Notes on English Tenses Lecture

Introduction

• Topic: All tenses in the English language
• Structure: Form, uses, and examples for each tense
• Overview Chart: 3 times (present, past, future) + 4 aspects (simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous) = 12 tenses

Present Tenses

Present Simple

• Form: Subject + verb (V1)
• Examples:
  • Habit: "I drink coffee every morning."
  • Fact: "Cathy works as a teacher."
• Uses:
  • Habits/Routines
  • Facts about people or the world

Present Continuous

• Form: Subject + am/is/are + verb (-ing)
• Examples:
  • Actions happening now: "I’m drinking coffee right now."
  • Temporary activities: "Arun is learning to play the guitar."
  • Changes happening now: "The price of crude oil is falling rapidly."
• Uses:
  • Actions happening at the moment
  • Temporary activities
  • Describing changes

Past Tenses

Past Simple

• Form: Subject + verb (V2)
• Examples:
  • Completed actions: "I played soccer with my friends last Saturday."
  • Irregular verbs: "gave" (past of "give")
• Uses:
  • Completed actions in the past

Past Continuous

• Form: Subject + was/were + verb (-ing)
• Examples:
  • Ongoing actions interrupted by a finished action: "I was having dinner when the doorbell rang."
• Uses:
  • Unfinished actions in the past
  • Actions interrupted by another action

Perfect Tenses

Present Perfect

• Form: Subject + has/have + past participle (V3)
• Examples:
  • Experiences: "I have taught English to many students."
  • Recent actions: "I have finished my homework."
• Uses:
  • Ongoing experiences
  • Recent actions/events without specific time

Present Perfect Continuous

• Form: Subject + has/have been + verb (-ing)
• Examples:
  • Ongoing action: "I have been waiting to see the doctor for two hours."
• Uses:
  • Ongoing actions started in the past, still continuing

Past Perfect

• Form: Subject + had + past participle (V3)
• Examples:
  • Action completed before another past action: "I was sick because I had eaten too much."
• Uses:
  • Clarifying the order of past actions

Past Perfect Continuous

• Form: Subject + had been + verb (-ing)
• Examples:
  • Continuous action before another finished action: "She had been waiting for two hours."

Future Tenses

Future Simple

• Forms:
  1. Going to: Plans/intentions (e.g., "We are going to buy a car.")
  2. Present Continuous: Fixed arrangements (e.g., "I am having lunch on Saturday.")
  3. Will: Instant decisions, offers, promises (e.g., "I will help you.")

Future Continuous

• Form: Subject + will be + verb (-ing)
• Examples:
  • Ongoing action at a future time: "I will be driving to Portland."

Future Perfect

• Form: Subject + will have + past participle (V3)
• Examples:
  • Action completed by a future time: "By August, Aaron will have saved $600."

Future Perfect Continuous

• Form: Subject + will have been + verb (-ing)
• Examples:
  • Ongoing action up to a future time: "By 5 p.m., we will have been painting for ten hours."

Conclusion

• Importance of understanding tenses in English
• Continuous practice recommended for mastering tenses
• Encouragement for further learning and exploration