Tenses Flashcards
Present Simple to talk about the future:
1) We use be + full infinitive to talk about events in the future. It’s quite formal and is often used by journalists.
The prime minister is to open a new factory.
The motorway is to shut for maintenance.
The actor is to be awarded for his services to theatre.
- be due + full infinitive. We use be due + full infinitive to talk about scheduled events.
Ling’s train is due to arrive at 9:37.
Jayeesh’s parents are due to leave this evening.
Ivana’s exam’s due to finish at noon.
- be + sure / bound + full infinitive. We use be + sure / bound + full infinitive to talk about a future event we are confident will happen.
João’s sure to be late. He always is.
Lenu was bound to win. She’s so much better at tennis than Carmela.
It’s bound to rain tomorrow. It always does when we have a picnic.
- on the verge of / on the brink of. We use on the verge of / on the brink of for events that are going to happen very soon. These phrases are followed by nouns or gerunds (words made from verb + ing which act as a noun).
The volcano was on the verge of erupting.
The minister was on the brink of resigning.
The countries were on the verge of war.
- present tense with a future meaning. We often use a present tense with a future meaning after verbs such as hope, plan, aim, intend, want and propose. The verb that follows is in the infinitive.
Elif hopes to finish her studies and find a job next year.
Ekatrina intends to buy a house after saving for a few years.
Jorge plans to live abroad.
Present to talk about the PAST
Telling a story
When telling a story we often switch to the present tense when we get to an exciting or dramatic part. This makes the events more immediate and exciting for the listener.
Last year I was swimming off the coast of New Zealand, when suddenly I see a shark coming up behind me. Everyone starts screaming. I swim as fast as I can.
Newspaper headlines
Journalists very often use the present not the past in newspaper headlines to make newspaper stories more exciting, fresh and immediate.
Terrified swimmer is chased out of sea by shark.
Man dies in forest fire.
With hear, tell, gather, say
We use certain verbs like tell and hear in the present tense even though we heard something or were told something in the past. This puts more emphasise on the information you heard rather than the fact you heard it.
I hear you’re getting married!
She says she doesn’t like the present!
When telling jokes
We often use the present to tell jokes, rather than the past. This makes the joke more immediate and dramatic for the listener (even if the joke is not very funny!)
A pony walks into a bar and whispers to the bartender, “I’ll have a beer, please.”
The bartender asks, “Why are you whispering?”.
“I’m a little hoarse.”
Linking words of contrast
However
However can occur at the start of a sentence- it is followed by a comma and then a clause. However can also come in the middle of a sentence to separate two clauses.
Many people think it rains in England all the time. However, this is only partly true - it rains 95% of the time and the other 5% it’s overcast.
Many people think it rains in England all the time; however, this is only partly true.
Although
Although can come in the middle or at the beginning of a sentence and introduces a subordinate clause. It can be replaced with though and even though.
Although it is true that we are good at following rules, English people do not love queuing!
Despite
Despite appears at the beginning of the clause or in the middle of a sentence. It is always followed by a noun or verb + ING. It can be replaced with in spite of.
Despite being a little formal, English people are actually very warm-hearted.
In spite of the weather, they had a great time on the beach.
While
While joins two contrasting clauses together and sits at the beginning of one of the clauses. Usually at the beginning of the sentence. In a more formal and literary style, we can say whilst.
While international opinion of our food is not good, I think that English food is delicious!
Grammar explanation
Stative verbs describe a state rather than an action. They aren’t usually used in the present continuous form.
I don’t know the answer. NOT I’m not knowing the answer.
She really likes you. NOT She’s really liking you.
He seems happy at the moment. NOT He’s seeming happy at the moment.
Stative verbs often relate to:
thoughts and opinions: agree, believe, doubt, guess, imagine, know, mean, recognise, remember, suspect, think, understand.
feelings and emotions: dislike, hate, like, love, prefer, want, wish.
senses and perceptions: appear, be, feel, hear, look, see, seem, smell, taste.
possession and measurement: belong, have, measure, own, possess, weigh.
Verbs that are sometimes stative
A number of verbs can refer to states or actions, depending on the context.
I think it’s a good idea.
Wait a moment! I’m thinking.
The first sentence expresses an opinion. It is a mental state, so we use present simple. In the second example the speaker is actively processing thoughts about something. It is an action in progress, so we use present continuous.
Some other examples are:
have
I have an old car. (state – possession)
I’m having a quick break. (action – having a break is an activity)
see
Do you see any problems with that? (state – opinion)
We’re seeing Tadanari tomorrow afternoon. (action – we’re meeting him)
be
He’s so interesting! (state – his permanent quality)
He’s being very unhelpful. (action – he is temporarily behaving this way)
taste
This coffee tastes delicious. (state – our perception of the coffee)
Look! The chef is tasting the soup. (action – tasting the soup is an activity)
Other verbs like this include: agree, appear, doubt, feel, guess, hear, imagine, look, measure, remember, smell, weigh, wish.
Using stative verbs in the continuous form:
Many state verbs have two different forms (a state one and a dynamic one) with a change in meaning:
I have a dog (I own a dog). I’m having a shower (I am taking a shower now).
Mike’s usually so energetic! (a personality trait). Why’s he being so lazy? (current behaviour).
I’m just smelling the fish to see if it has gone off. ( this sentence is talking about the action of smelling so we use the continuous form. You can also use the verb ‘sniffing’ here.)
We can use the present continuous with forever, always and constantly to show annoyance about a repeated habit:
You’re forever interrupting me.
I know I quit, but I’m constantly wanting a cigarette.
State verbs can be used in the continuous form to make requests and questions more polite and less direct:
Sorry to interrupt. I was wanting to borrow the car.
Sometimes we use a state verb in the continuous form to emphasise a strong feeling at the moment of speaking:
I’m loving this party! (it has become more common in spoken English for people to use ‘love’ and ‘hate’ in the continuous form).
I don’t care how long the chef took to cook it. I’m not accepting that.
Some idioms and set phrases use state verbs in the continuous form:
I just don’t know what to do about this situation. It’s really weighing on my mind.
I’ve been seeing my boyfriend for a few months now.(they are dating).
