every day sometimes always Present or Present Simple often usually seldom never first ...

then

something happens repeatedly how often something happens one action follows another things in general with the following verbs (to love, to hate, to think, etc.) future meaning: timetables, programmes something is happening at the same time of speaking or around it to be (am/are/is) future meaning: when + infinitive + -ing you have already decided and arranged to do it (a fixed plan, date) infinitive he/she/it + -s

I work.

I don't work.

Do I work? Does he work? Do I go?

He works.

He doesn't work.

I go.

I don't go.

He goes.

He doesn't go.

Does he go?

I'm working.

I'm not working.

now Present Progressive or Present Continuous at the moment Look! Listen!

Am I working? Is he working? Am I going? Is he going?

He's working.

He isn't working.

I'm going. He's going.

I'm not going. He isn't going.

last ... Simple Past or Past Simple ... ago in 1990 yesterday

I worked. action took place in the past, mostly connected with an expression of time (no connection to the present) regular: He worked. infinitive + -ed irregular: 2nd column of table I went. of irregular verbs He went.

I didn't work. He didn't work. I didn't go. He didn't go.

Did I work? Did he work? Did I go? Did he go? Was I working? Was he working? Was I going? Was he going? Have I worked? Has he worked? Have I gone? Has he gone?

an action happened in the middle of another action Past Progressive or Past Continuous while someone was doing sth. at a certain time (in the past) - you do not know whether it was finished or not was/were + infinitive + -ing

I was working.

I wasn't working.

He was working.

He wasn't working.

I was going.

I wasn't going.

He was going.

He wasn't going.

just Simple Present Perfect or Present Perfect yet never ever already so far,

you say that sth. has happened or is finished in the past and it has a connection to the present action started in the past and continues up to the present

I have worked. have/has + past participle* He has worked. *(infinitive + -ed) or (3rd column of I have gone. table of irregular verbs) He has gone.

I haven't worked.

He hasn't worked.

I haven't gone.

He hasn't gone.

up to now, since for recently I have been working. He has been working. I haven't been working. He hasn't been working. I haven't been going. He hasn't been going. Have I been working? Has he been working? Have I been going? Has he been going? Had I worked? Had he worked? Had I gone? Had he

all day Present Perfect Progressive or Present Perfect Continuous the whole day how long since for

action began in the past and has just stopped how long the action has been happening emphasis: length of time of an action have/has + been + infinitive + -ing

I have been going.

He has been going.

Simple Past Perfect or Past Perfect (Simple)

already just never

mostly when two actions in a story are related to each other: the action which had already happened is put into Past Perfect, the other action into Simple Past the past of the

I had worked. had + past participle* *(infinitive + -ed) or (3rd column of table of irregular I had gone. verbs) He had worked.

I hadn't worked.

He hadn't worked.

I hadn't gone. He hadn't gone.

He had gone.

Present Perfect I hadn't been working. He hadn't been working.

gone? Had I been working? Had he been working? Had I been going? Had he been going? Will I work? Will he work? Will I go?

I had been working.

Past Perfect Progressive or Past Perfect Continuous

how long since for

how long something had been happening had + been + before something else infinitive + ing happened

He had been working.

I had been going.

I hadn't been going.

He had been going.

He hadn't been going. I won't work.

predictions about the future (you think that sth. will happen) you decide to do sth. spontaneously at the time of speaking, you haven't made a decision before main clause in type I of the if clauses when you have already decided to do

I'll work.

He'll work.

He won't work.

will - future

will + infinitive

I'll go.

I won't go.

He'll go.

He won't go.

Will he go?

going to - future

be (am/are/is) + I'm going to work. going to + infinitive

I'm not going to work.

Am I going to work?

sth. in the future what you think what will happen

He's going to work.

He's not going to work.

Is he going to work? Am I going to go? Is he going to go? Will I be working? Will he be working? Will I be going? Will he be going? Will I have worked? Will he have worked? Will I have gone?

I'm going to go.

I'm not going to go.

