Types of Verbs

 

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Before you begin the verb tense lessons, it is extremely important to understand that NOT all English verbs are the same. English verbs are divided into three groups:

 

 

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Group I Continuous Verbs

 

     The first group, called "Continuous Verbs", contains most English verbs. These verbs are usually physical actions which you can see somebody doing. These verbs can be used in all tenses.

Continuous Verbs
   to run, to walk, to eat, to fly, to go, to say, to touch etc.

Examples:

I eat dinner every day. Correct

I am eating dinner now. Correct

 

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Group II Non-continuous Verbs

 

The second group, called "Non-continuous Verbs", is smaller. These verbs are usually things you cannot see somebody doing. These verbs are rarely used in "continuous" tenses. They include:

Abstract Verbs
   to be, to want, to cost, to seem, to need, to care, to contain, to owe, to exist...

Possession Verbs
   to possess, to own, to belong...

Emotion Verbs
   to like, to love, to hate, to dislike, to fear, to envy, to mind...

Examples:

He is here now.    Correct
He is being here now.    Not Correct

He wants a drink now.    Correct
He is wanting a drink now.    Not Correct

 

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Group III Mixed Verbs

 

   The third group, called "Mixed Verbs", is the smallest group. These verbs have more than one meaning. Some meanings behave like "Non-continuous Verbs", while other meanings behave like "Continuous Verbs."

Mixed Verbs
to have, to appear, to see, to hear, to feel, to weigh, to look ...

List of Mixed Verbs with Examples and Definitions:

to appear:

Donna appears confused.    Non-continuous Verb
(Donna seems confused.)

My favorite singer is appearing at the jazz club tonight.    Continuous Verb
(My favorite singer is giving a performance at the jazz club tonight.)

to have:

I have a dollar now.    Non-continuous Verb
(I possess a dollar.)

I am having fun now.    Continuous Verb
(I am experiencing fun now.)

to hear:

She hears the music.    Non-continuous Verb
(She hears the music with her ears.)

She is hearing voices.    Continuous Verb
(To hear something others cannot hear. She is hearing voices in her mind.)

to miss:

John misses Sally.    Non-continuous Verb
(He is sad because she is not there.)

Debbie is missing her favorite TV program.    Continuous Verb
(She is not there to see her favorite program.)

to see:

I see her.    Non-continuous Verb
(I see her with my eyes.)

I am seeing the doctor.    Continuous Verb
(To visit or consult with a doctor, dentist, or lawyer.)

I am seeing her.    Continuous Verb
(I am having a relationship with her.)

He is seeing ghosts at night.    Continuous Verb
(To see something others cannot see. For example ghosts, aura, a vision of the future etc.)

to smell:

The coffee smells good.    Non-continuous Verb
(The coffee has a good smell.)

I am smelling the flowers.    Continuous Verb
(I am sniffing the flowers.)

to taste:

The coffee tastes good.    Non-continuous Verb
(The coffee has a good taste.)

I am tasting the cake.    Continuous Verb
(I am trying the cake to see what it tastes like.)

to think:

He thinks the test is easy.    Non-continuous Verb
(He considers the test to be easy.)

She is thinking about the question.    Continuous Verb
(She is pondering the question, going over it in her mind.)

to weigh:

The table weighs a lot.    Non-continuous Verb
(The table has a great weight.)

She is weighing herself.    Continuous Verb
(She is determining her weight.)

Some Verbs Can Be Especially Confusing:

to be:

Joe is American.    Non-continuous Verb
(Joe is an American citizen.)

Joe is being very American.    Continuous Verb
(Joe is behaving like a stereotypical American.)

Joe is being very rude.    Continuous Verb
(Joe is behaving very rudely. Usually he is not rude.)

Joe is being very formal.    Continuous Verb
(Joe is behaving very formally. Usually he is not formal.)

NOTICE: Only rarely is "to be" used in a continuous form. This is most commonly done when a person is temporarily behaving badly or stereotypically. It can also be used when someone's behavior is noticeably different.

to feel:

The massage feels great.    Non-continuous Verb
(The massage has a pleasing feeling.)

I don't feel well today.    Continuous or Non-continuous Verb
I am not feeling well today.
(I am a little sick.)

NOTICE: Feel is very flexible and there is no difference in meaning in the two sentences above.)

 

The verbs do and make are often confused by
nonnative speakers.

 

• do
  often has the meaning of “perform a routine or assigned activity.”
• make
  usually has the sense of producing or creating something.

 

do your homework

do your best

do business with

do the ironing, washing, cleaning, housework

do the dishes

do exercises

do a favor

do research

do your job

 

but…

 

make a donation—make a contribution (in class)

make a mistake--make an error

make friends with

make money

make a noise

make peace—make war

make a plan

make a promise

make a speech

make a turn

make a comparion

make a decision (the British “take” decisions)

make a discovery

 

and…

To make matters worse, one expression has both! “Make do”
means to manage with what is available. (I couldn’t find any cous cous in the
store, so I had to make do with rice.  I
can’t afford to buy a new car this year, so I’m going to have to make do with
my old Ford for another year.)

