5 Tenses = 90% of English

Summary

In this lesson, Lucy introduces the five most commonly used English tenses that make up nearly 90-95% of daily communication. These tenses include the Present Simple, Past Simple, Future Simple, Present Perfect Simple, and Present Continuous. Lucy explains their usage with clear examples, focusing on how these tenses shape both spoken and written English. She also provides a free PDF with more details, examples, and a quiz to further improve grammar understanding. This practical guide is designed to help learners boost their fluency and confidence in English communication.

Takeaways

• 😀 The present simple tense makes up nearly 60% of English communication and is the most commonly used tense in both spoken and written English.
• 😀 There are three main tenses in English: present, past, and future, which are combined with four aspects (simple, continuous, perfect simple, and perfect continuous) to form 12 verb tenses.
• 😀 The five most common verb tenses (present simple, past simple, future simple, present perfect simple, and present continuous) account for nearly 90-95% of everyday English communication.
• 😀 The present simple tense is used for facts, routines, and scheduled events, and it often appears in general statements about truths or habits.
• 😀 The past simple tense is primarily used to talk about completed actions or habitual actions in the past, and it’s essential for narrating past events.
• 😀 The future simple tense is used for predictions, spontaneous decisions, promises, offers, and requests related to the future.
• 😀 The present perfect simple tense is used for actions that started in the past and have relevance to the present, as well as for life experiences and actions at unspecified times.
• 😀 The present continuous tense is used for actions happening now, temporary situations, future plans, and ongoing changes or improvements.
• 😀 The past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses describe actions completed before other past events or actions that were ongoing in the past and ended before another event.
• 😀 A downloadable PDF is available that provides more detailed explanations of the tenses, along with examples and a quiz to help improve understanding and fluency in grammar.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video is to help viewers understand and use the five most common English verb tenses that make up 90% of written and spoken English, enhancing their grammar fluency and accuracy.

Why does the presenter say 90% to 95% of English is made up of five grammar tenses?

The presenter refers to studies that suggest these five grammar tenses cover nearly all spoken and written English, making them essential for fluency. However, she expresses some uncertainty about the exact percentage, stating she prefers 90% as a more reliable estimate.

What are the five most commonly used verb tenses in English according to the video?

The five most commonly used verb tenses are the present simple, past simple, future simple, present perfect simple, and present continuous.

How does the presenter suggest viewers can improve their understanding of these tenses?

The presenter suggests downloading a free PDF that contains detailed information on these five verb tenses, along with examples and a quiz to test the viewer's understanding.

What does the presenter say about the structure of verb tenses in English?

The presenter explains that there are three main tenses—present, past, and future—and four aspects—simple, continuous, perfect simple, and perfect continuous. Combining these creates what is often referred to as 12 verb tenses.

What are some common uses of the present simple tense?

The present simple tense is used to talk about facts, general truths, habits, routines, and scheduled events. It is also used for instructions or directions.

Why is the past simple tense important in English communication?

The past simple tense is crucial for talking about completed actions in the past, narrating events, and expressing habitual actions. It is widely used in storytelling, news articles, and personal narratives.

How does the future simple tense function in English?

The future simple tense is used for spontaneous decisions, predictions, promises, offers, and requests. It helps convey actions that will happen in the future.

What are some of the uses of the present perfect simple tense?

The present perfect simple is used to describe unfinished states, completed actions with relevance to the present, life experiences, and actions at unspecified times in the past.

How is the present continuous tense used in English?

The present continuous tense is used to describe actions happening now, activities that are temporary, future plans, actions around a specific time, and gradual changes or improvements.