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PASSIVE VOICE (THE PASSIVE VOICE)

§ 88. If the subject denotes a person or object performing an action, then the verb-predicate is used in the form of an active voice:

The sun attracts the planets.-The sun attracts the planets.

Pushkin wrote "Poltava" in 1828. - Pushkin wrote "Poltava" in 1828.

If the subject denotes a person or object that is being acted upon by another person or object, then the verb-predicate is used in the form of a passive voice:

The planets are attracted by the sun. - The planets are attracted by the sun.

Both in English and Russian, transitive verbs are used in active and passive voice. Intransitive verbs are used only in the active voice. However, in English, unlike Russian, many intransitive verbs that require a prepositional object are also used in the passive voice.

FORMATION OF PASSIVE TIMES

§ 89. Passive tenses are formed with an auxiliary verb to be in the appropriate tense and form, participles past tense(Past Participle) semantic verb. Thus, when conjugating a verb in the passive voice, only the verb changes to be, the semantic verb has the same form in all tenses— Past Participle. Therefore, the tense in which the verb is in the passive voice is determined by the form in which the auxiliary verb is to be:

	I am invited	I am being invited	I have been invited
	I was invited	I was invited	I had been invited
	I shall be invited		I shall have been invited
Future in the Past	I should be invited		I should have been invited

There are only two group tenses in the passive voice Continuous : Present Continuous and Past Continuous; future shape Continuous is missing. In the passive voice there are also no tenses of the group Perfect continuous.

When forming an interrogative auxiliary verb forms placed before the subject: Am I invited? If the auxiliary verb used in complex form(shall be, have been, etc.), then only the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject: Shall I be invited? Have I been invited ?

In the formation of a negative form, the particle not is placed after auxiliary verb: I am not invited. If the auxiliary verb used in complex form(shall be, have been, etc.), then the particle not placed after the first auxiliary verb: I shall not be invited , I have not been invited .

REAL AND PASSIVE TURNS

Section 90. A sentence with a predicate expressed by a verb in the active voice is called actual turnover,and a sentence with a predicate, expressed by a verb in the passive voice, is title passive turnover:

1. Comparison of the actual turnover with the passive turnover parallel to it shows the following:

a ) addition of actual turnover(the radio) becomes the subject in the passive phrase;

b) active verb (invented) matches the verb in passive at the same time(was invented);

in ) subject to actual circulation (Popov) becomes a passive object with a preposition by , corresponding in Russian

language to an object in the instrumental case without a preposition (responding to question by whom? how ?).

Addendum with a suggestion by is very often absent in the passive turnover :

This bridge was built in 1956.-This bridge was built in 1956.

1. After the verb in the passive voice, the object with the preposition is also used with to express the tool with which the action is performed :

The paper was cut with a knife.- The paper was cut with a knife.

1. The predicate of the actual turnover, expressed by a combination of one of the modal verbs must, can (could), may (might), should, ought, to have, to be with the infinitive of the active voice, corresponds in the passive turnover to the combination of the same modal verb with passive infinitive:

There are 12 active tenses in English. For us, this number seems huge, and it seems that English tenses are very difficult to understand. In fact, this is not the case, and with practice, all students learn to choose the right time correctly.

But at the initial stages of learning, any way to remember the functions of times is useful. It doesn't matter if you teach or study on your own, you will definitely need this table. We advise you to use the consolidated English tense table with examples at first, so as not to get lost in time.

We invite you to study and download two tables: tense education table and English tenses table. The first one clearly shows how tenses are formed in English, and the second lists all the functions of tenses with English examples. The tables are based on articles published on the blog, so if you want to read in detail about a particular time, just enter its name in the search on the site.

There is one topic in the study of the language, which, perhaps, can be discussed endlessly. Of course, we mean tenses in English. Learners who are just starting out with the language can sometimes find it hard to get used to the way English-speakers make time for themselves. In fact, each temporary form in English has its own analogue in Russian, it’s just that we don’t single out these forms as separate groups. Therefore, it is not at all difficult to understand the times, and today you will see for yourself.

To begin with, let's do a quick overview of all time groups so that you have an idea of ​​​​what we are going to talk about today. As in Russian, English sentences can be built in the past, present and future. But besides these tenses, English also has 4 tenses, namely: Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous. In general, it turns out that one idea can be expressed in twelve temporary forms. Each form has a different way of forming the verbs that appear in the sentence. They can be used to determine the time. Detailed table for clarity:

Formation of tenses in English
Time / View	Simple (Simple)	Continuous or Progressive (long)	Perfect (perfect)	Perfect Continuous / Progressive (Perfect Continuous)
Past (past)	V2	to be (2nd form) + V-ing	had + V3	had + been + v-ing
Present (present)	V1	to be (1st form) + V-ing	have / has + V3	have / has + been + v-ing
Future (future)	will + V1	will be + v-ing	will + have + V3	will + have + been + v-ing

Having briefly analyzed the English tenses, let's move on to their more detailed study and consider the rules for the formation of tenses with examples.

