English Grammar: Past Tenses, Future Tenses, and Conditional Sentences - Prof. Ferrari | Appunti di Lingua Inglese

GRAMMAR!

PAST CONTINUOUS!

We use:!

-to describe action or situation happening at or around a time in the past (I wasn’t feeling well

that day, so I didn’t go out with the others)!

-For temporary past situations ( we were living in Berlin at the time of the 2008 Olympics)!

-For two actions/situations happening at the same time (while rob was playing his match, i was

waiting in the car)!

-To criticise another person’s actions, with always (Karla was always complaining about

something)!

We use past continuous and past simple together to show that one action interrupts another

action- the bus was going too fast and hit the car. !

Past continuous of verbs plan, hope intend shows that the action did not happen: we were

planning to, but..!

We use it to describe background situation in the past.!

We use it to set the scene for a story or account of something that happened.!

PAST SIMPLE VS PAST CONTINUOUS!

We use past continuous for an action in progress when something else happened (i was running

downstairs and i tripped over my trousers).!

When+past simple+ past simple when one action happened after another one- when Isabel joined

us, we watched a dvd.!

When/while before an unfinished action or the interrupted past- the post came when i was having

my breakfast.!

When before the unfinished (continuous) or the completed (simple) action.!

Don’t use while before completed action.!

USED TO AND WOULD!

Used to:!

-no present form!

-Used to+infinitive to talk about regular past actions that do not happen now (i used to take the

bus to work every day)!

-Often us adverbs of frequency!

-Used to+infinitive when we talk about past situations that are no longer true.!

Would:!

-would+infinitive to talk about regular past actions that do not happen now.!

-When descriptions of past actions starts with used to, we usually continue with would.!

-Would for past actions, not situations.!

Used to: want to emphasise a diﬀerence between the past and the present.!

Past simple for: !

-single actions in the past!

-Periods of time!

-A number of times.!

PAST PERFECT SIMPLE!

-to show which action happened first (before i finally found a job, I had been to about thirty

interviews)!

-!! If one action happens immediately after the other we use past simple for both!

-Often used with adverbs of time and linking words (by the time grace decided to apply for the

job, the position had been filled).!

We use past simple: !

-if the order of actions is clear: i got my first job after i left university!

-If the order of actions is the same as the order of the verbs in the sentence: when i got to the

cafe, everyone ordered their drinks≠ when i got to the cafe, everyone had ordered their drinks.!

-To give a reason for an action or situation, often with because: Emily was unhappy- her

husband hadn’t bought her a birthday present.!

-Past perfect and ever with superlative adjectives: it was the worst meal i had ever e eaten.!

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GRAMMAR

PAST CONTINUOUS

We use:

- to describe action or situation happening at or around a time in the past (I wasn’t feeling well

that day, so I didn’t go out with the others)

- For temporary past situations ( we were living in Berlin at the time of the 2008 Olympics)

- For two actions/situations happening at the same time (while rob was playing his match, i was

waiting in the car)

- To criticise another person’s actions, with always (Karla was always complaining about

something) We use past continuous and past simple together to show that one action interrupts another action- the bus was going too fast and hit the car. Past continuous of verbs plan, hope intend shows that the action did not happen: we were planning to, but.. We use it to describe background situation in the past. We use it to set the scene for a story or account of something that happened. PAST SIMPLE VS PAST CONTINUOUS We use past continuous for an action in progress when something else happened (i was running downstairs and i tripped over my trousers). When+past simple+ past simple when one action happened after another one- when Isabel joined us, we watched a dvd. When/while before an unfinished action or the interrupted past- the post came when i was having my breakfast. When before the unfinished (continuous) or the completed (simple) action. Don’t use while before completed action. USED TO AND WOULD Used to:

- no present form

- Used to+infinitive to talk about regular past actions that do not happen now (i used to take the

bus to work every day)

- Often us adverbs of frequency

- Used to+infinitive when we talk about past situations that are no longer true.

Would:

- would+infinitive to talk about regular past actions that do not happen now.

- When descriptions of past actions starts with used to, we usually continue with would.

- Would for past actions, not situations.

Used to: want to emphasise a difference between the past and the present. Past simple for:

- single actions in the past

- Periods of time

- A number of times.

PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

- to show which action happened first (before i finally found a job, I had been to about thirty

interviews)

- !! If one action happens immediately after the other we use past simple for both

- Often used with adverbs of time and linking words (by the time grace decided to apply for the

job, the position had been filled). We use past simple:

- if the order of actions is clear: i got my first job after i left university

- If the order of actions is the same as the order of the verbs in the sentence: when i got to the

cafe, everyone ordered their drinks≠ when i got to the cafe, everyone had ordered their drinks.

