English Grammar Revison: Common Tenses and Passive

8/6/2019 English Grammar Revison: Common Tenses and Passive

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1

Present Simple

USED FOR:

1.Activities that happen regularly (habits, routines,states): I rarely visit my aunt in Berlin.

2.Permanent situations: She works at the office.3.Repeated actions in the present, especially with

adverbs of frequency: He often buys flowers.

4.Facts which are permanently true: The sun sets in thewest.

5.Timetables and programmes: The play starts at 8o'clock.

FORM:

Infinitive without to, except for the third person singular

wheres ores is added.

ADVERBS THAT GO WITH PRESENT SIMPLE:

Usually, often, never, sometimes, every

day/week/month/year, regularly, seldom, rarely etc.

IN QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVES:

o Do I know him? No, I don't.o Does she know him? No, she doesn't.


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2

Present Continuous

USED FOR:

1. Activities happening now, at or around the time ofspeaking: He is looking for a new job these days.

2. Activities happening during a limited period of timearound present: She is currently working in Asia. (not her

usual job)

3. Temporary situations: He is staying with some friends at themoment.

4.With always to express annoyance or criticism: He is alwaystelling lies.

5. Fixed arrangements in the future: I'm flying to Londontomorrow. (all arranged; I've bought the tickets & packed

my suitcase)

FORM:

Auxiliary verb TO BE in present simple + Ving (main verb)

TIME EXPRESSIONS THAT GO WITH PRESENT

CONTINUOUS:

Now, at the moment, at present, (always), tonight, just etc.

NON-CONTINUOUS VERBS

They rarely appear in continuous tenses because they expresspermanent states:

seem, appear, be, believe, have, posses, hate, know, like, love,

mean, need, prefer, realize, remember, see, seem, smell, sound,

suppose, taste, think, understand, want etc.


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3

Present Perfect

USED FOR:

1.Actions which happened at an unstated time in thepast: He has sold his car.

2.To express actions which have finished so recentlythere is an evidence in the present: He has just

painted this room. (the paint is still dry)

3.Actions which have stated in the past and continueup to present: She has lived in this house for 2 years.

(and she still lives there)

4.Past actions whose time is not mentioned and it isconnected to the present: I've met Beyonce. BUT: I

met Michael Jackson.

5.Also forrepeated actions: I have been to Japan sixtimes.

6.Describing past experiences that affect the presentstatus: She has met the President.

7.Reporting hot news: The premierhas resigned.8.Emphasizing the number: Ive typed only three letters

since 9 oclock.

FORM:

TO HAVE (in present simple) + main verb in past participle

TIME EXPRESSIONS USED WITH PRESENT PERFECT:

Since, for, just, ever, never, yet, so far, how long, recently,

once, several times etc.


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4

Past Simple

USED FOR:

1.Actions which happened and finished at astated time in the past: He sold his car two

weeks ago.

2.To express apast state orhabit: When she wasyoung, she lived in a small flat.

3.Past actions which happened one afteranother: She put her coat on, took her bag,

and left the house.

4.A past action whose time is not mentioned andit is not connected with the present: I saw Elvis

Presley.

5.Retelling of what happened in the past or somehistorical events: World War I ended in 1918.

FORM:

Ved (for regular verbs) or2nd form (for irregular

verbs)

TIME EXPRESSIONS USED WITH PAST SIMPLE:

Yesterday, last week/month/year/Monday, ago,

how long, (just now), then, when, in 1980s etc.


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5

Past Continuous

USED FOR:

1.An action that was in the middle of happeningat the stated time in the past:At 8 oclock last

night she was watching TV.

2.Two or more actions which were happening atthe same time in the past (s

imultaneous

actions): They were dancing while he was

playing the guitar.

3.An action which was happening during sometime in the past: We were watching television.

4.For a past action which was in progress whenanother action interrupted it.Past continuous is

used for the interrupted action, and past simple

is used for the action which interrupted: She

was painting when she suddenly fell off the

ladder.

5.Describing the background to the events in thestory:We were walking in the woods ; It was

raining hard

FORM:

Verb TO BE in past simple (was/were) + Ving


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6

Past Perfect

USED FOR:

6.A past action which happened before anotherpast action or before a stated time in the past:

She had already left when I got home. She had

arrived by 8 oclock.

7.A complete action: She had cleaned the houseby 6 oclock.

