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ENGLISH IDIOMS

October 15, 2016 11:06 pm / Leave a comment

English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Because idioms don’t always make sense literally, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms in your own language.

Learning to use common idioms and expressions will make your English sound more native, so it’s a good idea to master some of these expressions. The tables below are organized by how common the idioms are in American English. You can start by learning the very common English idioms, since these are the ones you’ll encounter regularly watching American movies or TV, or visiting the United States. When you’ve mastered those, move on to rest. None of the idioms on this page are unusual or old fashioned, so you can be confident using any of them with native English speakers from all English-speaking countries.

THE MOST COMMON ENGLISH IDIOMS

These English idioms are extremely common in everyday conversation in the United States. You will hear them in movies and TV shows and can use them to make your English sound more like that of a native speaker.

Idiom Meaning Usage
A blessing in disguise a good thing that seemed bad at first as part of a sentence
A dime a dozen Something common as part of a sentence
Beat around the bush Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable as part of a sentence
Better late than never Better to arrive late than not to come at all by itself
Bite the bullet To get something over with because it is inevitable as part of a sentence
Break a leg Good luck by itself
Call it a day Stop working on something as part of a sentence
Cut somebody some slack Don’t be so critical as part of a sentence
Cutting corners Doing something poorly in order to save time or money as part of a sentence
Easy does it Slow down by itself
Get out of hand Get out of control as part of a sentence
Get something out of your system Do the thing you’ve been wanting to do so you can move on as part of a sentence
Get your act together Work better or leave by itself
Give someone the benefit of the doubt Trust what someone says as part of a sentence
Go back to the drawing board Start over as part of a sentence
Hang in there Don’t give up by itself
Hit the sack Go to sleep as part of a sentence
It’s not rocket science It’s not complicated by itself
Let someone off the hook To not hold someone responsible for something as part of a sentence
Make a long story short Tell something briefly as part of a sentence
Miss the boat It’s too late as part of a sentence
No pain, no gain You have to work for what you want by itself
On the ball Doing a good job as part of a sentence
Pull someone’s leg To joke with someone as part of a sentence
Pull yourself together Calm down by itself
So far so good Things are going well so far by itself
Speak of the devil The person we were just talking about showed up! by itself
That’s the last straw My patience has run out by itself
The best of both worlds An ideal situation as part of a sentence
Time flies when you’re having fun You don’t notice how long something lasts when it’s fun by itself
To get bent out of shape To get upset as part of a sentence
To make matters worse Make a problem worse as part of a sentence
Under the weather Sick as part of a sentence
We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it Let’s not talk about that problem right now by itself
Wrap your head around something Understand something complicated as part of a sentence
You can say that again That’s true, I agree by itself
Your guess is as good as mine I have no idea by itself

COMMON ENGLISH IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS

These English idioms are used quite regularly in the United States. You may not hear them every day, but they will be very familiar to any native English speaker. You can be confident using any of them when the context is appropriate.

