Comparison of the future tense in English and Russian languages. An easy way to learn English tenses

The English tense system has 3 large groups: Past (past), Present (present) and Future (future).

In all these groups there are 4 times:

• Simple (simple),
• Continuous (continued),
• Perfect (perfect),
• Perfect Continuous (perfect continuous).

Group Present (present)

1. Present Simple. This is a tense that indicates an action that occurs (or does not occur) regularly, constantly.

We hunt and fish every summer. We hunt and fish every summer.
She often cooks pizza. She often makes pizza.

2. Present Continuous (or Present Progressive) denotes an action happening right now, at the present moment.

I am singing my favorite song just now. I'm singing my favorite song right now.
My chief is talking to the partners at the moment. My boss is talking to partners at the moment.

3. The action in the Present Perfect was just now, today, this week, this year, month, etc.).

I have just painted this fence. I just painted this fence.
This week my sister has left for China. This week my sister went to China.

4. The action in the Present Perfect Continuous began in the past, is still happening and will end unknown when.

The plane has been flying for some hours. The plane flies for several hours.
The grandparents have been reading your newspapers since early morning. Grandparents read their newspapers from early morning.

Past times group

1. Past Simple. Past simple. The action happened once in the past, happened constantly, regularly.

We graduated from the University in 1998.
Our neighbors moved to Moscow 3 years ago. Our neighbors moved to Moscow 3 years ago.

2. Past Continuous. The subject was in the process of action at a specific moment in the past or during a specific period of time.

Yesterday from 10 till 11 a.m. my son was writing his test. Yesterday from 10 to 11 am my son was writing a test.
On the 12th of June at 7 p.m. I was enjoying a new film. On June 12 at 7 pm I was enjoying a new film.

3. Past Perfect indicates that an action occurred in the past before some point.

I had watered the vegetables in the garden by the moment my wife cooked dinner. I watered the vegetables in the garden by the time my wife cooked dinner.

4. The action in the Past Perfect Continuous began before some time in the past and was still happening at that time.

She had been ironing the clothes for 20 minutes when the iron was broken. She had been ironing clothes for 20 minutes when the iron broke.

Future times

1. Future Simple. These are processes that will take place in the future regularly, constantly.

I will become a good lawyer. I will become a good lawyer.

2. Actions in the Future Continuous will be relevant for a specified time in the future or will continue for a certain period of time.

In 3 days at this time we will be climbing a mountain. In 3 days at the same time we will be climbing the mountain.
Tomorrow since 17.00 till 20.00 we will be walking around Novgorod. Tomorrow from 17.00 to 20.00 we will walk around Novgorod.

3. Future Perfect is used extremely rarely. Indicates an action that will occur in the future at a certain point.

Tomorrow at 5 p.m. he will have repaired his bike. Tomorrow by 5 o'clock he will have repaired his bicycle.

4. Future Perfect Continuous. A process that will begin and will still be in progress at a specified time in the future. It is used, just like Future Perfect, extremely rarely.

Next year you have been writing your novel for 2 years. Next year it will be 2 years since you wrote your novel.

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 sleeping.

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: they like to test knowledge of all tenses on tests.

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 the use of 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 it 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!

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

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

How are times formed?
in English?

English tenses are formed using auxiliary verbs. Also, depending on the tense form, the ending of the semantic verb changes.

Why is it important to differentiate between tenses when teaching a language?

If you don’t want to get lost in time and completely confuse your interlocutor, then first you will have to master at least the Present group. Of course, in everyday life, native speakers themselves do not operate with all 12 tenses. Much 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 mistakes are easily forgiven to foreigners. But still, in order not to find yourself in the situation of lost in translation, that is, not to get confused in the translation, it is important to understand how tenses are formed in the English language.

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 “to go” alone. In English there are also present, past and future tenses, which are called Present, Past and Future, respectively. Everything is simple here: if we, for example, talk 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 12 times arise. The main questions about English tenses usually arise when a student moves from the Simple group to the more complex Continuous or Perfect. It is not easy for a Russian 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.”

