VERB

Definition
Verb is a word which shows action or state of something. Most verbs describe action, for
example write, eat, run, and speak. Some verbs describe state of something, and are not usually
used in continuous tense for example be, impress, please, surprise, belong to, consist of,
resemble, seem

Examples:
 He works in a factory(action)
 I bought a computer. (action)
 John seems happy. (state)
 He resembles his brother (state)

VERBS TYPES- Transitive and Intransitive

Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs require an object.

Example:
She filled the cup.

In this sentence, filled is a transitive verb and the cup is the object in the sentence. It doesn't
make much sense to have filled without an object. She filled is incomplete.

Tip: Think of transitive verbs as transferring their action to the object.

Direct objects and Indirect objects

There are two different types of object: direct objects and indirect objects. A direct object
is, as its name suggests, directly affected by the action of the main verb. In the following two
sentences, ‘a drink’ and ‘a story’ are direct objects: ‘a drink’ was bought and ‘a story’ was being
read.

Examples
Jonathan bought a drink.
[subject] [direct object]

He was reading a story.

[subject] [direct object]

Indirect object is usually a person or thing that benefits in some way from the action of the main
verb.
Examples
Jonathan bought Catherine| a drink. ‘Catherine’ has received a drink, but
[subject] [ind obj] [Dir obj] it is ‘the drink’ that has been bought.

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He was reading his daughter| a story. ‘His daughter’ is hearing the story,
[subject] [ind obj] [dir obj] but it’s ‘the story’ that is being read.
Examples of Transitive Verbs
 They climbed the mountain.
 The clock struck one.
 I want candy.
 He carried the bag.
 Jose thanked Wayne.
 I couldn’t face him today.

Intransitive verbs
Intransitive verbs don't take an object.

Examples of Intransitive Verbs

 He ran.
 The baby cried.
 They napped.
 They laughed uncontrollably.
 The dog barked.
 She slept.
Verbs that are both transitive and intransitive
Some verbs can be transitive or intransitive, depending on how they are used in a sentence.
Examples of Verbs That Can Be Transitive and Intransitive

To cheer is one example.

 They cheered. |They cheered the band.
 She sang. |She sang a song.
 Larry tripped. |Larry tripped Alex.
 We visited. |We visited Aunt Ruth.

The forms of the verb "to be"

Tense Used for Form Example
Base form Be It can be simple.
I Am I am here.
You are You are here.
Simple Present He/She/It Is She is here.
We are We are here.
They are They are here.
I was I was here.
Simple Past
You were You were here.

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 He/She/It was She was here.
We were We were here.
They were They were here.
I will be I will be here.
You will be You will be here.
Simple Future He/She/It will be She will be here.
We will be We will be here.
They will be They will be here.
Progressive form being He is being unusual.
Perfect from been It has been fun.

Uses of being
The word being is used in several different grammatical structures.
Being + adjective
The structure being + adjective is used to talk about actions and behavior.
Why are you being so silly?
You are being cruel when you hurt others with your words or actions.

Note that when the adjective refers to feelings, the continuous form is not possible.
I was upset when I heard that I had failed the test. (NOT I was being upset when I … Here we
are talking about the speaker’s feelings and hence a continuous form is not possible.)
I am delighted to hear that you have won the first prize. (NOT I am being delighted …)

Being + past participle

Being can be followed by a past participle. This structure is used in the passive forms of
present and past continuous tenses.

Compare:
Mother is cooking dinner. (Active)
Dinner is being cooked by mother. (Passive)
They are repairing the roof.
The roof is being repaired.
I am quite sure that somebody is following me. (Active)
I am quite sure that I am being followed. (Passive)

Being in participle clauses

Instead of a because /as / since clause, we sometimes use an adverbial participle clause
with being. This structure is mainly used in a formal or literary style.

Compare:
Being late, he couldn’t watch the show. (= Because he is late, he couldn’t watch the show.)

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 Being a friend of the Minister, I am often invited to official parties. (= As I am a friend of
the Minister, I am often invited to official parties.)

Being quite slim, I managed to squeeze through the small opening in the wall. (= Since I was
quite slim, I managed to squeeze through the small opening in the wall.)

The Participle
The participle is a verb that acts as an adjective. There are two types of participles:
1 Present Participle 2 Past Participle

Present Participle
Present participles end in -ing.
Examples:
 boiling water
 caring nature
 deserving recipient

Some more examples of present participles:

 A laughing man is stronger than a suffering man.
 If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the
principal difference between a dog and a man.
 The only thing that comes to a sleeping man is dreams.