Idiom Meaning Usage
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush What you have is worth more than what you might have later by itself
A penny for your thoughts Tell me what you’re thinking by itself
A penny saved is a penny earned Money you save today you can spend later by itself
A perfect storm the worst possible situation as part of a sentence
A picture is worth 1000 words Better to show than tell by itself
Actions speak louder than words Believe what people do and not what they say by itself
Add insult to injury To make a bad situation worse as part of a sentence
Barking up the wrong tree To be mistaken, to be looking for solutions in the wrong place as part of a sentence
Birds of a feather flock together People who are alike are often friends (usually used negatively) by itself
Bite off more than you can chew Take on a project that you cannot finish as part of a sentence
Break the ice Make people feel more comfortable as part of a sentence
By the skin of your teeth Just barely as part of a sentence
Comparing apples to oranges Comparing two things that cannot be compared as part of a sentence
Costs an arm and a leg Very expensive as part of a sentence
Do something at the drop of a hat Do something without having planned beforehand as part of a sentence
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you Treat people fairly. Also known as “The Golden Rule” by itself
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch Don’t count on something good happening until it’s happened. by itself
Don’t cry over spilt milk There’s no reason to complain about something that can’t be fixed by itself
Don’t give up your day job You’re not very good at this by itself
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket What you’re doing is too risky by itself
Every cloud has a silver lining Good things come after bad things by itself
Get a taste of your own medicine Get treated the way you’ve been treating others (negative) as part of a sentence
Give someone the cold shoulder Ignore someone as part of a sentence
Go on a wild goose chase To do something pointless as part of a sentence
Good things come to those who wait Be patient by itself
He has bigger fish to fry He has bigger things to take care of than what we are talking about now by itself
He’s a chip off the old block The son is like the father by itself
Hit the nail on the head Get something exactly right by itself
Ignorance is bliss You’re better off not knowing by itself
It ain’t over till the fat lady sings This isn’t over yet by itself
It takes one to know one You’re just as bad as I am by itself
It’s a piece of cake It’s easy by itself
It’s raining cats and dogs It’s raining hard by itself
Kill two birds with one stone Get two things done with a single action by itself
Let the cat out of the bag Give away a secret as part of a sentence
Live and learn I made a mistake by itself
Look before you leap Take only calculated risks by itself
On thin ice On probation. If you make another mistake, there will be trouble. as part of a sentence
Once in a blue moon Rarely as part of a sentence
Play devil’s advocate To argue the opposite, just for the sake of argument as part of a sentence
Put something on ice Put a projet on hold as part of a sentence
Rain on someone’s parade To spoil something as part of a sentence
Saving for a rainy day Saving money for later as part of a sentence
Slow and steady wins the race Reliability is more important than speed by itself
Spill the beans Give away a secret as part of a sentence
Take a rain check Postpone a plan as part of a sentence
Take it with a grain of salt Don’t take it too seriously as part of a sentence
The ball is in your court It’s your decision by itself
The best thing since sliced bread A really good invention as part of a sentence
The devil is in the details It looks good from a distance, but when you look closer, there are problems by itself
The early bird gets the worm The first people who arrive will get the best stuff by itself
The elephant in the room The big issue, the problem people are avoiding as part of a sentence
The whole nine yards Everything, all the way. as part of a sentence
There are other fish in the sea It’s ok to miss this opportunity. Others will arise. by itself
There’s a method to his madness He seems crazy but actually he’s clever by itself
There’s no such thing as a free lunch Nothing is entirely free by itself
Throw caution to the wind Take a risk as part of a sentence
You can’t have your cake and eat it too You can’t have everything by itself
You can’t judge a book by its cover This person or thing may look bad, but it’s good inside by itself

FAMILIAR ENGLISH IDIOMS & PROVERBS

These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and easily understood by native English speakers, but they are not usually used in everyday conversation. If you haven’t mastered the more frequent idioms yet, they are a better place to start, but if you’re already familiar with those expressions, the idioms below will further spice up your English.

