Present and past tenses in English. An easy way to learn English tenses

They are divided into 4 groups: simple (Simple/Indefinite), continuous (Continuous/Progressive), perfect (Perfect) and perfect continuous (Perfect Continuous) tenses. What will help us choose the right option?

Marker words time in English help to correctly determine the tense form, therefore it is recommended to learn them by heart. With an asterisk* Ambiguous time indicators that can occur in different cases are marked.

Table of satellite words for all tenses of the English language

Used to describe actions in the present that occur regularly, with repetition, and not just at the moment of speech. Used to describe a routine, schedule, habits, etc.

Usually- usually
I usually wake up at 7 o’clock. I usually wake up at 7 o'clock.
Always- Always
Alice always gets good marks at school. Alice always gets good grades at school.
Often- often
Terry often drinks tea in the morning. Terry often drinks tea in the morning.
Every day / morning / week – every day/every morning/every week
Every week Rob goes to the gym. Rob goes to the gym every week.
Sometimes / from time to time / occasionally - Sometimes
Sometimes I visit my Granny in the suberbs of Moscow. Sometimes I visit my grandmother in the suburbs of Moscow.
At the weekend / on weekends / on Saturdays / on Friday – On weekends / Saturdays / Fridays
We have a party on Fridays. On Fridays we have a party.
Seldom/rarely- rarely
We rarely go to the swimming pool. We rarely go to the pool.
Never* / hardly ever– never / almost never
Ann never watches horror films. Ann never watches horror films.

2. Companion words Past Simple

Used to describe actions that happened in the past.

Yesterday– yesterday
Yesterday we were at home. Yesterday we were at home.
A week / a year ago– a week/year ago
Alex moved to the USA a week ago. Alex moved to the USA a week ago.
Last month/year– last month/year
Last month Fred sold his car. Last month Fred sold his car.
When*- When
I was in the kitchen, when you came. I was in the kitchen when you came.

3. Future Simple satellite words

Used to describe actions that will occur in the uncertain future.

Tomorrow- Tomorrow
Tomorrow Jared will go to London. Jared is leaving for London tomorrow.
Next month/year– next month/year
Jack will finish school next year. Jack will graduate from school next year.
In…days/years– in … days/years
Ronald will arrive in 2 days. Ronald will arrive in 2 days.

4. Companion words Present Continuous

Used to describe actions occurring at the moment, at the time of speech.

Now- Now
Mary is playing the guitar now. Now Mary plays the guitar.
At the moment- at the moment
The refrigerator isn’t working at the moment. The refrigerator is not working at the moment.
Still*– still
John is still washing the dishes. John is still washing the dishes.

5. Companion words Past Continuous

Used to describe actions that occurred at some point or period in the past.

From…till…*- from... to...
Helen was watching a movie at the cinema yesterday from 5 till 7. Helen watched a film in the cinema yesterday from 5 to 7.
– all day
He was working hard all day long. He worked hard all day.

6. Future Continuous satellite words

Used to describe actions that will occur at a specific moment or period in the future.

from…till…*- from... to...
Tony will be working in the office tomorrow from 9 to 11 o’clock. Tony will work in the office tomorrow from 9 to 11 o'clock.
All day long* / for the whole day* – all day
He will be writing an article all night long. He will write the article all night.

7. Companion words Present Perfect

Used to describe actions that have completed at the time of speech or the present as a whole.

Just- just now
Harry has just made a cake. Harry has just made a cake.
Already- already
I have already done my homework. I've already done my homework.
Yet– still
Liza hasn’t chosen the flowers yet. Lisa still hasn't chosen flowers.
Since- With
I haven’t played football since finishing the university. I haven't played football since graduating from university.
Recently- recently
Sally has recently been at the theater. Sally was recently at the theater.
Never* / ever*– never / ever
I have never been to London. I've never been to London.

8. Companion words Past Perfect

Used to describe an action that was completed at some point in the past.

Before* / after*– before / after
I had brushed my teeth before I went to bed. I brushed my teeth before going to bed.
By*- To
Ann had spoken with her boss by 12 o’clock yesterday. Yesterday at 12 o'clock Ann spoke to her boss.