The [verb] + "ing" part is known as a present participle. It is formed like this:

Add "ing" to most verbs:

 play > playing
 shout > shouting

For verbs that end "e", remove the "e" and add "ing":
 prepare > preparing
 ride > riding

For verbs that end "ie", change the "ie" to "y" and add "ing":
 lie > lying
 untie > untying

For verbs whose last syllable is written [consonant-vowel-consonant] and is stressed, double
the final consonant and add "ing":
 run > running
 forget > forgetting

Past Participles
Past participles have various endings, usually -ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n.

Examples:
 broken window
 painted frame

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 destroyed bridge

Some more examples of past participles:

 A swollen eye is God's way of telling you to improve your interpersonal skills.
 Do not waste time staring at a closed door.
 I like children...if they're properly cooked.

Forming the Past Participle (Regular Verbs)

If it's a regular verb, the past participle is the same as the simple past tense. In other words, it
is formed like this:

Add "ed" to most verbs:

 jump > jumped
 paint > painted

If a verb of one syllable ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the final consonant and
add "ed":
 chat > chatted
 stop > stopped

If the final consonant is w, x or y, don't double it:

 sew > sewed
 play > played
 fix > fixed

If last syllable of a longer verb is stressed and ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the
last consonant and add "ed":
 incur > incurred
 prefer > preferred

If the first syllable of a longer verb is stressed and the verb ends [consonant-vowel-
consonant], just add "ed":
 open > opened
 enter > entered
 swallow > swallowed

If the verb ends "e", just add "d":

 thrive > thrived
 guzzle > guzzled

If the verb ends [consonant + "y"], change the "y" to an "i" and add "ed":
 cry > cried
 fry > fried

REGULAR AND IRREGULAR VERBS

An English verb can be regular or irregular.

Regular verbs
Regular verbs form their past and past participle forms by adding –ed or –d.

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Examples:
Walk – walked – walked
Dance – danced – danced
Paint – painted – painted
Work – worked – worked

Irregular verbs
Irregular verbs form their past and past participle forms in different ways.
There are mainly three types of irregular verbs.
Verbs in which all the three forms are the same (e.g. put – put – put)
Verbs in which two of the three forms are the same (e.g. sit – sat – sat)
Verbs in which all three forms are different (e.g. drink – drank – drunk)

TENSES
The tense of a verb shows the time of an action or event.
Read the following sentences:
1. I write the letter.
2. I wrote the letter yesterday.
3. I will write another letter tomorrow.
In sentence 1, the verb write refers to present time and is said to be in the present tense.
Examples are: write, build, love, like etc.

In sentence 2, the verb wrote refers to past time and is said to be in the past tense. Examples
are: wrote, built, loved, liked etc.

In sentence 3, the verb will write refers to future time is said to be in the future tense.
Examples are: will/shall write, will/shall build, will/shall love, will/shall like etc.

Thus we have three main tenses which are further classified as below:
Present Tense Past Tense Future Tense
Simple Present Simple Past Simple future
Present Continuous Past Continuous Future Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous Future Perfect Continuous

Present Tense
SIMPLE PRESENT
The simple present tense is formed:
subject + first form of the verb

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Examples:
I write.
He writes.
She writes.
You write.
They write.

In other words, it only changes in the third person singular (he / she / it). It adds either s, es or
ies.

The Spelling Rules

For regular verbs, just add s:
talk> talks
improve> improves

For verbs that end in s, ss, sh, ch, x and o, add es:
guess> guesses
mash> mashes
fix> fixes
go> goes

For verbs ending with ‘y’, change the y to i and add es:
fly> flies
study> studies

The simple present tense is used to talk about-

A habitual action.
 He gets up at 8 am.
 He drinks tea in the morning.
 She keeps her home neat and tidy.

General truths
 Honey is sweet.
 The sun rises in the east.
 Fortune favors the brave.

In exclamatory sentences beginning with here and there (to express what is actually
happening in the present.)
 There goes your husband!
 Here comes the bus!

Future events that are part of a time table

 The train leaves at 6 pm.
 The match starts at 9 o’clock.
 The next flight is at 6:30 tomorrow morning.