Idiom Meaning Usage
A little learning is a dangerous thing People who don’t understand something fully are dangerous by itself
A snowball effect Events have momentum and build upon each other as part of a sentence
A snowball’s chance in hell No chance at all as part of a sentence
A stitch in time saves nine Fix the problem now because it will get worse later by itself
A storm in a teacup A big fuss about a small problem as part of a sentence
An apple a day keeps the doctor away Apples are good for you by itself
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure You can prevent a problem with little effort. Fixing it later is harder. by itself
As right as rain Perfect as part of a sentence
Bolt from the blue Something that happened without warning as part of a sentence
Burn bridges Destroy relationships as part of a sentence
Calm before the storm Something bad is coming, but right now it’s calm as part of a sentence
Come rain or shine No matter what as part of a sentence
Curiosity killed the cat Stop asking questions by itself
Cut the mustard Do a good job as part of a sentence
Don’t beat a dead horse Move on, this subject is over by itself
Every dog has his day Everyone gets a chance at least once by itself
Familiarity breeds contempt The better you know someone the less you like him by itself
Fit as a fiddle In good health as part of a sentence
Fortune favours the bold Take risks by itself
Get a second wind Have more energy after having been tired as part of a sentence
Get wind of something Hear news of something secret as part of a sentence
Go down in flames Fail spectacularly as part of a sentence
Haste makes waste You’ll make mistakes if you rush through something by itself
Have your head in the clouds Not be concentrating as part of a sentence
He who laughs last laughs loudest I’ll get you back for what you did by itself
Hear something straight from the horse’s mouth Hear something from the person involved as part of a sentence
He’s not playing with a full deck He’s dumb by itself
He’s off his rocker He’s crazy by itself
He’s sitting on the fence He can’t make up his mind by itself
It is a poor workman who blames his tools If you can’t do the job, don’t blame it on others by itself
It is always darkest before the dawn Things are going to get better by itself
It takes two to tango One person alone isn’t responsible. Both people are involved. by itself
Jump on the bandwagon Follow a trend, do what everyone else is doing as part of a sentence
Know which way the wind is blowing Understand the situation (usually negative) as part of a sentence
Leave no stone unturned Look everywhere as part of a sentence
Let sleeping dogs lie Stop discussing an issue as part of a sentence
Like riding a bicycle Something you never forget how to do as part of a sentence
Like two peas in a pod They’re always together as part of a sentence
Make hay while the sun shines Take advantage of a good situation as part of a sentence
On cloud nine Very happy as part of a sentence
Once bitten, twice shy You’re more cautious when you’ve been hurt before by itself
Out of the frying pan and into the fire Things are going from bad to worse by itself
Run like the wind Run fast as part of a sentence
Shape up or ship out Work better or leave by itself
Snowed under Busy as part of a sentence
That ship has sailed It’s too late by itself
The pot calling the kettle black Someone criticizing someone else he is just as bad as part of a sentence
There are clouds on the horizon Trouble is coming by itself
Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones People who are morally questionable shouldn’t criticize others by itself
Through thick and thin In good times and in bad times as part of a sentence
Time is money Work quickly by itself
Waste not, want not Don’t waste things and you’ll always have enough by itself
We see eye to eye We agree by itself
Weather the storm Go through something difficult as part of a sentence
Well begun is half done Getting a good start is important by itself
When it rains it pours Everything is going wrong at once by itself
You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar You’ll get what you want by being nice by itself
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink You can’t force someone to make the right decision by itself
You can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs There’s always a cost to doing something by itself

 

PASSIVE VOICE

October 15, 2016 11:04 pm / Leave a comment

FUNCTIONS OF THE PASSIVE VOICE

The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than the person or object that performs the action. In other words, the most important thing or person becomes the subject of the sentence.

EXAMPLES
  • The passive voice is used frequently. (= we are interested in the passive voice, not in who uses it.)
  • The house was built in 1654. (= we are interested in the house, not in who built it.)
  • The road is being repaired. (= we are interested in the road, not in the people who are doing the repairs.)

Sometimes we use the passive voice because we don’t know or do not want to express who performed the action.

EXAMPLES
  • I noticed that a window had been left open.
  • Every year thousands of people are killed on our roads.
  • All the cookies have been eaten.
  • My car has been stolen!

The passive voice is often used in formal texts. Switching to the active voice will make your writing clearer and easier to read.

Passive Active
A great deal of meaning is conveyed by a few well-chosen words. A few well-chosen words convey a great deal of meaning.
Our planet is wrapped in a mass of gases. A mass of gases wrap around our planet.
Waste materials are disposed of in a variety of ways. The city disposes of waste materials in a variety of ways.

If we want to say who or what performs the action while using the passive voice, we use the preposition by. When we know who performed the action and are interested in him, it is always better to switch to the active voice instead.

Passive Active
“A Hard Day’s Night” was written by the Beatles. The Beatles wrote “A Hard Day’s Night”.
The movie ET was directed by Spielberg. Spielberg directed the movie ET.
This house was built by my father. My father built this house.

