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English tenses - Coggle Diagram
English tenses
Future
Simple future
Pure future = sth.
will certainly happen
, speaker has
no impact on future activity
To express the speaker's..
determination
: I will marry him!
willingness
: Sure, I will help you.
suggestion
: shall we go to the pub?
command
: you shall/will do these exercises!
threat
: you shall do as I say, or else..
offer
: shall I carry these bags for you?
request
: will you give me that pen, please?
promise
: don't worry, we shall help you.
intention
: I feel awful! I'll give up smoking tomorrow.
Vb. I
will drink
, he
will play
Future continuous
Action
going on at given time
in future =
duration
Action in more
distant future,
that has been
planned
=
esp. for travelling
To
ask (neutral) questions
about future activities
To express future without intention;
future action will happen in normal course of time
Vb. I
will be travelling
, he
will be playing
'To be' going to + INF
To make a
prediction
abt smth.
the speaker thinks
is going to happen
To express
intention
(
decision has already been made
beforehand)
Vb. I
'm going to drink
, he
is going to play
Future perfect
To refer to an
action
which - at
a certain time in the future
- will already
have happened
. (often with: by then, by the time)
Vb. I
will have retired
by the time I'm 70.
Future perfect continuous
= Future perfect +
DURATION
Vb. In 2010 we
will have been living
here for 20 years.
Past
Simple past
Actions at
definite time
in past
Succession
of actions in past
Habits/repeated actions
in past
Vb. I
drank
, he
played
Past continuous
Going on at
particular moment
in past =
duration
Actions (2) going on at same time
in past
Habit in past that causes
irritation
'Background' action
(oft. combined with s.past action) vb. I was crossing the street when..
Vb. I
was drinking
, he
was playing
Past perfect
= A PAST IN THE PAST
A past action that
took place BEFORE another past action
Vb. When I got home, he
had drunk
a bottle of Tequila.
Past perfect continuous
=
past perfect + DURATION
Vb. He
had been drinking
.
Present
Simple present
Planned future action -
timetables
Series of short action ->
stories/comments
General truth
- natural law
Non-action verbs:
possession/senses/feelings/mental activity
Habits/repeated
actions
Vb. I
drink
, he
plays
Present continuous
Going on at moment of speaking =
NOW
Changing/developing around time of speaking
Going on
around time of speaking
(not necess. NOW)
Express
irritation
(always/forever)
Near future actions
- already arranged
Vb. I
am drinking
, he
is playing
Present perfect
Action in the past
(no stated time)
With
time adverbs
: lately, recently, already, yet, so far, just, for since, ever, never,...
Clear connection betw. past-present
action began in past & still going now or just finished
action in past + result in present
action in period of time that's not over yet
Vb. I
have drunk
, he
has played
Present perfect continuous
Action began in past & still continuing or just finished +
stress on DURATION
Vb. I have been drinking
last week
, he has been playing
for two months