English Grammar Tenses
The English Language, as with ALL languages allows us to describe the world around us.
Nouns, describe things. Adjectives and adverbs describe the nature of things and the way we do things, respectively.
The main difference between most languages is the Grammar; The language system.
Typically, the nouns, adjectives, adverbs and prepositions are directly translatable.
The difficulty most people have is understanding the Grammar Tenses – the time when events are described:
I eat, I am eating I ate, I will eat and I have eaten etc.
The English Grammar Tenses describe:
Facts:
What things are - It is a car (state).
What things do -I eat cake (event).
and
Actions – I’m talking to you.
Facts:
The state of a thing - be (is am are)
The verb be, together with adjectives describe what a thing is:
Is your car a big car? Yes, it is big. It’s a big, blue car.
and
Events (what we do) - do (do – eat – talk etc)
All verbs, and do describe events
I live in Edinburgh, I work in London, I drive a lot.
I do my homework when I get home from school.
Don’t do that! Don’t do what? Don’t talk and eat at the same time. Sorry!
There are two things in English: Facts and Actions:
Facts:
State – What a thing is ((to) be)
London is a wonderful city.
I’m tall, but you’re taller
Events – What a thing does ((to) do)
I have / own a big blue car, I drive it every day.
I play tennis, do you like tennis? No, I don’t, I prefer rugby.
and
Actions:
Events that are temporary (the verb be (is am are) + verb + ING).
I am not driving at the moment so I can speak to you.
Hello! I’m talking to you, are you listening to me?
Importantly:
When we describe general Facts and routines it is best to use the present simple tense.
This is a nice cake. I love cake, I like biscuits too.
I work in the city. I usually leave for work at 7 am.
The Moon goes around the earth, and the Earth circles the sun.
When we describe Actions or temporary events it is best to use only the continuous tense.
I am driving and can’t speak to you now.
I’m enjoying your cake. Mmm it’s delicious, I love it.
Are you enjoying the ‘James Bond’ film on your new tele ? No, I’m watching a football match at the moment.
Conjugating the verb and using Auxiliary verbs help us to describe events across time.
| Present simple | I am bored You are tired He / She / It is big | I eat / speak / walk / call |
| Present continuous | You are being silly | I am eating / doing |
| Past | I was / We were late | I ate / spoke / walked / called |
| Future | I will be late | I will eat / speak/ walk / call |
| Present perfect | I have been to India twice | I have eaten / spoken / walked |
Time:
We can introduce time by conjugating the verb and using the auxiliary verb will (future).
I eat cake: I atethe whole cake (past) / I will eat it all(future) / I have eaten too much cake (present perfect)
Time words:
Each grammar tense uses particular Time words and phrases to help us describe when events and actions take place. Time words include: nouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and phrases:
at 7 always yesterday in the future
Some Time words and phrases clearly describe the time in which an event happens, such as:
tomorrow now today last week next month at the moment
Some other Time words may need further explanation and appear only with certain tenses:
already yet soon ever while at the same time as
Present Past and Future Time words:
The present simple helps us describe habitual / routine events:
every day at (10am) these days
Adverbs with the present simple help us describe the frequency of an event:
always generally usually often sometimes not often rarely never
The present continuous helps us say what is happening NOW
Look! It’s snowing. I can’t look now / at the moment, I’m watching the weather forecast.
Now:
Now is used to represent the moment we speak.
What’s she doing now? Don’t look now! I have a surprise for you.
Now may also represent the immediate future.
Where’s mum’s present? Sorry! I’ll get it now / immediately, wait a moment.
The Past and Future generally describe singular events before now or after now
In 1066 5 years ago last week, etc yesterday
in the year 2525 in 10 minutes time next week tomorrow soon
The present perfect typically describes events from before now - until now, where there may be the possibility of further similar future events.
since (from a point in the past) until now so far today yet already
The present perfect also typically describes recent events or recently finished events:
until now lately recently just
Practice makes perfect
Essentially: ‘Practice make perfect‘,and Time words are the key to describing the time in which
events or actions take place, whether the events are habitual events, singular events, actionsor events until now. When we have assimilated the Time words we will better know the verb tense we need to use.
TIP:
When you see an event (walk, fall, throw etc), find the verb and conjugation, find the ‘time word’ and create a sentence.
I walk to college every day
Leaves fall in autumn
I’m walking to work at the moment.
Snow is currently falling across the country.
I walked to work yesterday
I fell over earlier / this morning, I tripped on the door-step.
I will walk there again tomorrow
The big tree in our garden will fall over soon
I have walked 5 km so far today
My brother and sister haven’t spoken recently, I think they’ve had an argument.
In principle, once we have learned the Time words for the Present simple, Present continuous, Past, Future, and the Present perfect, and we understand why we use them, our reflex and accuracy will be improved when we speak English.
Once the Time words are in place, they will help us understand the more complex grammar forms, such as the Past perfect, Present perfect continuous and the Conditional tenses.
Good luck! And keep practicing!
Remember:
“Practice makes perfect”.