He's going to go.

He's not going to go.

Future Progressive or Future Continuous

An action will be in progress at a certain time in the future. This action has begun before the certain time. Something happens because it normally happens.

I'll be working.

I won't be working.

He'll be working. will + be + infinitive + ing I'll be going.

He won't be working.

I won't be going.

He'll be going.

He won't be going.

Simple Future Perfect or Future Perfect Simple

sth. will already have happened before a certain time in the future

will + have + past participle*

I'll have worked.

I won't have worked. He won't have worked.

*(infinitive + -ed) or He'll have worked. (3rd column of table of irregular verbs) I'll have gone.

I won't have gone.

He'll have gone.

He won't have gone.

Will he have gone? Will I have been working? Will he have been working? Will I have been working?

I'll have been working. sth. will already have happened before a certain time in the future

I won't have been working.

Future Perfect Progressive or Future Perfect Continuous

He'll have been working. will + have + been + infinitive + ing I'll have been going.

He won't have been working.

emphasis: length of time of an action

I won't have been going.

He'll have been going.

Will he have He won't have been been going. working? I wouldn't work. Would I work? Would he work? Would I go? Would he go?

I would work. sth. that might happen Conditional Simple main clause in type II of the Conditional sentences would + infinitive I would go.

He would work.

He wouldn't work.

I wouldn't go. He wouldn't go.

He would go.

I would be working.

I wouldn't be working. He wouldn't be working.

Would I be working? Would he be working? Would I be going? Would he be going? Would I have worked? Would he have worked? Would I have gone? Would I have gone? Would I have been working?

Conditional Progressive or Conditional Continuous

sth. that might happen emphasis: length of time of an action

would + be + infinitive + ing

He would be working.

I would be going.

I wouldn't be going.

He would be going.

He wouldn't be going.

I would have worked. sth. that might have happened in the past (It's too late now.) main clause in type III of the if clauses would + have + past participle*

I wouldn't have worked.

Conditional Perfect

*(infinitive + -ed) or (3rd column of table of irregular I would have gone. verbs) He would have gone.

He would have worked.

He wouldn't have worked.

I wouldn't have gone. He wouldn't have gone.

Conditional Perfect Progressive or

sth. that might have happened in the past (It's too late now.)

would + have + been + infinitive + ing

I would have been working.

I wouldn't have been working.

Conditional Perfect Continuous

emphasis: length of time of an action

He would have been going.

He wouldn't have been going.

Would he have been working? Would I have been going? Would he have been going?

I would have been going.

I wouldn't have been going.

He would have been He wouldn't have going. been going.

PAGE 1/5

Nouns are commonly thought of as "naming" words, and specifically as the names of "people, places, or things". Nouns such as John, London, and computer certainly fit this description, but the class of nouns is much broader than this. Nouns also denote abstract and intangible concepts such as birth, happiness, evolution, technology, management, imagination, revenge, politics, hope, cookery, sport, literacy....

Because of this enormous diversity of reference, it is not very useful to study nouns solely in terms of their meaning. It is much more fruitful to consider them from the point of view of their formal characteristics.

Characteristics of Nouns
Many nouns can be recognised by their endings. Typical noun endings

include: -er/-or actor, painter, plumber, writer -ism -ist criticism, egotism, magnetism, vandalism artist, capitalist, journalist, scientist

-ment arrangement, development, establishment, government -tion foundation, organisation, recognition, supposition

Most nouns have distinctive SINGULAR and PLURAL forms. The plural of regular nouns is formed by adding -s to the singular:
Singular car dog house Plural cars dogs houses

However, there are many irregular nouns which do not form the plural in this way:

Singular man child sheep

Plural men children sheep

The distinction between singular and plural is known as NUMBER CONTRAST. We can recognise many nouns because they often have the, a, or an in front of them:
the car an artist a surprise the egg a review

These words are called determiners, which is the next word class we will look at.