 

Two
idiomatic expressions:

When
you ask someone what they do, you are asking what their job is. (I asked
Anwar what he does and he said he works at Dunkin’ Donuts.)

When
you ask someone what they make or how much they make, you are
asking how much money they earn. (How much do you make at the doughnut shop?)
By the way, it is very rude to ask an American directly how much they make. You
can ask them what they do, but not what they make!

To Be
 

The verb to be has three forms: am,
is, are.
 

	Singular	Plural
1st Person	I am student.	We are students.
2nd Person	You are a student	You are students
3rd Person	He is a student.  She is a student.  It is a book.	They are students.  They are books.

 

Use am in a sentence about yourself.

I am a doctor.
I am hungry.
I'm a student.
I'm too hot.

  

  

   Use is in sentences about a third
person or thing.

He is a doctor.           
He's tall.
She is a teacher.         
She's intelligent.
It is a book                 
It's sunny today. 


 

Hint:

Native speakers of English often use contractions with to be.   I'm, You're, He's, She's, It's, We're, They're


  

 

Use are in sentences about a second person (you)
singular and all plural subjects.

You are a doctor.       
You are tall.
You are doctors.         
You (plural) are tall.
We are students.         
We are too cold.
They are teachers.       
They are too hot.
 

  


 

Reminder:

The pronoun you can refer to a plural or singular noun. It is sometimes difficult to know which it is.


  

 The verb to be can be followed by

• an adjective
• an object
• here or there

 

 

Adjective                                      
Object                                             
here/there

I'm hot.	I am a teacher	I am here.
You're very smart.	You are a musician.	You're there.
He's handsome.	She's a pilot.	It's there.
We're exhausted.	We're the leaders.	We're here.
You're finished.	You're taxi drivers.	You're here.
They are blue.	They are new cars.	They're over there

Simple Present

 

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FORM Simple Present

 

EXAMPLE:   [ to run]

I run
you run
he runs
she runs
it runs
we run
they run

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USE 1 Repeated Actions   

 

Use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual. The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens. It can also be something a person often forgets or usually does not do.

EXAMPLES:

I play tennis.

She does not play tennis.

The train leaves every morning at 8 am.

The train does not leave at 9am.

She always forgets her purse.

He never forgets his wallet.

Every twelve months, the Earth circles the sun.

The sun does not circle the Earth.

 

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USE 2 Facts or Generalizations     

 

The Simple Present can also indicate the speaker believes that a fact was true before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It is not important if the speaker is correct about the fact. It is also used to make generalizations about people or things.

EXAMPLES:

Cats like milk.(It is not important that this fact is untrue.)

Birds do not like milk.

California is in America.

California is not in the United Kingdom.

Windows are made of glass.

Windows are not made of wood.

New York is a small city.

 

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USE 3 Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)   

 

Sometimes speakers use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is happening or is not happening now. This can only be done with Non-continuous Verbs and certain Mixed Verbs.

EXAMPLES:

I am here now.

She is not here now.

He needs help right now.

He does not need help now.

He has a car.

 

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ACTIVE / PASSIVE Simple Present

 

EXAMPLES:

Once a week, Tom cleans the car. ACTIVE

Once a week, the car is cleaned by Tom. PASSIVE

Simple Future

 

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The Simple Future has two different forms in English, "will" and "be going to." Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time and practice the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a specific time in the future.

 

 

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FORM Will

 

[WILL] + [VERB]

EXAMPLES:

I will help him later.

I will never help him.

NOTE: When you are using a verb tense with more than one part such as Simple Future (will help), adverbs usually come between the first part and the second part (will never help).

 

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FORM Be Going To

 

[AM / IS / ARE] + [GOING TO] + [VERB]

EXAMPLES:

He is going to meet Jane tonight.

He is definitely going to meet Jane tonight.

NOTE: When you are using a verb tense with more than one part such as Simple Future (is going to meet), adverbs usually come between the first part and the second part (is definitely going to meet).

 

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IMPORTANT No Future in Time Clauses

 

Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses beginning with "when", "while", "before", "after", "by the time," "as soon as," "if" and "unless." In this lesson, all verbs in Time Clauses are italicized.

EXAMPLES:

When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct

When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct

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USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action

 

"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often we use "will" to respond to someone else's complaint or request for help.

EXAMPLES:

A: I'm really hungry.
B: I'll make some sandwiches.

A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.
B: I'll get you some coffee.

A: The phone is ringing.
B: I'll get it.

 

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USE 2 "Will" to Express a Promise

 

"Will" is usually used in promises.

EXAMPLES:

I will call you when I arrive.

If I am elected President of the United States, I will make sure everyone has access to inexpensive health insurance.

I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.

 

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USE 3 "Be going to" to Express a Plan

 

"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person intends to do something in the future.

EXAMPLES:

He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.

We are going to meet each other tonight at 6:00 PM.

A: Who is going to make John's birthday cake.
B: Sue is going to make John's birthday cake.

 

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USE 4 "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction

 

Both "will" and "be going to" can express the idea of a general prediction about the future. Predictions are guesses about what might happen in the future. In "prediction" sentences, the subject usually has little control over the future and therefore USES 1-3 do not apply. In the following examples there is no difference in meaning.

