English Grammar - Tenses overview - present, past, future, simple, conti...

English Grammar Lesson: Past Simple

Present simple vs Present continuous Grammar explanation

The Future Perfect Continuous

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

(also called the future perfect progressive)

The Future Perfect Continuous Tense isn't used very much in English and it is a little complicated to make. However, at higher levels it is great to understand it, and maybe use it sometimes too. It has a very precise meaning which can be convenient.

Positive Form	Positive Short Form
I will have been working	I'll have been working
You will have been sleeping	You'll have been sleeping
She will have been studying	She'll have been studying
He will have been cooking	He'll have been cooking
It will have been raining	It'll have been raining
We will have been exercising	We'll have been exercising
They will have been travelling	They'll have been travelling

Negative Form	Negative Short Form
I will not have been working	I won't have been working
You will not have been sleeping	You won't have been sleeping
She will not have been studying	She won't have been studying
He will not have been cooking	He won't have been cooking
It will not have been raining	It won't have been raining
We will not have been exercising	We won't have been exercising
They will not have been travelling	They won't have been travelling

'Yes / No' Questions
Will I have been working?
Will you have been sleeping?
Will she have been studying?
Will he have been cooking?
Will it have been raining?
Will we have been exercising?
Will they have been travelling?

Wh' Questions
Where Will I have been working?
Why will you have been sleeping?
Where will she have been studying?
What will he have been cooking?
How long will it have been raining?
Where will we have been exercising?
How long will they have been travelling? Future Perfect Continuous Use We use the future perfect continuous tense to: With a time word, to talk about an action which starts before a time in the future and continues up to that time. In April 2009, I will have been teaching here for two years. (=I started in April 2007 and still teach here now, probably I will continue after April 2009 but we are not sure) We often use this tense (instead of the present perfect continuous) because we like easy numbers. For example, imagine now it is March 2009. I started working in my job in April 2007. If you ask me: how long have you been working here?', I don't want to say '1 year and 11 months' because it's a bit long and complicated. I prefer to use the future perfect continuous so I can say 2 years, which is an easier number. So, instead of saying: I've been working here for 1 year and 11 months (using the present perfect continuous) I prefer: In April, I will have been working here for 2 years.

The Future Perfect

 Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect is made with the future simple of 'have' (will have) and the past participle. For regular past participles add 'ed' to the verb ('play' becomes 'played').

Here's the positive:
By six pm tonight:

• I will have finished this book
• You will have studied the English tenses
• She will have cooked dinner
• He will have arrived
• We will have met Julie
• It will have stopped raining
• They will have left Japan

For the short form, we change will to 'll. But, when we are speaking, we also make 'have' shorter, so it sounds like I'll've finished (don't write this!). Here are some examples for you to listen to.

• I'll have finished this book
  
• You'll have studied the English tenses
  
• She'll have cooked dinner
  
• He'll have arrived
  
• We'll have met Julie
  
• It'll have stopped raining
  
• They'll have left Japan
  

Here's the negative:
By next week,

• I will not have finished this book
• You will not have studied the English tenses
• She will not have cooked dinner
• He will not have arrived
• We will not have met Julie
• It will not have stopped raining
• They will not have left Japan

Here's the short form. 

• I won't have finished this book
  
• You won't have studied the English tenses
  
• She won't have cooked dinner
  
• He won't have arrived
  
• We won't have met Julie
  
• It won't have stopped raining
  
• They won't have left Japan
  

To make the question, just put 'will' before the subject:
'yes / no' questions:
By next year,

• will I have finished writing this book?
• will you have studied all the English verb tenses?
• will she have graduated?
• will he have got married?
• will it have got colder?
• will we have met your boyfriend?
• will they have left their jobs?

'wh' questions:

• When will I have finished writing this book?
• Why will you have studied all the English verb tenses by tomorrow?
• When will she have been here three weeks?
• Why will he have got married before June?
• Why will it have got colder by May?
• How will we have met your boyfriend by tonight?
• When will they have left their jobs

  Future Perfect Use:

  The future perfect tense in English isn't very common, but it is useful in some situations, and it's very important to understand it when you hear it. I recommend trying the exercises about how to make this tense first, as it's easy to get confused with all the different auxiliary verbs.
  
  Also it's good to listen to how to pronounce it - as this tense has so many auxiliary verbs, we usually shorten it when we speak.
  
  We use this English verb tense:
• With a future time word, ( and often with ‘by’) to talk about an action that will finish before a certain time in the future, but we don’t know exactly when.
  
  By 10 o’clock I will have finished my homework. (=I will finish my homework some time before 10, but we don’t know exactly when)
  By the time I’m sixty, I will have retired. (= I will retire sometime before I'm sixty. We don't know exactly when, but definitely before my sixtieth birthday)
• As the future perfect continuous, but with stative verbs.
 

