Building Basics: Grammar Base - Verb Tenses

Our Grammar Base involves 6 (six) Verb Tenses..3 Simple Tenses and 3 Continuous Tenses

SIMPLE TENSES

• PRESENT

• PAST  AND

• FUTURE (will and going to)

CONTINUOUS TENSES

• PRESENT CONTINUOUS,

• PAST CONTINUOUS AND

• FUTURE CONTINUOUS

PRESENT TENSES

SIMPLE PRESENT                                     

1. a present state of affairs: My sister lives in Washington.

2. a general fact: The sun rises in the east.

3. habitual actions: I listen to the radio in the mornings.

4. future timetables: My flight leaves at 10:00.

Note:  We add s to the end of the verb in the third person singular : he. she or it

The verb BE: The verb be is irregular and often contracted. We use it to talk about age, nationality, job and status.

I am Serbian.         He is thirty.

She is married.       We are both engineers.

PRESENT CONTINIOUS

1. a specific action that is occurring ( right now): Andrew is watching TV.

2. a general activitty that takes place over a period of time: My sister is living in Washington. Sue's condition is improving. These days, I'm taking it easy. 

3. future arrangments: I'm inviting Emma to the party on Friday.

PAST TENSES

SIMPLE PAST  

1. an action or a state that began end ended at a particular time in the past: The mail came early this morning. I was a shy in high school.

2. an action that occurred over a period of time but was completed in the past.: Dad worked in advertising for 10 years.

3. an activity that took place regularly in the past: We jogged every morning before class.

PAST CONTINIOUS

1. ongoing actions that were interrupted: I was sewing when the telephone ranf. While I was sewing, the telephone rang.

2. a continuous state or repeated action in the past: She was looking very ill. I was meeting lots of people at that time.

3. events planned in the past: Nancy was leaving for Chicago but had to make a last-minute cancellation.

FUTURE TENSES

FUTURE going to

1. expressing a future intent based on a decision made in the past: Jim is going to bring his sister tonight.

2. predicting an event that is likely to happen in the future: You're going to pass the test. Don't worry.

3. predicting an event that is likely to happen based on the present conditions: I don't feel well. I'm going to faint.

FUTUREwill

1. making a decision at the time of speaking: I'll call you after lunch.

2. predicting an event that is likely to happen in the future: You will pass the test. Don't worry.

3. indicating willingness to do something: If I don't feel better soon, I' ll go to the doctor.

                     

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

1. an action that will be ongoing at a particular time in the future: At noon tomorrow, I'll be taking the children to their piano lessons.

2. future actions that have already been decided: I'll be attending law school for the next three years.