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English for dummies - Coggle Diagram

- - - - plain (its basic time designation — present, past, or
        future) and progressive (the -ing form of a verb).
        
        Progressive places a little more emphasis on process or on action that spans a time period, and the present progressive may reach into the future. In many sentences either plain or progressive verbs may be used interchangeably.
      - The three basic tenses
        are past, present, and future, and each has two forms
        
        Present tense tells you what’s going on now at the present moment, or
        more generally speaking, what action is recurring.
        
        In the sentence Grace rides her bike, rides is a present-tense verb. In Grace is always polishing her bike and Grace is riding to Florida, the verbs is polishing and is riding are in present progressive tense.
        
        Future tense moves into fortune-teller land.
        
        The verb in Grace will give Diane a ride around the block is will give, which is in future tense. In Grace will be bragging about her new motorcycle for months, will be bragging is in future progressive tense.
        
        Past tense tells what happened at a specific, previous time or
        describes a pattern of behavior in the past.
        
        In the sentence Diane tattooed a skull on her bulging arm, tattooed is a past-tense verb. In During the Motorcycle Festival, Diane was flexing her bicep, was flexing is a verb in past progressive tense.
        
        A common error is to switch from one tense to another with no valid reason. I often hear people say something like “He finally texted me. He says that the big dance is a waste of time!” The writer begins in past tense (texted), but the next two verbs (says, is) are in present tense. Penalty box. If you start in past tense, stay there, unless the content requires a change. The correct way to explain what went on is to say, “He finally texted me. He said the big dance was a waste of time.”
- - - - Should and must add a sense of duty
        
        Notice the sense of obligation in these two sentences: “David should put the ice cream away before he eats the whole thing.” “David must reduce his cholesterol, according to his doctor.”
      - May and might add possibility to the sentence.
        
        Strictly speaking, might is for past events, and may for present, but these days people interchange the two forms: “I may go to the picnic if I can find a bottle of ant-killer.” “I told Courtney that she might want to bring some insect repellent.”
      - Would usually expresses a condition or willingness
        
        This helper explains under what circumstances something may happen. (“I would have brought the cat had I known about the mouse problem.”) Would may also express willingness. (“He would bait the trap.”) Would sometimes communicates repeated past actions. (“Every Saturday he would go to the pet store for more mouse food.”) The present tense of would, the helping verb will, may also indicate a condition in the present or future. (“I will go if I can find a free ticket.”)
      - Can and could imply ability
        
        Could is the past tense of can. Choose the tense that matches the tense of the main verb or the time period expressed in the sentence, as in these examples, “If Hanna can help, she will.” or “Courtney could stray from the beaten path, depending on the weather.”