EXAMPLES:

The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.
The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.

John Smith will be the next President.
John Smith is going to be the next President.

The movie "Zenith" will win several Academy Awards.
The movie "Zenith" is going to win several Academy Awards.

 

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IMPORTANT

 

In the Simple Future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has in mind. Often, there is more than one way to interpret a sentence's meaning.

 

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ACTIVE / PASSIVE FORMS Simple Future

 

EXAMPLES:

John will certainly finish the work by 5:00 PM. ACTIVE
The work will certainly be finished by 5:00 PM. PASSIVE

Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. ACTIVE
A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. PASSIVE

Verbs

This lesson will concentrate on the principal parts of the verb
and then we will focus on using the simple present and the present
continuous forms.

Most grammar teachers talk about three principal parts of the
verb:

              

Present	Past	Past Participle
ask	asked	asked

 

I like to think of four principal parts of a verb:

 

Present	Past	Present Participle	Past Participle
ask	asked	asking	asked
need	needed	needing	needed
scrape	scraped	scraping	scraped
run	ran	running	run
give	gave	giving	given
go	went	going	gone

Spelling is a consideration when we talk about all these verb parts.
Look at the chart above and think about this rule:

Double the final
consonant when you add -ed or -ing
to a verb that ends with one vowel followed by
one consonant.

Don't double the final consonant when you add -ing to need
or ask, but double it when adding -ing to trap or
run.

When a verb ends
with an e, you must drop the e before adding -ing
and you should only add a d for the regular past tense or past participle.

Drop the final e in give and scrape before adding
the -ing and only add a -d when you make scrape a
past tense verb.

 

Remember: ask, need, and scrape are regular
verbs and run, give, and go are irregular verbs.

           
Regular verbs always have -ed as a past tense ending.

           
Irregular verbs have various (irregular)
past tense endings.

 

Be careful not to overuse the present participle.

Use the present participle only with the progressive tenses and participial
adjectives. Note the difference between the present tense and the
present progressive tense.

 

 

Present Tense

Present Progressive (Continuous) Tense

 

Example	Bob runs every morning before work.	Example	Bob is running to catch the bus.
Explanation	Use the present tense to indicate that something happens on a regular basis. The present tense is used for habitual actions.	Explanation	Use the present progressive tense to indicate that something is happening right now. The progressive tense is sometimes called the continuous tense because it describes something that is continuing.

 

Note: Certain verbs cannot be used in the present progressive
tense. These are verbs that indicate conditions or states.
These verbs don't express action, so they cannot be in the present progressive.
They are called stative verbs. They include:

Stative Verbs

Descriptions	Possession	Measurement	Senses	Emotions/         attitudes	Ideas
seem	have	weigh	feel	love/need	know
be	own	measure	hear	like/want	think
look like	possess	equal	see	care/prefer	believe
sound like	belong to	cost	taste	hate/dislike	recognize
involve	owe	amount to	smell	mind/value	remember
consist of	depend on		hurt	appreciate	understand
contain					mean

 

Some of these verbs have a non-stative meaning also.

             
Stative: I feel sad about your brother's problems.

                           
The soup tastes too salty.

             
Non-stative: The doctor is feeling my arm to see if it is broken.

                                   
David is tasting the soup. He doesn't want it to taste too salty

Remember It

Questions

Who?	People
What?	Things
Where?	Places

 

Present Continuous

Present continuous form=am/is/are + verb + ing (something is
happening NOW)

You can use the short
forms.

 

 

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Learn It

 

What am I doing? What is he/she/it doing? What are we/you/they
doing?

Am/Is/Are doing
	What am I doing?	"I'm standing. I'm not sitting."
	What is he doing?	"He's sitting. He's not (He isn't) standing."
	What is she doing?	"She's walking. She's not (She isn't) running."
	What is it doing?	"It's running. It's not (It isn't) walking."
	What are they doing?	"They're playing. They're not (They aren't) working."
	What are we doing?	"We're surfing the Internet. We're not (We aren't) watching television."

 

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Try to guess what Mr Bean is doing (requires
Macromedia Shockwave Player.)

Click on Mr Bean

 

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What to say - Open and closed questions

Answering Yes

Closed Question - answer = yes or no	Long answer	Short answer
"Am I learning English?"	"Yes, you're learning English."	"Yes, you are." or "Yes."
"Is he/she learning English?"	"Yes, he/she's learning English."	"Yes, he/she is." or "Yes."
"Are you learning English?"	"Yes, I'm learning English."	"Yes, I am." or "Yes."
"Are we learning English?"	"Yes, we're learning English."	"Yes, we are." or "Yes."
"Are they learning English?"	"Yes, they're learning English."	"Yes, they are." or "Yes."

Answering No

Closed Question - answer = yes or no	Long answer	Short answer
"Am I learning German?"	"No, I'm not learning German."	"No, I'm not." or "No."
"Is he/she learning German?"	"No, he/she's not (he/she isn't) learning German."	"No, he/she's not (he/she isn't)." or "No."
"Are you learning German?"	"No, you're not (you aren't) learning German."	"No, you're not (you aren't)." or "No."
"Are we learning German?"	"No, we're not (we aren't) learning German."	"No, we're not (we aren't)." or "No."
"Are they learning German?"	"No, they're not (they aren't) learning German."	"No, they're not (they aren't)." or "No."