Using tenses in English: table with examples

Questions about English tenses will disappear by themselves if you master the main rules for constructing tense forms and learn to automatically determine which group a particular situation can be classified into. In short, the Simple tenses are used to denote single actions. The Continuous group combines actions extended over time. Perfect characterizes processes completed at some point in the past, present or future. The tenses of the Perfect Continuous group are considered the most complex and least used of all tenses in the English language. The perfect continuous tense also characterizes actions completed by a certain moment, but these actions are extended over time.

How are the times of the Simple group formed?

Even those who need to learn only the simplest spoken English will have to master the Simple tenses. Without knowing the forms of the simple verb to be, you simply cannot tell basic information about yourself. The Simple tense group is used to generally characterize an action, without focusing on its duration or completion.

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 occurring in the present tense. We turn to the Present Simple in situations where we want to convey some general information about a person (talk about his belonging to a certain class, profession, etc.). For example, “I am a student” (I am a student). Also, the present simple tense is necessary to report an action that is repeated systematically. For example, “He cooks” (he cooks). In this example, it is meant that he, in principle, knows how to cook food, and does it constantly, and not at any specific period of time. Present simple is also used for:

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

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

· Transport schedules, broadcasts, film 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 the Present Simple in speech by marker words that determine the frequency of the action:

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

Past Simple

Past tenses characterize actions performed in the past. We use the Past Simple when we need to report an action that was repeated in the past. In order to construct 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 this is Past Simple by using marker words such 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 some single simple action completed in the past. For example, “In 2000 Angelina Jolie won an Oscar - In 2008, Angelina Jolie won an Oscar.” The Past Simple also characterizes several actions that occurred in the past in chronological order (“I came home, called Jane and had dinner with my friend - I came home, called Jane and had dinner with my friend”). To report an action that has been repeated many times in the past, you also need the Past Simple (I took Spanish courses when I was young - I took Spanish courses when I was young).

Future Simple

English grammar “marks” tenses of the Future group with the auxiliary verb will. Do you want to say 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 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);

· Designation of several actions performed 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).

The Future Simple is often accompanied in a sentence by such time adverbs as:

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

Times of the group Continuous
in English

For a Russian speaker, the tenses of the Continuous group are quite difficult to understand. After all, it makes no difference to us whether an 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 is enjoying 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 extended in the process. This is any long-term action occurring at a certain moment.

Grammatical tenses in English. Table for the Continuous group:

Present Continuous

If the action occurs at the time of speech, then we use the Present Continuous, or the present continuous tense. This temporary construction is constructed 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 the Present Continuous is used with specific examples:

I am looking at you - I look 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 in 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 are going to the opera (action in the near future, Present Continuous in this case is used exclusively with verbs of movement).

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

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

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

Past Continuous

Past tenses usually 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:

· Continuous action that in the past occurred at 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 occurred (He was reading when somebody knocked at his window - He was reading when someone knocked on the window).

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

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

In phrases with the Past Continuous we often observe circumstances indicating a period of time:

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

Future Continuous

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

· 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 action against the background of which another shorter action 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 occur simultaneously in the future (While they are playing chess I will be cooking dinner - While they are playing chess, I will cook dinner).

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

The future continuous tense can also be recognized by marker words. These may be circumstances of the time:

· 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 the Future Continuous, then here we often see conjunctions such as: if (if), as (while), while (while), when (when), until (not yet), before (before).

Perfect Group Times

The Perfect group can be briefly described by the word “result”. The completion of an 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, you will have to remember the form.

Present Perfect (Present perfect tense)

Examples of the Present Perfect in school textbooks do not always provide a complete picture of how to actually use this tense. In fact, it is very widespread. Present Perfect is usually used in the following situations:

1. To denote an action that has already been 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 live in London for 6 years).