Why are tenses needed in English?

But first I would like to dwell on the question of why the tenses of the English language are needed and whether it is worth learning them all. The system of tenses in English helps to correctly convey your idea to others. That is, you can make it clear what action is in question. Was it in the past or present? Has it ended or is it still going on? Or does it happen regularly? - all these questions will disappear on their own , if it is known what tense was used in the sentence.

“So I’m just starting to learn the language, and I immediately have to learn all 12 tenses of the English language?” - you ask. Ideally yes, you need to learn all tenses. But, most likely, you will not be able to do it all at once. Therefore, start your training from the time of the Simple group. Knowing simple time, you will be able to explain what happened to you or will happen to you, what you need and why. But you should not be limited to this time, and therefore, having dealt with it, gradually continue to study other groups. The latest can be considered the Perfect Continuous group. Often they resort to it when the level of the language of the students is already “passing” for the average, because the tenses of this group are used quite rarely and are used more to demonstrate their knowledge.

Tenses in English: Simple group

Simple (Simple)		Present (Present)	Past (past)	Future (future)
	+	V1	V2	will + V1
	—	do / does + not + V1	did + not + V1	will + not + V1
	?	Do/Does…V1?	Did…V1?	Will…V1?

present simple

Present Simple or simple present tense , perhaps the most used. The use of this English tense is necessary to express regularly repeated actions, habits, schedules and facts.

As you can see from the table above, the present tense is formed using the verb in its initial form, that is, in the form in which the word is listed in the dictionary. However, this form may vary slightly depending on the person and number. So, if the action is performed by a third person in the singular, the verbs end in -s (-es):

Pronouns / Pronouns	tobe in present tense
I	V1
He	V1 + -s (-es)

Examples:

The auxiliary verb do is used to form negative and interrogative sentences. If it is used with third persons in the singular, then this verb turns into does, because it takes the ending -s (-es) from the semantic verb.

Examples:

As you can see, this time does not have any complex grammatical rules.

past simple

Past Simple or simple past tense in English is used to express the same simple repetitive actions, but only in the past. For its formation, a verb in the second form is used. It is of two types. If the verb is correct, then it is enough to add the ending -ed to it. If it is incorrect, then you just need to memorize the second form, because each irregular verb has its own. Compare:

In this case, the person performing the action does not affect the verb in any way, that is, for all persons the form of the verb is the same. Consider the use of this tense with the help of examples:

In this case, the auxiliary verb did is used to form negative and interrogative sentences. It takes over the function of the past tense determiner, so the semantic verb returns to its original form:

Future Simple

The Future Simple or the simple future tense in English is used to express simple actions that will happen in the future. It has an auxiliary verb will in all three forms of the sentence:

	She will help you.	She will help you.
	I will explain you how to do this.	I will explain to you how to do it.
	They will share their main ideas.	They will share their main ideas.
	You will not (won't) remember anything.	You won't remember anything.
	She won't be available because she'll turn off her phone.	She won't be available because she'll turn off her phone.
	They won't sign the documents.	They won't sign the papers.
	Will you be with me?	You'll be with me?
	Will they like the description of the product?	Will they like the product description?
	Will he lie or not?	Will he lie or not?

Tenses in English: Continuous group

continuous / Progressive (Long)		Present (Present)	Past (past)	Future (future)
	+	to be (1st form) + V-ing	to be (2nd form) + V-ing	will be + v-ing
	—	to be (1st form) + not + V-ing	to be (2nd form) + not + V-ing	will + not + be + v-ing
	?	to be (1st form) … V-ing?	to be (2nd form) … V-ing?	Will … be V-ing?

Present Continuous

Present Continuous (Present Progressive) or present continuous tense in English (also known as continuous tense in English) is a tense that shows that the action is ongoing, that is, is in the process of being performed at a given time. It is usually built with the help of the auxiliary verb to be, which is expressed in three forms, depending on the person and number:

Examples:

	I am typing him a message right now.	Right now I'm typing a message for him.
	We are watching TV all day long.	We watch TV all day.
	They are translating the text at the moment.	They are currently translating the text.
	He is not (isn't) reading now.	He is not reading now.
	Jim isn't writing a new post.	Jim is not writing a new post.
	I am not (‘m not) learning Turkish.	I don't study Turkish.
	Is she working here till summer?	Does she work here until the summer?
	Are you doing this on purpose, huh?	You're doing this on purpose, right?
	Are they studying the course at the moment?	Are they studying this course at the moment?