Answering in full

Open Question - can't answer yes or no	Long answer	Short answer
"What are you doing?"	"I'm learning English."	"Learning English."
"What is he doing?"	"He's learning English."	"Learning English."
"What is she doing?"	"She's learning English."	"Learning English."
"What are we doing?"	"We're learning English."	"Learning English."
"What are they doing?"	"They're learning English."	"Learning English."

Naturally speaking:-

You:- "Are you learning English?"

Me: - "No, I 'm not."

You:- "What are you doing?"

Me: - "I 'm teaching English."

You:- "What language are you learning?"

Me: - "I 'm learning German."

 

Present Continuous Negative

Present continuous form=am/is/are + verb + ing (something is
happening NOW)

You can use the short
forms.

 

 

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Learn It

In the negative=add not after am/is/are (something is not happening
NOW).

I'm not ......ing. | He/she/it isn't .....ing. | You/we/they aren't .....ing.

	"I'm not sitting. I'm standing."
	"He's not (he isn't) standing. He's sitting."
	"She's not (she isn't) running. She's walking."
	"It's not (it isn't) walking. It's running. "
	"They're not (they aren't) working. They're playing. "
	"We're not (we aren't) watching television. We're surfing the Net."

 

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Opposites
	stand		sit
	walk		run
	play		work

 

 

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Spelling
Tip:

Using a dictionary

Dictionaries come in many sizes and kinds. Small dictionaries are called
pocket or compact, larger dictionaries are often called shorter and very large
dictionaries are often called greater.

Small dictionaries are useful for finding everyday spellings and meanings.
Some dictionaries have pictures to show the meanings of words. They are good
for checking words that can be confused:-

horse n a four-legged animal with hooves .... hoarse adj. of the voice, rough or croaking.

In a dictionary after the word they tell you what kind of word it is in
italics:-

adj.	adjective
adv.	adverb
conj.	conjunction
interj.	interjection
n	noun
prep.	preposition
pron.	pronoun
vb	verb

Present continuous form=am/is/are + verb + ing (something is
happening NOW)

You can use the short forms.

 

Am/Is/Are doing
"What am I doing?"			"I'm standing.
"What is he doing?"			"He's sitting.
"What is she doing?"			"She's walking.
"What is it doing?"			"It's running.
"What are they doing?"			"They're playing."
"What are we doing?"			"We're surfing the Internet.

More with Picture
It

 

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Try to guess what Mr Bean is doing (requires
Macromedia Shockwave Player.)

Click on Mr Bean

 

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Spelling
Tip:

Words ending in two consonants - add ing	To walk	walk + ing		walking
Words ending in two vowels + consonant.	To sleep	sleep + ing		sleeping
Words ending in vowel + g	To jog	jog + ging		jogging
Words ending in vowel + m	To swim	swim + ming		swimming
Words ending in vowel + n	To run	run + ning		running
Words ending in vowel + p	To shop	shop + ping		shopping
Words ending in vowel + t	To put	put + ting		putting
Words ending in ie	To die	d + ying		dying
Words ending in e	To phone	phon + ing		phoning

 

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Pronunciation
- Short forms

Click on each word to hear the sound (requires
Real Player Basic .)

	I am	I'm	I am not	I'm not
	He is	He's	He is not	He's not	He isn't
	She is	She's	She is not	She's not	She isn't
	It is	It's	It is not	It's not	It isn't
	You are	You're	You are not	You are'nt	You're not
	We are	We're	We are not	We aren't	We're not
	They are	They're	They are not	They are'nt	They're not

 

Past Perfect Continuous

 

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FORM Past Perfect Continuous

[HAD BEEN] + [VERB+ing]

EXAMPLES:

I had been waiting there for two hours before she finally arrived.

She had only been studying English for two years before she got the job.

NOTE: When you are using a verb tense with more than one part such as Past Perfect Continuous (had been studying), adverbs often come between the first part and the second part (had only been studying).

 

 

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USE 1 Duration Before Something in the Past

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. "For five minutes" and "for two weeks" are both durations which can be used with the Past Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect Continuous; however, the duration does not continue until now.

EXAMPLES:

They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived.

She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business.

James had been teaching at the University for more than a year before he left for Asia.

 

 

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USE 2 Cause of Something in the Past

Using the Past Perfect Continuous before another action in the past is a good way to show cause and effect.

EXAMPLES:

Jason was tired because he had been jogging.

Sam gained weight because he had been overeating.

 

 

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IMPORTANT

If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or "since Friday", many English speakers choose to use the Past Continuous. There is also a difference in meaning. Compare the examples below.

EXAMPLES:

I was reading when my roommate returned.
Emphasizes the interruption of "reading."

I had been reading for an hour when my roommate returned.
Emphasizes the amount of time "for an hour."

 

 

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ACTIVE / PASSIVE FORMS Past Perfect Continuous

EXAMPLES:

Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years, before he moved to Paris. ACTIVE

The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris. PASSIVE

NOTE: Passive forms of the Past Perfect Continuous are not common.

