (rarely);
regularly (regularly);
· every day (every day);
often (often).

Past Simple (Simple Past)

The tenses of the past group characterize actions committed in the past. We use Past Simple when we need to report a repeating action in the past. In order to build an interrogative or negative form, we need the auxiliary verb did. In this case, the main verb will not change. You can also understand that Past Simple is in front of you by such marker words as:

· Yesterday (yesterday);
In 2008 (in 2008);
15 years ago (15 years ago);
· last week (last week);
the day before yesterday (the day before yesterday).

The simple present tense tells us about a fact or a single simple action completed in the past. For example, "In 2000 Angelina Jolie won an Oscar - In 2008, Angelina Jolie won an Oscar." Past Simple also characterizes several actions that happened in the past in chronological order (“I came home, called Jane and had dinner with my friend - I came home, called Jane and had lunch with my friend”). In order to report an action that has been repeated many times in the past, you will also need Past Simple (I took Spanish courses when I was young - I went to Spanish courses when I was young).

Future Simple (Future Simple)

The tenses of the Future group English grammar “marks” with the auxiliary verb will. Are you saying that some action will happen in the future? Just add will to the semantic verb. The Future Simple tense is used in the following situations:

· Single simple action in the future (I will sign it - I will sign it);

The decision that we make at the time of the conversation (I will buy a ticket and you stay here - I will buy a ticket, and you stay here);

· Actions that are repeated in the future (I will visit Jane a few times in Paris - I will visit Jane in Paris several times);

· Identification of several actions that take place in the future sequentially (I will meet with him and I will explain how to do this - I will meet with him and explain how to do this).

Future Simple is often accompanied in a sentence by such circumstances of time as:

tomorrow (tomorrow);
next summer (next summer);
in ten years (in ten years);
in 2020 (in 2020).

Group Times Continuous
in English

For a Russian-speaking person, the times of the Continuous group are quite difficult to understand. After all, for us there is no difference whether the action is taking place at the present moment or whether we perform it periodically. A Russian-speaking person will say "I'm watching TV" regardless of whether he enjoys watching a TV show at the moment, or whether this process is part of his daily habit. In English grammar, Continuous tenses are needed to describe an action that is stretched out in the process. This is any long-term action that takes place at a certain moment.

Grammatical tenses in English. Table for the Continuous group:

Present Continuous (Present Continuous)

If the action occurs at the moment of speech, then we use the Present Continuous, or the present continuous. This temporary construction is built using the auxiliary verb to be, which, depending on the person and number, takes one of three forms. For the pronoun I (I), we use the form am. In the third person singular (pronouns he, she, it) to be takes the form is, and in the plural - are.

Let's look at how Present Continuous is used with specific examples:

I am looking at you - I am looking at you (now, that is, at the moment of speech).

His English is getting better - His English is getting better (action is in progress).

She is working from 9 till 7 - She works from 9 to 7 (an action that covers a period of time in the present).

I am meeting him at 7 at the cinema - I meet him at 7 o'clock at the cinema (an action that is planned, and at the same time we know the time and place).

They are going to the opera - They go to the opera (action in the near future, Present Continuous in this case is used exclusively with verbs of motion).

He is always annoying me - He always annoys me (expression of a negative assessment about a habit, regular behavior).

To help recognize the present continuous tense in speech, marker words such as now (now) and at the moment (at the moment) can help. If we are talking about some kind of habit and inclination (often in a negative context), then in this case Present Continuous is accompanied by the following adverbs:

· all the time (all the time);
· always (always);
constantly (constantly).

Past Continuous (Past Continuous)

The tenses of the past group, as a rule, refer to the second form of the verb. The Past Continuous is no exception in this regard. This tense is formed by adding the 2nd form of the auxiliary verb to be, namely was for the singular and were for the plural. The ending -ing is necessarily added to the semantic verb.