Nouns may take an -'s ("apostrophe s") or GENITIVE MARKER to indicate possession:
the boy's pen a spider's web my girlfriend's brother John's house

If the noun already has an -s ending to mark the plural, then the genitive marker appears only as an apostrophe after the plural form:
the boys' pens the spiders' webs the Browns' house

The genitive marker should not be confused with the 's form of contracted verbs, as in John's a good boy (= John is a good boy).

Nouns often co-occur without a genitive marker between them:

rally car table top cheese grater University entrance examination

We will look at these in more detail later, when we discuss noun phrases.

Common and Proper Nouns

Nouns which name specific people or places are known as PROPER NOUNS.
John Mary London France

Many names consist of more than one word:

John Wesley

Queen Mary South Africa Atlantic Ocean Buckingham Palace

Proper nouns may also refer to times or to dates in the calendar:

January, February, Monday, Tuesday, Christmas, Thanksgiving

All other nouns are COMMON NOUNS.

Since proper nouns usually refer to something or someone unique, they do not normally take plurals. However, they may do so, especially when number is being specifically referred to:
there are three Davids in my class we met two Christmases ago

For the same reason, names of people and places are not normally preceded by determiners the or a/an, though they can be in certain circumstances:
it's nothing like the America I remember my brother is an Einstein at maths

Identify all the nouns in the following extract.

Click on all the words that you think are nouns; they will appear in the box below. You don't have to type anything but you can click

in the box to edit your answers if you need to.

The major thoroughfares were already lit by the new gas, but this was not the bright and even glare of the late Victorian period: the light flared and diminished, casting a flickering light across the streets and lending to the houses and pedestrians a faintly unreal or even theatrical quality. [W2B-006-68]

(SCROLL DOWN IF YOU NEED TO)

More on Nouns...

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Sponsored Links Personal Pronoun - Subject Personal Pronoun - Object I me you you he/she/it him/her/it we us they them

Possessive Pronouns Reflexive Pronouns

my myself

your yourself

his/hers/its himself/herself/itself

ours ourselves

theirs themselves

Pronouns
A pronoun usually refers to something already mentioned in a sentence or piece of text. They are used instead of nouns to prevent repetition of the noun to which they refer. One of the most common pronouns is it. Example (Singular): Without a pronoun: The train was late, the train had been delayed. (Sounds horrid, doesn't it?) With a pronoun: The train was late, it had been delayed. (Much better!) In this example the train is singular, therefore the pronoun must be singular also - it. Example (Plural): Without a pronoun: The trains were late, the trains had been delayed. (Still sounds horrid, doesn't it?)

With a pronoun: The trains were late, they had been delayed. (Much better!) In this example the trains are plural, therefore the pronoun must be plural also - they.

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PRESENT TENSE arise awake bear beat become begin bend bid bind bite bleed blow break breed bring build burn burst buy cast catch arising awaking bearing beating becoming beginning bending bidding binding biting bleeding blowing breaking breeding bringing building burning bursting buying casting catching

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

PAST TENSE arose awoke bore beat became began bent bid,bade bound bit bled blew broke bred brought built burned,burnt burst bought cast caught

PAST PARTICIPLE arisen awoken born, borne beaten become begun bent bid,bade bound bitten bled blown broken bred brought built burned,burnt burst bought cast caught

choose cling come cost creep cut deal dig do draw dream drink drive dwell eat fall feed feel fight find flee fling flow fly forbid forecast forget forgive freeze get

choosing clinging coming costing creeping cutting dealing digging doing drawing dreaming drinking driving dwelling eating falling feeding feeling fighting finding fleeing flinging flowing flying forbidding forecasting forgetting forgiving freezing getting

chose clung came cost crept cut dealt dug did drew dreamed,dreamt drank drove dwelt ate fell fed felt fought found fled flung flowed flew forbade forecast,forecasted forgot forgave froze got

chosen clung come Cost crept cut dealt dug done drawn dreamed,dreamt drunk driven dwelt eaten fallen fed felt fought found fled flung flowed flown forbidden forecast,forecasted forgotten forgiven frozen got