 

Past Perfect

 

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FORM Past Perfect

 

[HAD] + [PAST PARTICIPLE]

Examples:
NOTE: When you are using a verb tense with more than one part such as Past Perfect (had met), adverbs often come between the first part and the second part (had never met).

I had studied a little English when I came to the U.S.

They had never met an American until they met John.

 

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USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in Past

The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.

EXAMPLES:

I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai.

Had you ever visited the U.S. before your trip in 1992?

Yes, I had been to the U.S. once before in 1988.

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USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Past (Non-continuous Verbs)

With Non-progressive Verbs and some non-progressive uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past.

EXAMPLES:

We had had that car for ten years before it broke down.

By the time Alex finished his studies, he had been in London for over eight years.

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IMPORTANT Specific Times with the Past Perfect

 

Unlike the Present Perfect, it is possible to use specific time words or phrases with the Past Perfect. Although this is possible, it is usually not necessary.

 

EXAMPLE:

She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

If the Past Perfect action did occur at a specific time, the Simple Past can be used instead of the Past Perfect when before or after is used in the sentence. The words before and after actually tell you what happens first so the Past Perfect is optional. Both sentences below are correct.

EXAMPLE:

She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

She visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

HOWEVER

If the Past Perfect action did not happen at a specific time, Past Perfect MUST be used at all times. Compare the two sentences below.

 

EXAMPLE:

She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska. Correct

She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska. Not Correct

 

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ACTIVE / PASSIVE FORMS Past Perfect

 

EXAMPLES

George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanics license. ACTIVE

Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanics license. PASSIVE

Past Continuous

 

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FORM Past Continuous

 

[WAS / WERE] + [VERB+ing]
EXAMPLES:

I was studying when she called.

I was carefully picking up the snake when it bit me.

NOTE: When you are using a verb tense with more than one part such as Past Continuous (was picking), adverbs often come between the first part and the second part (was carefully picking).

 

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IMPORTANT

 

Clauses are groups of words which have meaning but are not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word when such as "...when she called " or "...when it bit me." Clauses with the Past Continuous usually start with while. While expresses the idea "during the time." Study the examples below. They have the same meaning.

EXAMPLES:

I was studying when she called.

While I was studying, she called.

 

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USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past    

 

Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually an action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.

EXAMPLES:

I was watching TV when she called.

When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.

While we were having a picnic, it started to rain.

Sally was working when Joe had the car accident.

While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.

 

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USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption    

 

In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by an action in the Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

EXAMPLES:

Last night at 6 p.m., I was eating dinner.

At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.

 

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IMPORTANT

 

In the Simple Past a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the Past Continuous a specific time only interrupts the action.

EXAMPLES:

Last night at 6 p.m., I ate dinner.
(I started eating at 6 p.m.)

Last night at 6 p.m., I was eating dinner.
(I started earlier and at 6 p.m. I was in the process of eating dinner.)

 

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USE 3 Parallel Actions    

 

When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.

EXAMPLES:

I was studying while he was making dinner.

While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.

They were eating dinner, discussing their plans and having a good time.

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USE 4 Atmosphere

 

In English we often use a series of Parallel Actions to describe atmosphere in the past.

EXAMPLE:

When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was yelling directions, and customers were waiting to be helped. One customer was yelling at a secretary and waving his hands. Others were complaining to each other about the bad service.

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USE 5 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"    

 

The Past Continuous with words such as always or constantly expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the expression used to but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words always or constantly between "be" and "verb+ing."

EXAMPLES:

She was always coming to class late.

He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.

I didn't like them because they were always complaining.

 

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IMPORTANT Non-Continuous Verbs/ Mixed Verbs

 

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any "continuous" tenses. Also, certain "non-continuous" meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in "continuous" tenses. To express the idea of Past Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Past.

EXAMPLES:

Jane was being at my house when you arrived. Not CorrectCorrect

Jane was at my house when you arrived.

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ACTIVE / PASSIVE Past Continuous

 

EXAMPLES:

The salesman was helping the customer when the thief came into the store. ACTIVE

The customer was being helped by the salesman when the thief came into the store. PASSIVE

Parts of Speech - Verbs

Verbs are the most important words in a sentence. Verbs are the first of the eight parts of speech that we will be studying. Most verbs are action words, but a few verbs indicate state of being or existence. The first lessons will be about verbs, and how they are recognized and used.
Find the verbs in the following sentences. They are action verbs.
The wolf ran across the sand.
Sit down.
The dog barked at the man.
Answer:
The verbs in the sentences are ran, sit, and barked. All three verbs are action verbs since they show action. Action verbs are the most common verbs.

 

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Lesson 2

 

 

Parts of Speech - Verbs
Find the verbs in these sentences. These verbs will be state of being verbs.
My uncle is a pilot.
The pie looks good.
You seem upset.
Answer:
The verbs in the sentences are is, looks, and seem. These verbs are state of being or linking verbs. Some common linking verbs are is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been, seem, look, feel, and become. They do not show action. They just show that something exists.