The Past Continuous should be used in the following situations:

Long-term action that in the past took place in a certain period (He was playing football at 11 o "clock - He played football at 11 o'clock);

An action that took place in the past while another action took place (He was reading when somebody knocked at his window - He read when someone knocked on the window).

Also, Past Continuous can often be found in descriptive literary texts, where the author sets the task of creating the right atmosphere:

It was getting dark, and the wind was howling - It was getting dark and the wind was howling.

In phrases with Past Continuous, we often observe circumstances that indicate a period of time:

all day long (all day);
· all the time (all the time);
the whole day (the whole day);
· from 7 till 11 (from 7 to 11).

Future Continuous (Future Continuous)

Not all tenses in English have Russian counterparts. For example, Future Continuous from the point of view of a Russian speaker is unlikely to be any different from a simple future. However, residents of English-speaking countries refer to this time in the following situations:

· A continuous action that will take place at a certain point in the future (This time next Monday she will be flying to Paris - Next Monday at this time she will fly to Paris);

· A long-term action against the background of which another shorter one will occur in the future. At the same time, we do not know whether the first action will be interrupted or will be continued. (We will be sleeping when he arrives to New York - We will sleep when he arrives in New York);

To denote two or more actions that will take place in the future at the same time (While they are playing chess I will be cooking dinner - While they are playing chess, I will cook dinner).

Future Continuous is formed using the auxiliary form will be and the semantic verb with the ending -ing.

The future continuous tense can also be recognized by marker words. These could be times:

at 5 o "clock (at five o'clock);
at that moment (at this moment);
in an hour (in an hour);
This time tomorrow (at the same time tomorrow), etc.

If we are talking about subordinate clauses with Future Continuous, then here we often see unions such as: if (if), as (while), while (while), when (when), until (not yet), before (before).

Perfect band times

The Perfect group can be briefly characterized by the word “result”. The completion of the action here is associated with some specific moment in the present, past or future.

How tenses are formed in English. Table for the Perfect group:

The 3rd form of a verb in English is formed by adding the ending -ed to the stem. The exception is irregular verbs, which do not change according to the rules. In this case, the form will have to be remembered.

Present Perfect (Present Perfect)

Examples of Present Perfect in school textbooks do not always allow you to get a complete picture of how to actually use this time. In fact, it is very widespread. Present Perfect is usually used in such situations:

1. To denote an action that is already absolutely completed in the past, but, nevertheless, it is still connected with the present through the result (I have read this book so you can take it - I have already read this book, so you can take it);
2. To characterize an action that began in the past, but at the same time, it continues at the present moment (I have lived in London for 6 years - We have been living in London for 6 years).

In sentences with the present perfect tense, there are often adverbs and circumstances that emphasize the effectiveness of the action:

· never (never);
just (just now);
already (already);
yet (yet);
· ever (ever);

For example: Have you ever been to Cyprus? - Have you ever been to Cyprus?

Past Perfect (Past perfect tense)

If the action was completed before a certain moment or action in the past, then, according to the rules of English grammar, you will have to choose the Past Perfect tense. For example, "The rain had stopped before he woke up - The rain ended before he woke up." Or: "By that time they had finished their work - By that time they had finished their work."

You can often recognize the Past Perfect by the union by and circumstances of time, like: by that time (by that time), by Monday (by Monday), by then (by that time), etc.

Future Perfect (Future perfect tense)

Future Perfect is used in situations where we need to report an action that will be completed before a certain point in the future: "I will have written the article by night - I will write an article by night." We also use the future perfect tense when we talk about some kind of supposed action that took place in the past. In other words, the Future Perfect is needed in order to express an assumption about what probably happened. For example, "You will have noticed our attitude to this problem - You (surely) noticed our attitude to this problem."

The marker phrases for the Future Perfect are also circumstances of time that indicate the moment for the completion of the action:

by Sunday (by Sunday);
by that time (by that time);
by 2033 (by 2033).

