Using Future Indefinite Tense through Dialogues

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This page shows different ways of using the Future Indefinite Tense (or Simple Future) through dialogues from English literature.
The Future Indefinite expresses an action that will take place in the future. It may be a single point action, an action occupying a whole period of time, a succession of actions, recurrent actions in the future or a permanent future action generally characterizing the person or thing denoted by the subject. The Future Indefinite may be associated with adverbs and adverbial expressions of time or time clauses.

Illustrative Examples:

1. Catherine and Frederic are in Switzerland. There was a snow storm the day before.

Catherine: I wish I could ski. It’s rotten not to be able to ski.
Frederic: We’ll get a bobsled and come down the road. That’s no worse for you than riding a car.
Catherine: Won’t it be rough?
Frederic: We can see.
Catherine: I hope it won’t be too rough.
Frederic: After a while we’ll take a walk in the storm.
Catherine: Before lunch, so we’ll have a good appetite.
Frederic: I’m always hungry.
Catherine: So am I.

(E. Hemingway. A Farewell to Arms)

Using Past Indefinite through Dialogues

• Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Using Past Indefinite 

This page shows different ways of using the Past Indefinite (or Simple Past) through dialogues from English literature.

I

The Past Indefinite is used to express a single action completed in the past. It is performed within a period of time which is already over. An indication of the past time is given or implied in the situation. The speaker is mostly interested in the circumstances of the action, not the action itself.

Illustrative Examples:

1. The children in the junior form have great difficulty in writing compositions, so the teacher is trying to teach them how to do it; they are writing together on the blackboard a composite account of the holiday.

The teacher: John, tell me something that you did.
John: Went to the seaside, miss.
The teacher: How?
John: Bus.
The teacher: By yourself?
John: No. Lot of us kids went. Us went with the Mothers’ Union, miss.
The teacher: Right. Now put all that into sentences that I can write on the blackboard. Well, come along. You can start by saying, “During the holidays I went to the seaside.” What shall we put next?
Anne: I went in a bus.
The teacher: Now what?
The teacher: I went with the Mother’s Union.
Another pupil: I went with some others.
Another pupil: I went on a Saturday.
Another pupil: I went with my sister.

(Miss Read. Village School)

Using Present Indefinite Tense through Dialogues

• Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Using Present Indefinite 

This page shows different ways of using the Present Indefinite through dialogues from English literature.

The Present Indefinite mainly expresses permanent or recurrent actions in the present.

I

a) We find permanent actions or states with durative verbs. They generally indicate continuous uninterrupted or repeated processes representing permanent features and relationships. They give a general characteristic to the person or thing denoted by the subject. Time indications are not obligatory in this case.

Illustrative Examples:

1. Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher stay at school after classes and talk about their likes and dislikes.

Tom: Do you love rats?
Becky: No, I hate them!
Tom: Well, I do, too — live ones. But I mean dead ones, to swing round your head with a string.
Becky: No, I don't care for rats much, anyway. What I like is chewing-gum!..
Tom: Do you? I've got some. I'll let you chew it awhile, but you must give it back to me.

(M. Twain. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer)

The Passive Voice

The Passive Voice: grammar rules, explanations and examples.

The Formation of the Passive Voice

auxiliary verb to be + Participle II 

A passive verb form is made with the auxiliary verb to be (in the different tenses) and the past participle of the main verb.

Affirmative	Interrogative	Negative
I am told. She is told. He is told. It is made. We are told. You are told. They are told.	Am I told? Is she told? Is he told? Is it made? Are we told? Are you told? Are they told?	I am not told. He is not told. She is not told. It is not made. We are not told. You are not told. They are not told.

The subject of a passive verb is usually the person or thing that is affected be the action of the verb. 

Compare: 

I wrote this letter. (Active) → This letter was written by me. (Passive)

The Perfect Continuous Tenses

The Perfect Continuous Tenses: grammar rules, examples and using.
(In English, the  perfect continuous tenses can also be called the perfect progressive tenses.)
present perfect continuous
past perfect continuous
future perfect continuous

The Present Perfect Continuous

The Formation of the Present Perfect Continuous

auxiliary verb to have (have/has ) been  + Participle I 

(the present perfect tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb.)

Affirmative	Interrogative	Negative
I have been studying. He has been studying. She has been studying. It has been studying. We have been studying. You have been studying. They have been studying.	Have I been studying? Has he been studying? Has she been studying? Has it been studying? Have we been studying? Have you been studying? Have they been studying?	I have not been studying. He has not been studying. She has not been studying. It has not been studying. We have not been studying. You have not been studying. They have not been studying.