FORMING THE PASSIVE VOICE

The passive voice in English is composed of two elements:
the appropriate form of the verb ‘to be’ + past participle

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative
The house was built in 1899. The house wasn’t built in 1899. Was the house built in 1899? Wasn’t the house built in 1899?
These houses were built in 1899. These houses weren’t built in 1899. Were these houses built in 1899? Weren’t these houses built in 1899?
TO CLEAN, PASSIVE VOICE
Subject + to be (conjugated) + past participle + rest of sentence
Simple present
The house is cleaned every day.
Present continuous
The house is being cleaned at the moment.
Simple past
The house was cleaned yesterday.
Past continuous
The house was being cleaned last week.
Present perfect
The house has been cleaned since you left.
Past perfect
The house had been cleaned before they arrived.
Future
The house will be cleaned next week.
Future continuous
The house will be being cleaned tomorrow.
Present conditional
The house would be cleaned if they had visitors.
Past conditional
The house would have been cleaned if it had been dirty.
Inifinitive
The house must be cleaned before we arrive.
PASSIVE VOICE WITH INFINITIVES

The infinitive passive voice is used after modal verbs and other most verbs normally followed by an infinitive.

EXAMPLES
  • You have to be tested on your English grammar.
  • John might be promoted next year.
  • She wants to be invited to the party.
  • I expect to be surprised on my birthday.
  • You may be disappointed.
PASSIVE VOICE WITH GERUNDS

Gerunds are used after prepositions and verbs normally followed by a gerund.

EXAMPLES
  • I remember being taught to drive.
  • The children are excited about being taken to the zoo.
  • The children are excited to be taken to the zoo.
  • Most film stars hate being interviewed.
  • Most film stars hate to be interviewed.
  • Poodles like to be pampered.
  • Poodles like being pampered.
USING “TO BE BORN”

“To be born” is an passive form and is most commonly used in the past tense. However, in some cases, the present or future tense is appropriate.

EXAMPLES
  • I was born in 1976.
  • Where were you born?
  • Around 100 babies are born in this hospital every week.
  • We don’t know on exactly which day the baby will be born.

Sometimes the passive is formed using the verb to get or to have instead of the verb to be. A separate page deals with these alternative ways to form the passive voice.

 

CONDITIONAL

October 15, 2016 11:00 pm / Leave a comment

Conditional tenses are used to speculate about what could happen, what might have happened, and what we wish would happen. In English, most sentences using the conditional contain the word if. Many conditional forms in English are used in sentences that include verbs in one of the past tenses. This usage is referred to as “the unreal past” because we use a past tense but we are not actually referring to something that happened in the past. There are five main ways of constructing conditional sentences in English. In all cases, these sentences are made up of an if clause and a main clause. In many negative conditional sentences, there is an equivalent sentence construction using “unless” instead of “if”.

Conditional sentence type Usage If clause verb tense Main clause verb tense
Zero General truths Simple present Simple present
Type 1 A possible condition and its probable result Simple present Simple future
Type 2 A hypothetical condition and its probable result Simple past Present conditional or Present continuous conditional
Type 3 An unreal past condition and its probable result in the past Past perfect Perfect conditional
Mixed type An unreal past condition and its probable result in the present Past perfect Present contditional

THE ZERO CONDITIONAL

The zero conditional is used for when the time being referred to is now or always and the situation is real and possible. The zero conditional is often used to refer to general truths. The tense in both parts of the sentence is the simple present. In zero conditional sentences, the word “if” can usually be replaced by the word “when” without changing the meaning.

If clause Main clause
If + simple present simple present
If this thing happens that thing happens.
If you heat ice it melts.
If it rains the grass gets wet.

TYPE 1 CONDITIONAL

The type 1 conditional is used to refer to the present or future where the situation is real. The type 1 conditional refers to a possible condition and its probable result. In these sentences the if clause is in the simple present, and the main clause is in the simple future.

If clause Main clause
If + simple present simple future
If this thing happens that thing will happen.
If you don’t hurry you will miss the train.
If it rains today you will get wet.

 

TYPE 2 CONDITIONAL

The type 2 conditional is used to refer to a time that is now or any time, and a situation that is unreal. These sentences are not based on fact. The type 2 conditional is used to refer to a hypothetical condition and its probable result. In type 2 conditional sentences, the if clause uses the simple past, and the main clause uses the present conditional.

If clause Main clause
If + simple past present conditional or present continuous conditional
If this thing happened that thing would happen. (but I’m not sure this thing will happen) OR
that thing would be happening.
If you went to bed earlier you would not be so tired.
If it rained you would get wet.
If I spoke Italian I would be working in Italy.