 

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Parts of Speech - Verbs

 

 

Pick out the verbs in these sentences and tell whether they are action verbs or linking verbs.
Suddenly someone sneezed loudly.
There are holes in my shirt.
He appears happy.
The image appeared in the mirror.
Answer:
The verbs are sneezed, are, appears, and appeared. Sneezed and appeared are action verbs. Are and appears are linking or state of being verbs. Some verbs like appear can be either action or linking verbs. It depends on whether it shows action or not. Appears above is like saying seems which shows no action while appeared above shows the action of the image.

 

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Lesson 4
Parts of Speech - Verbs

 

 

 

Sometimes a verb can be more than one word. When a verb is more than one word, it is called a verb phrase. Verb phrases can be two, three, or four words. Verb phrases are made by using auxiliary or helping verbs. What are the verb phrases in these sentences?
You are going to Seattle.
You have been resting too much.
We must be early.
I will be finished shortly.
Answer:
The verb phrases are are going, have been resting, must be, and will be finished. These sentences all have what are called auxiliary or helping verbs. I will refer to them as helping verbs. There are twenty-three (23) helping verbs that should be memorized since they are used so often. If you will memorize them, it will make knowing and understanding verbs much easier. They are usually grouped in the following five groups:
Group 1: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been
Group 2: has, have, had
Group 3: do, does, did
Group 4: shall, will, should, would
Group 5: may, might, must, can, could

 

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Lesson 5
Parts of Speech - Verbs

 

 

 

Some of the helping verbs can be used alone as the main verb. Is, am, are, was, and were can be used alone as linking or state of being verbs. Has, have, had, do, does, and did always show action when used alone. Be, being, and been can be used with other verbs either to show action or state of being. The other helping verbs cannot be used alone but only as helping verbs.
Find the verb or verb phrases in these sentences.
She has too many friends.
You do beautiful work.
I was in Canada last week.
You are being very stubborn.
Answer:
The verb and verb phrases were has, do, was, and are being. Has and do are action verbs, and was and are being are state of being verbs.

 

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Quiz for Lessons

 

 

List the verbs or verb phrases in the sentences, and tell whether they are action verbs or state of being verbs. For extra credit, find the helping verbs.

1. Jim plays basketball.

2. They will return on the airplane.

3. Badger is a funny dog.

4. I have been here a long time.

5. I should have been playing the drum.

6. Go home.

Answers:

1. plays - action
2. will return - action
3. is - linking or state of being
4. have been - state of being
5. should have been playing - action
6. go -action

The helping verbs are will, have, should, have, and been. The been in sentence 4 is not a helping verb because it is the main verb. The last verb in a verb phrase is always the main verb.

Future Perfect Continuous

 

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IMPORTANT No Future in Time Clauses

 

Like all future forms, the Future Perfect Continuous cannot be used in clauses beginning with "when," "while," "before," "after," "by the time," "as soon as," "until," "if" and "unless". In this lesson, all verbs in Time Clauses are italicized.

EXAMPLES:

I won't tell the student the answer until he has been working on the math problem for more than an hour. Correct

I won't tell the student the answer until he will have been working on the math problem for more than an hour. Not Correct

 

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FORM Future Perfect Continuous

 

[WILL HAVE BEEN] + [VERB+ing]

EXAMPLE:

I will have been waiting for two hours when her plane finally arrives.

[AM / IS / ARE] + [GOING TO HAVE BEEN] + [VERB+ing]

EXAMPLE:

I am going to have been waiting for two hours when her plane finally arrives.

NOTE: It is possible to use either "will" or "going to" to create the Future Perfect Continuous with little or no difference in meaning.

 

---

 

USE 1 Duration Before Something in the Future

We use the Future Perfect Continuous to show that something will continue up until a particular event or time in the future. "For five minutes," "for two weeks" and "since Friday" are all durations which can be used with the Future Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect Continuous and the Past Perfect Continuous, however the duration stops in the future.

EXAMPLES:

They will have been talking for over an hour by the time Tony arrives.

She is going to have been working at that company for three years when it finally closes.

James will have been teaching at the University for more than a year by the time he leaves for Asia.

 

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USE 2 Cause of Something in the Future

 

Using the Future Perfect Continuous before another action in the future is a good way to show cause and effect.

EXAMPLES:

Jason will be tired when he gets home because he will have been jogging for over an hour.

Claudia's English will be perfect when she returns to Germany because she is going to have been studying English in the United States for over two years.

 

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IMPORTANT

 

If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or "since Friday", many English speakers choose to use the Future Continuous. There is also a difference in meaning. Compare the examples below.

EXAMPLES:

I will be reading when my roommate returns.
The reading will be interrupted.

I will have been reading for an hour when my roommate returns.
The reading will stop just before my roommate returns.

 

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ACTIVE / PASSIVE Future Perfect Continuous

 

EXAMPLES:

The famous artist will have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it is finished. ACTIVE

The mural will have been being painted by the famous artist for over six months by the time it is finished. PASSIVE

NOTE: Passive forms of the Past Perfect Continuous are not common.