Past continuous

(Past Progressive) or the past continuous tense is used to show that some action lasted at a certain point in the past. For its formation, auxiliary and semantic verbs are also required. The same verb to be acts as an auxiliary, but only in the past tense:

Pronouns	to be in past tense
I	was
We	were

The semantic verb is formed in the same way as for the present continuous tense.

Examples:

	I was sleeping when he called me.	I was asleep when he called me.
	She was cooking while I was reading a newspaper.	She was cooking while I was reading the newspaper.
	They were watching a cartoon when the electricity was suddenly cut off.	They were watching a cartoon when the lights suddenly went out.
	He was not (wasn't) surfing the Internet at 8 in the evening.	He wasn't surfing the internet at 8 pm.
	They were not (weren't) talking to each other when I came in.	When I entered, they did not speak to each other.
	I wasn't analyzing the results.	I didn't analyze the results.
	Was she laughing during your presentation?	Did she laugh during your presentation?
	Were they training in the evening?	Did they train in the evening?
	Was she teaching her student at 3 p.m.?	Was she studying with her student at 3pm?

Future Continuous

Accordingly, Future Continuous (Future Progressive) or future continuous shows an action that will take place at a particular moment in the future. All 3 forms of the sentence in this tense need an auxiliary verb will be and a semantic verb with the ending -ing:

	When I come back, they will be listening to music.	When I return, they will be listening to music.
	I will be passing the exam this time tomorrow.	I will be taking my exam at this time tomorrow.
	They will be rehearing here at 9 p.m.	They will rehearse here at 9pm.
	Diana will not (won't) be recording a song tonight.	Diana will not be recording a song tonight.
	Unfortunately, I will not be spending time with my friends during my vacations.	Unfortunately, I will not be spending time with my friends during the holidays.
	They will not be building a website this time on Monday.	They will not be developing the website at this time on Monday.
	Will they be chilling the whole day?	Will they chill all day?
	Will she be washing the dishes when we go downstairs?	Will she wash the dishes when we go downstairs?
	Will they be conducting a research?	Will they do research?

Tenses in English: Perfect Group

Perfect (Perfect)		Present (Present)	Past (past)	Future (future)
	+	have / has + V3	had + V3	will + have + V3
	—	have / has + not + V3	had + not + V3	will + not + have + V3
	?	Have/Has…V3?	Had…V3?	Will … have V3?

Present Perfect

The present perfect or present perfect tense is a tense in English used to express actions that have completed by now. It differs from the simple past tense in that it emphasizes the result in the present that caused the action in the past.

This tense requires the auxiliary verb have, which changes to has in the third person. But with verbs used in the role of semantic, not everything is so simple. Past participles are responsible for them. The participle can be formed in two ways:

• If the verb is correct, then it is enough to add the ending -ed:

Suggestion examples:

	The son has broken the window with a ball.	The son broke the window with the ball.
	My children have already made the list of presents.	My children have already made a list of gifts.
	I have heard this story many times.	I have heard this story many times.
	I have not (haven't) hurt people ever.	I have never hurt people.
	She has not (hasn't) decided yet.	She hasn't made a decision yet.
	They haven't learned these formulas by heart; that's why I'm sure they have written cheat sheets	They didn't memorize these formulas, so I'm pretty sure they wrote the spurs.
	Has she been to Europe?	Has she been to Europe?
	Have you ever watched an eclipse?	Have you ever watched an eclipse?
	Have they met him yet?	Have they already met him?

past perfect

Or the past perfect tense is used to show that some action took place before a specific moment in the past. It is formed using the auxiliary verb had and all the same past participles:

	I had prepared a surprise for my children by 7 o'clock in the evening.	I have prepared a surprise for kids by 7 pm.
	We had considered all suggestions by Friday.	We considered all proposals by Friday.
	I wanted to visit her but she had moved already.	I wanted to visit her, but she had already moved.
	She had not (hadn't) spent too much time before she understood the concept.	She didn't spend too much time before she understood the concept.
	They hadn't finished the construction by the deadline.	They didn't finish building by the deadline.
	We hadn't published the magazine by Monday.	We hadn't published the magazine by Monday.
	Had she edited everything by the end of the day?	She edited everything before the end of the day?
	Had he learned the details carefully before he started doing the project?	Did he carefully study all the details before starting the project?
	Had she come back by Thursday?	Was she back by Thursday?