TYPE 3 CONDITIONAL

The type 3 conditional is used to refer to a time that is in the past, and a situation that is contrary to reality. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed. The type 3 conditional is used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable past result. In type 3 conditional sentences, the if clause uses the past perfect, and the main clause uses the perfect conditional.

If clause Main clause
If + past perfect perfect conditional or perfect continuous conditional
If this thing had happened that thing would have happened. (but neither of those things really happened) OR
that thing would have been happening.
If you had studied harder you would have passed the exam.
If it had rained you would have gotten wet.
If I had accepted that promotion I would have been working in Milan.

MIXED TYPE CONDITIONAL

The mixed type conditional is used to refer to a time that is in the past, and a situation that is ongoing into the present. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed. The mixed type conditional is used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable result in the present. In mixed type conditional sentences, the if clause uses the past perfect, and the main clause uses the present conditional.

If clause Main clause
If + past perfect or simple past present conditional or perfect conditional
If this thing had happened that thing would happen. (but this thing didn’t happen so that thing isn’t happening)
If I had worked harder at school I would have a better job now.
If we had looked at the map we wouldn’t be lost.
If you weren’t afraid of spiders you would have picked it up and put it outside.

 

SIMPLE FUTURE

October 15, 2016 10:59 pm / Leave a comment

FUNCTIONS OF THE SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE

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

The simple future is used:

  • To predict a future event:
    It will rain tomorrow.
  • With I or We, to express a spontaneous decision:
    I’ll pay for the tickets by credit card.
  • To express willingness: I’ll do the washing-up.
    He’ll carry your bag for you.
  • In the negative form, to express unwillingness:
    The baby won’t eat his soup.
    I won’t leave until I’ve seen the manager!
  • With I in the interrogative form using “shall”, to make an offer:
    Shall I open the window?
  • With we in the interrogative form using “shall”, to make a suggestion:
    Shall we go to the cinema tonight?
  • With I in the interrogative form using “shall”, to ask for advice or instructions:
    What shall I tell the boss about this money?
  • With you, to give orders:
    You will do exactly as I say.
  • With you in the interrogative form, to give an invitation:
    Will you come to the dance with me?
    Will you marry me?

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.”

FORMING THE SIMPLE FUTURE

The simple future tense is composed of two parts: will / shall + the infinitive without to

Subject will infinitive without to
Affirmative
I will go
I shall go
Negative
They will not see
They won’t see
Interrogative
Will she ask?
Interrogative negative
Won’t they try?
CONTRACTIONS

I will = I’ll
We will = we’ll
You will = you’ll
He will = he’ll
She will = she’ll
They will = they’ll
Will not = won’t

The form “it will” is not normally shortened.

TO SEE: SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Interrogative Negative
I will see I won’t see Will I see? Won’t I see?
*I shall see *Shall I see?
You will see You won’t see Will you see? Won’t you see?
He will see He won’t see Will he see? Won’t he see?
We will see We won’t see Will we see? Won’t we see?
*We shall see *Shall we see?
They will see They won’t see Will they see? Won’t they see?

*Shall is dated, but it is still commonly used instead of “will” with the affirmative or interrogative forms of I and we in certain cases (see above).

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

October 15, 2016 10:57 pm / Leave a comment

THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE IS USED:

  • To express habits, general truths, repeated actions or unchanging situations, emotions and wishes:
    I smoke (habit); I work in London (unchanging situation); London is a large city (general truth)
  • To give instructions or directions:
    You walk for two hundred meters, then you turn left.
  • To express fixed arrangements, present or future:
    Your exam starts at 09.00
  • To express future time, after some conjunctions: after, when, before, as soon as, until:
    He’ll give it to you when you come next Saturday.
Be careful! The simple present is not used to express actions happening now.

EXAMPLES

  • For habits
    He drinks tea at breakfast.
    She only eats fish.
    They watch television regularly.
  • For repeated actions or events
    We catch the bus every morning.
    It rains every afternoon in the hot season.
    They drive to Monaco every summer.
  • For general truths
    Water freezes at zero degrees.
    The Earth revolves around the Sun.
    Her mother is Peruvian.
  • For instructions or directions
    Open the packet and pour the contents into hot water.
    You take the No.6 bus to Watney and then the No.10 to Bedford.
  • For fixed arrangements
    His mother arrives tomorrow.
    Our holiday starts on the 26th March
  • With future constructions
    She’ll see you before she leaves.
    We’ll give it to her when she arrives.

