High School English 16 Tenses (Example Sentences)

1. The general present tense is simple present tense

usage:

A) Represents the actions, conditions, states, and characteristics that are happening now

【例】My father is not home yet.

My father hasn't come home yet.

She is a student. She was a student.

B) Recurrent, habitual actions, often used in conjunction with adverbs indicating frequency, such as always, often, seldom, etc

He always eats an apple in the morning. He used to eat an apple in the morning.

C) Indicates objective facts and universal truths

The earth moves around the sun.

The Earth revolves around the Sun.

D) Indicates a planned or to-be action that can be used in the future, but only for words such as start, leave, go, arrive, begin, etc

【例】The train leaves at 3:00 p.m..

Trains depart at 3 o'clock.

The show begins in half an hour.

Half an hour later the show began.

E) In time and conditional clauses, where the principal clause is the future tense, the subordinate clause usually indicates future events in terms of the general present (and sometimes also the present completion tense).

I will go to bed when he comes back. When he came back I went to sleep.

If you don't stop the yelling, I will leave right now. If you continue to yell, I'll go now.

2. Present progressive tense

A) Indicates the action being performed while speaking

They are having lunch. They were eating.

B) Indicates the actions being carried out at this stage

【例】We are looking for a new house.

We are now looking for a new house.

3. Present perfect tense when now complete

A) Indicates that the action has been completed or has just been completed so far

I have just finished my homework. I've just finished my homework.

B) Indicates an action or situation that began at some point in the past and continues to the present, and is likely to continue. Continuation verbs are often used at this time. Temporal adjectives are often used to add a point in time in the past, or for plus a period of time.

【Example】I have learned playing piano since I was six. I started learning piano when I was six years old.

I have learned piano for three years.

I studied piano for three years.

C) Indicates an action or situation that occurred in the past but still has an impact on the present.

【例】John has broken his right arm.

John broke his right arm.

D) In "this is the first/second/third... time that..." the sentence pattern requires the use of the time of completion

【Example】This is the second time that I have seen her. It was the second time I had seen her.

E) In "no sooner than", "hardly/scarcely... In sentence patterns such as when, before, and before to, the main sentence is required to be completed

【例】I haven't met Daisy before today.

I had never seen Daisy before.

Notes:

When completed now, it is a link between the past and the present. The difference between the present completion and the past tense is that the present is completed by emphasizing the dynamics of the action, or being affected by the dynamic, which is the result of the dynamic and has an impact on the present; the past tense only represents the actions that occurred at a specific time in the past, and has no connection with the present.

He worked in New York for 3 year. He worked in New York for 3 years. (This is just a story of the past, which is no longer in New York.) ）

He has worked in New York for 3 years. He has been working in New York for 3 years. (Says he started working in the past, has been working until now, and still works in New York.) ）

4. Present perfect progressive tense when now complete

A) Indicates that an action began at a certain time in the past, continued or repeatedly appeared to the present, or will continue into the future

It has been raining since last Monday. It has been raining since the beginning of last week.

B) Now completed sometimes indicates conclusions based on direct or indirect evidence

【例】She is so tired, she has been working all night.

She was so tired that she worked all night.

A) When now completed, it can represent an action that has been completed, and when it is now completed, it can represent an action in progress

【例】I have read the book.

I read this book.

I have been reading the book.

I've been reading this book.

B) When it is now done, it usually states only the facts, while when it is now completed, it can also express an emotional color

【Example】I have waited for two hours. I waited for two hours. (State of fact)

I have been waiting for two hours. I've been waiting for two hours. (complain)

5. Generally past tense simple past tense

A) Represents an action or situation that occurred at a certain time in the past

I was a student. I used to be a student.

B) Indicates past habitual actions. In particular, sentence patterns expressed by would/used to do are themselves representing the past tense

I used to help my mom with house work after school. I used to help my mother with housework after school.

