theory
Grammar
1 Simple and continuous tense
Start Point
Present continuous
· I´m working at home while our office block is being renovated (= temporary state)
· I’m phoning from the train ( = action in progress)
Present simple
· Public transport has a number of advantages over driving (= permanent state)
· I catch the train at 7.05 at the station near my home every morning (= habit or regular event)
Past continuous
· I was travelling home when the train broke down (= action in progress at past point)
Past simple
· I sold my car last week (= completed past action)
· I drove to work for a couple of years (= past situation that doesn’t exist now)
· I caught the train every morning at 7.15(= repeated past action)
We usually use simple tenses with verbs that describe an unchanging state rather than an
action:
I love trains
( See Appendix 1.1.)
· We can use continuous tenses with state verbs to emphasise that a situation is temporary or untypical:
I'm appreciating being able to get up later than usual. (= emphasises that this is a temporary arrangement)
Now that I work at home I appreciate being able to get up late. (= suggests that this is now amore permanent arrangement)
· With some verbs that describe mental states (e.g. consider, understand) and attitudes (e.g. hope, regret), continuous tenses suggest a process going on at the time of speaking, or emphasise that the process continues to develop:
I'm regretting selling my car already. (= emphasises that I have started to regret it and that this regret may grow)
I regret selling my car. (= describes an attitude that is unlikely to change)
· Some verbs have different meanings when talking about states and describing actions:
I'm now thinking of buying a motorbike. (think of (action) = consider)
Do you think that's a good idea? (think (state) = asking about an opinion)
(See Appendix 1.2.)
We usually use the present simple with verbs that describe what we are doing as we speak:
I admit that it can be frustrating at times. (= 1 agree that it is true when 1 say 'I admit')
I predict that increasing numbers of people will start working at home.
(See Appendix 1.3.)
We often use the past simple in a narrative (e.g. a report or a story) to talk about a single complete past action, and the past continuous to describe the situation that existed at the time:
I dropped my purse while I was getting off the train.
When we talk about two or more past completed actions that followed one another, we use the past simple for both:
She woke me up and offered me a lift.
When we talk about two actions that went on over the same period of past time, we can often use the past continuous or the past simple for both:
I was listening to music while I was driving here. or I listened to music while I drove here.
We usually use continuous tenses with adverbs such as always, constantly, continually and
forever to emphasise that something is done so often that it is characteristic of a person, group or thing:
I was forever arriving late for work.
We can use either the present continuous or present simple to describe something we regularly do at a certain time:
At 8 o'clock I'm usually having a leisurely breakfast. or A t 8 o'clock I usually have ...
We often use the present continuous or past continuous:
• to make an enquiry or a statement of opinion more tentative:
I'm hoping we've got Dave Jones on the line. (= implies that the speaker is not sure whether Dave Jones is there)
• to make a request or an offer more polite:
Karen, were you wanting to say something?
2 Perfect tenses
Start Point
Present perfect
• I've lived in Spain, and the trains are so much more reliable there. (Past situation relevant to -the present)
• I've jus: sold my car and so now I go to work by bus: (recantation-with consequences-for the present)
• I've enjoyed travelling by train ever since I was young.' (Situation continuing until the present)
Past perfect.
• This morning I'd read a couple of reports before I got off the train. (Past event before another past event)
We use the present perfect to talk about a situation that existed in the past and still exists now, and the past simple when the situ action no longer exists:
I've commuted to London every weekday for over ten years, and I actually enjoy it.
I commuted to London every weekday for over ten years before I started working at home
We use the present perfect to talk about a repeated action that might happen again:
I've arrived late for work twice this week so far.
and the past simple for a repeated action that won't happen again:
I arrived late for work twice this week. (= the working week is over; I won't arrive late again this week)
When we give news or information, we often introduce a topic with the present perfect and then give details with other past tenses:
The new high speed rail link between the north of England and the Channel Tunnel has opened. It took 15 years to build and cost nearly ten billion pounds.
When we use a time expression (e.g. after, as soon as, before, when) to say that one event happened after another, we can use either the past simple or past perfect for the event that happened first:
I'd read a couple of reports before I even got to work. or I read a couple of reports ...
3 Present perfect continuous and past perfect continuous
We use the present perfect continuous (have been + -ing) to talk about an action in progress in the past for a period until now, and which is either still in progress or recently finished:
I've been working at home for the last five years. (= action still in progress)
Sorry I'm late. I've been trying to find a parking place. (= action recently finished)
We often prefer the present perfect continuous to say how long the action has been in progress:
I've been trying to phone in to your programme f or the last half hour.