9. Future Perfect satellite words

Used to describe actions that will last until a specific point or period in the future.

By*- To
I will have been finished my project by the end of the month. I will finish my project by the end of the month.
Before*– up to
Chris will have found a job before Christmas. Chris will find a job before Christmas.

10. Word markers of Perfect Continuous tenses

As the name suggests, the band's Perfect Continuous times are a mixture of Perfect and Continuous. Therefore, their function is a long-term action that led to a result in the past / present / future.

for*– within
I had been reading for 5 hours. I've been reading for 5 hours already.
I have been reading for 5 hours. I've been reading for 5 hours already.
I will have been reading for 5 hours. I'll be reading for 5 hours already.

WARNING: marker words are not a panacea! As we see, some of them occur in several times at once. Often this can be explained like this: take the phrase “from ... till …” and see that it is a sign of the duration of an action, and duration can be in the past, present and future tenses. However, the presence of a companion word is very good sign correct type and tense form.

Hello guys! Many will agree that the topic of this article evokes fear. Tenses in English - This combination of words can frighten even an experienced English student, let alone beginners.

Just about English times

It is worth understanding that in English there are 3 pillars on which all grammar rests - “ to be», « to have" And " to do».
Each of these whales can swim in three times: Present,Past And Future.
In turn, Present, Past and Future will flow into the seas Simple,Continuous, Perfect And Perfect Continuous.
In the meantime, whales (or whales) swim in these seas, they have babies, or rather, new forms are formed.

Are you confused? Let's take a closer look.

How to learn all tenses in English

You just need to sort everything out and systematize your learning until it becomes automatic. You will know how much you have studied and how much is still to come, then the study of times will not seem like something limitless and endless.

Present Simple used to express a common, regularly repeated action.
Past Simple used to express an action that happened in the past.
Future Simple used to express an action that will happen in the future.

Present Continuous used to express an action taking place at the moment.
Past Continuous used to express an action that occurred at a certain point in time in the past.
Future Continuous used to express an action that will occur at a certain point in time in the future.

Present Perfect used to express a completed (or still ongoing) action, the result of which is associated with the present.
Past Perfect used to express an action that ended before another action or a specific moment in the past.
Future Perfect used to express an action that will be completed by a specific point in time in the future.

Important! There is also the time Future in the Past, which we talked about in the corresponding article.

Present Perfect Continuous used to express an action that began in the past and continues in the present, or the duration of the action is important.
Past Perfect Continuous used to express an action that began at a certain point in the past and continued for some time before the beginning of another action.
Future Perfect Continuous used to express an action that, having begun at a certain moment, will still continue at some point in time in the future.

How not to be afraid of tenses in English?

Be prepared for the fact that you should have a good feel for the difference between times, from a logical point of view. The tenses in English and Russian are not 100% similar, so it is not always possible to draw a parallel.
After getting acquainted with each new tense, you must practice it thoroughly by performing various grammar exercises, to remember the design and, of course, the situation where we use it.
It is important to learn irregular verbs. For this purpose, there are now special songs that consist of all irregular verbs. Give it a try. This is very effective method studying irregular verbs. Especially for music lovers.
Study English tenses systematically, without trying to learn everything in one day. As soon as you begin to navigate one time, you can move on to the next. Then be sure to practice the mixed exercises where the tasks will be collected in order to check if you are not confused about these tenses.
It is advisable to practice English every day for 15 minutes. In this case, the new store of knowledge will be stored in your memory for a long time and you will use it automatically.
If you are studying English times yourself, search the Internet for useful videos. On our website you will find many useful grammar video lessons. This is much more interesting and reliable than looking for rules anywhere on the Internet.
Don't overwork yourself! It's important to give yourself rest. If you turn English into daily hard labor, it will not benefit you, but will only discourage you from learning it.
When learning tenses in English, pay attention to whether your memory is visual or auditory. Based on this, you can understand which tasks are best to give preference to achieve the most effective result.
Don't try to learn all tenses in English at once. To start, learn 5-6 basic tenses. This will be quite enough to communicate in English competently.
As a result, it is important to be able to use these tenses in a conversation. This is quite difficult to do on your own. Suppose you can find rules, exercises and answers to them on your own, but understanding whether you use English tenses in your speech is not an easy task.