FORMING THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE: TO THINK

Affirmative Interrogative Negative
I think Do I think? I do not think
You think Do you think? You do not think
He thinks Does he think? He does not think
She thinks Does she think? She does not think
It thinks Does it think? It does not think
We think Do we think? We do not think.
They think Do they think? They do not think.

NOTES ON THE SIMPLE PRESENT, THIRD PERSON SINGULAR

  • In the third person singular the verb always ends in -s:
    he wants, she needs, he gives, she thinks.
  • Negative and question forms use DOES (= the third person of the auxiliary ‘DO’) + the infinitive of the verb.
    He wants ice cream. Does he want strawberry? He does not want vanilla.
  • Verbs ending in -y : the third person changes the -y to -ies:
    fly –> flies, cry –> cries
    Exception: if there is a vowel before the –y:
    play –> plays, pray –> prays
  • Add -es to verbs ending in:-ss, -x, -sh, -ch:
    he passes, she catches, he fixes, it pushes
EXAMPLES
  • He goes to school every morning.
  • She understands English.
  • It mixes the sand and the water.
  • He tries very hard.
  • She enjoys playing the piano.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

October 15, 2016 10:57 pm / Leave a comment

FORMING THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

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)

Affirmative
Subject + to be + base + ing
She is talking.
Negative
Subject + to be + not + base + ing
She is not (isn’t) talking
Interrogative
to be + subject + base + ing
Is she talking?

EXAMPLES: TO GO, PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I am going I am not going Am I going?
You are going You aren’t going. Are you going?
He, she, it is going He, she, it isn’t going Is he, she, it going?
We are going We aren’t going Are we going?
You are going You aren’t going Are you going?
They are going They aren’t going Are they going?

Note: alternative negative contractions: I’m not going, you’re not going, he’s not going etc.

FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

As with all tenses in English, the speaker’s attitude is as important as the time of the action or event. When someone uses the present continuous, they are thinking about something that is unfinished or incomplete

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!
BE CAREFUL! Some verbs are not usually used in the continuous form

VERBS THAT ARE NOT USUALLY USED IN THE CONTINUOUS FORM

The verbs in the list below are normally used in the simple form because they refer to states, rather than actions or processes.

SENSES / PERCEPTION
  • to feel*
  • to hear
  • to see*
  • to smell
  • to taste
OPINION
  • to assume
  • to believe
  • to consider
  • to doubt
  • to feel (= to think)
  • to find (= to consider)
  • to suppose
  • to think*
MENTAL STATES
  • to forget
  • to imagine
  • to know
  • to mean
  • to notice
  • to recognise
  • to remember
  • to understand
EMOTIONS / DESIRES
  • to envy
  • to fear
  • to dislike
  • to hate
  • to hope
  • to like
  • to love
  • to mind
  • to prefer
  • to regret
  • to want
  • to wish
MEASUREMENT
  • to contain
  • to cost
  • to hold
  • to measure
  • to weigh
OTHERS
  • to look (=resemble)
  • to seem
  • to be (in most cases)
  • to have(when it means “to possess”)*
EXCEPTIONS

Perception verbs (see, hear, feel, taste, smell) are often used with can: : I can see… These verbs may be used in the continuous form but with a different meaning

  • This coat feels nice and warm. (your perception of the coat’s qualities)
  • John’s feeling much better now (his health is improving)
  • She has three dogs and a cat. (possession)
  • She’s having supper. (She’s eating)
  • I can see Anthony in the garden (perception)
  • I’m seeing Anthony later (We are planning to meet)

PRESENT PERFECT

October 15, 2016 10:56 pm / Leave a comment

FORMING THE PRESENT PERFECT

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’.

