TENSES AND MODAL AUXILIARIES
Contents Tenses and modal auxiliaries ............................................ 3 Tenses ............................................................................... 4 Simple present ............................................................... 5 Present continuous ........................................................ 6 Simple past ..................................................................... 7 Past continuous .............................................................. 8 Future (going to) ............................................................ 9 Future (will) .................................................................. 10 Future continuous ........................................................ 11 Present perfect ............................................................. 12 Present perfect continuous .......................................... 13 Past perfect .................................................................. 14 Past perfect continuous ............................................... 15 Future perfect .............................................................. 16 Future perfect continuous............................................ 17 Modals ............................................................................ 18 Modals are different from normal verbs: ..................... 19 Possibility: .................................................................... 20 Ability ........................................................................... 21 Obligation and Advice .................................................. 22 Permission .................................................................... 23 Habits ........................................................................... 24
Tenses and modal auxiliaries In English, we have a lot of elements that we use to make since simple things like simple sentences, to big paragraphs and even books. Some very important parts are the parts of speech, but they, joined by themselves, make sentences and every single sentence has its own TENSE, and more complex sentences are compound by MODAL VERBS or HELPING VERBS.
Tenses In English we have thirteen tenses that are what give sense to the information we are writing and each one of them has its own usage and some specific auxiliaries that help us when distinguishing. Some of them have different uses and purposes.
Simple present Subject + main verb + complement Use: This tense is used for: actions in the present taking place once, never or several times, facts, actions taking place one after another or action set by a timetable or schedule.
Examples: My sister lives in Washington. The sun rises in the east.
Present continuous Subject + auxiliary verb to be + verb-ing
Use: This tense is used to make reference to actions taking place in the moment of speaking, actions taking place only for a limited period of time, or actions arranged for the future.
Examples: Andrew is watching TV right now. My sister is living in Washington.
Simple past Subject + verb in past + complement
Use:  Simple past tense is used for actions in the past taking place once, never or several times; actions taking place one after another, and actions taking place in the middle of another action.
Examples:  The mail came early this morning.  Dad worked in advertising for ten years.
Past continuous Subject + auxiliary verb to be (past) + verb-ing form
Use: This tense is used for actions going on at a certain time in the past, actions taking place at the same time, actions in the past that is interrupted by another action.
Examples: I was sewing when the phone rang. I was meeting a lot of people at that time.
Future (going to) Subject + am/is/are + going to + verb
Use: We use this tense to express an action that we are sure it is going to happen
Examples: Jim is going to bring his sister tonight. I don’t fell well, I’m going to faint.
Future (will) Subject + will + verb
Use: We use this tense to express an action that probably will happen, or for decisions that we make at the moment.
Examples: I will call you after lunch. You will past the test. Don’t worry.
Future continuous Subject + will + verb
Use: It’s used to express an action that sill be ongoing at a particular time in the future, or for future actions which have already been decides.
Examples: At noon tomorrow, I’ll be talking the children to their piano lessons. I’ll be wearing my black evening dress to the dinner.
Present perfect Subject + auxiliary have/has + past participle verb
Use: We use it when we talk about and action that took place many times at an unspecific time in the past, or an action that began in the past and continues up to the present, and thing s that have just happened.
Examples: He’s just gone to sleep. I’ve been here for two hours.
Present perfect continuous Subject + auxiliary have/has + been + verb-ing
Use:  This tense is used to express an action that took place over a period of time in the past or and action that has been happening until the present.
Examples:  Laura has been studying for two hours.
Past perfect Subject + auxiliary had + past participle verb
Use: Past perfect is about a past action that occurred before another past action, and for an action that was expected to occur in the past.
Examples: Tom had left hours before we got there. I had hoped to know about the job before now.
Past perfect continuous Subject + auxiliary had + been + veb-ing
Use:  Past perfect continuous expresses an action that occurred before another past action, or an action that was expected to occur in the past.
Examples:  I had been expecting his change in attitude.
Future perfect Subject + will have + past participle verb
Use: It’s used for an action that will be completed before a particular time in the future.
Examples: By next July, my parents will have been married for fifty years.
Future perfect continuous Subject + will have + been + verb-ing
Use: It’s used for emphasizing the length of time that has occurred before a specific time in the future.
Examples: By May, my father will have been working at the same job for thirty years.
Modals All the auxiliary verbs except be, do and have are called modals. Unlike other auxiliary verbs modals only exist in their helping form; they cannot act alone as the main verb in a sentence. Be, do, and have also differ from the other auxiliaries in that they can also serve as ordinary verbs in a given sentence.
The modal verbs are: CAN / COULD / MAY / MIGHT / MUST / SHALL / SHOULD / OUGHT TO / WILL / WOULD
Modals are different from normal verbs: They don't use an 's' for the third person singular. They make questions by inversion ('she can go' becomes 'can she go?'). They are followed directly by the infinitive of another verb (without 'to').
Possibility: First, they can be used when we want to say how sure we are that something happened / is happening / will happen. We often call these 'modals of deduction' or 'speculation' or 'certainty' or 'probability'.
Examples: It's snowing, so it must be very cold outside. I don't know where John is. He could have missed the train. Ability
Ability We use 'can' and 'could' to talk about a skill or ability.
Examples: She can speak six languages. My grandfather could play golf very well. I can't drive.
Obligation and Advice We can use verbs such as 'must' or 'should' to say when something is necessary or unnecessary, or to give advice.
Examples: Children must do their homework. We have to wear a uniform at work. You should stop smoking.
Permission We can use verbs such as 'can', 'could' and 'may' to ask for and give permission. We also use modal verbs to say something is not allowed.
Examples: Could I leave early today, please? You may not use the car tonight. Can we swim in the lake?
Habits We can use 'will' and 'would' to talk about habits or things we usually do, or did in the past.
Examples:  When I lived in Italy, we would often eat in the restaurant next to my flat.  John will always be late!