Conclusion

With English tenses there are usually 3 scenarios:

The student decides that he doesn’t need tenses in English because he just wants to improve his conversational skills.
The student finds a popular grammar textbook and slowly studies each tense on his own.
The student turns to the teacher and trusts him on his path to mastery at times in full.

Which one do you choose?

Definitely the second and third! It is impossible to communicate in a language like a native speaker without knowing the tenses. Definitely, if you want to know English, tenses are very important. So which side should you approach them from?

The EnglishDom online school employs many experienced teachers who have already proven to many students that learning tenses is not a disaster.

Many students come to a free introductory lesson with the request “just not grammar,” and after a few lessons with the teacher, they take grammar tests and other interactive tasks with great pleasure. So don't be afraid! U can do it! Times are waiting for you :)

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

Now even a child knows that “without English you can’t get anywhere.” But no one can clearly explain how to learn to speak and understand effectively, where to start, and how to understand that the result has appeared.

In this article we will look at one of the most “painful” topics in language learning, namely. Everyone knows that there are many of them, they are all different: some require some kind of ending, others need . Are times as scary as they say?

Verb tense(namely, it changes tense) is a concept that characterizes the change of the verb, depending on whether the action happened, is happening, or will happen.

Let’s immediately dispel the popular myth that three times of the Simple group are enough for communication.
Communication may work, but it will be of very poor quality; in most cases, you simply will not be able to convey the idea.

Tenses in English are more related to mentality English speaking countries, because it was their affection and attention to detail that created the long (Progressive) and completed (Perfect) groups of times.

Present tense in English

There are four present tenses in English:

Progressive;
Perfect Progressive.

The same situation applies to past and future tenses.

Present Simple - present simple tense

Used for:

Transferring an action that happens regularly (I work 5 days a week; he walks the dog in the morning);
Habits (I don’t smoke; my neighbor runs in the morning);
Traditions (we visit grandma every Christmas; her husband gives her jewelry for every birthday);
Facts (snow melts in spring, water boils at 100 C).

In every time there are so-called marker words, which will help you navigate the choice of time in case of difficulties.

So, write out this list for yourself and you won't have problems with time. Present Simple:

Always - always;
Usually – usually;
Often – often;
Sometimes - sometimes;
Seldom – rare;
Never - never;
Every day (week, month etc.) – every day (week, month, etc.);
Once/twice a... - once in..., twice in....

In order to make a statement in the Present Simple, you need to remember that the first 2 places in the sentence are a priori occupied by the actor and the verb. The subject comes first, then the predicate. S (subject - subject) + V (verb - verb/predicate) + Obj. (object – object/addition) I(you, we, they) work everyday. BUT! He/She/It workS every day.

When the actor is a third party singular – we must add the ending –s, -es(if the word ends in –o/-s/-ss/-sh/-ch/-x).

To ask a question, you need to use . Such verbs have no translation, they simply indicate the time in which the question is asked. After all, in English, unlike Russian, there are no gender or temporal endings.

Auxiliary verbs to form a question:

I/you/we/they – DO
He/she/it – DOES

As you may have noticed, the third person singular always ends in –s/-es. BUT! The ending should be repeated only once per sentence. Therefore, if the sentence contains NO endings, you do not need to add ANY endings to the verb.

Present Progressive - present continuous tense

To understand and remember it, you first need to construct a sentence in an unusual way for yourself: I am the one writing this text, my brother is playing football now, etc. This is exactly what the literal translation of sentences sounds like in this tense.

Formula: S + be (am/is/are) + Ving + Obj.

Continuous auxiliary verb – to be.

In the present tense it has 3 forms:

I AM - I am working now;
He/she/it IS — He/she/it is working now.
You/we/they ARE - We/you/ they are working now.

Question:

Be + S + Ving + Obj:
- Am I working?
- Is she working?
- Are we working?

Denial:

S + be + not + Ving + Obj:
- I am not working now.
- He is not working now.
- We are not working now.

Reduction:

I'm not;
He/she/it isn`t;
We/you/they aren`t.