Future Perfect

Future Perfect or future perfect tense, as you might have guessed, shows that the action will be completed by a certain moment in the future. To form this tense, in addition to the auxiliary verb have, the verb will will be required. The semantic participle is the past tense:

	I will have changed everything by this time.	By this time I will change everything.
	She will have been in the Maldives at 3 a.m.	She will be in the Maldives at 3 am.
	The builders will have built the stadium by next winter.	The builders will build the stadium by next winter.
	They will not (won't) have spent much time on family till they understand its value.	They will not spend much time on the family until they understand its value.
	She won't have reached her goals until she starts working.	She won't achieve her goals until she starts working.
	I think George and Quincy won't have made up before your birthday party.	I think George and Quincy won't make up before your birthday.
	Will they have made it by March?	Will they make it by March?
	Will she have got his real intentions before they get married?	Will she understand his true intentions before they get married?

Tenses in English: Perfect Continuous Group

Perfect (Perfect)		Present (Present)	Past (past)	Future (future)
	+	have / has + been + v-ing	had + been + v-ing	will + have + been + v-ing
	—	have / has + not + been + v-ing	had + not + been + v-ing	will + not + have + been + v-ing
	?	Have / Has … been + V-ing?	Had…been + V-ing?	Will … have + been + V-ing?

Present Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Continuous or Present Perfect Continuous is a tense used to show an action that started and lasted up to a certain point or continues to last until now.

It has the auxiliary verbs have been, which change to has been in the third person. The semantic verb is the same verb that was used in Continuous tenses. Among all tenses of the English language of this group, Present Perfect Continuous is the most common:

	It has been raining all day long.	It rained all day.
	My friend has been persuading me to go with him for an hour.	My friend urges me to go with him for an hour.
	I'm tired because we have been creating a studio all night.	I'm tired because we've been creating the studio all night.
	She has not (hasn't) been learning French since she moved from Canada.	She hasn't studied French since she moved from Canada.
	Bryan hasn't been enjoying his weekends since his mother-in-law came to visit them.	Brian didn't enjoy the weekend because his mother-in-law came to visit.
	We haven't been sleeping all night.	We didn't sleep all night.
	How long have you been living here?	How long have you been living here?
	Have you been fighting again?	Did you fight again?
	Who has been touching my documents?!	Who touched my documents?!

Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect Continuous is used in the same way as Present Perfect Continuous, only in this case the action ends at a certain point in the past. Sentences are formed in this tense with the help of the auxiliary verbs had been and the semantic verb with the ending -ing. Since this form is not used very often and there are not many options for its use, consider just a few examples:

Future Perfect Continuous

Future Perfect Continuous or future perfect long time implies a certain moment in the future. Time is used in very rare cases. It uses the auxiliary verbs will have been and the same semantic verb:

That's all. We hope that the explanation of the topic helped you, and the use of tenses in English is no longer a problem for you. Try to use all tense forms as often as possible when speaking, compose examples with them, perform various exercises on English tenses and make a translation.

In order not to constantly return to this article, redraw or make your own table of English tenses. It will be like a cheat sheet for you. Refer to it periodically, even if you have completed the study of this topic, since repetition of the past will never be harmful. If at first you still have a little confusion with the times, with proper practice you will quickly understand how to use them. The main thing is that we deal with all tenses in stages and do not move from one group to another until we fully master the material.

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The verb to make is one of the most widely used verbs in English. It is characterized by one basic meaning - "to do, to perform, to produce."

However, based on this meaning, there are several more meanings that differ in certain semantic nuances, in particular:

Another important meaning of the verb to make is the meaning of "to force":

Now consider other features of this verb.

The grammatical characteristic of the verb to make

The verb to make belongs to the group of irregular verbs, which means that its three main forms are not formed according to the rules, but require memorization. These are the forms:

theInfinitive(infinitive, initial form)	the Past Simple Tense(past simple tense)	the Past Participle(past participle)
tomake	made	made
I'd like to make dinner for you. / I would like to cook dinner for you.	I made a lot of mistakes in the test yesterday. / I made a lot of mistakes in the test yesterday.	Have I made any progress in learning English? / Am I making any progress in learning English?

