Past perfect-26

       

             

         Past perfect and past perfect continuous

                                                  

What are Tenses?
                              

Read The following sentences

He types fast.

He is typing fast.

He was typing fast.

He will be typing.

He has typed.

He has been typing.

In the above sentences the same verb  ‘type’ takes different forms

Tense of a verb  indicates the time of action (present/past/future etc.), it also shows continuation or completion of an action. Different tenses take different  verb forms .  Knowledge of tenses is very much  essential for sentence formation.  There are 12 tenses in English namely, present (simple), present continuous, present perfect, present perfect continuous, past (simple), past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous, future (Simple), future continuous, future perfect and future perfect continuous.

                                   PAST PERFECT TENSE

Prior Information

Subject: In a sentence doer of an action is called subject

Verb forms of see : see (Simple Present form), saw (Simple Past form) seen, (Past participle form)

                                 

When to use this tense?

When two activities  occur in the past, It is not clear ,which activity took place  earlier, to avoid this confusion t we use this tense.

Read this sentence

When Julia reached the station ,train had left / The Train had left when Julia reached the station.

First activity in the past – The train had left – Verb used here is past  participle form

Second activity  in the past – Julia reached the station – verb used here is Simple past form

Structure

There are two parts in this tense

Subject + simple past verb form + other words (First part). Subject +  had +  past participle verb form + other words (Second  part)

More sentences

When he reached the venue  the meeting  had already started.

The match had started before we entered the stadium.

He thanked me When I had given him the cash.

After they had gone, I sat  and rested (The noun rest I used as a verb)

They dressed after she had washed. (The noun dress is used as a verb)

The rebels had left, before the army arrived.

                     PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

       ALSO CALLED PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

                                   

When to use this tense?

This Tense  is used mainly, to show that an action had been in progress, when something else has happened.

When Mr. John came to the school in 1975, Ms. Clara  had been  teaching

There  for 7 years.

Structure:

There are two parts in this tense:

Subject + Simple  Past form of the verb + Other words (First Part). + Subject +had been+  present participle form of the verb + other words (Second part)

More sentences.

We had been waiting for you for 2 hours when you came to see us yesterday.

She had been learning French for 7 years  when her brother joined the language training.

When I landed at Olympic Stadium, my friends had already been watching the events  for a week.

When Obama became the president the rebels  in Afghanistan  had been waging a war  for several years.

                

                                   

                

can,could,may,might-25

             

                                    can could able to may might  

                                  

Modal verbs or modals  will, would, can , could, may, might, shall,  should , ought and must are used with the main verb to express, certainty, possibility, permission  etc. Some grammarians consider need and dare as modals. Modals are called Modal Auxiliaries, Auxiliary means helping.

NOTE: Action verbs like write , speak, walk, run, eat etc are called main verbs or just verbs

Can denotes ability or inability  to do something it's not similar to able to

Jim can speak French  - Simple sentence /message etc.

Jim can’t speak French – Negative Sentence.

Making question – can

Can Jim speak French? –‘yes/no’ question

Yes He can.

Can’t Jim Speak French ? ‘yes/no’ negative sentence

No He can’t.

What language can Jim Speak? ‘wh’ question. – (Reference àFrench)

Jim can speak French.

Who can speak French? (Reference à Jim)

Jim can speak French.

More sentences - can

 I can play Guitar , but my friend can’t pay.

Can you change 50$. ‘We are sorry we can’t.’

Can She dive a car? No she can’t

Can they understand Latin? Yes than can.

I can Speak German, but can’t speak.

 Can and could –  In request

Shane Can I borrow you Tablet ? or Shane Could I borrow Your Tablet?

Can /Could I Speak to Clara please? (Over Phone)

Can/could you pass the  book please?

Can/Could you hold this for a moment please?

Could you pass me the sugar cubes please.

May  to predict possibility ( might is used in place of may informally)

The president may be at White house. (It is possible that the president is  at the White house.)

It may rain tonight.

He may not come tomorrow.

Could as past tense of can

I could lift this stone when I was young (Now I am old I can’t lift this stone.)

He couldn’t reach the air port on time, he missed the flight. (or) He wasn’t able to reach the Airport one time.

(We can use couldn’t or wasn’t/weren’t able to  for ability involving action.)