Past tense in English

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Past Progressive

To express a long-term action in the past, tense is used. Most often, it is used in conjunction with Past Simple, When we're talking about about a process that was interrupted brief event in the past.

For example:

I was reading a book when I heard a strange noise. I was reading a book (process) when I heard a strange sound (it interrupted the process).

As with any time, markers will help you find your way:

At 7 pm – 7 pm (or any other specific time;
From…. Till….. – from…..to….;
While - while.

Statement:

S+be+Ving+Obj

As you can see, the formula is absolutely identical to the Present progressive tense, but there is still a difference. And this is the form of the verb to be.

In the past tense, the verb has only 2 forms:

was (for singular);
were (for plural).

Question:

Be + S + Ving + Obj. —Was I sleeping at 10 am?

Negation:

S + be NOT + Ving + Obj — I wasn`t sleeping at 10 am.

Future tense in English

The future tense can be expressed in several ways. The most used ones are time and the turn be going to.

Future Simple used for unplanned future events. We often use it for spontaneous decisions. The catch is that most school teachers This time was presented as the only time available for talking about the future, but in practice, other phrases overtake it in frequency of use.

You can create this tense using an auxiliary verb .

Time markers:

Tomorrow - tomorrow;
Next week (month, Summer) – next week, next month, next summer;
In 10 years – in 10 years;
Later - later.

Statement:

S + will + V + Obj:
- I will call you later.
- He will call you later.
- We will call you later.

As you can see, the verb after will does not need to be changed.

Reduction:

I will – I'll
He will – he'll
We will – we'll

Question:

In any interrogative sentence in English, we need to put the auxiliary verb first:

Will + S + V + Obj:
- Will you call me later?
If the question is special, put a question word before the auxiliary verb:
- WHEN will you call me?

Negation:

S + will NOT + V + Obj — I will not call you later.

Reduction:

Will not = won`t

Design be going to used for a pre-planned action in the future, it is often translated as "about to do something."

Statement:

Question:

Be + S + going to + V?:
- Am I going to swim?
- Is he going to swim?
- Are you going to swim?

Negation:

S + be NOT + going to + V + Obj:
- I am not going to swim.
- He is not going to swim.
- We are not going to swim.

Signs of tenses in English

We have already found out that each tense has marker words that help distinguish one grammatical tense from another. Therefore, you should remember the markers, which is best done by making several dozen different sentences with each.

Remember that the ending – ing can only be used in conjunction with the verb be.

One of the most common mistakes up to high levels can be considered sentences like:

I'm working here.
We live here.

They are grammatically incorrect because the verb ending in –ing is used in the following sentences:

I AM working.
We are living.

If we are not talking about this moment, but about what is happening in general, a simple character and a verb are enough:

I work here.
He work here.

Coordination of tenses is a topic that makes you want to quit studying, but in fact, the logic behind it is very simple.

Remember, if the past tense was used at the beginning of the sentence, then we can ONLY use the past tense, even if the Russian version uses the present tense.

Here's an example:

Her father found out that she smokes.

The past tense comes first, and the present tense comes second. This is not possible in English.

We must say:

Her father found out that she smoked.

How to remember tenses in English?

There are several ways to remember times, but, unfortunately, there is no universal way:

Remember the name of the time along with the formula, like a rhyme:
- Present Simple (I do/he does)
- Present Progressive (I am going)
- Past Simple (I did), etc.
Find interesting text and highlight all the tenses you see. Then explain the use of each:
Watch movies and TV series in the original and pay attention to the use of tenses;
Practice and practice again!

Exercises on tenses in English with answers

Put the verb into the correct form, using markers and auxiliary verbs:

He often (cut)himself.
What time did Peter (arrive)?
Mike never (forget)
Are you (sit) here?
We (drink) a lot of Coke at the party yesterday.
It was (rain)all night yesterday.
The train_______ leave in a few minutes.
I (put) on a clean shirt yesterday

Answers:

Choose the correct auxiliary verb:

____ did you like the movie we watched yesterday?
_____ do you like ice-cream?
_____ he smoke?
_____ he speaking now?
_____ we writing?
_____ you live in Lindon?
What ____ do you usually have for breakfast?
When ____ you wake up this morning?
What ____ did you watch on TV yesterday?
_____ is it raining now?

