TENSES

times

PAST PRESENT FUTURE

Forms:

Simple Studied study/studies will study

Continuous Was/were studying is/am/are studying will be studying

Perfect Had studied have/has studied will have studied

Perfect Had been studying have/has been will have been

Continuous studying studying
 PAST TENSES

Started and finished ---- She typed a letter last night.

in the past

Simple Past

Something happened ----

When I came, she typed the letter.
after another

Interrupted past ---- When I came, she was typing a letter.

Continuous
Past

2 actions in progress When I was swimming, she was

at the same time in ---- typing a letter.
the past
 Perfect Past An event happened
Earlier than a past event

Ex: When I came, she had typed a letter.

Perfect Recently stopped

Continuous Past before a past event

Ex: She had been typing for two hours when I came
 PRESENT TENSES

Habit Ex: She types letter.

(She may not typing now)
Simple Present

Fact Ex: Water boils at 100 degrees.

Temporary Ex: He is typing letters this week

because the secretary is on leave.
Continuous
Present

In progress Ex: The water is boiling.

Can you turn the stove off?
 Perfect
Result Ex: He has typed 3 letters this morning.
Present

In progress

Perfect Ex: She has been typing letters all morning.

Continuous
Present
Recently stopped

Ex: He has been typing letters all morning.

(so he is very tired now)
 FUTURE TENSES

Prediction/Plan : It will rain tomorrow.

I will meet John next week.

Spontaneity : A: The phone rings!

B: I’ll get it.

Evidence : It is going to rain.

Simple (because it’s cloudy now)
Future Decision : He is going to paint his house.
(because he’s bringing a can of
paint)
Definite A: What are you doing here?
Arrangement : B: I’m meeting John.
(in a waiting room)

Fixed schedule/
Program : The plane leaves at 10:00 tomorrow
Continuous Action in progress
Future at a time in the future
I will be studying at 7:00 tonight.

Perfect Action completed

Future by a certain time
in the future

I’ll have studied for three hours by

8:00 tonight.

Perfect
Action completed by a certain time in
Continuous
the future and stays in progress
Future
I’ll have been studying in UMS
in 2012.
 PASSIVE VOICE

John writes the report.

ACTIVE
Verb
Subject Object
(depends on tenses)

Verb Object
Subject
PASSIVE (To be + Past Participle) (by agent)

The report is written by John.

 Examples

John wrote the report. The report was written by John.

John is writing the report. The report is being written by John.

John was writing the report. The report was being written by John

John has written the report. The report has been written by John.

John has been writing the report. Not Logical

John had written the report. The report had been written by John.

John had been writing the report. Not Logical

 CONDITIONALS

Real / Factual Unreal / Non-factual

If + present ---- present If + past ---- would + Vo

( cause – effect ) ( impossible to happen )

If you mix yellow and blue, If I were a bird, I would fly

you get green. to the sky.

If + present ---- will + Vo If + past perfect ---- would have + V3

( possible to happen ) ( never happen )

If it rains, he will stay at home. If it hadn’t rained yesterday,

I would have gone to the beach.
 Always plural

Singular = plural
countable Plural
( forms )

NOUNS Singular = plural

( depends on meaning)

uncountable Singular Ends in –s but singular

Always singular
Nouns that are always in plural forms
>> take a plural verb
- Pants - surroundings - people
- scissors - police - glasses
- stairs - trousers - goods

See: Ali’s pants are new.

The stairs have rubber steps.
People do not decide the policy.

Nouns that have same forms of singular and plural

- Deer - sheep - series
- fish - species - duck
- wages - aircraft- salmon

See: There are many deer in the garden.

Sheep have four legs.
The series is enjoyed by 75% audience.
Nouns that can be singular and plural ( without –s)

- Committee - jury - meat

- crew - bread - rice
- government - cheese- sugar

See: The committee is having a meeting now.

(group / unit ---- singular)

The committee are going back to the hotel.

(number of individuals ---- plural)

Rice contains carbohydrates and Vitamin B.

(uncountable ---- singular)

Two plates of rice are not good for adults.

(preceded by numbers/amount ---- plural)
Nouns that end in –s but singular
>> take singular verbs
- Academic subject : mathematics, economics, physics
- quantity / amount of time, money : weeks, years, dollars, rupiahs
- group of animal : flock of birds, colony of ants
- diseases : measles, mumps, wounds, scars, herpes
- name / title of film, book, magazine, etc.
See : - Physics is a very difficult material to study.
- Million dollars makes the girl accept his proposal.
- The flock of birds is flying above the trees.
- The news is really bad.
- Two weeks is enough to finish the report.

Uncountable nouns that are always singular

>> take a singular verb
- Furniture - information - happiness
- luggage - music - money
- knowledge - traffic - intelligence

See : - That information helps the police find the terrorists.

- Special knowledge is needed in solving the mystery.