	Simple	Continuous	Perfect	Perfect Continuous
present	This cake is made of cookies, fruit and cream. / This cake is made with biscuits, fruit and cream.	The cake is being made right now. / The cake is being prepared right now.	The cake has been made . We can have a cup of tea with a piece of cake. / The cake is ready. We can have a cup of tea with a piece of cake.	—
Past	That cake was made by my sister. / That cake was made by my sister.	The cake was being made by the cook when the guests arrived. / The cake was being prepared by the chef when the guests arrived.	The cake had been made when we came. So we had a cup of tea with it. / The cake was ready when we arrived. So we had a cup of tea with him.	—
Future	The cake will be made tomorrow in the afternoon. / The cake will be cooked tomorrow afternoon.	—	The cake will have been made by the time you come to take it to the birthday party. / The cake will be ready by the time you come to pick it up at the birthday party.	—

The absence of some forms in the above table does not indicate the absence of them in the verb to make, but their complete absence in the paradigm of the forms of the passive voice.

Differences between the verb to make and the verb to do

In general, the main difference between these two verbs from each other lies in the fact that in addition to the basic meaning "to do" inherent in each of them, they have independent shades of this meaning:

However, the line between these values ​​is sometimes very thin or even blurred. Therefore, it is better to remember the most common set expressions with the verbs to make and to avoid mistakes in their use. The following are set expressions with the verb to do:

to do homework	to do homework	I forgot to do my homework yesterday.	I forgot about my homework yesterday.
to do housework	do housework	My mother and sister do all the housework in our house.	My mother and sister do all the housework with us.
to do a subject	study a subject	What subjects do you do at school?	What subjects do you study at school?
to do a course	take a course	I did a two-month course in business English.	I took a two-month Business English course.
to do the shopping	to shop, go shopping	I always do the shopping at the weekends.	I always go shopping on weekends.
to do research	take the survey	These scientists are doing medical research in spinal injuries.	These scientists are conducting medical research on spinal injuries.
to do smb. a favor	do someone a favor	Could you do me a favor?	Could you do me a favor?
to do well	study well	I did well at German, but my brother did badly.	I studied well in German, and my brother studied poorly.
to do badly	study poorly
to do something / nothing / anything	do something/nothing/whatever	Those people do nothing all day. Can you do anything about it?	Those people do nothing all day. Can you do something about it?

Set expressions with the verb to make

to make a mistake	to make a mistake	He made a few mistakes in the test.	He made several mistakes in the test.
to make a meal	cook food	I don't usually make a meal in the evening.	I don't usually cook in the evening.
to make money	make money, make a fortune	He made a lot of money when he was in China.	He made a lot of money when he was in China.
to make friends	to make friends	Tom made a lot of friends in Canada last year.	Tom made many friends in Canada last year.
to make a decision	make a decision	Think about it before you make a decision.	Think about it before you make a decision.
to make a noise	make noise	I can't work because those people are making a lot of noise.	I can't work because these people are making a lot of noise.
to make progress	improve, progress	Her English is much better now. She has made remarkable progress.	Her English is much better now. She has made significant progress.
to make a difference	make a difference, make a difference	Now I have a car. It makes a big difference.	Now I have a car. This changes things a lot.
to make up one's mind	decide, decide	I can't make up my mind to tell you about it.	I can't bring myself to tell you about it.

Features of the verb to make in the meaning of "force"

The verb to make can be used before the infinitive of another verb to mean "to cause someone to do something". while the infinitive of the second verb is used without the particle to. For example:

Phrasal verbs with stem to make

to make after	pursue, chase after...	The police were making after the shoplifter.	The police chased the shoplifter.
to make away	run away, run away	The shoplifter was able to make away.	The shoplifter managed to get away.
to make awaywith	get rid of... get rid of...	All the criminals try to make away with witnesses.	All criminals try to get rid of witnesses.
to make for	to rush towards something	A crowd of people made for the exit.	A crowd of people rushed to the exit.
to make out	discern, understand, deal with	You can make out images of angels among the clouds in this picture.	In this picture, among the clouds, you can distinguish images of angels.
to make of	regard	I don't know what to make of his words.	I don't know how to take his words.
to make over	to transfer (money), transfer	Her parents makeover big sums of money to her once a month.	Her parents transfer large sums of money to her once a month.
to make off	run away, hide	The thieves have made off with all the valuable things.	The thieves fled with all the valuables.
to make up	compose, invent; put on makeup	Please, make up a fairytale on your own! A lot of women make up every day.	Please make up your own story! Many women put on makeup every day.

Make friends with the verb to make and it will become your faithful assistant!

The formation of tenses in English is subject to strict rules of grammar. Here it is important to observe the order of words and the coordination of tenses. For each life situation, a certain temporary construction is selected.

In English, the form of the verb is not affected by gender, so, for example, in the phrases “He said” and “She said”, only pronouns will differ, and the verb (the verb) will not change and will sound like said. But this is little consolation for those who decide to become a pro in English. After all, you will have to master 12 times. And about what these temporary forms are, how they are formed, and, in fact, why you need to learn how to operate with this very time, we will talk below.