Answers:

Did you like the movie we watched yesterday?
Do you like ice-cream?
Does he smoke?
Is he speaking now?
Are we writing?
Do you live in Lindon?
What do you usually have for breakfast?
When did you wake up this morning?
What did you watch on TV yesterday?
Is it raining now?

The Present Simple (Indefinite) Tense(simple present tense)– a tense form of a verb that is used to express ordinary, regularly repeated actions. The simple present tense is characterized by the presence of the following marker words:

usually (usually);
sometimes (sometimes);
often (often);
always (always);
never (never);
rarely/rarely (rarely);
regularly (regularly);
from time to time (at times);
once in a while (sometimes);
hardly ever (almost never);
every day/week/month/year/morning/evening(every day/week/month/year/morning/evening).

Examples of sentences in the simple present tense using marker words:

I always get up at six o’clock in the morning.– I always get up at 6 o’clock in the morning.
My brother often listens to music.– My brother often listens to music.
The Earth rotates around the Sun.– The Earth rotates around the Sun (constantly).

I think you noticed that in the 2nd and 3rd sentences the suffix –s (listens, rotates) is used at the end of the verbs. This suffix is an indicator of the 3rd person singular verb of the simple present tense.

As for the negative form of verbs in the simple present tense, it is formed using the auxiliary verb do (does 3rd letter, singular) and the negation not, which are placed before the semantic verb in the form of an infinitive without the particle to, while not is pronounced with emphasis. For example:

I don't play hockey. – I don’t play hockey.
My sister does not like to read books.– My sister doesn’t like to read books.

In oral and written speech, the abbreviated form of do not – don’t and does not – doesn’t is very often used. For example:

I don't go for shopping every day.– I don’t go shopping every day.
My friend doesn't speak English.– My friend doesn’t speak English.

The interrogative form of verbs in the simple present tense is formed using the auxiliary verb do (does), which is placed before the subject. The subject is followed by a semantic verb in the form of an infinitive without the particle to. At the same time, at the last stressed syllable sentences, the tone of voice rises:

Do you work at school? – Do you work at a school?
Does your grandmother live in the village?– Does your grandmother live in the village?

The person asked must answer as follows: Yes, I do or No, I don’t. If the question refers to the representative of the 3rd person singular, then the person asked should answer Yes, he/she/it does or No, he/she/it doesn’t.

Using the Present Simple

designation of regular, repeating actions in the present tense:
I get up at 6. - I get up at 6;
habit designation:
My father drinks coffee in the mornings.— My dad drinks coffee in the morning;
in statements that are always true:
Cats eat mice. — Cats eat mice;
indication of timetable, especially transport or program:
The train leaves at 5 a.m. — The train leaves at 5 am;
expressing one’s opinion, as well as promises, oaths, etc.:
I think it is important. I swear, it is true.- I think it's important. I swear it's true, etc.;
when we talk about completed actions in the present tense, occurring one after another, for example, commenting on one’s actions or sports matches, etc.:
First, I take two eggs and break them into this bowl…- First I take two eggs and break them into a bowl... Sychev passes to Arshavin, Arshavin shoots — and it’s a goal!- Sychev gives a pass to Arshavin, Arshavin shoots, and - goal!;
when we give or ask for instructions, for example, when asking about the right route:
How do I get to the station? — How can I get to the station?;
in official correspondence in clichéd phrases (in less formal correspondence these phrases can be used for a long time):
We write to advise you... - We write to advise you...;
in water phrases such as I see, I hear, I understand, I gather. The meaning of phrases can also refer to the past tense: I hear they are getting married.- I heard they are getting married.

Summary table of time formation The Present Simple Tense

Education The Present Simple Tense in sentences

Affirmative		Negative		Interrogative
I	speak	I	don't speak	Do	I	speak
You		You			you
We		We			we
They		They			they
He	speaks	He	doesn't speak	Does	he	speak
She		She			she
It		It			it

In English simple present tense cannot be confused with other tense forms of the verb. The verbs used in this form indicate the continuity of the actions performed. So, we have discussed with you the main aspects of the first simple tense form - The Present Simple Tense. Read more about other simple time forms in future articles.