tenses by Elena Trefilova
present perfect
with report/comment verbs or phrases (guess, imagine, suppose, etc.) I reckon Marks been held up in traffic. Do you suppose theyve forgotten theyre meant to be here? present perfect 1 with other present tenses
with the phrase Thiss/ Its / Thats the first/ second/ only etc. time This is the first time hes been late. Its the only time Ive ever really got angry with him. present perfect 1 with other present tenses
when an event is unusual or unique in your life (often with a superlative and ever or never) Ive never met anybody whos so absent- minded. present perfect 1 with other present tenses
when commenting on the present results of something in the past ( usually with appear, seem, sound, etc.) He sounds as if he has run all the way here. It seems theyve already decided without consulting us. present perfect 1 with other present tenses
! We commonly use a Past tense to refer to somebody who is dead. Princess Diana was the most extraordinary person Ive ever read about. present perfect 1 with other present tenses
To describe states or events that have continued since a time in the past (with since, ever since, etc.) Hes been a bit more careful since he had that warning. Ever since I first heard it Ive been trying to find a recording of that song. present perfect 2 with past tenses
To describe long-term or repeated feelings and thoughts about past events I ve often wondered why he decided to became a teacher. Ive always felt we did the wrong thing when we took her as an assistant. present perfect 2 with past tenses
To describe two states that have existed since a time in the past Since Ive know him, hes always worn the same sweater. present perfect 3 with another present perfect
In time clauses (after when, as soon as, until, before, etc.) we dont use will, and so the Future Perfect will have done is not possible. In these cases we use the Present Perfect to refer to the future Well continue the meeting when hes recovered his composure. present perfect 4 with future form
the future
formexamplemeaning willIll just go and get my coat.=an immediate decision about what you are going to do willYoull be sick if you eat more chocolate. = general prediction be going to Im going to stop in a minute.= a person intention be going to Look out! Were going to hit the car in front. = a prediction after looking at what is happening now present continuous Were going to the café. Wont you join us? = fixed plans/arrangements present simple The coach leaves in ten minutes.=an unalterable arrangement or fact will+continuous Dont phone too early because Ill be putting the baby to bed. =an action that will be in progress some time in the future will+continuous Well be working on this until the end of the year. = an activity that will be happening during a period in the future The future ways of referring to the future
formexamplemeaning will+continuous I'll give your letter to him - I'll be seeing him later. = an action that will happen because its regular or decided will+perfectWell have driven over five hundred miles by the time we get there. =an event that will be finished before a specified time in the future will+perfect continuous Well have been living here for ten years next May. =a state of affairs in progress for a period up to a specified time in the future be+to-infinitiveHe is to be given an award. Youre to stay here until youve apologised. =an official arrangement or order
the end