How times are formed
in English?

The formation of English tenses occurs with the help of auxiliary verbs. Also, depending on the tense form, the ending of the semantic verb changes.

Why is it important to distinguish tenses when learning a language?

If you do not want to get lost in time, and also completely confuse your interlocutor, then you will first have to master at least the Present group. Of course, in everyday life, native speakers themselves do not operate with all 12 tenses. Much also depends on whether we are talking about British English or American English. It is believed that Americans are not so scrupulous in matters of grammar, so some flaws are easily forgiven to foreigners. But still, in order not to find yourself in a situation lost in translation, that is, not to get confused in the translation, it is important to understand how tenses are formed in the English language.

Russian and English times: similarities and differences

We are accustomed to three tenses: present, past and future. This is why English grammar seems so difficult. In fact, in Russian there are three tenses for us. For those who study our language as a foreign language, the situation with temporary forms does not look so rosy. They say that foreigners can spend more than one month studying the verb “go” alone. There are also present, past and future tenses in English, which are called, respectively, Present, Past and Future. Everything is simple here: if, for example, we are talking about a fact that happened in the past, then we use Past. But the problem is that in English, the past tense alone can have 4 forms.

Formation of tenses in English: table

In each of the three tenses (Present, Past and Future) there are four more subgroups:

Simple
Continuous
Perfect
Perfect Continuous

This is where the 12 tenses come from. The main questions about English tenses usually arise when the student moves from the Simple group to the more complex Continuous or Perfect. It is not easy for a Russian person to understand why continuous and perfect forms are still needed, and why the same phrase, like “I worked”, can be said both as “I worked” and “I have worked”.

The use of tenses in English: a table with examples

Questions about the tenses of the English language will disappear by themselves if you master the main rules for constructing temporary forms and learn to automatically determine which group this or that situation can be attributed to. In short, the tenses of the Simple group are used to denote single actions. The Continuous group combines actions stretched over time. Perfect characterizes processes completed by some point in the past, present or future. The most difficult and little used of all tenses in English are the tenses of the Perfect Continuous group. The perfect long tense also characterizes actions completed by a certain moment, however, these actions are extended in time.

How are the tenses of the Simple group formed?

The times of the Simple group will have to be mastered even by those who need to learn only the simplest spoken English. Without knowledge of the forms of the simple verb to be, you simply cannot tell elementary information about yourself. The temporary group Simple is used to describe an action in general, without focusing on its duration or completeness.

Formation of tenses in English. Table for the Simple group:

Present Simple, or Simple present tense in English

Present tenses in English are used to characterize actions taking place in the present tense. We turn to Present Simple in those situations when we want to provide some general information about a person (tell about his belonging to some class, profession, etc.). For example, "I am a student" (I am a student). Also, the present simple tense is needed to report an action that is repeated systematically. For example, "He cooks" (he cooks). In this example, it means that he, in principle, knows how to cook food, does it all the time, and not at any particular period of time. Also present simpl is used for:

· Descriptions of natural phenomena and facts (The Earth goes around the Sun - the Earth revolves around the Sun);

· Sports comments (Messi scores a goal - Messi scores a goal);

· Schedules of transport, broadcasts, movie shows, etc. (The train from Moscow arrives at 6:05 p.m. - The train from Moscow arrives at 18:05);

· Internal state, feelings (Do you want to go away? - Do you want to leave?).

You can also recognize Present Simple in speech by marker words that determine the frequency of the action:

· always (always);
usually (usually);
· never (never);
sometimes (sometimes);
· rarely (infrequently);
seldom (rarely);
regularly (regularly);
· every day (every day);
often (often).

Past Simple (Simple Past)

The tenses of the past group characterize actions committed in the past. We use Past Simple when we need to report a repeating action in the past. In order to build an interrogative or negative form, we need the auxiliary verb did. In this case, the main verb will not change. You can also understand that Past Simple is in front of you by such marker words as:

· Yesterday (yesterday);
In 2008 (in 2008);
15 years ago (15 years ago);
· last week (last week);
the day before yesterday (the day before yesterday).

The simple present tense tells us about a fact or a single simple action completed in the past. For example, "In 2000 Angelina Jolie won an Oscar - In 2008, Angelina Jolie won an Oscar." Past Simple also characterizes several actions that happened in the past in chronological order (“I came home, called Jane and had dinner with my friend - I came home, called Jane and had lunch with my friend”). In order to report an action that has been repeated many times in the past, you will also need Past Simple (I took Spanish courses when I was young - I went to Spanish courses when I was young).

