SOFTSKILL INGGRIS BISNIS 2

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

The simple present tense is one of several forms of present tense in English. It is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, and fixed arrangements. The simple present tense is simple to form. Just use the base form of the verb: (I take, you take, we take, they take) The 3rd person singular takes an -s at the end. (he takes, she takes).

Example: - He drinks tea at breakfast           - They watch television
                - She only eats fish                        - The Earth revolves around the Sun

PAST TENSE

Past tense, sometimes called the preterite, is used to talk about a completed action in a time before now. The simple past is the basic form of past tense in English. The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant past and action duration is not important.

Example: 

• We gave her a doll for her birthday.
• He went to a club last night.
• Did he go to the cinema last night?
• He didn't go to bed early last night.
• I was in Japan last year

PRESENT COUNTINUES TENSE

The present continuous of any verb is composed of two parts - the present tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb.

(The form of the present participle is: base+ing, e.g. talking, playing, moving, smiling)

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS IS USED:

• to describe an action that is going on at this moment: You are using the Internet. You are studying English grammar.
• to describe an action that is going on during this period of time or a trend: Are you still working for the same company? More and more people are becoming vegetarian.
• to describe an action or event in the future, which has already been planned or prepared: We're going on holiday tomorrow. I'm meeting my boyfriend tonight. Are they visiting you next winter?
• to describe a temporary event or situation: He usually plays the drums, but he's playing bass guitar tonight. The weather forecast was good, but it's raining at the moment.
• with "always, forever, constantly", to describe and emphasise a continuing series of repeated actions: Harry and Sally are always arguing! You're constantly complaining about your mother-in-law!

PAST CONTINUES TENSE

The past continuous describes actions or events in a time before now, which began in the past and is still going on at the time of speaking. In other words, it expresses an unfinished or incomplete action in the past.

It is used:

• Often, to describe the background in a story written in the past tense, e.g. "The sun was shining and the birds were singing as the elephant came out of the jungle. The other animals were relaxing in the shade of the trees, but the elephant moved very quickly. She was looking for her baby, and she didn't notice the hunter who was watching her through his binoculars. When the shot rang out, she was running towards the river..."
• to describe an unfinished action that was interrupted by another event or action, e.g. "I was having a beautiful dream when the alarm clock rang."
• to express a change of mind: e.g. "I was going to spend the day at the beach but I've decided to get my homework done instead."
• with 'wonder', to make a very polite request: e.g. "I was wondering if you could baby-sit for me tonight."

  EXAMPLES

  • They were waiting for the bus when the accident happened.
  • Caroline was skiing when she broke her leg.
  • When we arrived he was having a bath.
  • When the fire started I was watching television.
  
  
  
  

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

The present perfect is used to indicate a link between the present and the past. The time of the action is before now but not specified, and we are often more interested in the result than in the action itself.

The present perfect of any verb is composed of two elements : the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb to have (present tense), plus the past participle of the main verb. The past participle of a regular verb is base+ed, e.g. played, arrived, looked. For irregular verbs, see the Table of irregular verbs in the section called 'Verbs'.

Example: 

• I have walked
• I haven't walked
• Have i walked?
• I have lived in Bristol since 1984
• She has been to the cinema twice this week
• I have just finished my work
• We have visited Portugal several times.

PRESENT PERFECT COUNTINUES TENSE

The present perfect continuous is used to refer to an unspecified time between 'before now' and 'now'. The speaker is thinking about something that started but perhaps did not finish in that period of time. He/she is interested in the process as well as the result, and this process may still be going on, or may have just finished.

Example: 

• She has been waiting for you all day
• I've been working on this report since eight o'clock this morning
• They have been travelling since last October
• She hasn't been running.
• Has she been running?

PAST PERFECT TENSE

The past perfect refers to a time earlier than before now. It is used to make it clear that one event happened before another in the past. It does not matter which event is mentioned first - the tense makes it clear which one happened first.

Example: 

- I had decided  - I hadn't decided         - Had I decided?

- You had decided  - You hadn't decided - Had you decided?

- She had decided  - She hadn't decided - Had she decided?

- We had decided  - We hadn't decided - Had we decided?

- They had decided  - They hadn't decided - Had they decided?

PAST PERFECT COUNTINUES TENSE

The past perfect continuous corresponds to the present perfect continuous, but with reference to a time earlier than 'before now'. As with the present perfect continuous, we are more interested in the process.

Example:

• Had you been waiting long before the taxi arrived?
• We had been trying to open the door for five minutes when Jane found her key.
• It had been raining hard for several hours and the streets were very wet.
• Her friends had been thinking of calling the police when she walked in.

FUTURE TENSE

simple future refers to a time later than now, and expresses facts or certainty. In this case there is no 'attitude'.

Note:In modern English will is preferred to shall. Shall is mainly used with I and we to make an offer or suggestion, or to ask for advice (see examples above). With the other persons (you, he, she, they) shall is only used in literary or poetic situations, e.g. "With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, She shall have music wherever she goes."

Example:

• It will rain tomorrow.
• I'll pay for the tickets by credit card.
• He'll carry your bag for you.
• I won't leave until I've seen the manager!
• Shall I open the window?
• Shall we go to the cinema tonight?
• The baby won't eat his soup.

sources: https://www.ef.com/english-resources/english-grammar