Revision [2/3]

Hi folks,

Today, i will continue the revision of my studieds on english… I will focus in Past Tenses and Future Forms.

Past Tenses

Past simple
– Use the past simple for finished past actions.

Affirmative
Subject + verb in infinitive way (without “to“) + “ED” (for regular verbs¹) + complement
He died in 1908.
I´m sorry about last night. The train was 10 minutes late.

Negative
Subject + Aux (did) + NOT + verb in infinitive way (without “to“) + complement
He didn´t like dirty places.
He didn´t study.

Interrogative
Aux (Did) + subject + verb in infinitive way (without “to“) + complement
Did his mother help him?
Did you called to your mother?

Past Continuous
– Use the past continuous to describe an action in progress at a specific time in the past.

Affirmative
Subject + To be (in past way = was/were) + verb with “ing” + complement
He was drawing when his mother arrived
The dress what she was wearing was awful

Negative
Subject + was/were + NOT + verb with “ing” + complement
Steve wasn´t talking on phone
I wasn´t drinking when i arrived late in the college.

Interrogative
Was/were + subject + verb with “ing” + complement
Was steve talking on phone?
Was you drinking before you arrived in the college?

Past perfect
– Use the past perfect when you are talking about the past and you want to talk about an earlier past action.

Affirmative
Subject + had + verb in Past Participle (PP) way + complement
He had spoken to her when the bell ring.
They had lived in the same building for two years.

Negative
Subject + had + not + verb in PP way + complement
I hadn´t seen them until then.
I felt nervous because I hadn´t flown before.

Interrogative
Had + subject + verb in PP way + complement
Had you been there before?
Had I worked with them?

Future Forms

Be goint to + infinitive
– Use going to NOT will/won´t when you have already decided to do something.
– With the verb go you can leave out the infinitive. E.g. I´m not going (to go) to New York

Future plans and intentions
My sister´s going to adopt a child.
Are you going to buy a new car?

Predictions
I think they´re going to win (They´re playing very well)
It´s going to rain (The sky is very dark)

Present continuous: Be + verb with “ing”

Future arrangements
We´re getting married in October.
They´re meeting at 10:00.
She´s leaving on friday.

– You can usually use present continuous or going to for future plans / arragements.
– going to shows that you have made a decision. E.g. We´re going to get married in the summer.
– Present continuous emphasizes that you have made the arrengements. E.g. We´re getting married on July 12th (We´ve booked the church).

Will/shall + infinitive
– Use will/won´t (NOT the present simple) for instant decisions, promises, offers and suggestions.
– Use shall (NOT will) with I and we for offers and suggestions when they are questions.
– Use will or going to for predictions.

I´ll have the steak (instant decision)
I won´t tell anybody where you are. (promise)
I´ll carry that bag for you (offer)
Shall I help you with your homework? (offer)
You´ll love the film! (prediction)

¹ – Click here to see the list of irregular verbs