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This is a general explanation about all the tenses that we have en English and their uses, but also en English we have some verbs which are called Modals... Take a look.
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TENSES
AND
MODAL
AUXILIARIES
Contents
Tenses and modal auxiliaries ............................................ 3
Tenses ............................................................................... 4
Simple present ............................................................... 5
Present continuous ........................................................ 6
Simple past ..................................................................... 7
Past continuous .............................................................. 8
Future (going to) ............................................................ 9
Future (will) .................................................................. 10
Future continuous ........................................................ 11
Present perfect ............................................................. 12
Present perfect continuous .......................................... 13
Past perfect .................................................................. 14
Past perfect continuous ............................................... 15
Future perfect .............................................................. 16
Future perfect continuous............................................ 17
Modals ............................................................................ 18
Modals are different from normal verbs: ..................... 19
Possibility: .................................................................... 20
Ability ........................................................................... 21
Obligation and Advice .................................................. 22
Permission .................................................................... 23
Habits ........................................................................... 24
Tenses and
modal
auxiliaries In English, we have a lot of elements that we
use to make since simple things like simple
sentences, to big paragraphs and even
books. Some very important parts are the
parts of speech, but they, joined by
themselves, make sentences and every
single sentence has its own TENSE, and
more complex sentences are compound by
MODAL VERBS or HELPING VERBS.
Tenses In English we have thirteen tenses that are
what give sense to the information we are
writing and each one of them has its own
usage and some specific auxiliaries that help
us when distinguishing. Some of them have
different uses and purposes.
Simple present Subject + main verb + complement
Use:
This tense is used for: actions in the
present taking place once, never or
several times, facts,
actions taking place
one after another or
action set by a
timetable or schedule.
Examples:
My sister lives in Washington.
The sun rises in the east.
Present continuous Subject + auxiliary verb to be + verb-ing
Use:
This tense is used to make reference to actions taking place in the moment of
speaking, actions taking place
only for a limited period of time, or actions arranged for the future.
Examples:
Andrew is watching TV right now.
My sister is living in Washington.
Simple past Subject + verb in past + complement
Use:
Simple past tense is used for actions in the past taking place once, never or several times; actions taking place one after another, and actions taking place in the middle of another action.
Examples:
The mail came early this morning.
Dad worked in advertising for ten years.
Past continuous Subject + auxiliary verb to be (past) +
verb-ing form Use:
This tense is used for actions going on at a certain time in the past, actions taking place at the same time, actions in the past that is interrupted by another action.
Examples:
I was sewing when the phone rang.
I was meeting a lot of people at that
time.
Future (going to) Subject + am/is/are + going to + verb
Use:
We use this tense to express an action
that we are sure it is going to happen
Examples:
Jim is going to bring his sister tonight.
I don’t fell well, I’m going to faint.
Future (will) Subject + will + verb
Use:
We use this tense to express an action
that probably will happen, or for
decisions that we make at the moment.
Examples:
I will call you after lunch.
You will past the test. Don’t worry.
Future continuous Subject + will + verb
Use:
It’s used to express an action that sill be
ongoing at a particular time in the future,
or for future actions which have already
been decides.
Examples:
At noon tomorrow, I’ll be talking the
children to their piano lessons.
I’ll be wearing my black evening dress to
the dinner.
Present perfect Subject + auxiliary have/has + past
participle verb
Use:
We use it when we talk about and action
that took place many times at an
unspecific time in the past, or an action
that began in the past and continues up
to the present, and
thing s that have just
happened.
Examples:
He’s just gone to sleep.
I’ve been here for two hours.
Present perfect
continuous Subject + auxiliary have/has + been +
verb-ing
Use:
This tense is used
to express an
action that
took place
over a period
of time in the past
or and action that has been
happening until the present.
Examples:
Laura has been studying for two hours.
Past perfect Subject + auxiliary had + past participle
verb
Use:
Past perfect is about a
past action that
occurred before
another past
action, and for an
action that was
expected to
occur in the past.
Examples:
Tom had left hours before we got there. I had hoped to know about the job
before now.
Past perfect
continuous Subject + auxiliary had + been + veb-ing
Use:
Past perfect continuous expresses an
action that occurred before another past
action, or an
action that
was expected
to occur in
the past. Examples:
I had been
expecting his change in attitude.
Future perfect Subject + will have + past participle
verb Use:
It’s used for an action that will be
completed before a particular time in the
future.
Examples:
By next July, my parents will have been
married for fifty years.
Future perfect
continuous Subject + will have + been + verb-ing
Use:
It’s used for emphasizing the length of
time that has occurred before a specific
time in the future.
Examples:
By May, my father will have been
working at the same job for thirty years.
Modals
All the auxiliary verbs except be, do and have are called modals. Unlike other auxiliary verbs modals only exist in their helping form; they cannot act alone as the main verb in a sentence.
Be, do, and have also differ from the other auxiliaries in that they can also serve as ordinary verbs in a given sentence.
The modal verbs are:
CAN / COULD / MAY / MIGHT / MUST /
SHALL / SHOULD / OUGHT TO / WILL /
WOULD
Modals are
different from
normal verbs: They don't use an 's' for the
third person singular.
They make questions by
inversion ('she can go'
becomes 'can she go?').
They are followed directly by
the infinitive of another verb
(without 'to').
Possibility: First, they can be used when we want to say
how sure we are that something happened /
is happening / will happen. We
often call these 'modals
of deduction' or
'speculation' or
'certainty' or
'probability'.
Examples:
It's snowing, so it
must be very cold outside.
I don't know where John is. He
could have missed the train.
Ability
Ability We use 'can' and 'could' to talk about a skill
or ability.
Examples:
She can speak six languages.
My grandfather could play golf very well.
I can't drive.
Obligation and Advice We can use verbs such as 'must' or 'should'
to say when something is necessary or
unnecessary, or to
give advice.
Examples:
Children must do their homework.
We have to wear a uniform at work.
You should stop smoking.
Permission We can use verbs such as 'can', 'could' and
'may' to ask for and give permission. We also
use modal verbs to say something is not
allowed.
Examples:
Could I leave early today, please?
You may not use the car tonight.
Can we swim in the lake?
Habits We can use 'will' and 'would' to talk about
habits or things we usually do, or did in the
past.
Examples:
When I lived in Italy, we would often eat
in the restaurant next to my flat.
John will always be late!