give go grab grind grow hang hang (kill) have hear hide hit hold hurt keep kneel knit know lay lead lean leap learn leave lend let lie light lose make mean meet

giving going grabbing grinding growing hanging hanging having hearing hiding hitting holding hurting keeping kneeling knitting knowing laying leading leaning leaping learning leaving lending letting lying lighting losing making meaning meeting

gave went grabbed ground grew hung hanged had heard hid hit held hurt kept knelt knitted knew laid led leaned,leant leapt learned,learnt left lent let lay lighted,lit lost made meant met

given gone grabbed ground grown hung hanged had heard hidden hit held hurt kept knelt knitted known laid led lean,leant leapt learned,learnt left lent let lain lighted,lit lost made meant met

pay put read ride ring rise run saw say see sell send set sew shake shine shoot show shrink shut sing sink sit sleep slide smell sow speak speed spell

paying putting reading riding ringing rising running sawing saying seeing selling sending setting sewing shaking shining shooting showing shrinking shutting singing sinking sitting sleeping sliding smelling sowing speaking speeding spelling

paid put read rode rang rose ran sawed said saw sold sent set sewed shook shone shot showed shrank shut sang sank sat slept slid smelled,smelt sowed spoke speeded,sped spelled,spelt

paid put read ridden rung risen run Sawn said seen sold sent set sewn shaken shone shot shown shrunk shut sung sunk sat slept slid smelled,smelt sown spoken speeded,sped spelled,spelt

spend spill spin spit split spoil spread spring stand steal stick sting strike swear sweep swell swim swing take teach tear tell think throw wake wear win wind write

spending spilling spinning spitting splitting spoiling spreading springing standing stealing sticking stinging striking swearing sweeping swelling swimming swinging taking teaching tearing telling thinking throwing waking wearing winning winding writing

spent spilled,spilt spun spat split spoiled,spoilt spread sprang stood stole stuck stung struck swore swept swelled swam swung took taught tore told thought threw woke wore won wound wrote

spent spilled,spilt spun spat split spoiled,spoilt spread Sprung stood stolen stuck stung struck sworn swept swollen swum swung taken taught torn told thought thrown woken,waked worn won wound written

Tense (

No sentence can be complete without a verb. The verb gives information about the action being performed or information about the state of a noun or pronoun. To give a complete picture of the action or state, the proper form of a verb should be used so as to give an indication in relation to time. We should be able to make out whether the work has been completed, it is presently underway or it will be done after sometime. verb ( ) . verb . . . . .

verb

verb

I walk I walked I will walk

walk, walked will walk. ) Tense , . verb ( ... ) walked

(past -

(I) )

to walk ( ) will walk . walk

(present

(future -

Tense (

1. Present Tense ( 2. Past Tense ( 3. Future Tense ( Present Tense (

) )

The form of verb that indicates a underway or just currently completed action is known as the present tense. Verb Present Tense . I walk. Past Tense ( )

The form of verb that indicates to an action that had occured in the past is known as the past tense. Verb Past Tense . I walked. Future Tense ( )

Similary, the form of verb that indicates an action that will occur after some time (in the future) is known as the future tense. Verb Future Tense . I will walk. Four sub-classes of each of the three tenses This discussion on Tenses cannot be completed without mentioning that each of the tenses are further classified into 4 sub-groups. To properly describe any event or action it is vital that you use the proper form of the tenses in your sentence. Tenses English 4 .

These sub-groups are... ... 1. Simple or Indefinite

2. Continuous 3. Perfect 4. Perfect Continuous Click here to see an example of each of the 12 forms of the tenses. .

Present Tense (

See also: Forms of Tenses Past Tense Future Tense When the timeframe of the action under discussion is current, then it is said to be in the Present Tense. In this section we shall dwell on the 4 different forms of the present tense. Use of the proper form is very important in correctly and successfully explaining any action. 4 . .

See the sentences below - Each one of them in the present tense - but the message they convey are different.