C) Sometimes it can replace the general present tense and express a tone of gentleness, politeness, courtesy, and negotiation

Would you mind passing me the salt? Can you please hand me the salt?

6. Past perfect tense when done in the past

Represents an action or state that has already occurred at some time in the past or before an action. That's what we often say: it means "past actions or states of the past."

【Example】I have already finished my homework when you called me. I'm done with my homework before you call me.

Past future tense

Represents what is going to happen at some point in the past

I thought you were leaving this morning. I thought you were leaving this morning.

Past progressive tense

A) Indicates an action that is taking place at a more specific time in the past

【例】I was taking a nap an hour ago.

I was taking a nap an hour ago.

B) If one of the master-subordinate clauses guided by the time adjective leading word such as when, while is the general past tense, then the other sentence is commonly used in the past tense

I was shopping when you called me yesterday afternoon. I was shopping when you called me yesterday afternoon.

9. Generally a simple future tense

A) Indicates an action that will occur in the future, and the basic structure is will/shall do

We will call you. We'll call you.

B) Some verbs, such as: arrive, be close, come, do, done, go, have, leave, open, play, return, sleep, start, stay, etc., are used in general transit, and are usually used in conjunction with a time adjective that represents future time and can represent future tense

The new shopping mall is opening tomorrow morning. The new shopping department store will open tomorrow morning.

C) When indicating "Intend to go..., to ...", you can use be going to do

She is going to tell mom about what you did. She's going to tell her mother about the good things you've done.

D) When it means "about, just about", you can use be about to do. Highlight what to do in the near future or soon

【Example】You have to tell her this is a prank, she is about to call the police. You'll have to tell her it's a prank and she's going to call the police.

E) "be to do" means "will do"

Your complaint is to be attended right now. We will deal with your complaint immediately.

In adverbial clauses led by conjunctions such as if, when, as long as, as soon as, after, before, in case, until, unless, and adverbs with conjunctions (immediately, the moment, directly), the present tense is generally used instead of the future tense

If you give me $1,000, I won't tell her what the truth is.

10. Future progressive tense

Emphasize actions or things that are happening at a specific time in the future

Tell me when you are ready, I'll be waiting downstairs. Tell me when you're ready and I'll wait for you downstairs.

Future perfect tense when completed in the future

Represents an action or state that begins at a time in the future and continues to another future time, or that occurs at one future time but has an effect on another future time that follows

The conference will have lasted a full week by the time it ends. By the end of the meeting, it should have been a week.

12) Future perfect continuous tense when the future completes

When the future completes in progress, it means that the action begins at a certain time in the future and continues to a certain time in the future, and the main structure is the shall have been doing and will have been doing

By the end of next month, they will have been married 30 years. The end of next month is their 30th wedding anniversary.

13) Past continuous perfect tense when past completion progression

The past completion of the action refers to the action that has had a direct impact on the present and is still in progress relative to some time in the past, and the structure is had been doing

My daughter had been writing diary everyday before I came home last week. Before I went home last week, my daughter kept a diary every day.

14) Past future continuous tense

Past-future tense represents an action that is taking place at some point in the future, or at some point in the future, and the structure is should be doing, would be doing

【Example】She promised me that she would be cooking dinner at home when I come back tomorrow night. She had promised me that she would cook dinner at home when I returned tomorrow night.

15) Past future perfect tense when past future complete

When the past future is completed, it means that from the past point of view, a certain action has been completed at some time in the future, and the main structure is that the slave has done, would have done

I thought Sophia would have told you something. I think Sophia will have already told you something.

16) Past future perfect continuous tense when past future completes progress

The past future completes the timetable action from a certain time in the past and continues to a certain time in the past future. Whether the action continues or not is determined by the context. This tense is relatively rarely used, and the structure is generally should have been doing, would have been doing

I heard by the end of June you would have been working here for 10 years. I heard that by the end of June, you've been working here for 10 years.