Understanding All English Tenses

Jun 26, 2024

English with Lucy: Understanding All English Tenses

Introduction

  • Topic: Overview of all 16 English tenses, including conditionals.
  • Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will have a better understanding of English tenses.

Course Promotion

  • 30-Day Tense Challenge:
    • Daily exercises (15 mins a day or grouped).
    • Detailed grammar explanation videos and mind maps.
    • 25-30 exercises per tense, reviews, a final exam.
    • Lifetime access to the course content.
    • 45-day access to the course community (interact with teachers and other students).
    • Digital certificate upon completion.
  • Enrollment Deadline: Midnight, 31st July. Course starts on 1st August.

Overview of English Tenses

  • Present Tenses: Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous.
  • Past Tenses: Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous.
  • Future Tenses: Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous.
  • Conditional Tenses: Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous.

Present Tenses

Present Simple

  • Usage: General statements, habits, facts, scheduled events.
  • Structure: Subject + Base form (add ‘s’ for third person singular).
  • Examples:
    • I work on Tuesdays.
    • Mary meets her friends on Friday evenings.
    • The train leaves at 8 pm.

Present Continuous

  • Usage: Actions happening at the moment, temporary actions, arrangements.
  • Structure: Subject + am/is/are + Verb+ing.
  • Examples:
    • I am teaching English.
    • Kate is studying business.
    • Sarah is meeting her parents tomorrow.

Present Perfect

  • Usage: Past actions with present consequences, experiences up to the present.
  • Structure: Subject + has/have + Past participle.
  • Examples:
    • I have lived in the UK all my life.
    • She has been to Canada three times.
    • Mike has lost his keys.

Present Perfect Continuous

  • Usage: Actions continuing to the present with emphasis on duration.
  • Structure: Subject + has/have + been + Verb+ing.
  • Examples:
    • I have been working for three hours.
    • Ellen has been replying to emails.
    • Look, it's been snowing.

Past Tenses

Past Simple

  • Usage: Finished actions/events in the past.
  • Structure: Subject + Verb (regular +ed, irregular varies).
  • Examples:
    • I went to bed at 10 pm.
    • Dennis ate chocolates for breakfast.

Past Continuous

  • Usage: Ongoing actions at a specific past moment, background information, interrupted actions.
  • Structure: Subject + was/were + Verb+ing.
  • Examples:
    • Tom was cooking at 7 pm.
    • Will was speaking to me.
    • They were chatting when Ben called.

Past Perfect

  • Usage: Actions before another past action/time.
  • Structure: Subject + had + Past participle.
  • Examples:
    • When I arrived, the bus had left.
    • She had worked there for five years.

Past Perfect Continuous

  • Usage: Actions continuing up to a past point, focus on duration.
  • Structure: Subject + had been + Verb+ing.
  • Examples:
    • They had been walking for hours.
    • The orchestra had been practicing for months.

Future Tenses

Future Simple

  • Usage: Assured future actions/events, offers/promises, future facts.
  • Structure: Subject + will + Base form.
  • Examples:
    • It will rain tomorrow.
    • I will help you.
    • It will be our first anniversary.

Future Continuous

  • Usage: Actions in progress at a specific future time/duration.
  • Structure: Subject + will be + Verb+ing.
  • Examples:
    • I will be eating at 8 pm.
    • I’ll be playing tennis tomorrow.

Future Perfect

  • Usage: Actions completed before a future point of time.
  • Structure: Subject + will have + Past participle.
  • Examples:
    • I will have retired by 65.
    • You will have finished before the film.

Future Perfect Continuous

  • Usage: Actions continuing up to a future point with emphasis on duration.
  • Structure: Subject + will have been + Verb+ing.
  • Examples:
    • She will have been living in Cardiff.
    • I will have been working here.

Conditional Tenses

Conditional Simple

  • Usage: Hypothetical present actions.
  • Structure: Subject + would + Base form.
  • Examples:
    • I would travel in first class if I won.

Conditional Continuous

  • Usage: Hypothetical continuous actions in the present.
  • Structure: Subject + would be + Verb+ing.
  • Examples:
    • I would be working abroad.
    • He would be walking his dog.

Conditional Perfect

  • Usage: Hypothetical past actions.
  • Structure: Subject + would have + Past participle.
  • Examples:
    • I would have told John.
    • She would have cooked a bigger meal.

Conditional Perfect Continuous

  • Usage: Hypothetical actions with past continuation, focus on duration.
  • Structure: Subject + would have been + Verb+ing.
  • Examples:
    • I would have been wearing my red dress.
    • He would have been working in Dubai.

Additional Resources

  • Social Media and Website: Connect on Instagram, Facebook, English with Lucy website.
  • Vlogging Channel: Lucy Bella for listening practice and vocabulary.
  • PDF and Quiz: Available for more examples and practice.

Conclusion

  • Encouragement: Well done for covering all 16 tenses!