I walk -

I am walking -

. . , . . .

I have walked -

I have been walking -

Present Indefinite (

Present Indefinite is used to present general truths and habitual actions. Present Indefinite ( ) I walk. -

. This is an indefinite statement - it talks of a general truth that I walk, something of a habit. It does not clarify on the current status of my walking. There are seven days in a week. are - . This is also a general truth - A week has 7 days. ) .

Present Continous (

Present Continous is used to describe actions in the current time that have not been completed. Present Continous ( ) . I am walking. . Here the tense is formed by two word - am walking. It indicates that even as the statement is made I continue to walk. The train is coming. is coming - . - . am walking

Here also, is coming indicates that the process of the coming is still underway. It has not yet come. Present Perfect ( ) . Present Perfect is used to describe actions in the current time that have been completed. Present Continous ( ) I have walked. . The process of walking has been completed. The train has come. has come - .

have walked

- . Here also, has come indicates that the process of the coming is complete. Present Perfect Continous ( )

Present Perfect Continous is used to indicate that some action in the current time has been going on for some time and is not yet over. Present Perfect Continous ( ) . I have been walking. . has been walking -

. Here the tense is formed by three words - have been

walking. It states an action that has been happening for some time and still continues to happen. The train has been coming late for the last ten days. has been coming -

- . This describes an coming of the train, which has been happening for some time and still continues. See also: Past Tense | Future Tense

Past Tense (

See also: Forms of Tenses Present Tense Future Tense When the timeframe of the action being described is in the past, then it is said to be in the Past Tense. ( ) , . In this section we shall dwell on the 4 different forms of the past tense. Use of the proper form is very important in correctly and successfully explaining any action. 4 . .

See the sentences below - Each one of them in the past tense - but the status of the action they convey are different.

I walked -

I was walking - I had walked -

. . . . .

I had been walking -

Past Indefinite (

, )

Past Indefinite is used to express past general truths and habitual actions. Past Indefinite ( ) I walked. There were few schools earlier. Past Continous ( ) - . .

. .

were

Past Continous is used to describe actions in the current time that have not been completed. Past Continous ( ) . I was walking. . was walking - - . .

The train was standing at the platform when I reached. Past Perfect ( )

was standing

Past Perfect is used to describe actions in the current time that have been completed. Past Continous ( ) .

I had walked that day. The train had arrived when I reached the station. Past Perfect Continous ( )

had walked had arrived -

. .

Past Perfect Continous is used to indicate that some action in the past time has been going on for some time and is not yet over in reference to that timeframe. Past Perfect Continous ( ) . I had been walking. . . - had been walking -

The train had been coming late regularly upto last week.

had been coming - .

Future Tense (

See also: Forms of Tenses Present Tense Past Tense When the timeframe of the action under discussion is current, then it is said to be in the Future Tense. In this section we shall dwell on the 4 different forms of the present tense. Use of the proper form is very important in correctly and successfully explaining any action.

See the sentences below - Each one of them in the future tense - but the message they convey are different.

I shall walk -

I shall be walking -

. . . . .

I shall have walked -

I shall have been walking -

Future Indefinite (

, )

Future Indefinite is used to present general truths and habitual actions. Future Indefinite ( ) I shall walk. You will reach Bilaspur in the evening. Future Continous ( ) will reach - -

Future Continous is used to describe actions in the current time that have not been completed. Future Continous ( ) .

 I shall be walking when you reach the ground.

shall be walking .

The train will be standing when you arrive at the station. Future Perfect ( )

will be standing

Future Perfect is used to describe actions in the future that have been completed. Future Perfect ( ) I shall have walked. . - .

. . shall

have walked The train will have arrived by the time you reach. Future Perfect Continous ( )

will have come -

Future Perfect Continous is used to indicate that some action in the future time will be going on for some time and will be not yet over (with reference to that timeframe).

Future Perfect Continous ( .

I shall have been walking.

The train will have been coming on time by next month.

. .

shall have been walking

will have been coming .