To tell stories (particularly jokes) to make your listener or reader feel more
engaged with the story.
 A horse walks into a bar, and the barman says, "why the long face?"

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(Compare to: A horse walked into a bar, and the barman said, "why the long face?")
We heard the helicopter overhead. Suddenly, the radio bursts into life.

Note also the other uses of the simple present tense.

1) To introduce quotations
 Keats says, ‘A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.’

2) In clauses of time and condition

 I will call you when dinner is ready. (NOT I will call you when dinner will be ready.)
 I will go abroad after I finish my studies. (NOT I will go abroad after I will finish my
studies.)

3) In broadcast commentaries
In broadcast commentaries on sporting events, the simple present tense is used instead of
the present continuous tense to talk about activities in progress.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
The present progressive tense is formed like this:
[am, is, or are] + [verb] + ing

Choose am, is, or are based on the following table:

Subject Verb "to Be" Present Participle

I Am
You Are
He / She / It (or singular noun) Is [verb] + "ing"
We Are
You Are
They (or plural noun) Are

Example:
 She is running.
 I am talking.

The present continuous tense is used to talk about an action going on at the time of
speaking.
 The baby is sleeping.
 The children are playing.
 It is raining.
 The students are reading.

To talk about a temporary action which may not be actually happening at the time
of speaking.
 I am reading ‘David Copperfield’. (But I am not reading at this moment.)

Planned future events (arranged to take place in the near future)

 My father is arriving tomorrow.
 We are going to the cinema tonight.

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We have already seen that the simple present tense is used to talk about habitual actions.
But to refer to a particularly obstinate habit we often use the present continuous tense with
an adverb like always, continually, constantly etc.
 My dog is very silly; he is always running after cars.

Verbs not used in the present continuous tense

The following verbs are not normally used in the present continuous form: see, hear, smell,
notice, recognize, appear, look, seem, want, wish, desire, feel, like, love, hate, think,
suppose, believe, consider, remember, forget etc.

When have means possess, it is not normally used in the continuous form.
Incorrect: These grapes are tasting sour.
Correct: These grapes taste sour.
Incorrect: I am thinking you are wrong.
Correct: I think you are wrong.
Incorrect: She is seeming upset.
Correct: She seems upset.
Incorrect: She is having a dog.
Correct: She has a dog.
Incorrect: I am liking it.
Correct: I like it.

Note that many of these verbs can be used in the continuous form with a change of
meaning.
 I am thinking of writing a novel.
 She is tasting the soup to see if it needs more salt.
 They are having lunch.

PRESENT PERFECT
The present perfect tense is formed:
has/have + [the past participle]

Example:
 I have worked
 She has painted

Forming the Past Participle (Regular Verbs)/

If it's a regular verb, the past participle is the same as the simple past tense. In other words, it is
formed like this:

Add "ed" to most verbs:

jump> jumped
paint> painted

If a verb of one syllable ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the final consonant and add
"ed":

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chat> chatted
stop> stopped

If the final consonant is w, x or y, don't double it:

sew> sewed
play> played
fix> fixed

If last syllable of a longer verb is stressed and ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the
last consonant and add "ed":
incur> incurred
prefer> preferred

If the first syllable of a longer verb is stressed and the verb ends [consonant-vowel-consonant],
just add "ed":
open> opened
enter> entered
swallow> swallowed

If the verb ends "e", just add "d":

thrive> thrived
guzzle> guzzled

If the verb ends [consonant + "y"], change the "y" to an "i" and add "ed":
cry> cried
fry> fried

The present perfect tense is used to talk about completed activities in the
immediate past. It is often used with the adverb of time just.
 I have (just) finished my work.
 He has (just) gone out.
 They have (just) arrived.

The present perfect tense can also be used to talk about past actions whose time is
not given or definite.
 I have read all plays of Shakespeare. (This statement doesn’t say exactly when I read
the plays. All that we know is that it happened sometime in the past.)
 I have visited Africa.
 She has acted in several films.

Past events whose effect is felt in the present

 He has broken his leg. (So he can’t walk now.)
 I have finished my work. (= Now I am free.)

Past events that have began in the past continued up to the present:
 I have known him for a long time. (I still know him.)
 We have lived in this city for ten years. (We still live in this city.)
 He has been ill since last week. (He is still ill.)
 I have been to London. (I visited London before, but I don't have to be physically in
London at the time when I say the sentence.)
 I have been in London for three days. (I mean I am still in London.)