When the siren went on the people were able  to run to  the bomb shelter. (We can’t use could for ability involving 

action)

Can and could . In terms of effect

I could meet her, is less effective than I can meet her.

I could manage the situation is less effective than  I can manage the situation.

Could I borrow your palmtop, is less  effective  than,  Can I borrow your palm top

NOTE: Might is less effective than may      

I might rain tonight  is less effective than  It may rain tonight.

He might clear the exam is less effective  that he may clear the exam.

                             

May to express one’s wish

May the King live long.

May God bless you, my dear.

May God relieve us of the crisis.

Can/may  - For Permission

You can  leave now (May is more formal than can.)

Can I use this system.

May I sit here? Yes of course.

Can could may might  (With have)

Where is Clara?  She might have gone home.

Who has taken my keys, Mary might have taken your keys.

Titanic Crew could have saved the ship. (Had they been alert)

The pilot could have landed on the  secondary runway. (He ignored the instruction)

The rebels couldn’t have destroyed the government building (Without the local help)

Sarah could have attended the board meeting last week (She avoided it.)

 NOTE: Only past participle form of the verb is used after have  e.g.  gone, slept, taken etc.

In the News head lines (Virtual)

US might end sanctions on Cuba soon.

The Strom might hit the Northern coast tonight.

The Pilot might have mistaken clouds for the hills.

The rebels were able to enter the city.

The Government could have spared the middle class from the new tax net: Motherland Party

END OF THE POST                        

                                                                                                                                        

                

                                   

                

Future perfect - 24

                   WELCOME TO SESSION- 24                                  

                Be  Future Perfect 

                              

Previous Information

Verb form Present, past and past participle 

Noun Phrase, Collective noun etc.

Subject , 'wh' question  'yes/no' question etc.

NOTE: In the structure given below he/she/it  include all the nouns,pronouns,common nouns, noun phrases

Collective nouns etc. in Singular form. They include all nouns pronouns etc. in plural form.

The explanation of above terms is given in Grammar page click grammarmail.com to view

                   

      There are several ways  in English to express future

            ( Sentences that  not  a part of the this structure are  given in italics fonts)

a. Simple  Future Tense /Pure Future -  (1)– When we want to do something in future

    Structure: Subject  (I/we/you/they/he/she/it) + will/shall + Verb (Present form) +  other words.

I will attend the board meeting tomorrow.

She will take her son to Canada next week.

We will watch the TV program to night.

Simple Future Tense (2)-  To express our thought  about some future action.

I  believe  Democrats will win the presidency

I am sure  the Secretary general will postpone is Russia visit.

Simple Future Tense (3) -  Used, when some decisions are made at the time of speaking.

The traffic is heavy, I will take the long road.

The Attorney is busy, I will see him next week

b. Simple Present Tense - used for future schedules

Structure: Subject (I/we/you/they/he/she/it) + Verb (Present verb) + other words

The president arrives on 8^th August

The General assembly's  Second Session starts on 2^nd February.

The Plane leaves  at 10.00 tonight.

c. Present continuous  –  Used to talk about future plans.

Structure: Subject (I/we/you/they/he/she/it) +  am + verb (Present Participle) + other words

Subject (we/you/they) +  are + verb (Present Participle) + other words

Subject (he/she/it) + is + verb (Present Participle) + other words

I  am  visiting the dentist this evening.

They are  watching the cricket match on TV tonight, don’t disturb them.

 Future Continuous Tense (1) To talk about some activity that will be in progress in future

Structure: Subject (I/we/you/they/he/she/it) + will/shall be +  Verb (Present participle) + other words

( I Think) It will be raining when we board the plane tonight.

She will be writing the test this time tomorrow

Shall I call you at 7.00 this evening? No Please, I will be writing  my company accounts.

Future Continuous Tense (2) – To talk about some activity that is expected to happen in future.

The train will be coming soon.

The President will be addressing the audience soon.

d. Future Perfect Tense -  This tense  is used, when we want to talk about some activity that will be completed at certain point of  time in future.

Structure:  Subject (I/we/you/they/he/she/it) + will have + verb (Past participle) + other words

We will have finished our exams this time next week (or  by this time next week.)