 

 

 

The Future Continuous

Future Continuous Tense:

(or future progressive tense)

The future continuous tense isn't taught very much in English classes, but in fact, English speakers use it a lot. You will sound much more natural if you master this tense.

Here's how to make it:
The positive (will + be + verb-ing):
At 10 am tomorrow,

• I will be sleeping
• you will be working
• she will be studying
• it will be raining
• he will be cooking
• we will be eating breakfast
• they will be travelling

Like with the future simple, usually we use the short form ('ll be verb-ing) when we are speaking.
Sometimes students don't use the short form, because they are not sure how to pronounce it. Here are some examples to help.

• I'll be sleeping
  
• you'll be working
  
• she'll be studying
  
• it'll be raining
  
• he'll be cooking
  
• we'll be eating breakfast
  
• they'll be travelling
  

Here's the negative:
When John gets home,

• I will not be working (I won't be ..)
• you will not be reading (you won't be ..)
• he will not be cooking (he won't be ..)
• she will not be studying (she won't be ..)
• it will not be snowing (it won't be ..)
• we will not be watching TV (we won't be ..)
• they will not be sleeping (they won't be ..)

As with the positive, we usually use the short form (won't be verb-ing) when speaking.


Next, the question:
'yes / no' questions:
When arrives at the party,

• will I be cooking?
• will you be dancing?
• will she be singing?
• will he be eating?
• will we be drinking?
• will it be snowing?
• will they be talking?

'wh' questions:
Next weekend,

• what will I be doing?
• where will you be working?
• how will she be travelling?
• what will he be eating?
• why will we be studying?
• why will it be snowing?
• what will they be wearing?

  Future Continuous Use

  We use the future progressive tense for:

  1. A continuous action in the future which is interrupted by a time or by another action.
     I’ll be waiting when you arrive.
     At eight o’clock, I’ll be eating dinner.
     (see the past continuous which is used in a smiliar way)
  
  
  
  2. A complete action in the future that will happen in the normal course of events.
     The Government will be making a statement later.
     Because this talks about something that will happen if everything is as we planned, we often use this tense to ask politely about what someone is going to do.
     Will you be taking your car to the meeting? (=I'm asking very indirectly and politely - perhaps I want to get a lift)
  
  
  
  3. To make a guess about the present.
     My mother will be working now. (= I think she is working now, but I’m not completely certain)
  
  
  

The Simple Future

Simple Future Tense:

(or future with will)

 The simple future tense is very easy to make and is very useful. 

Here's the positive form (it's just 'will' + infinitive):

• I will meet him later (I'll ..)
• You will come (you'll..)
• It will rain tomorrow (it'll)
• She will be late (she'll..)
• He will help us later (he'll..)
• We will get married in September (we'll)
• They will cook dinner (they'll..)

The short form: 'll is very, very common, and is almost always used when speaking. It's really much more natural to say 'I'll' instead of 'I will'. Here's some help with the pronunciation:

• I'll meet him later
  
• You'll come
  
• It'll rain tomorrow
  
• She'll be late
  
• He'll help us later
  
• We'll get married in September
  
• They'll cook dinner
  

Next, here's the negative form (just add 'not' - remember will not = won't):

• I will not go (I won't ..)
• You will not be late (you won't ..)
• It will not snow tomorrow (it won't..)
• She will not get the job (she won't..)
• He will not pass the exam (he won't ..)
• We will not come (we won't..)
• They will not stop (they won't ..)

Finally, here's the question:
'yes / no' questions:

• Will I go?
• Will you come early?
• Will it be cold?
• Will she dance?
• Will he arrive soon?
• Will we cook?
• Will they leave?

'wh' questions:

• Where will I go?
• Why will you come early?
• When will it be cold?
• Who will she dance with?
• What time will he arrive?
• What will we cook?
• When will they leave?

  Simple Future Use:

  (Will) and 'Be Going To'

   We use the simple future for:

• A decision at the moment of speaking
  A: ‘I’m cold’
  B: ‘I’ll close the window.’
• Prediction based on opinion.
  I think the Conservatives will win the next election.
• A future fact.
  The sun will rise at 7am.
• Promises / requests / refusal / willingness
  I’ll help you with your homework.
  Will you give me a hand?
  I will give up smoking!
• In the same way as the future continuous, but with state verbs
  I'll be at the station when you arrive

‘Shall’ is used mainly in the forms ‘shall I ?’ and ‘shall we?’ in British English, when you want to get someone’s opinion, especially for offers and suggestions.

• Shall I open the window? (=do you want me to open the window)
• Where shall we go tonight? (=what’s your opinion?)

We use 'be going to' + infinitive for:

Look at those boys playing football! They’re going to break the window.
1. Future plans made before the moment of speaking.
   A: ‘We’ve run out of milk.’
   B: ‘I know, I’m going to buy some.’
2. Prediction based on present evidence.
3. Look at those boys playing football! They’re going to break the window.