All English tenses in 20 minutes | Present, Past, Future | Simple, Continuous, Perfect

Summary

This lesson provides a comprehensive review of all 16 English tenses, offering a quick yet thorough overview of each. It covers present, past, and future tenses, with explanations for their use in routines, temporary actions, completed past events, and future plans. The lesson highlights important distinctions, such as the difference between the present simple and continuous, and the use of 'used to' for past habits. It also explores advanced tenses like the future perfect continuous and present perfect, focusing on the impact of actions over time. The video serves as an essential guide to understanding how tenses fit together in English grammar.

Takeaways

• 😀 The present simple tense is used for routines, permanent situations, and facts.
• 😀 The present continuous tense describes actions happening now or temporary situations.
• 😀 The past simple tense is for actions completed in the past, often with a time reference.
• 😀 The past continuous tense indicates actions happening over a period of time or interruptions in the past.
• 😀 'Used to' expresses actions or situations that no longer occur in the present.
• 😀 The present perfect simple is used for actions that began in the past and continue to the present, or for life experiences.
• 😀 The present perfect continuous focuses on ongoing actions that started in the past and continue into the present.
• 😀 The past perfect simple describes an action completed before another past event.
• 😀 The future tense has several forms, including 'will' for spontaneous decisions, 'going to' for pre-planned intentions, and the present continuous for scheduled arrangements.
• 😀 The future perfect simple is used when something will be completed by a certain time in the future.
• 😀 The future continuous tense describes actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future, while the future perfect continuous looks at the duration of actions in the future.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the present simple tense?

The present simple tense is used to describe routines or habits, permanent situations, and facts. For example, 'I play tennis every Friday' (routine), 'I live in Oxford' (permanent situation), and 'Water boils at 100°C' (fact).

How is the present continuous tense different from the present simple tense?

The present continuous tense is used for actions happening at the moment of speaking or for temporary situations. It contrasts with the present simple, which is used for routines or permanent situations. For example, 'I’m having dinner' (present continuous) vs. 'I play tennis every Friday' (present simple).

What are some common uses of the past simple tense?

The past simple tense is used for completed actions in the past, especially when a time reference is included. It is also used to describe actions in chronological order, like 'I woke up, had breakfast, and then left for work.'

Can you explain the difference between past simple and past continuous tenses?

The past simple tense describes actions that happened and were completed in the past, while the past continuous tense is used for actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past, or actions that were interrupted. For example, 'I lived in London' (past simple) vs. 'I was living in London when I met him' (past continuous).

What is the use of the phrase 'used to' in English grammar?

'Used to' refers to actions or situations that were habitual or regular in the past but are no longer true. For example, 'I used to smoke' means that smoking was a habit in the past, but it no longer happens.

How do we use the present perfect tense?

The present perfect tense is used for actions or situations that started in the past and continue into the present, or for actions that have relevance to the present. For example, 'I’ve started reading his latest book' suggests an action that began in the past and continues into the present.

What is the difference between the present perfect simple and the present perfect continuous?

The present perfect simple is used to emphasize the result of an action (e.g., 'I’ve done the shopping'), while the present perfect continuous focuses on the ongoing nature of an activity (e.g., 'I’ve been painting the kitchen').

When do we use the past perfect tense?

The past perfect tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another action in the past. For example, 'Mary had already left when John rang the doorbell.'

How is the future tense expressed in English, and what are the different forms?

There are several ways to express the future in English: the 'will' future (for spontaneous decisions, predictions, and promises), 'going to' (for planned actions or predictions based on evidence), the present continuous (for planned events or arrangements), and the present simple (for schedules or timetables).

What does the future perfect tense indicate?

The future perfect tense indicates that an action will be completed before a specific point in the future. For example, 'I will have finished the work by next Friday' means the work will be completed by that future time.