8.As the past equivalent of Present perfect in thereported speech: She has already left. -> She

had already left.

FORM:

Verb TO HAVE in past simple (had) + past participle

of the main verb

TIME EXPRESSIONS USED WITH PAST PERFECT:

Already, when, after etc.


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7

Present Perfect

ContinuousUSED FOR:

1.Actions which started in the past and continue up topresent: Ive been packing my suitcase all morning.

Im still packing)

2.Past actions of certain duration which have visibleresults or effect in the present:They have beenwalking in the rain. They are wet.

3.Expressing irritation, anger, annoyance, explanationor criticism:Has the dog been chewing my slippers?!

Showing anger.

4.Emphasizing duration, usually with since, for and howlong: Ive been typing letters since 9 oclock.

FORM:

Verb TO BE in present perfect + Ving

NOTE:

With the verbs live, feel, and work we can use either

present perfect orpresent perfect cont. with no

difference in meaning.

Non-continuous verbs are not used in present perfect

cont.


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8

The Future

WILLIS USED:

1. To talk about things we are not sure about or we haventdecided yet: Ill probably buy a new car.

2. To express hopes, fears threats, on-the-spot decisions, offers,promises, warnings, predictions, comments etc. especially

with: expect, hope, believe, Im afraid, Im sure, I know, I

think, probably etc. : I think it will be sunny tomorrow.

3. To express a prediction or a future action or event which mayor may not happen: I t

hink you will pass t

he test.

He will be 20

next year.

BEGOINGTOIS USED:

1. To talk about things we are sure about or we have alreadydecided to do in the near future: Im going to buy a new car.

Ive decided it.

2. To express intention and plans: Now that Ive got the money,Im going to buy a new dress. Im going to get more training

so I can get a better job.

3.When we can see (evidence) that something is going tohappen:Watch out! Were going to have an accident. (We

can see a car coming.)

TIME EXPRESSIONS USED WITH WILL & BE GOING TO:

Tomorrow, tonight, next week/month/year, in two days, the day

after tomorrow, soon, in a week/month etc.

SHALL is used with I orwe in questions, suggestions andoffers: Shall we go by train? Shall I help you with your bags?


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9

Other options for expressing future

PRESENT CONTINUOUS for things which are definitely

arranged to happen in the future: They are having a partynext week.

PRESENT SIMPLE fortimetables, programmes etc. : Our

plane leaves at 10 a.m.

PROBABILITY:

1Present Simple (the most probable)2Present Continuous3To be going to4Will + infinitive without to5May/might + infinitive without to (the least probable)


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10

P ssiv

USAGE:

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wa

h

t. (w

t

w wh

h

t h

r) Th

hr

h wa

b

lt

1815. (

p

rta

t a!

t) He ha

been arrested. (

b"

sl

#

b#

the p

l

e)$

Tomakemore polite or formalstatement: The% ar hasntbeen

%

leaned. (& '

re p'

l(

te than ) Y'

0 ha1

ent%

leaned the%

ar.)2

Whenthea3

tionismore importantthanthe a4ent, asin

processes, instructions, events, reports, hea 5 lines, newsitems

and advertisements: 30 people were6

7

lled7

n the8

rash.9

To put empha @ isonthe aAent: Thenew l

B

brarC

wB

ll be

opened bC

the Q D een.

FORMULA:

E

FFERENF

FORMS:

G resent simple passive:

work am/are/is H worked

Past SimplePassive:

write was/wereH

writtenPresent Perfect Passive:

write have/has been H

written

Present ContinuousPassive:

write am/are/is being H

written

Past ContinuousPassive:

play was/were being H

played

Past Perfect Passive:sing had been H sung

Present Perfect Continuous:

combine have/has been

being H combined

FutureSimple:

deliver will H be H delivered


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Changing from acti e into passi e:

The object of the active verb becomes the subject in the new

sentence. The active verb changes into a passive form and the

subject of the active verb becomes the agent. The agent is

introduced with by or it is omitted.

We put the agent into the passive sentence only if it adds

information.When the agent is unknown, unimportant or obvious

it is omitted. Agents such as people (in general), they, somebody

etc. are omitted.

With verbs taking two or more objects it is more usual to begin the

passive sentence with the person.

e.g.I sent her some roses.

Passive: She was sent some roses. (more usual) OR

Some roses were sent to her. (less usual)

English Grammar Revison: Common Tenses and Passive

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