Formation of group times
Perfect Continuous

The times of the Perfect Continuous group in colloquial speech are not so common. Students usually start with these constructions at later stages. As the name implies, Perfect Continuous describes a continuous action that has begun, continues and ends at a certain point.

Grammatical tenses in English. Table for the Perfect Continuous group:

Present Perfect Continuous (Present Perfect Continuous)

The Present Perfect Continuous shows an action that started in the past and continues to the moment of speaking. For example: "She has been working for 5 hours already - She has already been working for 5 hours." This time is also used to characterize a long-term action that has just ended, the result of which affects the present: "I"m tired. We have been working all night - I'm tired. We worked all night."

In phrases with the present perfect continuous tense in English, there are often circumstances of time and other phrases that indicate the time period during which the action is performed. For example:

for a week (during the week);
Since morning (from the morning);
lately (recently);
· all my life (all my life), etc.

Past Perfect Continuous (Past Perfect Continuous)

The Past Perfect Continuous is similar to the previous one, but describes an extended action that began in the past up to a certain point (which also happened in the past and is always used in the Past Simple). This process may continue or end just before this very moment.

"Tom had been reading for 2 hours when Jane came - Tom had been reading for two hours when Jane came." In this case, the action began before Jane arrived. At the same time, Tom continues to read even after being interrupted.

The past perfect continuous tense is characterized by the use of temporary marker phrases, such as:

for five months (within 5 months);
for a long time (for a long time);
Since 7 o "clock (from 7 o'clock), etc.

Future Perfect Continuous (Future Perfect Continuous)

Among all the tenses of English grammar, Future Perfect Continuous is the least common in speech. This tense describes a continuous action that will begin in the future and continue until a certain moment (it is used in the Future Simple):

He will be resting for a week when she will join him - He will be resting for a whole week when she joins him.

Learning to distinguish English tenses is not as difficult as it seems at first glance: marker words will help you navigate. Remember that the simple past tense, for example, can be determined from a specific date. The ending -ing in the verb indicates that the action is not single, but continuous, that is, continuing. It is important to remember that if you start a sentence with past tense verbs, then the second part of the sentence must also use the past tense. Of course, in this matter one cannot do without practice. Watch as many English-language films and TV shows as possible, read books, and gradually you will learn to feel the tenses of the English language and stop thinking about where to put which verb.

And now we will look at examples of the basics of making simple sentences to express the past, present and future tense.

Building sentences in the Simple group

affirmative sentences

Let's start with Present Simple. All affirmative sentences are built according to the following scheme:

1. "I" in this example is the subject. Do not confuse it with the object, since the subject performs the action, and it is performed on the object. Moreover, in Russian, the order of words is not important to us, because it is already clear who performs the action. We can freely say: "I eat the cake." But in English, it’s not possible to build a sentence like this, because the one who performs the action must be in the first place, otherwise they will simply laugh at you when you say: “The cake eats me.” Even through the passive voice, such a phrase will sound very strange.
2. In second place should be the predicate, which expresses the action itself. In Russian, there are often sentences with an incomplete grammatical basis, where there is no subject or predicate, or both are absent. In the latter case, we are dealing with an impersonal sentence: "Dark." In English, there must always be a subject and a verb. So, if there is no verb in the Russian sentence, then in English it will definitely appear. Let's take for example a one-part sentence in which there is no predicate: "The phone is on the table." To translate it correctly, we need to use the verb "to be", which will connect the subject with the predicate. As a result, the phrase will literally be translated as: "The phone is on the table."
3. In third place, the secondary members of the sentence lined up according to a certain rule: first there is a direct object (answers the question “who?”, “What?”, “Who?”), then indirect (answers the same questions, but with the prepositions “with whom ?”, “to whom?”, etc.). This rule is not always observed and is not strict.

As in Russian, English verbs change depending on the person. The main changes occur in the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), where the suffix "s" or "es" is added to the predicate. As a result, we get the sentence: "He goes to school."