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Note that the present perfect tense cannot be used with adverbs of past time. However, the
following adverbs or adverb phrases can be used with the present perfect tense: never, ever, so
far, till now, yet, already, today, this week, this month etc.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

The present perfect progressive tense is formed:
"has/have been" + [present participle]

Example:
 I have been working since yesterday evening.
 She has been chewing for two minutes.

In the examples above, the words "working" and "chewing" (i.e., the [verb] + "ing" part of the
construction) are known as present participles. A present participle is formed like this:

The present perfect progressive tense has two uses. It is used for:
(1) a continuous activity that began in the past and continues into the present, or
(2) a continuous activity that began in past but has now finished (usually very recently).

 I have been gardening since morning.

 It has been raining since yesterday.
 Rani has been studying since morning.
 Rahul has been playing for hours.
 They have been waiting for long.

Difference between present perfect and present perfect continuous tense

Both present perfect and present perfect continuous tenses can be used to talk about situations
that started in the past and are still going on. The present perfect continuous tense is preferred
in cases where we want to say how long a situation has lasted.
To simply show the continuity of an action, we use the present continuous tense. The present
perfect tense is used in cases where the focus is on the idea of completion.

 I have written six letters since morning. (Focus on the idea of completion)
 He has eaten a whole loaf of bread.
 I am writing a letter. (Focus on the idea of continuity with no reference to duration)
 I have been writing since morning. (Focus on the continuity and duration of the idea)

Use of 'For' and 'Since'

"For" is applied before uncertain time:- "Since" is applied before certain time:-
Five hours, two hours, an hour 3 O'clock, 10 O'clock, 5 PM, 4 AM.
few days, four days, seven days Monday, Saturday, Sunday
two months, eight months March, June, December
One year, ten years 2011, 2012, 2013
for a long time Since long.

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 Yesterday, tomorrow, day after tomorrow
Morning, Evening, Night, Noon, Afternoon.
Birth, beginning, then, when

Past Tense
SIMPLE PAST
We use the simple past tense for events that happened or started and completed in the past and
that have no relation with the present.

The simple past tense is formed:

If it's a regular verb, the simple past tense is formed like this:

Add "ed" to most verbs:

jump> jumped
paint> painted

If a verb of one syllable ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the final consonant and add
"ed":
chat> chatted
stop> stopped

If the final consonant is w, x or y, don't double it:

sew> sewed
play> played
fix> fixed

If last syllable of a longer verb is stressed and ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the
last consonant and add "ed":
incur> incurred
prefer> preferred

If the first syllable of a longer verb is stressed and the verb ends [consonant-vowel-consonant],
just add "ed":
open> opened
enter> entered
swallow> swallowed

If the verb ends "e", just add "d":

thrive> thrived
guzzle> guzzled

If the verb ends [consonant + "y"], change the "y" to an "i" and add "ed":
cry> cried
fry> fried

The simple past tense is sometimes used without an adverb of time. In such cases,
the time of the action may be either implied or indicated by the context.
 His father worked for Google.

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 I ate a big spicy piece of pizza for my breakfast.

To refer to an action completed regardless of how recent or distant in the past.

 Alexander Bell invented the telephone in 1876.
 My brother joined the circus as a clown last week.
To talk about an action completed in the past. It is often used with adverbs or
adverb phrases of past time.
 I met him yesterday.
 His father died last year.
 I received the letter a week ago.

For an action done repeatedly, habitually or at regular times in the past.

 When I was in college, I studied eight hours a day. (= When I was in college, I used to
study eight hours a day.)
 Edison sold newspapers before he became a famous scientist. (= Edison used to sell
newspapers before he became a famous scientist.)
 We saw the movie 'Titanic' several times at the cinema.
 He phoned his mother every Sunday until her death.

For a state in the past.

 I felt very tired after a couple of games of tennis.

To talk about someone who has died.

 Arthur was a highly respected science-fiction writer.
 He left all his money to charity.

In providing details or information about events that happened subsequent to

news reports which, when first reported, are usually expressed in present perfect
tense.
 Negotiations with the insurgent forces have broken down. The leader of the insurgent
forces blamed the government for the break down. A government spokesman said the
insurgent forces made unreasonable demands.
Used to
We use the expression used to to refer to a past habit or situation that no longer exists. We use
the infinitive without ‘to’ after 'used to.'
 I used to chase butterflies, but now I don't see any butterfly around.
(NOT: I used to chase butterflies, .....)
 She used to be scared of spiders, but now she keeps a pet spider.
 Did you used/use to live in a houseboat?
 Professor Crabby is never used to people arguing with him.