By the end of this year we will have lived here for 30 years.

e. Future Perfect Continuous Tense – This tense is used to  denote some  activity that will be in progress over a period of time in future and come to an end in future.

Structure: subject (I/we/you/they/he/she/it) + will/shall+ have been + Verb  (Present participle) + other words.

By next autumn I shall have been teaching in this school for 16 years.

They will have been living here for 25 years next month.

f.  To  express Future  schedules  (Be forms = am/is/are/was/were etc.)

Structure:  I + am ;   we/you/they + are ;  he/she/it  + is

The Chinese president is to visit USA  next month.

USA and Russia are to discuss SALT (Treaty) in New York tomorrow.

g. Going to (1) - Used to express some action you have decided to do in future.

Structure:  I + am + going to + Verb (Present form) + other words

We/you/they + are + going to + verb (Present form) + other words

He/she/it + is + going to + verb(present form) + other words

I’ am going  to buy an apartment  in central Ottawa next week.

She is going to sell her car next month.

Putin is going to address ASIAN next week.

Going to (2) – Talking about an activity that is likely to happen in future.

Look at the sky, It's going to rain.

We are going to get a new project soon.

       SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE  (Pure future)  IN SPOKEN FORM

                               ( Will/shall + action verb)

 Structure – Formal

 Five main types of spoken forms

I/we/you/they/he/she/it + Will/shall + Verb (Present form/main ) + message/news/information etc.- Simple sentence. ( e.g. she will come next week.) -  Note: won’t = will not

I/We/you/they/he/she/it + won’t + verb (Present form) +  other words- Negative sentence (e.g. she won’t come next week)

Will/shall + I/we/you/they/he/she/it +  Verb (Present form) + other words  - ‘yes/no’ question. (e.g. Will she come next week?

Won’t + I/we/you/they/he/she/it + Verb (present form) + other words – ‘yes/no’ negative question (e.g. won’t she com next week?)

‘Wh’ question word + will/shall + I/we/you/they/he/she/it + Verb (Present form) – ‘Wh’ question (e.g. When will she come?)

Each of above sentences may be spoken in eight or more moods – Please refer home page

NOTE: 

The usage of shall is not very popular in Spoken English , Shall is used only with the subject I and we

Brits don’t  make any distinction between shall and will. Shall is not popular with Sams

I/we/you/they/he/she/it  are the subjects in the sentences.

He/she/it include all singular nouns, pronouns, common nouns including collective nouns and noun phrases

They  includes  all plural nouns pronouns etc.

In informal speech the structure is flexible and doesn’t conform to the above structure.

More sentences

Shane is playing tennis tomorrow.

I’m not attending the board meeting next week.

Is she going out tonight? May be I don’t know exactly.

Are you going to buy an apartment? I’m planning to buy one.

The flight lands at 7.00.

The president addresses the nation tonight.

The train leaves at 9.30.

They are to leave the town tomorrow.

We are to open this locker next week.

Are you meeting Clara this evening? I’m not quite sure.

When are you visiting our home?  Perhaps next month.

We will go out at nine.

They will bring the furniture.

The Government will announce the Tax Plan next month.

Future Tense in Question Tags

She won’t come today. Will she?

She will come today. Won’t she?

They will come to  office tomorrow. Won’t they?

They won’t come to office tomorrow. Will they?

She is going buy a new flat. Isn’t she?

She is not going to buy  a new flat. Is she?

Future Tense – Short Answer 

Will she come tomorrow? Yes she will/No she won’t.

Aren’t you going out? Yes I am.

Won’t  she do it? No she won’t.

Future Tense in News Head lines (Not real)

President is to announce the new tax cuts next week.

We will not  allow the  passage of the emission cut bill : Industry lobby

G15 members are  to discuss the EU Crisis next week.

Cameron will skip the Cairo meet.

OPEC is going to cut the production by 5%.

Future Tense in Ads (Not real)

Our new health plan will take you future worreis off - Check it out at www.greenhealth.com.

Your beloved will feel at home in our new School Campus - Blue Heights, California.

Going to buy an apartment? we offer Heavens at down-to-earth prices.- SST Builders, Berlin

Shakespeare comes alive at Globes - Show starts from 2nd August 2012.

Benz-205 will cut gasoline cost by 40 percent -  Rolling out soon.