- To give a reason for an action or situation, often with because: Emily was unhappy- her

husband hadn’t bought her a birthday present.

- Past perfect and ever with superlative adjectives: it was the worst meal i had ever e eaten.

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

- to talk about an action or situation that was happening in the past before another action or time

(i had been learning french for 5 years when i went to live in Paris)

- Introduce the second action with when

- The first action can stop when the second action happens, or it can continue

- Emphasises a period of time (Pizarro had been exploring for twenty years when he went to

Peru)

- To give a reason for an action or feeling in the past

- Past perfect simple with a number or amount (i called Jane after i had read half the reports)

FUTURE

Be going to:

- going to or the present continuous to talk about future plans and arrangements- time

expressions (don’t use will to talk about personal arrangements) Will:

- going to or will to talk about things we expect to happen

- To talk about events that are certain to happen

- When we decide to do something at the same time as speaking, something that we didn’t plan

- To make offers, promises and warnings

- Shall for suggestions

FUTURE CONTINUOUS (will+be+ -ing form of the verb)

- action that will be in progress at or around a time in the future (don’t phone me at the office

tomorrow. I’ll be working at home)

- To talk about a future action which may have a result (I’ll be meeting m friends after work so i

may be home late) or which may make another action possible or necessary (I’ll be seeing the doctor tomorrow. Do you want me to ask her about your prescription?)

- To ask polite questions about personal plans and arrangements

FUTURE PERFECT

Future perfect simple: will+ have+ past participle

- for actions which we expect to be completed by a particular time in the future (we will have

gone back and had a shower by seven) Future perfect continuous: will+have+been+ -ing form

- to talk about an action which is happening up to a particular time in the future: by next Friday

I’ll have been waiting for my exam results for over two months

- Use with so, to explain the reason for a future situation: we will have been skiing all day so we

will be ready for a meal PRESENT SIMPLE WITH FUTURE MEANING

- with a time or date to talk about future events on a timetable or fixed programme: Dallas flight

arrives at 9.45. Does the tour bus stop in ronda?

- Present simple or will to talk about definite arrangements and things we can’t change: New

Year’s Eve falls/will fall on a Thursday

- When we are talking about personal arrangements we use present continuous or going to: we

are meeting our friends at the cinema this evening

- Present simple+ when, as soon as, before, after, once and until- we can use present perfect

after these expressions when we are talking about a completed action: I’ll tell you what it’s like after i have seen it.

- We don’t use will after these expressions: I’ll see you when i arrive; as soon as i get there, I’ll

phone you OTHER WAYS TO TALK ABOUT FUTURE Was/were going to

- to talk about something that was expected or planned for the future but it didn’t happen (the

future in the past): in 2005 they were going to build a supermarket here.

- To talk about something we expected to happen but in fact didn’t happen: i was going to study

medicine but my grades weren’t good enough

- To make excuses about something we failed to do: i was going to finish my homework but I

didn’t have time.

- Did you see the film which was on tv yesterday? Do you remember the day when we met?

That’s the reason why he’s popular.

- When the relative pronoun is the object of the relative clause, you don’t need another subject: i

admire Jude law, who always works hard.

- Where can be replaced by a preposition+which: the theatre where/in which i first acted is

somewhere around here. Non defining relative clause

- to give extra information about something/someone: ray, who starred in bandits, is considering

making a film base on the life of Einstein

- Are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas

Defining relative clauses

- tell us which one of a group of things/people we are talking about; it doesn’t make sense

without the relative clause

- The one who is wearing a blue shir is Justin isn’t it?

- Are not separated by commas: this is the dvd which i told you about the other day

- Also use that to introduce the relative clause

Participles

- present participles end in -ing

- Past participles end in -ed

- Perfect participles are formed using having+ past participle

- To follow prepositions and conjunctions: by appearing in that advert, he damaged his acting

career. After having played video games all morning, i was really tired.

- To explain the reason for something: being quite goo looking, Ralph decided to make a career

as a model

- To talk about actions happening t the same time: waiting for the show to begin, i felt really

nervous

- To replace some relative clauses: the person chosen for the part will be contacted by phone.

- To talk about past actions happening in sequence: having finished my homework, i decided to

go to the cinema

English Grammar: Past Tenses, Future Tenses, and Conditional Sentences - Prof. Ferrari, Appunti di Lingua Inglese

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