A. We use the present perfect to talk about a completed action or series of actions when we are interested in the result:
I've called the bus company a number of times to complain.
They've bought new trains and have really improved the service.
∙We use the past perfect continuous (had been + -ing) to talk about an action in progress over a period up to a particular past point in time:
I'd been waiting over an hour when they announced that the train had been cancelled.
If we are not interested in how long the action went on, we often use the past continuous rather than the past perfect continuous:
I was waiting on the platform when they announced that the train had been cancelled.
rather than I'd been waiting ... (= there is no mention of how long the person was waiting.)
∙We use the past perfect when we say how many times something happened in a period up to a particular past time:
I'd spoken to her only a couple of times before then.
We don't usually use the present perfect continuous or the past perfect continuous to describe states:
I'd owned a car ever since I left college. (not I'd been owning ...)
Compare the use of the present continuous for the future and be going to:
l'm flying on 15th July at ten in the evening. (= already arranged)
I'm going to fly up there if it's not too expensive. (= the speaker intends to fly but has not made the arrangements yet)
We tend to avoid be going to go and use the present continuous (be going to) instead:
Then I'm going to San Francisco, rather than Then I'm going to go to San Francisco.
We can't use the present continuous for future events which are outside people's control:
It's going to rain this afternoon. (not It’s raining this afternoon)
We can use either the present simple or will to talk about official arrangements:
The semester begins on 7th December, or The semester will begin on 7h December.
The present continuous is used in informal arrangements:
You're not staying with them the whole time, then? (= informal arrangement) (not You don't stay with them the whole time, then?)
We use the present simple, or sometimes other present tenses, to refer to the future in time clauses with a conjunction (e.g. after, as soon as, before, by the time, when, while, until); in conditional clauses with if, in case, provided and unless; and in clauses beginning with suppose, supposing and what if:
As soon as I book my tickets, I'll let you know. (not As soon as I will book)
It'll be good to know I can contact them in case I have any problems. (not in case I will have any problems ...)
What if don't like it? (not What if I won't like it?)
1 Simple and continuous tense
Start Point
Present continuous
· I´m working at home while our office block is being renovated (= temporary state)
· I’m phoning from the train ( = action in progress)
Present simple
· Public transport has a number of advantages over driving (= permanent state)
· I catch the train at 7.05 at the station near my home every morning (= habit or regular event)
Past continuous
· I was travelling home when the train broke down (= action in progress at past point)
Past simple
· I sold my car last week (= completed past action)
· I drove to work for a couple of years (= past situation that doesn’t exist now)
· I caught the train every morning at 7.15(= repeated past action)
We usually use simple tenses with verbs that describe an unchanging state rather than an
action:
I love trains
( See Appendix 1.1.)
· We can use continuous tenses with state verbs to emphasise that a situation is temporary or untypical:
I'm appreciating being able to get up later than usual. (= emphasises that this is a temporary arrangement)
Now that I work at home I appreciate being able to get up late. (= suggests that this is now amore permanent arrangement)
· With some verbs that describe mental states (e.g. consider, understand) and attitudes (e.g. hope, regret), continuous tenses suggest a process going on at the time of speaking, or emphasise that the process continues to develop:
I'm regretting selling my car already. (= emphasises that I have started to regret it and that this regret may grow)
I regret selling my car. (= describes an attitude that is unlikely to change)
· Some verbs have different meanings when talking about states and describing actions:
I'm now thinking of buying a motorbike. (think of (action) = consider)
Do you think that's a good idea? (think (state) = asking about an opinion)
(See Appendix 1.2.)
We usually use the present simple with verbs that describe what we are doing as we speak:
I admit that it can be frustrating at times. (= 1 agree that it is true when 1 say 'I admit')
I predict that increasing numbers of people will start working at home.
(See Appendix 1.3.)
We often use the past simple in a narrative (e.g. a report or a story) to talk about a single complete past action, and the past continuous to describe the situation that existed at the time:
I dropped my purse while I was getting off the train.
When we talk about two or more past completed actions that followed one another, we use the past simple for both:
She woke me up and offered me a lift.
When we talk about two actions that went on over the same period of past time, we can often use the past continuous or the past simple for both:
I was listening to music while I was driving here. or I listened to music while I drove here.