Negative sentences

In addition to the affirmation, there is also a negation, the scheme of which is as follows:

In this scheme, all the same components are found, except for the linking verb "do" and the particle "not", which is equivalent to the negative particle "not" in Russian. What is an auxiliary verb and why is it needed? Unlike Russian, where we simply put the “not” particle before the verb, in English, the “not” particle must be preceded by an auxiliary verb. It is different for each tense, and in the case of Present Simple, it will take the form of either “do” or “does”, depending on the number and person of the subject. Example: "She does not go to school".

Interrogative sentences

So, we have considered the affirmation, negation, and we are left with a question, the formation of which also requires an auxiliary verb:

So, we have analyzed with you the basic principles for constructing various types of sentences in Present Simple. Past Simple and Future Simple are built in a similar way, the main differences will be in the form of the auxiliary verb.

Building sentences in the Future Simple

Statement

The scheme for constructing a statement in a simple future tense (Future Simple) is as follows:

The auxiliary verb will indicates that the action takes place in the future tense, and the phrase would be translated as: "I will go to school."

Negation

Negation is built using the particle "not" already known to us and the auxiliary verb "will".

Question

Any question begins with an auxiliary verb, so when building a question, simply put will in first place.

past simple

Statement

When constructing a statement in the past tense of the Simple group, there is a small feature: the suffix "ed" is added to the verb.

I deliberately omitted the school example because it uses an irregular verb. Most verbs form the simple past tense by adding the suffix "ed" to the stem (cook - cooked), but there are about 470 verbs, according to the Oxford dictionary, that form the past tense according to their canons. Our verb “go” also falls into their number, which will change the form to “went”: “I went to school”.

Negation

The negative in the simple past tense is constructed similarly to the Present Simple, with the only difference being that the form of the auxiliary verb "do" acquires the past "did".

Question

The question is also built by analogy with Present Simple. We only change the form of the auxiliary verb to the past.

So we studied the construction of sentences in the entire Simple group. The main thing is to remember the schemes for all three types (statement, denial and question), do not forget about how the word forms of verbs in the 3rd person singular change and memorize the main irregular verbs in order to achieve automatism in speech.

Building sentences in the Continuous group

In the Continuous group, there is always an auxiliary verb “to be”, a change in the form of which will tell us when the action is happening: yesterday, now or tomorrow. In this group, there is also always a participle I, similar to the real participle in Russian. The participle itself is built by adding the suffix "ing" to the verb (go - going).

Statement

We will not deviate from the structure and consider the formation of time in the Present Continuous.

The forms of the verb "to be" video change depending on the person, and here the matter is not limited to changes only in the 3rd person singular. Forms are easy to remember.

In the past tense, the auxiliary verb changes its form to "was" or were "depending on the person and number.

The scheme for constructing a sentence in the Past Continuous will be as follows:

The future tense in this group is formed without any changes, just put the future tense verb “will” before the auxiliary “to be”:

Denial and question

The construction of the negation and the question occurs according to the general scheme for constructing sentences: when negating, we put “not” after the auxiliary verb, and when we ask, we put the auxiliary verb in the first place.

To build the past form, you need to change the form of the auxiliary verb to "had".

To build the future form, we additionally put “will”.

Denial and question

Negation and the question are built in the classical way: the particle not after had (when negating), had in the first place (when asked).

Denial and question

These sentences are given only for the sake of an example, in practice you will hardly find yourself in a situation where you will need to express yourself in Perfect Continuous. It will be much easier and faster to build a phrase from the Simple and Continuous groups.

Simplified table of formation of all types of sentences in all tenses

For those who are new to tenses, this article may seem a little chaotic, so as a result, I offer you a ready-made table with the formation of sentences in all tenses, so that it is easier for you to see the whole picture. You can use it as a cheat sheet in the initial stages of studying temporary structures. The table is taken from the Peekaboo resource.