Future Continuous

 

---

IMPORTANT No Future in Time Clauses

 

Like all future forms, the Future Continuous cannot be used in clauses beginning with "when", "while", "before", "after", "by the time", "as soon as", "if" and "unless". In this lesson, all verbs in Time Clauses are italicized.

EXAMPLES:

While I am finishing my homework, she is going to make dinner. Correct

While I will be finishing my homework, she is going to make dinner. Not Correct

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FORM Future Continuous

 

[WILL BE] + [VERB+ing]

EXAMPLE:

When your plane arrives tonight, I will be waiting for you.

[AM / IS / ARE] + [GOING TO] + [VERBing]

EXAMPLE:

When your plane arrives tonight, I am going to be waiting for you.

NOTE: It is possible to use either "will" or "going to" to create the Future Continuous with little or no difference in meaning.

 

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USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Future     

 

Use the Future Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the future will be interrupted. The interruption is usually an action in the Simple Future. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.

EXAMPLES:

I will be watching TV when she arrives tonight.

I will be waiting for you when your bus arrives.

While I am working, Steve will make dinner. (NOTICE "am working" because of "while.")

I am going to be staying at the Madison Hotel, if anything happens and you need to contact me.

He will be studying at the library tonight, so he will not see Jennifer when she arrives.

NOTE: No future tenses can be used in Time Clauses therefore you must say "While I am working... ." See the warning at the top of the page.

 

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USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption     

 

In USE 1, described above, the Future Continuous is interrupted by an action in the Simple Future. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

EXAMPLES:

Tonight at 6 p.m., I am going to be eating dinner.

At midnight tonight, we will still be driving through the desert.

 

---

IMPORTANT

 

In the Simple Future a specific time is used to show the time an action will begin. In the Future Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.

EXAMPLES:

Tonight at 6 p.m., I am going to eat dinner.
I am going to start eating at 6 p.m.

Tonight at 6 p.m., I am going to be eating dinner.
I am going to start earlier and I will be in the process of eating dinner at 6 p.m. .

 

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USE 3 Parallel Actions    

 

When you use the Future Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions will be happening at the same time. These are Parallel Actions.

EXAMPLES:

I am going to be studying while he is making dinner.

While Ellen is reading, Tim will be watching television.

Tonight, they will be eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.

 

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USE 4 Atmosphere

 

In English we often use a series of Parallel Actions to describe atmosphere in the future.

EXAMPLE:

When I arrive at the party everybody is going to be celebrating. Some will be dancing. Others are going to be talking. A few people will be eating pizza and several people are going to be drinking beer. They always do the same thing.

 

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IMPORTANT Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

 

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any "continuous" tenses. Also, certain "non-continuous" meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in "continuous" tenses. To express the idea of Future Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Future.

EXAMPLES:
Jane will be being at my house when you arrive. Not Correct

Jane will be at my house when you arrive. Correct

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ACTIVE / PASSIVE FORMS Future Continuous

 

EXAMPLES:

At 8:00 PM tonight, John will be washing the dog. ACTIVE

At 8:00 PM tonight, the dog will be being washed by John. PASSIVE

NOTE: Passive forms of the Future Continuous are not common.

 

Perfect Tenses

in an Imperfect World

I use this title because I 
want to emphasize that perfect tenses have

absolutely nothing to do with perfection...as
we know it.

------------X---------------------Now---------------------->

1. We use the Present
Perfect to indicate that something in the past is

connected to something
in the present.

 

The child has learned fractions.

 

The child knows fractions now. The
child had a lesson in fractions in
the past.

(Fractions are parts of a number:
one half, one quarter, one eighth.)

 

Jian-Hui: Have you seen Gone with the Wind, Eileen?               Eileen: Yes, I have. I liked it very much.

Eileen has seen the movie and is
familiar with it. She did not specify
WHEN she saw it.

2. We use the Present
Perfect with a repeated activity before now.

 

 

I have taken the TOEFL test three times.

This is the third time I have taken the TOEFL.

 

I took the test three times before
right now.          I am taking
the test now.

I am not not necessarily
taking the test now.

 

3. We use the Present
Perfect with "for" or "since" for an activity or
action that starts in the past and continues into the present.

 

Ahmed has lived in Cairo for six years.

It's been raining for six days.

 

(He still lives there.)                                              
(It's still raining.)

 

I've been staying at the Hilton since Tuesday.

The temperature has been above 30 degrees Centigrade since June 01.

 

(I stayed there last night and every
night               
(It's still very hot.)

since Tuesday.)

The words "for" and "since" indicate
that an action is unfinished.

Use "for" to express a period of
time.

Use "since" to indicate the start
of an action or activity.

Past Perfect

4.  When we speak
in the past perfect, we are talking about at least
two

events in the past.

---------X----------X-----------Now--------------->

 

 

The the door on the freezer had been open for 24 hours when we discovered it. All the food had gone bad.

When Juan arrived at the party, I had already gone home.

 

 These two examples indicate
that one event in the past occurred before
the other.

Note: the bold-face type
indicates the Past Perfect. Use the Past Perfect to indicate the action
that happened first.

5. We also use the
Past Perfect to indicate actions that happen repeatedly

in the past.

 

He had been to Cairo several times before he was appointed Public Affairs Officer  at the Cairo USIA post.

