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present
Examples:
Actions that take place never, once, several times or regularly. (see also: signal words)
Beispiele:
Actions in the future that we cannot influence, as their course is set by a timetable or
schedule.
Examples:
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Simple Present (Present Simple) - Introduction
Simple present is also called present simple.
The simple present expresses an action in the present taking place once, never or several times.
It is also used for actions that take place one after another and for actions that are set by a
timetable or schedule. The simple present also expresses facts in the present.
Example: I am hungry.
I I am. I am not. Am I?
have
Use:
have with the personal pronouns I, you, we und they (or with the plural form of nouns)
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has with the personal pronouns he, she, it (or with the singular form of nouns)
'have got' is mainly used in British English. You can also use 'have' on its own (especially in
American English). In this case, however, you must form negative sentences and questions with
the auxiliary verb 'do' (see 'All other verbs').
I/you/we/they I have got. / I have. I have not got. / I do not Have I got? / Do I have?
have.
he/she/it He has got. / He has. He has not got. / He does not Has he got? / Does he
have. have?
the infinite verb (play) with the personal pronouns I, you, we and they (or with the plural
form of nouns)
the verb + s (plays) with the personal pronouns he, she, it (or with the singular form of
nouns)
Negative sentences and questions are formed with the auxiliary verb 'do'.
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The 3rd person singular of 'do' is 'does'. This means that in negative sentences
and questions the 's' of the main verb is placed behind 'do'.
The present progressive is used for actions going on in the moment of speaking and for actions
taking place only for a short period of time. It is also used to express development and actions
that are arranged for the near future.
Animation: form
Use:
you, we, they You are playing. You are not playing. Are you playing?
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Animation: negative sentences and questions
In negative sentences, we put not between the form of be and the verb.
In questions, we simply swop the places of subject and the form of be.
Beispiele:
Actions in the past that took place never, once, several times or regularly. (see also: signal
words)
Examples:
Actions in the past that took place one after the other.
Examples:
Mister Sanders came into the office, checked his mailbox and went straight to the briefing.
What a horrible day: first my computer crashed, then our best customer cancelled their order
and on my way home my car broke down.
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(Sudden) action that took place in the middle of another action. (see also: Past Progressive)
Examples:
The simple past expresses an action in the past taking place once, never, several times. It can
also be used for actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action.
For irregular verbs, use the past form (see list of irregular verbs, 2nd column). For regular verbs,
just add “ed”.
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action in the past taking place once, never or several times
Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down.
Examples:
Actions in the past happening at the same time (over a longer period of time).
Examples:
While Claire was preparing her presentation, Tom was showing the customer around.
While Sarah was looking for the documents, I was keeping the customer on the line.
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Action taking place over a longer period of time in the past when (suddenly) another (shorter)
action set in. (see also: Simple Past)
Beispiele:
The past progressive puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past.
Form
you / we / they You were speaking. You were not speaking. Were you speaking?
Exceptions in Spelling
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled sit – sitting
l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English) travel – travelling
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two actions happening at the same time (in the past)
Example: While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.
Active tense
Simple Present
Present Action or Non-action; Habitual
General Truths Future Time
Condition Action
• I hear you. • I like music.
• There are thirty • The train
• Here days in • I run on leaves at 4:00
comes the September. Tuesdays and p.m.
bus. Sundays.
Present Progressive
Activity in Progress Verbs of Perception
• I am playing soccer now • He is feeling sad
Simple Past
Completed Action Completed Condition
• We visted the museum yesterday. • The weather was rainy last week.
Past Progressive
Past Action that took place over a period
Past Action interrupted by another
of time
• They were climbing for twenty- • We were eating dinner when she
seven days. told me.
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Future
With will/won't -- Activity or event that will or With going to -- future in relation to
won't exist or happen in the future circumstances in the present
• I'm hungry.
• I'll get up late tomorrow.
Present Perfect
To express
With verbs of state that begin in With events occuring at an
habitual or
the past and lead up to and indefinited or unspecified time in the
continued
include the present past -- with ever, never, before
action
• He has
worn
• He has lived here for • Have you ever been to Tokyo
glasses
many years. before?
all his
life.
Past Perfect
Future perfect
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to express action that will be completed by or before a specified time in the future
• By next month we will have finished this job.
Simple present
Active: Passive:
• The company ships the computers • Computers are shipped to many
to many foreign countries. foreign countries.
Present Progressive
Active: Passive:
• The chef is preparing the food. • The food is being prepared.
Simple Past
Active: Passive:
• The deliveryman delivered the • The package was delivered
package yesterday. yesterday.
Past Progressive
Active: Passive:
• The producer was making an • An announcement was being
announcement. made.
Future
Active: Passive:
• Our representative will pick up the • The computer will be picked
computer. up.
Present Perfect
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Active: Passive:
• Someone has made the • The arrangements have been
arrangements for us. made for us.
Past Perfect
Active: Passive:
• They had given us visas for three • We had been given visas for three
months. months.
Future perfect
Active: Passive:
• By next month we will have • By next month this job will have
finished this job. been finished.
Modals
Active: Passive:
• You can use the computer. • The computer can be used.
Sequence of Tenses
Strictly speaking, in English, only two tenses are marked in the verb alone,
present (as in "he sings") and past (as in "he sang"). Other English language
tenses, as many as thirty of them, are marked by other words called auxiliaries.
Understanding the six basic tenses allows one to recreate much of the reality of
time in his writing. The six are
Problems in sequencing tenses usually occur with the perfect tenses, all of which
are formed by adding an auxiliary or auxiliaries to the past participle, the third
principal part.
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ring, rang, rung
walk, walked, walked
The most common auxiliaries are forms of "be," "can," "do," "may," "must,"
"ought," "shall," "will," "has," "have," "had," and they are the forms we shall use in
this most basic discussion.
Present Perfect
The present perfect consists of a past participle (the third principal part) with
"has" or "have." It designates action which began in the past but which continues
into the present or the effect of which still continues.
Infinitives, too, have perfect tense forms when combined with "have," and
sometimes problems arise when infinitives are used with verbs such as "hope,"
"plan," "expect," and "intend," all of which usually point to the future (I wanted to
go to the movie. Janet meant to see the doctor.) The perfect tense sets up a
sequence by marking the action which began and usually was completed before
the action in the main verb.
Thus the action of the main verb points back in time; the action of the perfect
infinitive has been completed.
The past perfect tense designates action in the past just as simple past does, but
the action of the past perfect is action completed in the past before another
action.
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In sentences expressing condition and result, the past perfect tense is used in
the part that states the condition.
Notice: There can be only one "would have" action group in a sentence.
The future perfect tense designates action that will have been completed at a
specified time in the future.
Review
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