The Simple Past Tense

The following lesson will show you how to use the Simple Past Tense in English.

FORMS

The Simple Past Tense has the following forms:

• Affirmative: S + V-ed
• Negative: S + DID NOT + Infinitive
• Interrogative/Question: DID + S + Infinitive

USAGE

The Simple Present Tense is used to express:

• an action that happened at a definite point of time in the past
  
  Examples:
  
  I first watched this movie thirty years ago.
  She started her scientific career in 1985.


• an action that happened over a period of time in the past
  
  Examples:
  
  My brother worked as a receptionist from 1990 to 1997.
  Jenny was a nurse in the army during World War II.


• a habit in the past
  
  Examples:
  
  We often went swimming when we lived in the countryside.
  His father gave him some pocket money every morning.

NOTES

• The past forms of irregular verbs must be learnt by heart.
  
  Examples:
  
  TO RUN -> RAN
  TO BUY -> BOUGHT


• The construction
  
  USED TO/WOULD + Infinitive
  
  is also used to express a habit in the past.
  
  Examples:
  
  I used to read comics when I was a kid.
  He would ask me to help him when he had trouble doing his homework.

Read more...

The Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The following lesson will show you how to use the Present Perfect Continuous Tense in English.

FORMS

The Present Perfect Continuous Tense has the following forms:

• Affirmative: S + HAVE/HAS + BEEN + V-ing
• Negative: S + HAVE NOT/HAS NOT + BEEN + V-ing
• Interrogative/Question: HAVE/HAS + S + BEEN + V-ing

USAGE

The Present Perfect Continuous Tense is similar in use to the Present Perfect Tense. It expresses an action which began in the past but has continued up to the present and possibly to the future. The Present Perfect Continuous Tense, however, emphasizes the uninterrupted nature of the action.

Examples:

I have been learning English for five years.
He has been working very hard recently.

Read more...

The Present Perfect Tense

The following lesson will show you how to use the Present Perfect Tense in English.

FORMS

The Present Perfect Tense has the following forms:

• Affirmative: S + HAVE/HAS + Past Participle
• Negative: S + HAVE NOT/HAS NOT + Past Participle
• Interrogative/Question: HAVE/HAS + S + Past Participle

USAGE

The Present Perfect Tense is used to express:

• an action that began in the past and has continued to the present and possibly to the future
  
  Examples:
  
  I have lived in this house for twenty years.
  My father has taught American literature since 1995.


• an action that has happened in the past but the exact time of the action is either not known or not indicated
  
  Examples:
  
  I have seen that film before.
  She's been to America several times.


• an action that has been completed a relatively short time before the moment of speaking
  
  Examples:
  
  The manager has just gone out.
  Tom is jealous because his friend has bought a new car.

Read more...

The Present Continuous Tense

The following lesson will show you how to use the Present Continuous Tense in English.

FORMS

The Present Continuous Tense has the following forms:

• Affirmative: S + AM/IS/ARE + V-ing
• Negative: S + AM/IS/ARE + NOT + V-ing
• Interrogative/Question: AM/IS/ARE + S + V-ing

USAGE

The Present Continuous Tense is used to express:

• an action that is in progress at the moment of speaking
  
  Examples:
  
  Be quiet! The baby is sleeping.
  I'm trying to concentrate, so please don't disturb me.


• an action that is in progress around the moment of speaking
  
  Examples:
  
  His son is studying for a degree in philosophy in the United States.
  I'm reading a rather long novel by Dickens. I don't know when I can finish it.


• an action that has been planned for the near future
  
  Examples:
  
  My father is coming to see me tomorrow.
  We are having a meeting on Thursday morning.

Read more...

The Simple Present Tense

The following lesson will show you how to use the Simple Present Tense in English.

FORMS

The Simple Present Tense has the following forms:

• Affirmative: S + V-s/es
• Negative: S + DO NOT/DOES NOT + Infinitive
• Interrogative/Question: DO/DOES + S + Infinitive

USAGE

The Simple Present Tense is used to express:

• a habitual action in the present
  
  Examples:
  
  I get up at 6 o'clock every day.
  He often goes swimming in the morning.


• a universal truth
  
  Examples:
  
  Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
  The Sun rises in the East and sets in the West.

NOTES

The following adverbs are usually used with the Simple Present Tense: always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, rarely, never.

Read more...