Future Simple (Future Simple)

The tenses of the Future group English grammar “marks” with the auxiliary verb will. Are you saying that some action will happen in the future? Just add will to the semantic verb. The Future Simple tense is used in the following situations:

· Single simple action in the future (I will sign it - I will sign it);

The decision that we make at the time of the conversation (I will buy a ticket and you stay here - I will buy a ticket, and you stay here);

· Actions that are repeated in the future (I will visit Jane a few times in Paris - I will visit Jane in Paris several times);

Identification of several actions that take place in the future sequentially (I will meet with him and I will explain how to do this - I will meet with him and explain how to do this).

Future Simple is often accompanied in a sentence by such circumstances of time as:

tomorrow (tomorrow);
next summer (next summer);
in ten years (in ten years);
in 2020 (in 2020).

Group Times Continuous
in English

For a Russian-speaking person, the times of the Continuous group are quite difficult to understand. After all, for us there is no difference whether the action is taking place at the present moment or whether we perform it periodically. A Russian-speaking person will say "I'm watching TV" regardless of whether he enjoys watching a TV show at the moment, or whether this process is part of his daily habit. In English grammar, Continuous tenses are needed to describe an action that is stretched out in the process. This is any long-term action that takes place at a certain moment.

Grammatical tenses in English. Table for the Continuous group:

Present Continuous (Present Continuous)

If the action occurs at the moment of speech, then we use the Present Continuous, or the present continuous. This temporary construction is built using the auxiliary verb to be, which, depending on the person and number, takes one of three forms. For the pronoun I (I), we use the form am. In the third person singular (pronouns he, she, it) to be takes the form is, and in the plural - are.

Let's look at how Present Continuous is used with specific examples:

I am looking at you - I am looking at you (now, that is, at the moment of speech).

His English is getting better - His English is getting better (action is in progress).

She is working from 9 till 7 - She works from 9 to 7 (an action that covers a period of time in the present).

I am meeting him at 7 at the cinema - I meet him at 7 o'clock at the cinema (an action that is planned, and at the same time we know the time and place).

They are going to the opera - They go to the opera (action in the near future, Present Continuous in this case is used exclusively with verbs of motion).

He is always annoying me - He always annoys me (expression of a negative assessment about a habit, regular behavior).

To help recognize the present continuous tense in speech, marker words such as now (now) and at the moment (at the moment) can help. If we are talking about some kind of habit and inclination (often in a negative context), then in this case Present Continuous is accompanied by the following adverbs:

· all the time (all the time);
· always (always);
constantly (constantly).

Past Continuous (Past Continuous)

The tenses of the past group, as a rule, refer to the second form of the verb. The Past Continuous is no exception in this regard. This tense is formed by adding the 2nd form of the auxiliary verb to be, namely was for the singular and were for the plural. The ending -ing is necessarily added to the semantic verb.

The Past Continuous should be used in the following situations:

Long-term action that in the past took place in a certain period (He was playing football at 11 o "clock - He played football at 11 o'clock);

An action that took place in the past while another action took place (He was reading when somebody knocked at his window - He read when someone knocked on the window).

Also, Past Continuous can often be found in descriptive literary texts, where the author sets the task of creating the right atmosphere:

It was getting dark, and the wind was howling - It was getting dark and the wind was howling.

In phrases with Past Continuous, we often observe circumstances that indicate a period of time:

all day long (all day);
· all the time (all the time);
the whole day (the whole day);
· from 7 till 11 (from 7 to 11).

Future Continuous (Future Continuous)

Not all tenses in English have Russian counterparts. For example, Future Continuous from the point of view of a Russian speaker is unlikely to be any different from a simple future. However, residents of English-speaking countries refer to this time in the following situations:

· A continuous action that will take place at a certain point in the future (This time next Monday she will be flying to Paris - Next Monday at this time she will fly to Paris);

· A long-term action against the background of which another shorter one will occur in the future. At the same time, we do not know whether the first action will be interrupted or will be continued. (We will be sleeping when he arrives to New York - We will sleep when he arrives in New York);

To denote two or more actions that will take place in the future at the same time (While they are playing chess I will be cooking dinner - While they are playing chess, I will cook dinner).

Future Continuous is formed using the auxiliary form will be and the semantic verb with the ending -ing.

The future continuous tense can also be recognized by marker words. These could be times:

at 5 o "clock (at five o'clock);
at that moment (at this moment);
in an hour (in an hour);
This time tomorrow (at the same time tomorrow), etc.