PAST CONTINUOUS
The past progressive tense is formed like this:
For singular:
was + [verb] + ing

For plural:

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were + [verb] + ing

The past continuous tense is used for an action that was taking place in the past
when a shorter action (expressed in the simple past tense) happened.
 I was camping when I got stung by a bee.
 When I visited him in the hospital, he was snoring loudly.
 While he was reading the newspaper, he fell asleep.
 While I was talking to him, his eyes looked somewhere else.
Note: The past continuous tense and the simple past tense are used together
With while to describe two actions that were going on at the same time in the past.
 While my brother was laughing, my sister was crying.
 My father was drinking while my mother was eating.

For an action that was happening and not yet finished at a particular time or
throughout a period of time in the past. We do not state when the action started or
ended.
 Grandma was knitting a sock at 11 o'clock last night.
 They were hunting wild boars all evening.
To show that we were in the middle of an action.
 I was collecting old newspapers. (I was in the middle of doing the collecting.)
 The police sirens were wailing.

We use when with the past continuous and simple past tenses:
 To show that an action or event described in the past continuous tense started before the
event expressed in the simple past tense.

 Two women were fighting in the street when the police arrived. (The fighting
started before the police arrived.)

 To show that an action or event described in the past continuous tense was going on when
the event expressed in the simple past tense took place.

 They were having a barbecue when the rain started falling. (The rain fell when
the barbecue was in progress.)

 To show time order of events.

 When I woke up, my brother was brushing his teeth. (I woke up during his brushing
his teeth.)
 When I woke up, my brother brushed his teeth. (I woke up, and then my brother
brushed his teeth.)
 He was bathing his pet puppy when I visited him. (He started the bathing before my
visit and the bathing was in progress at the time of my visit.)
 He bathed his pet puppy when I visited him. (Two complete events: I visited him and
then he bathed his pet.)

PAST PERFECT

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The past perfect tense is used to express two types of actions which occurred or completed in the
past. 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.

The past perfect tense is formed:

had + [the past participle]
Example:
 You had studied English before you moved to New York.
 Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several times.

Note: The past perfect tense and the simple past tense are used together.
The Past Perfect Tense is usedto show an action happened in the past before
another event took place:
 Words usually used with the Past Perfect tense are when and after.
 They had already finished their dinner when I arrived to join them.
 When he had done his homework, he went for a smoke in the park.
 After I had eaten five apples, I felt ill.
 I arrived at the cinema after the film had started.

Note: The event in the past perfect tense occurred before the event in the simple past
tense.

 Words such as already, just and as soon as are also used with the Past Perfect tense.
 It had already stopped raining when I bought an umbrella.
 The whole house had just burnt down when the firemen got there.
 As soon as she had got married, she regretted it.

For an action which happened before a definite time in the past.

 They had finished their prayers by ten o'clock.

For an action which took place and completed in the past.

 He had hurt his back in an accident at work and he had to stay at home for three months.
(The action happened and he suffered the consequences all in the past)

For states.
 They had become good friends for many years after meeting on holiday.

When two actions were completed in the past, use a past perfect tense to clarify
which event happened earlier.

a) INCORRECT: The museum occupied the building where the art gallery was.
b) CORRECT: The museum occupied the building where the art gallery had been.

c) INCORRECT: The list of movies you showed me, I saw before.

d) CORRECT: The list of movies you showed me, I had seen before.

In (a), the use of two simple past tenses (occupied; was) imply the museum and the art gallery
occupied the same building at the same time, which was not the case.
In (b), the use of the perfect tense (had been) sorts out the order of occupation of the building.

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In (c), 'I saw before' clearly indicates it happened before the list was showed to me, and so
should be in the past perfect tense as in (d).

Sometimes the past perfect tense and the past simple tense are used separately in
different sentences.
 This morning we visited John in the hospital. He had just been admitted with stomach
pains.
The past simple tense precedes the past perfect tense. Notice the action in the past perfect tense
happened first.