Affirmative
Subject to have past participle
She has visited.
Negative
Subject to have + not past participle
She has not (hasn’t) visited.
Interrogative
to have subject past participle
Has she visited?
Negative interrogative
to have + not subject past participle
Hasn’t she visited?
TO WALK, PRESENT PERFECT
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I have walked I haven’t walked Have I walked?
You have walked You haven’t walked. Have you walked?
He, she, it has walked He, she, hasn’t walked Has he, she, it walked?
We have walked We haven’t walked Have we walked?
You have walked You haven’t walked Have you walked?
They have walked They haven’t walked Have they walked?

FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESENT PERFECT

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.

BE CAREFUL! There may be a verb tense in your language with a similar form, but the meaning is probably NOT the same.
THE PRESENT PERFECT IS USED TO DESCRIBE
  • An action or situation that started in the past and continues in the present. I have lived in Bristol since 1984 (= and I still do.)
  • An action performed during a period that has not yet finished. She has been to the cinema twice this week (= and the week isn’t over yet.)
  • A repeated action in an unspecified period between the past and now. We have visited Portugal several times.
  • An action that was completed in the very recent past, expressed by ‘just’. I have just finished my work.
  • An action when the time is not important. He has read ‘War and Peace’. (= the result of his reading is important)

Note: When we want to give or ask details about when, where, who, we use the simple past. Read more about choosing between the present perfect and the simple past tenses.

ACTIONS STARTED IN THE PAST AND CONTINUING IN THE PRESENT
  • They haven’t lived here for years.
  • She has worked in the bank for five years.
  • We have had the same car for ten years.
  • Have you played the piano since you were a child?
WHEN THE TIME PERIOD REFERRED TO HAS NOT FINISHED
  • I have worked hard this week.
  • It has rained a lot this year.
  • We haven’t seen her today.
ACTIONS REPEATED IN AN UNSPECIFIED PERIOD BETWEEN THE PAST AND NOW.
  • They have seen that film six times
  • It has happened several times already.
  • She has visited them frequently.
  • We have eaten at that restaurant many times.
ACTIONS COMPLETED IN THE VERY RECENT PAST (+JUST)
  • Have you just finished work?
  • I have just eaten.
  • We have just seen her.
  • Has he just left?
WHEN THE PRECISE TIME OF THE ACTION IS NOT IMPORTANT OR NOT KNOWN
  • Someone has eaten my soup!
  • Have you seen ‘Gone with the Wind’?
  • She’s studied Japanese, Russian, and English.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

October 15, 2016 10:55 pm / Leave a comment

FORMING THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

The present perfect continuous is made up of two elements: the present perfect of the verb ‘to be’ (have/has been), and the present participle of the main verb (base+ing)

Subject has/have been base+ing
She has been swimming

Affirmative: She has been / She’s been running.
Negative: She hasn’t been running.
Interrogative : Has she been running?
Interrogative negative: Hasn’t she been running?

EXAMPLE: PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS, TO LIVE
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I have been living I haven’t been living Have I been living?
You have been living You haven’t been living Have you been living?
He, she, it has been living He hasn’t been living Has she been living?
We have been living We haven’t been living Have we been living?
You have been living You haven’t been living Have you been living?
They have been living They haven’t been living Have they been living?

FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

The present perfect continuous refers 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.

ACTIONS THAT STARTED IN THE PAST AND CONTINUE IN THE PRESENT

She has been waiting for you all day (= and she’s still waiting now).
I’ve been working on this report since eight o’clock this morning (= and I still haven’t finished it).
They have been travelling since last October (= and they’re not home yet).

ACTIONS THAT HAVE JUST FINISHED, BUT WE ARE INTERESTED IN THE RESULTS

She has been cooking since last night (= and the food on the table looks delicious).
It’s been raining (= and the streets are still wet).
Someone’s been eating my chips (= half of them have gone).

VERBS WITHOUT CONTINUOUS FORMS

With verbs not normally used in the continuous form, use the simple present perfect. For example: I’ve wanted to visit China for years.
She’s known Robert since she was a child.
I’ve hated that music since I first heard it.
I’ve heard a lot about you recently.
We’ve understood everything.
we’ve heard this morning.

 

SIMPLE PAST TENSE

October 15, 2016 10:54 pm / Leave a comment

FUNCTIONS OF THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

The simple past is used to talk about a completed action in a time before now. Duration is not important. The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant past.

