English Grammar

(1) Simple Present: He sings.
(2) Present Perfect: He has sung.
(3) Present Continuous: He is singing.
(4) Present Perfect Continuous: He has been singing.

(5) Simple Past: He sang.
(6) Past Perfect: He had sung.
(7) Past Continuous: He was singing.
(8) Past Perfect Continuous: He had been singing.

(9) Simple Future: He will sing.
(10) Future Continuous: He will be singing.
(11) Future Perfect: He will have sung.
(12) Future Perfect Continuous: He will have been singing.

(1) Present simple

To describe something that’s always true, you use the present simple
1. Whales are mammals.

     2. Rice doesn’t grow in the climate.

     3. He lives in England.

You also use the present simple for things that happen regular
1. She leaves for school at 8 o’clock.

2. Does he work in a farm?

3. We don’t often go fishing.

(2) Present continuous

To describe an action that’s happening now, you use present continuous.
1. We are just having breakfast.

2. What are you reading?

3. She’s not listening to me!

The present continuous is also used to talk about something that’s not yet finished, even if you are not doing it at the moment when you are talking.

      1. I’m learning Japanese.

2. She’s writing a book about snail.

When something happens often, and you find it annoying, you use the present continuous with always.

1. He is always asking silly question.

2. They always coming around here to borrow something.

Some verbs are not used in continuous tense, for e.g. need, want, know, etc:

Look also at promise, agree, seem, appear, understand, and appreciate.
These verbs describe a state, not action.

     1. I need some new shoes.

2. She hates her job.

3. They love Chinese food.

4. He wants to go home.

5. Do you know John smith?

Other verbs are used in the present continuous when they describe an action and the present simple when they describe a state.

E.g. 1. He’s tasting a soup.

2. The soup tastes salty.

3. She’s being difficult again.

4. What are you thinking about?

5. Do you think I should leave?

(3) Simple past

To describe action that’s finished in the past, you use simple past.

1. He got up, paid the bill, and left.

2. I didn’t read this letter; I just gave it to San.

3. What did you say to him?

Often a specific time is mentioned.

Did you speak to Mejonu yesterday?

You also use the simple past when you describe a state that continued for sometime, but that’s now finished.

1. I went to school in England.

2. Did she really work there for ten years?

3. He didn’t grow up in Canada, he went there as an adult.

Its also used to describe actions that happened regularly in the past.

1. I often played tennis with her. She always won.

2. They never went to the cinema when they lived in this country.

(4) Present perfect

To describe a state that started in the past and is still happening now you use present perfect.

1. They have lived here for ten years, and they don’t want to move.

2. I have worked here since 1998.

3. I have known her for years.

You also often used the present perfect when the time is not mentioned, or is not important.

1. He’s written a book.

2. We have bought a new computer.

Sometimes the action finished in the past, but affection is still felt in the present.

1. He’s lost his calculator (and he still hasn’t found it) < if we say he lost his key, we are not sure he found it again or not>

Notice the use of the present perfect with since and for to show the duration of an action or state up until the present.

1. I have known about it since Christmas.

2. How long have you know?

3. She hasn’t bought any new clothes for years.

In British English, the present perfect is often used with just, ever, already, and yet...

1. I’ve just arrived.

2. Have you ever been here before?

3. He’s already packed his suitcases.

4. Haven’t you finished yet?

Or to describe something that happened during a period of time that is not yet finished.

1. The train has been late three times this week.

2. He still hasn’t visited her.

(5) Present perfect continuous

To talk about an activity that started in the past and is still happening, or that has only just finished and its results are visible now.

1. I have been working since eight o’clock. Can I have a break now?

2. My hands are dirty because I’ve been gardening.

3. They haven’t been learning English very long.

(6) Past continuous

To describe something that was already in progress when something else happens.

1. It was raining when I left the house.

2. Was he cooking dinner when you got home?

3. I wasn’t wearing a coat and I got very wet.

As with the present continuous, this tense cannot be used with state verb.

The fresh bread smelled wonderful (not was smelling)

(7) Past perfect

To describe something that happened before another action in the past.

1. When I got to the station, the train had left.

2. I had never met Ed before, he came to California.

3. They had moved into the flat three months before Joe lost his job.

(8) Past perfect continuous

To describe an activity that went on for a period of time further back in the past than something else.

1. My hands were dirty because I had been gardening.

                  2. She hadn’t been working at the shop very long when they sacked her.

About future

To talk about future plans, where the time is mentioned.
1. He’s flying to Japan in august.

2. What are you doing this evening?

3. I’m not starting my new job till next Monday.

To talk about what you intend to do in the future but have not yet arranged.

1. I’m going to phone Michael tonight.

2. What are you going to do when you leave school?

3. I’m not going to be as strict with my children as my parents were with me.

(9) Simple Future
However, to talk about a decision that you make as you are speaking, you say will with the infinitive.

1. I can’t do this, I will ask the teacher.

2. I will take the blue one.

3. We’ll have the salad, please.

When you talk about what you know or think will happen in the future (but not about your own intention or plan) you use will with infinitive.
1. It will be 25* tomorrow.

2. She will be in the office on Monday.

3. Will he pass this exam, do you think?

4. This job want take long.

However, you use the present simple to refer to a future time after when, as soon as, before, until, etc;

1. Please call me as soon as you hear the news.

2. I will look after your sister until you get back.

3. You will recognize the street when you see it.

For request, promise, and offers, you used will with the infinitive.

1. Will you buy some bread on your way home?

2. We’ll be back early, don’t worry.

3. I will help you with your Maths.

To talk about the very near future, you can use about to with infinitive.

1. Go and ask him quickly, he’s about to leave.

 

(10) Future continuous

To talk about actions that will continuous for a period of time in the future, you use the future continuous tense

1. I will be waiting near the ticket office. I will be wearing a green hat.

2. This time next week my girlfriend will be coming here.

To ask somebody their plans or intention, you use will be + ing.

1. How many nights will you be staying here?

2. Will you be flying back or going by train?

(11) Future Perfect

To talk about something that will be finished at a particular time in the future, you use the future perfect.

1. I will have finished this work by 3 o’clock.

2. They’ll have lived here for four years in May.

To talk about future plans where something has been officially arranged, for e.g. on a time table or program you use the present simple.

1. We leave Florida at 5pm and arrive in California at next morning 8am.

      2. School starts on 7^th September.
(12) Future Perfect Continuous
Use the Future Perfect Continuous to show that something will continue up until a particular event or time in the future.
He will have been teaching for ten years next month. 
*Duration before something in future*