Before and after:

As mentioned above, the event expressed in the past perfect tense occurred earlier than the
event in the past simple tense. However, when before or after is used in a sentence, the past
perfect tense becomes unnecessary as the two words - before or after – already clarify which
action takes place first. We can use the simple past tense instead. Look at these examples.

a) After she had read the letter, she tore it into pieces.
b) After she read the letter, she tore it into pieces.
c) We had left the stadium before the match ended.
d) We left the stadium before the match ended.

Changing the past perfect tense to past simple tense does not affect the meaning of the sentences
as (a) and (b) have the same meaning, and (c) and (d) have the same meaning.

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

The past perfect progressive tense is used to show that an on-going action in the past has ended.
The sentence includes a time-reference to show when the action started in the past or for how
long the action was continued in the past.

The past perfect continuous tense is formed:

had been + [present participle]
Example:
 I had been jumping.
 They had been meeting.
 The past perfect continuous is used:

For an action that occurred over a period of time in the past.

 He had been playing saxophone in a jazz band.
 She had been watching the movie for 2 hours.
 They had been running their business since 1987.
 She had been waiting for you since Wednesday.

Note: The first action uses the past perfect continuous and the second action uses the simple
past tense. Here are some more examples:

For an action which started and finished in the past before another past action.
Here, since or for is usually used.
1. Jack got a job at last. He had been looking for a job since last year.

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2. He and his brother had been playing badminton together for ten years before one of them
got married.
3. They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived.
4. She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business.
5. James had been teaching at the university for more than a year before he left for Asia.

Before another action in the past is a good way to show cause and effect.
 My clothes were wet because it had been raining.
 Mike wanted to sit down because he had been standing all day at work.
 Betty failed the final test because she had not been attending class.

Past Continuous vs. Past Perfect Continuous

If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or "since Friday,"
many English speakers choose to use the Past Continuous rather than the Past Perfect
Continuous. Be careful because this can change the meaning of the sentence. Past Continuous
emphasizes interrupted actions, whereas Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes a duration of time
before something in the past. Study the examples below to understand the difference.

Examples:
 He was tired because he was exercising so hard.
This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he was exercising at that exact moment.

 He was tired because he had been exercising so hard.

This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he had been exercising over a period of
time. It is possible that he was still exercising at that moment OR that he had just finished.

SIMPLEFUTURE
We use the simple future tense for actions that will happen in the future. How we use it depends
on how we view the events are going to happen.

The simple future tense has 2 forms:

1. Will
2. Be going to

Will
will + [base form of verb]

Example:
 You will meet Jane tonight.
 She will play.
 Martin will paint.

Be Going To
[am/is/are + going to + verb]

Examples:
 You are going to meet Jane tonight.
 She is going to play.
 Martin is going to paint.

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The table below shows the contraction forms using personal pronouns:

Positive Negative
Contraction For emphasis Contraction
I will I’ll I will not I won't
You will you’ll You will not You won't
We will we’ll We will not We won't
He will he’ll He will not He won't
She will she’ll She will not She won't
It will it'll It will not It won't
They will they’ll They will not They won't

1. Will
We use will to:
Say something that we are certain will occur in the future.
 A meeting will be held next Monday at 2 p.m.
 I will come along with you.

Say something that we are not so certain will happen.

 I think he will phone me later.
 They think you are the right choice.

Make a prediction.
 The rain will stop soon.
 The movie will end in around 20 mins.

Make a sudden decision at the moment of speaking.

 There's a noise outside. I will just go and check.
 I will go check if the charge on the phone is down yet.

Give a command.
 You will report to me at eight o'clock tomorrow.
 She will pay the fine for breaking the rules of the traffic.

Give an invitation; make an order or a threat.

 They will invite Professor Dunce to speak at the scientific conference.
 I will have a double brandy.
 Give me your wallet or I will slit your throat with this.

Ask questions or make a suggestion or promise.

 Will you phone your mother-in-law to apologize, please?
 Shall we sneak a couple of bottles of brandy through Customs?
 I will try not to be late again.

2. Be going to
Be going to is used to refer to future actions as follow:

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Intention or decision already made to do or not to do something.
 We are going to move to a new neighbourhood next month.
 She is not going to be friends with those girls anymore.

Plans or arrangements for the near future that are made prior to the time of
speaking
 We are going to visit the zoo on Sunday.
 They are going to meet their old family friends.

Prediction of an outcome based on current situation.

 Look at the overcast sky. It is going to rain hard.