We usually use continuous tenses with adverbs such as always, constantly, continually and
forever to emphasise that something is done so often that it is characteristic of a person, group or thing:
I was forever arriving late for work.
We can use either the present continuous or present simple to describe something we regularly do at a certain time:
At 8 o'clock I'm usually having a leisurely breakfast. or A t 8 o'clock I usually have ...
We often use the present continuous or past continuous:
• to make an enquiry or a statement of opinion more tentative:
I'm hoping we've got Dave Jones on the line. (= implies that the speaker is not sure whether Dave Jones is there)
• to make a request or an offer more polite:
Karen, were you wanting to say something?
2 Perfect tenses
Start Point
Present perfect
• I've lived in Spain, and the trains are so much more reliable there. (Past situation relevant to -the present)
• I've jus: sold my car and so now I go to work by bus: (recantation-with consequences-for the present)
• I've enjoyed travelling by train ever since I was young.' (Situation continuing until the present)
Past perfect.
• This morning I'd read a couple of reports before I got off the train. (Past event before another past event)
We use the present perfect to talk about a situation that existed in the past and still exists now, and the past simple when the situ action no longer exists:
I've commuted to London every weekday for over ten years, and I actually enjoy it.
I commuted to London every weekday for over ten years before I started working at home
We use the present perfect to talk about a repeated action that might happen again:
I've arrived late for work twice this week so far.
and the past simple for a repeated action that won't happen again:
I arrived late for work twice this week. (= the working week is over; I won't arrive late again this week)
When we give news or information, we often introduce a topic with the present perfect and then give details with other past tenses:
The new high speed rail link between the north of England and the Channel Tunnel has opened. It took 15 years to build and cost nearly ten billion pounds.
When we use a time expression (e.g. after, as soon as, before, when) to say that one event happened after another, we can use either the past simple or past perfect for the event that happened first:
I'd read a couple of reports before I even got to work. or I read a couple of reports ...
3 Present perfect continuous and past perfect continuous
We use the present perfect continuous (have been + -ing) to talk about an action in progress in the past for a period until now, and which is either still in progress or recently finished:
I've been working at home for the last five years. (= action still in progress)
Sorry I'm late. I've been trying to find a parking place. (= action recently finished)
We often prefer the present perfect continuous to say how long the action has been in progress:
I've been trying to phone in to your programme f or the last half hour.
A. We use the present perfect to talk about a completed action or series of actions when we are interested in the result:
I've called the bus company a number of times to complain.
They've bought new trains and have really improved the service.
∙We use the past perfect continuous (had been + -ing) to talk about an action in progress over a period up to a particular past point in time:
I'd been waiting over an hour when they announced that the train had been cancelled.
If we are not interested in how long the action went on, we often use the past continuous rather than the past perfect continuous:
I was waiting on the platform when they announced that the train had been cancelled.
rather than I'd been waiting ... (= there is no mention of how long the person was waiting.)
∙We use the past perfect when we say how many times something happened in a period up to a particular past time:
I'd spoken to her only a couple of times before then.
We don't usually use the present perfect continuous or the past perfect continuous to describe states:
I'd owned a car ever since I left college. (not I'd been owning ...)
Compare the use of the present continuous for the future and be going to:
l'm flying on 15th July at ten in the evening. (= already arranged)
I'm going to fly up there if it's not too expensive. (= the speaker intends to fly but has not made the arrangements yet)
We tend to avoid be going to go and use the present continuous (be going to) instead:
Then I'm going to San Francisco, rather than Then I'm going to go to San Francisco.
We can't use the present continuous for future events which are outside people's control:
It's going to rain this afternoon. (not It’s raining this afternoon)
We can use either the present simple or will to talk about official arrangements:
The semester begins on 7th December, or The semester will begin on 7h December.
The present continuous is used in informal arrangements:
You're not staying with them the whole time, then? (= informal arrangement) (not You don't stay with them the whole time, then?)
We use the present simple, or sometimes other present tenses, to refer to the future in time clauses with a conjunction (e.g. after, as soon as, before, by the time, when, while, until); in conditional clauses with if, in case, provided and unless; and in clauses beginning with suppose, supposing and what if:
As soon as I book my tickets, I'll let you know. (not As soon as I will book)
It'll be good to know I can contact them in case I have any problems. (not in case I will have any problems ...)
What if don't like it? (not What if I won't like it?)