If we are talking about subordinate clauses with Future Continuous, then here we often see unions such as: if (if), as (while), while (while), when (when), until (not yet), before (before).

Perfect band times

The Perfect group can be briefly characterized by the word “result”. The completion of the action here is associated with some specific moment in the present, past or future.

How tenses are formed in English. Table for the Perfect group:

The 3rd form of a verb in English is formed by adding the ending -ed to the stem. The exception is irregular verbs, which do not change according to the rules. In this case, the form will have to be remembered.

Present Perfect (Present Perfect)

Examples of Present Perfect in school textbooks do not always allow you to get a complete picture of how to actually use this time. In fact, it is very widespread. Present Perfect is usually used in such situations:

1. To denote an action that is already absolutely completed in the past, but, nevertheless, it is still connected with the present through the result (I have read this book so you can take it - I have already read this book, so you can take it);
2. To characterize an action that began in the past, but at the same time, it continues at the present moment (I have lived in London for 6 years - We have been living in London for 6 years).

In sentences with the present perfect tense, there are often adverbs and circumstances that emphasize the effectiveness of the action:

· never (never);
just (just now);
already (already);
yet (yet);
· ever (ever);

For example: Have you ever been to Cyprus? - Have you ever been to Cyprus?

Past Perfect (Past perfect tense)

If the action was completed before a certain moment or action in the past, then, according to the rules of English grammar, you will have to choose the Past Perfect tense. For example, "The rain had stopped before he woke up - The rain ended before he woke up." Or: "By that time they had finished their work - By that time they had finished their work."

You can often recognize the Past Perfect by the union by and circumstances of time, like: by that time (by that time), by Monday (by Monday), by then (by that time), etc.

Future Perfect (Future perfect tense)

Future Perfect is used in situations where we need to report an action that will be completed before a certain point in the future: "I will have written the article by night - I will write an article by night." We also use the future perfect tense when we talk about some kind of supposed action that took place in the past. In other words, the Future Perfect is needed in order to express an assumption about what probably happened. For example, "You will have noticed our attitude to this problem - You (surely) noticed our attitude to this problem."

The marker phrases for the Future Perfect are also circumstances of time that indicate the moment for the completion of the action:

by Sunday (by Sunday);
by that time (by that time);
by 2033 (by 2033).

Formation of group times
Perfect Continuous

The times of the Perfect Continuous group in colloquial speech are not so common. Students usually start with these constructions at later stages. As the name implies, Perfect Continuous describes a continuous action that has begun, continues and ends at a certain point.

Grammatical tenses in English. Table for the Perfect Continuous group:

Present Perfect Continuous (Present Perfect Continuous)

The Present Perfect Continuous shows an action that started in the past and continues to the moment of speaking. For example: "She has been working for 5 hours already - She has already been working for 5 hours." This time is also used to characterize a long-term action that has just ended, the result of which affects the present: "I"m tired. We have been working all night - I'm tired. We worked all night."

In phrases with the present perfect continuous tense in English, there are often circumstances of time and other phrases that indicate the time period during which the action is performed. For example:

for a week (during the week);
Since morning (from the morning);
lately (recently);
· all my life (all my life), etc.

Past Perfect Continuous (Past Perfect Continuous)

The Past Perfect Continuous is similar to the previous one, but describes an extended action that began in the past up to a certain point (which also happened in the past and is always used in the Past Simple). This process may continue or end just before this very moment.

"Tom had been reading for 2 hours when Jane came - Tom had been reading for two hours when Jane came." In this case, the action began before Jane arrived. At the same time, Tom continues to read even after being interrupted.

The past perfect continuous tense is characterized by the use of temporary marker phrases, such as:

for five months (within 5 months);
for a long time (for a long time);
Since 7 o "clock (from 7 o'clock), etc.

Future Perfect Continuous (Future Perfect Continuous)

Among all the tenses of English grammar, Future Perfect Continuous is the least common in speech. This tense describes a continuous action that will begin in the future and continue until a certain moment (it is used in the Future Simple):

He will be resting for a week when she will join him - He will be resting for a whole week when she joins him.

Learning to distinguish English tenses is not as difficult as it seems at first glance: marker words will help you navigate. Remember that the simple past tense, for example, can be determined from a specific date. The ending -ing in the verb indicates that the action is not single, but continuous, that is, continuing. It is important to remember that if you start a sentence with past tense verbs, then the second part of the sentence must also use the past tense. Of course, in this matter one cannot do without practice. Watch as many English-language films and TV shows as possible, read books, and gradually you will learn to feel the tenses of the English language and stop thinking about where to put which verb.