When a decision or plan is made for the distant future, will is usually used.
 She will get married in two years.
Going to is usually used when a plan is made for the near future.
 We are going to visit them again early next month.
3. Be to
Be to (is/are + infinitive) refers to an action that is to take place in the future. It is used
for instructions, obligation and something that is arranged. However, other forms of usage are
possible.
 You are not to answer any question from any one of the reporters. (instruction)
 You are to hand this packet over to him before noon. (obligation)
 The Prime Minister is to meet his successor tomorrow. (arrangement)
 The museum is to be closed while it is being renovated. (information)
 The General Manager is to present the report to the board on Monday. (duty)

4. Be about to (+ infinitive)
We use ‘be about to’ for an action or event that will happen very soon.
 Everyone sits down when the film is about to start.
 I have never drunk alcohol in my life and I am not about to start now.
 We walked quickly home when it was about to rain.
 The audience fell silent when the President was about to appear.
 When a plane is moved to the end of a runway, it usually means it is about to take off.

When ‘be about to’ is used with just, it emphasizes that something is about to
happen when it is interrupted by something else.
 I was just about to eat my dinner when the phone rang.

Will / Shall
Will and shall are auxiliary verbs used mainly in the future tense.
 I shall arrive before noon. / They will arrive before noon.
Shall has always been used in the first-person singular (I) and plural (we) but will is becoming
more common.
 I shall be away tomorrow. / We shall be away tomorrow.

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We use will to ask a favour of somebody.
 Will you look after my things for a while, please?
We use won't (will not) to show unwillingness or refusal to do something.
 I have asked the noisy children to keep quiet, but they won't listen.
We use shall when we:
Ask a first-person question.
Shall I open the window?
Make a suggestion.
Shall we go together in one car?
Make an offer.
Shall I give you a lift to the airport?
Ask for instructions.
Shall I make all these payments by the end of the month?
Will and shall are also used to make predictions in the simple future tense.
 I think the weather will get colder around the middle of this month.
 I shall be judged only by God.

FUTURE CONTINUOUS
The future continuous tense is used to express an ongoing or continued action which will occur
sometime in the future.

Future Continuous has two different forms which are interchangeable.

1. will be doing
2. be going to be doing

Will be doing

[will be + present participle]

Examples:
 I will be writing a report.
 He will be planning about his studies.
 You will be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.

Be going to be doing

[am/is/are + going to be + present participle]

Examples:
 I am going to be writing a report.
 He is going to be planning about his studies.
 You are going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.

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We use the future continuous tense for an action that lasts a period of time in the
future.
 His father will be working the whole day tomorrow.
 They'll be shopping all afternoon.
 We'll be flying over the Atlantic Ocean for three hours.

For an action that has been planned.

 They will be going on vacation this summer.
 Just think, next Monday you will be working in your new job.
 This time next week I will be sun-bathing in Bali.

To express an action that will be in progress at a certain or specified time in the

future.
 We will/shall be sleeping by the time you return.
 At this time next week, I shall/will be playing poker.
 Will they be coming at 6 p.m. tomorrow?

For an action which will happen as a matter of routine or as scheduled (without

intention)
 You will be working with Miss Murphy again when you turn up for work tomorrow.
 The first train will be departing at 5.30 a.m.

To make a prediction about something in the future.

 She will be feeling very sad after learning the truth.
(When in doubt, we can use ‘may’ instead of shall/will. Example: She may be feeling very sad
after learning the truth.)
 He'll be coming to the meeting, I expect.
 I guess you'll be feeling thirsty after working in the Sun.
 You'll be missing the sunshine once you're back in England.
 I don't want to disturb them. I am sure they will be cleaning their house at the moment.
 Please, don't come at 9 o'clock. She'll be sleeping at that time.

When combined with still, the future continuous refers to events that are already
happening now and that we expect to continue some time into the future.

Examples:
 In an hour I'll still be ironing my clothes.
 Tomorrow he'll still be suffering from his cold.
 Unfortunately, sea levels will still be rising in 20 years.

To indicate that a longer action in the future will be interrupted by a shorter action
in the future (in this case the shorter action in the future is expressed with Simple
Present):
 I will be making dinner when he arrives tonight.
 She will be playing the piano when her parents come home.

Note: Time clauses cannot be in the future tense as in the above examples.

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 When you use the Future Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it
expresses the idea that both actions will be happening at the same time. The
actions are parallel.
 I am going to be studying and he is going to be making dinner.
 Tonight, they will be eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.
 While Ellen is reading, Tim will be watching television.