(Verb Contractions: I have = I’ve; he has = he’s; she has = she’s; it has = it’s;  we have = we’ve; you have = you’ve;  they have = they’ve; have not = haven't; has not = hasn't) 

The Present Perfect Continuous denotes an action which began in the past, has been going on up to the present and may be still going on.
 
Note: - The Present Perfect denote a complete action while with the Present Perfect Continuous there is no implication of completeness.

Key examples: 
I have been living here for three years.
The members of Parachute (rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia) graduated from college in May 2008 and since then have been touring and promoting their debut album Losing Sleep and sophomore album The Way It Was full-time.  For study:

1. I have been studying English for 5 years.
   I have studied English. I know it.
2. I have been reading English books all these years.
   I have read “David Copperfield”. I can speak about it.
3. We have been practising at the language laboratory for 3 years.
   I have practised this sound thoroughly.
4. We have been working all the time.
   I have worked hard on my composition. I like it.

The Indefinite Tenses

The Indefinite Tenses: grammar rules, usage and patterns.
present indefinite (or present simple)
future indefinite (or future simple)
past indefinite (or past simple)

The Present Indefinite

The Formation of the Present Indefinite

Affirmative	Interrogative	Negative
I work. He works. She works. It works. We work. You work. They work.	Do I work? Does he work? Does she work? Does it work? Do we work? Do you work? Do they work?	I do not work. He does not work. She does not work. It does not work. We do not work. You do not work. They do not work.

The Present Indefinite is used to denote:
1) customary and permanent actions or states.

Affirmative Sentences 

Key example:
I study English. Ann studies English.

For study:
What do I do in the morning?         What does Ann do in the morning?

I get up at 7. I do morning exercises. I take a shower. I get my breakfast ready.

Ann gets up at 7. Ann does morning exercises. Ann takes a shower. Ann gets her breakfast ready.

What do I usually do?                        What does Ann usually do?

I seldom switch the TV on. I often play the piano. I usually read books. I always listen to the latest news. I often take a walk. I never have my supper late.

Ann seldom switches the TV on. Ann often plays the piano. Ann usually reads books. Ann always listens to the latest news. Ann often takes a walk. Ann never has her supper late.

The Continuous Forms

The Continuous Tenses: grammar rules, usage and examples.
present continuous 
past continuous
future continuous

The Present Continuous

The Formation of the Present Continuous

auxiliary verb to be (is/are) + Participle I 

(the present tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb.)

Affirmative	Interrogative	Negative
I am walking. He is walking. She is walking. It is walking. We are walking. You are walking. They are walking.	Am I walking? Is he walking? Is she walking? Is it walking? Are we walking? Are you walking? Are they walking?	I am not walking. He is not walking. She is not walking. It is not walking. We are not walking. You are not walking. They are not walking.

The Present Continuous is used to denote:
1) an action going on at the present moment.

Key example: 
Children are going to school now.

For study: 
Look out of the window in the morning!

1. Cars are running along the street.
2. People are hurrying to work. 
3. Children are going to school.
4. Some are crossing the street.
5. A milkmaid is pouring milk into a jug. 
6. A man is selling newspapers. 
7. A woman is approaching the grocery.

Comparison of Adjectives

The Formation of Degrees of Comparison

	Positive degree	Comparative degree	Superlative degree
a).	long gay big pretty	longer gayer bigger prettier	the longest the gayest the biggest the prettiest
b).	useful correct difficult	more useful more correct more difficult	the most useful the most correct the most difficult
c).	good bad many / much little	better worse more less	the best the worst the most the least

There is, There are

There is, There are

Key examples:

There is a piano in the room.
There are no people there.

Usage: the construction there is, there are is used when we state the presence or absence of something at some place.

For study:

There is (are)	There is (are) no
1. There is a table in the kitchen.	1. There is no table in the kitchen.
2. There is a cupboard near the window.	2. There is no cupboard near the window.
3. There is a shelf in the corner.	3. There is no shelf in the corner.
4. There is a refrigerator opposite the door.	4. There is no refrigerator opposite the door.
5. There are plates in the cupboard.	5. There are no plates in the cupboard.
6. There are pots on the shelf.	6. There are no pots on the shelf.
7. There are knives in the drawer.	7. There are no knives in the drawer.