EXAMPLES
  • John Cabot sailed to America in 1498.
  • My father died last year.
  • He lived in Fiji in 1976.
  • We crossed the Channel yesterday.

You always use the simple past when you say when something happened, so it is associated with certain past time expressions

  • frequency: often, sometimes, always
    I sometimes walked home at lunchtime.
    I often brought my lunch to school.
  • a definite point in time: last week, when I was a child, yesterday, six weeks ago
    We saw a good film last week.
    Yesterday, I arrived in Geneva.
    She finished her work atseven o’clock
    I went to the theatre last night
  • an indefinite point in time: the other day, ages ago, a long time ago People lived in caves a long time ago.
  • She played the piano when she was a child.

Note: the word ago is a useful way of expressing the distance into the past. It is placed after the period of time: a week ago, three years ago, a minute ago.

Be Careful: The simple past in English may look like a tense in your own language, but the meaning may be different.

FORMING THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

PATTERNS OF SIMPLE PAST TENSE FOR REGULAR VERBS
Affirmative
Subject + verb + ed
I skipped.
Negative
Subject + did not + infinitive without to
They didn’t go.
Interrogative
Did + subject + infinitive without to
Did she arrive?
Interrogative negative
Did not + subject + infinitive without to
Didn’t you play?
TO WALK
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I walked I didn’t walk Did I walk?
You walked You didn’t walk Did you walk?
He walked He didn’t walk Did he walk?
We walked We didn’t walk Did we walk?
They walked They didn’t walk Did they walk?
SIMPLE PAST TENSE OF TO BE, TO HAVE, TO DO
Subject Verb
Be Have Do
I was had did
You were had did
He/She/It was had did
We were had did
You were had did
They were had did

NOTES ON AFFIRMATIVE, NEGATIVE, & INTERROGATIVE FORMS

AFFIRMATIVE

The affirmative of the simple past tense is simple.

  • I was in Japan last year
  • She had a headache yesterday.
  • We did our homework last night.
NEGATIVE AND INTERROGATIVE

For the negative and interrogative simple past form of “do” as an ordinary verb, use the auxiliary “do”, e.g. We didn’t do our homework last night.
The negative of “have” in the simple past is usually formed using the auxiliary “do”, but sometimes by simply adding not or the contraction “n’t”.

The interrogative form of “have” in the simple past normally uses the auxiliary “do”.

EXAMPLES
  • They weren’t in Rio last summer.
  • We didn’t have any money.
  • We didn’t have time to visit the Eiffel Tower.
  • We didn’t do our exercises this morning.
  • Were they in Iceland last January?
  • Did you have a bicycle when you were young?
  • Did you do much climbing in Switzerland?

Note: For the negative and interrogative form of all verbs in the simple past, always use the auxiliary ‘did”.

SIMPLE PAST, IRREGULAR VERBS

Some verbs are irregular in the simple past. Here are the most common ones.

TO GO
  • He went to a club last night.
  • Did he go to the cinema last night?
  • He didn’t go to bed early last night.
TO GIVE
  • We gave her a doll for her birthday.
  • They didn’t give John their new address.
  • Did Barry give you my passport?
TO COME
  • My parents came to visit me last July.
  • We didn’t come because it was raining.
  • Did he come to your party last week?

          

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

October 15, 2016 10:50 pm / Leave a comment

FUNCTIONS OF THE PAST CONTINUOUS

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.

Note: with verbs not normally used in the continuous form, the simple past is used.

FORMING THE PAST CONTINUOUS

The past continuous of any verb is composed of two parts : the past tense of the verb “to be” (was/were), and the base of the main verb +ing.

Subject was/were base + ing
They were watching
Affirmative
She was reading
Negative
She wasn’t reading
Interrogative
Was she reading?
Interrogative negative
Wasn’t she reading?
TO PLAY, PAST CONTINUOUS
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I was playing I was not playing Was I playing?
You were playing You were not playing Were you playing?
He was playing He wasn’t playing Was he playing?
We were playing We weren’t playing Were we playing?
They were playing They weren’t playing Were they playing?

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