Asking questions
To seek a favour of someone by asking about their plans
 Will you be passing the post office on your way home?
 Will you be going to the grocer’s this afternoon?

To ask for information

 Will Jim be coming with us?
 Will she be going to the party tonight?

FUTURE PERFECT
We use the future perfect to say that something will be finished within a particular time in the
future.

Future Perfect is formed as:

[will have + past participle]

Examples:
 I think astronauts will have landed on Mars by the year 2020.
 I’ll have finished in an hour and then you can use the computer.
 By the time you arrive, my foreign guests will have left.

We often use the future perfect with ‘by’ or ‘in’

 I will have finished the writing by midnight.
 By next January I will have lived here for 10 years.
 We will have finished the course in a month.
 He will have trained the dog to be at his home, in a week’s time

Note: ‘By’ means ‘not later than a particular time’ and ‘in’ means 'within a period of time’. We
don’t know exactly when something will finish.

The future perfect tense is used to show that an activity will be completed by a
specified time in the future (With time expressions such as by seven o'clock, by this evening,
by next Thursday, by then, until noon tomorrow, before closing date).
 I will have saved about one million dollars by the year 2040.
 I will have finished this test by 3 o'clock.
 He will have prepared the documents by next Friday.
 By Monday, Susan is going to have had my book for a week.

To show that an action will be completed before another takes place in the future.
 The fire will have burnt the building to the ground by the time the firemen arrive.
 Sam will probably have completed the proposal by the time he leaves this afternoon.

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 To show a situation will be over in the future.
 The special offer – buy two, get one free – will have finished by midday tomorrow.

With conditional 'if'

 If you don't hurry up, we will have eaten all the food when you get to the table.

With time clause:

The future perfect tense may come either before or after the time clause.
a) On April 1st, she will have been here for six months.
b) She will have been here for six months on April 1st.
c) We will have waited for more than thirty minutes by the time the bus arrives,
Time clauses: On April 1st/by the time the bus arrives
Main clauses: She will have been here for six months/We will have waited for more than thirty
minutes
A comma is placed at the end of a time clause when the time clause comes before the main
clause as in (a).

REMEMBER, No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, the Future Perfect cannot be used in clauses beginning with time
expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of
Future Perfect, Present Perfect is used.

Examples:
 I am going to see a movie when I will have finished my homework. Not Correct
 I am going to see a movie when I have finished my homework. Correct

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

The future perfect continuous tense is used for actions that will be in progress over a period of
time that will end in the future. A time-reference is used in the sentences to show starting time
of the action of how long the action continues. This tense is very uncommon.

The future perfect progressive tense is formed:

will have been + [present participle]

Example:
At 10 pm, I will have been swimming for a six hours.
They will have been talking for two hours by then.

We use the future perfect continuous tense:

To show the duration before something in the future
 They will have been talking for over an hour by the time Thomas arrives.
 James will have been teaching at the university for more than a year by the time
he leaves for Asia.
 How long will you have been studying when you graduate?

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Note: In the examples above that the reference points (marked in italics) are in Simple
Present rather than Simple Future. This is because these future events are in time clauses, and
you cannot use future tenses in time clauses.

To tell about the Cause of Something in the Future

 Jason will be tired when he gets home because he will have been jogging for over an hour.
 Claudia's English will be perfect when she returns to Germany because she will have been
studying English in the United States for over two years.

Note: Future perfect continuous tense can be used with simple past tense and simple
future tense as in the above examples.

REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses

Examples:
 You won't get a promotion until you will have been working here as long as
Tim. Not Correct
 You won't get a promotion until you have been working here as long as
Tim. Correct

VERBS USED ONLY IN THEIR NON-CONTINUOUS FORMS

The following verbs, on account of their meaning, are not normally used in the continuous form

Verbs of perception hear, notice, recognize, see, smell, sense, sound, taste, weigh

Verbs of appearance appear, look, resemble, seem

care, desire, dislike, envy, fear, feel, hate, hope, like, love, prefer, refuse,
Verbs of emotion
surprise, want, wish

agree, appreciate, believe, consider, doubt, equal, forget, imagine, know,

Verbs of thinking mean, mind, need, owe, realize, remember, suppose, think, trust,
understand

have (=possess) be, belong, consist, contain, have, own, possess,

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