Sentences with the present perfect tense often contain 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

If the action ended 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 stopped before he woke up.” Or: “By that time they had finished their work - By that time they finished their work.”

The Past Perfect can often be identified by the conjunction by and time circumstances, such as: by that time (by that time), by Monday (by Monday), by then (by that time), etc.

Future Perfect (Future perfect tense)

The 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 the article by night.” We also use the future perfect tense when we talk about some supposed action that took place in the past. In other words, the Future Perfect is needed 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.”

Marker phrases for the Future Perfect also serve as time circumstances that indicate the moment for completing the action:

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

Formation of band times
Perfect Continuous

Perfect Continuous tenses are not so common in colloquial speech. Students usually begin these constructions at later stages. As the name suggests, Perfect Continuous describes a continuous action that begins, continues, and ends at a specific point.

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

Present Perfect Continuous (Present perfect continuous)

Present Perfect Continuous shows an action that began in the past and continues at the time of speech. For example: “She has been working for 5 hours already - She has already been working for 5 hours.” This tense is also used to characterize a long-term action that has just completed, 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 time adverbs and other phrases that denote the time period during which the action is performed. For example:

· for a week (during the week);
· since morning (in the morning);
· lately (lately);
· all my life (all my life), etc.

Past Perfect Continuous (Past perfect continuous)

The Past Perfect Continuous tense is similar to the previous one, but describes an extended action that began in the past until a certain moment (which also happened in the past and is always used in the Past Simple). This process may continue or may 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 in English grammar, the Future Perfect Continuous is the least common in speech. This tense describes a continuous action that will begin in the future and will 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 between English tenses is not as difficult as it seems at first glance: marker words will help you find your way. Remember that the simple past tense, for example, can be determined by a specific date. The ending -ing in the verb indicates that the action is not single, but long-term, that is, ongoing. It is important to remember that if you begin a sentence using past tense verbs, then the second part of the phrase must also use the past tense. Of course, in this matter one cannot do without practice. Watch as many English-language films and TV series 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.

One of the main tasks in learning any foreign language is mastering the tense forms of the past, present and future tense. Their correct use in certain situations brings a person closer to free and correct communication in the target language. At first glance, it may seem like a difficult task to master them, since there are only twelve tense forms in the English language, but they all have a completely understandable structure and logic.

This and other articles describe in detail and in an extremely accessible way the system of formation of all tense forms in the English language. This material is intended for people with an initial or basic level of language proficiency.

If you have general questions about the use of one or another temporary form, you can ask a question and discuss the topic in a specially created topic on our forum.

Types of tense forms in English

Tenses in English, as in any other language, have three forms:

• Past Tense.
• Present Tense.
• Future Tense.

In turn, each of these forms of time has four categories or aspects that are used in a given situation or circumstance:

• Simple Tenses- Simple time. Used to describe general, regular situations in life in the past, present or future. This form of tense is the most common, both in written and oral speech.
• Continuous Tenses- Long time. It is used in cases when a particular event, action or state lasts for a certain time interval, has one or another ongoing process. This form of tense is also widely used in written and spoken language.
• Perfect Tenses- Completed time. This tense is used to describe completed or completed actions in the past, completed in the present, or expected completed actions or events in the future. A less common form of tense, especially the future tense.
• Perfect Continuous Tenses- Completed - long time. Tense is used in cases when an event or action has completed, is ending or will end in the future, while this action, event or situation lasted for some time. These forms of time, as in the past, present and especially in the future, are very rarely used in writing and especially in oral speech.

Thus, there are a total of 12 tense forms in English, listed in the list on the right. About education, the use of each tense form, as well as practical examples, exercises can be found in separate articles by clicking on the appropriate link. You can also look at a table of all tense forms in English so that you can compare the structure of formation of a particular time.

You should pay attention to how sentences are formed in English. This must be taken into account when forming sentences in one form or another, so that the sentences will be grammatically correct, this will bring any student of English closer to its fluent and grammatically correct use.