 

This is something that happened several
times in the past before a different,
more recent,  action happened.

Past Perfect Progressive

6. When we speak in
the past perfect progressive, we emphasize the duration
of an event.

 

 

The man had been waiting to see a doctor for two hours.

Walter had been taking Spanish lessons since he was in high school, so he should have been pretty good.

 

 The past perfect progressive
also may express an activity in progress for
a reason in the past.

 

 

Sandra was exhausted because she had been running to catch the bus.

The children were dirty because they had been playing in the mud.

 

Sometimes we use the Past Perfect
Progressive for minor detective work!

 

 

I came home and saw that the pillows were on the floor, so I knew that my dog, Homer, had been lying on the sofa.

Mrs. Brown saw cookie crumbs on the counter, so she knew that her husband had been snacking.

 

Forming the Perfect
Tenses

To form the Present Perfect, you
need the past participle form of the verb
preceded

by have or has.
For regular verbs, this is the simple form
plus -ed. Click here to find a very complete list of the
past participles of irregular verbs. .

 

 

Regular Verbs:	Irregular Verbs:
I have walked to work this week.	I have eaten at this restaurant many times.
Eva has learned the periodic table of elements.	He's flown American Airlines every time he's gone to Rome.
Aditya had reminded me twice before I finally fixed the washing machine.	They had met each other three years before college.

Future Perfect

 

---

IMPORTANT No Future in Time Clauses

 

Like all future forms, the Future Perfect cannot be used in clauses beginning with "when," "while," "before," "after," "by the time," "as soon as," "if" and "unless". In this lesson, all verbs in Time Clauses are italicized.

EXAMPLES:

I am going to see a movie when I have finished my homework. Correct

I am going to see a movie when I will have finished my homework. Not Correct

 

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FORM Future Perfect

 

[WILL HAVE] + [PAST PARTICIPLE]

EXAMPLE:

I will have perfected my English by the time I come back from the U.S.

[AM / IS / ARE] + [GOING TO HAVE] + [PAST PARTICIPLE]

EXAMPLE:

I am going to have perfected my English by the time I come back from the US.

NOTE: It is possible to use either "will" or "going to" to create the Future Perfect with little or no difference in meaning.

 

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USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Future

The Future Perfect expresses the idea that something will occur before another action in the future. It can also show that something will happen before a specific time in the future.

EXAMPLES:

By next November, I will have received my promotion.

By the time he gets home, she is going to have cleaned the entire house.

 

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USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Future (Non-continuous Verbs)

With Non-continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Future Perfect to show that something will continue up until another action in the future.

EXAMPLES:

I will have been in London for six months by the time I leave.

By Monday, Susan is going to have had my book for a week.

 

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ACTIVE / PASSIVE Past Perfect

 

EXAMPLES:

The Post Office will have returned my package before I can pick it up. ACTIVE

My package will have been returned by the Post Office before I can pick it up. PASSIVE

Count and
Non-count nouns

also known as

Countable nouns and Uncountable
nouns 

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You can count how many you have.     
You can't count how much you have.

chairs	hair
boys	water
computers	coffee
cars	sand
pictures	milk
houses	transportation
pencils	communication
radios	news
newspapers	information
bottles	wine

 

Some nouns are countable. You can add an s to plural countable
nouns: cars, pencils, boys.

You can add a or an to a singular countable noun: a
car, an egg, a boy. You can use the word many with countable
nouns: many cars.

Some nouns are uncountable (noncount). Uncountable nouns don't
have plurals. You can't add an s to uncountable nouns: information,
transportation, milk. You can't add a or an to uncountable nouns.

You can use much, a lot of, a little with uncountable
nouns: much traffic, a lot of information, a little milk.

With count nouns, you can use certain determiners such as a few
or several. You can also use some. You can also use some
with uncountable nouns, but you cannot use a few or several
with uncountable nouns.

 

Yes: There were several new chairs in the room.

Yes: There were a few new chairs in the room.

Yes: There were some new chairs in the room.

Yes: There was some new information in the report.

No: There were some new information in the report.

No: There were several new information in the report

No: There was some new informations in the report.

Capital Letters: When and Why
to use them

 

Use capital letters (large letters) as the first letter of

• 
  people's first and last (family) names (Celine
  Dion, David A.
  Tillyer, Abraham
  Lincoln)
• 
  the pronoun I (English grammar is difficult,
  but I love it.)
• 
  brand names of products (Ford Taurus,
  Chicago Bulls,
  Inca Kola)
• 
  days of the week

  

  

 


 

• 
  months of the year

  

  

• 
  holidays (Ramadan, Christmas,
  Tet, Yom Kippur,
  Fourth of July)
• 
  first letter of the first word of a sentence (The
  cat chased the mouse.)
• 
  names of cities, states, countries and continents (Boston,
  Massachusetts; Paris
  France; Europe)
• 
  languages and adjectives from country names (the English
  language, Portuguese, the Japanese,
  Spanish, Arabic,
  Arabs)
• 
  titles and courtesy titles (President Clinton
  [but, the president], Prince Charles, Mr.,
  Mrs., Ms.)