The principle of formation of tense forms in English

When forming proposals in one form or another, you should pay attention to the following:

• On the order of words in sentences. You can find out about this in a separate article.
• For auxiliary verbs of one or another tense form, their inflections by person. The forms of auxiliary verbs differ depending on the tense form and person in which a particular sentence is formed.
• On the use of verbs:
  • to be- be; be; appear.
  • to do- do (and all other action-related verbs).
  • to have- have; have.
    Each of these verbs has differences in declension in one form or another.
• On the formation of interrogative, affirmative and negative sentences, since there are small nuances in the formation of such sentences.
• To use tense adverbials, as they help determine which tense form to use. At the same time, the use of various circumstances makes speech more competent and rich.

Conclusion

If you have questions about how to construct sentences in one form or another, how to correctly construct sentences or other questions related to learning English, then we suggest asking them on the discussion page of our forum, the participants of our forum will help you understand this or that issue related to learning English. We will also be glad to receive messages if there are any corrections or additions to this or other articles on our website.

Other articles about English grammar

2015-12-17

Hello my beloved readers.

Today we have a very important topic. Unlike foreigners, who will never be able to understand the meaning of the phrase “no, probably”, for us (even the most novice dummies!) to understand them 12 - I ask you to note, - sometimes it’s worth nothing. It's true?

And if you have ever had problems with them, then today we will solve them with you. Topic of the day: tenses in English. We will understand when, where, what is used, as well as time indicators.

Please note that for each time I attached color scheme with formulas and examples for clarity, after which you can follow the link to fix the time using exercises and online tests. Also, all the names of times (highlighted in red) are clickable - to go to separate page with more detailed rules and explanations and examples. Let's start in order.

Times are real

I was cooking when the phone rank.

The second most popular tense for many schoolchildren (the first, of course, is Present Simple) is . And the reason for this is simple: it is used if an event occurred BEFORE another event in the past (See for more details about this time).

See:

When she called I had already packed my suitcase.
I was ready to go when he called and told me that he had forgotten the keys.

No less amazing time denotes an event that began at some specific point in the past, and ended before some point in the past - or is still continuing in the past.

I had been doing this report for 3 hours when I found it in the Internet.

Future times

Commands what will happen in the future. Here are the cases in which it can be used:

• Simple future event;
  I will call you tomorrow.
• Regular actions;
  I will come here every year.
• Description of the sequence;
  I will come home, my mother will give us some food and we will hit the road.

Describes events at a specific future moment.

At 5 p.m. we will be conducting a meeting session. I expect you to be there.

C, everything is similar to its counterparts in other tenses: an action is described that starts in the future and ends then.

I will have spent a lot of time for preparation before taking part in this competition.

Many English language learners believe that they need to immediately master all tenses in order to put a long-awaited check mark on a long list of planned English tasks. But I’ll tell you as an experienced teacher - first you need to master 3-5 running times. When you know them by heart and know how to use them, then you can move on. Otherwise, you will get stuck at this stage and quit English without tasting all its charm!

By the way, I recommend to many of my friends (who want to remember or just learn the basics of English grammar) to take an online course from LinguaLeo « Grammar for Beginners» . You definitely won't be bored there. In addition, the information is as practical as possible. In addition to the 5 tenses that are proposed to be mastered in this course, everyone will find others there. basic grammar concepts, which will simply be impossible to forget after a bunch of interesting practical tasks.

How easy is it to remember all these times? A table with examples will help you with this. Everything you need in one place. Convenient, isn't it?

I hope, my dears, that now you will have much fewer questions about verb tenses. But if you still have unresolved questions, do not hesitate to write them under the article. I will be happy to answer them.

If you want to be the first to receive a selection where the best exercises on this topic will be collected - then subscribe to delicious my blog newsletter.

And for today I say goodbye.
Until we meet again, my dears.

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