Step-by-step instruction: how to determine the time in English. Past tense of the verb in Russian and English

How to determine verb tenses?

  1. what time are you sorry?
  2. thanks you helped me
  3. future
  4. verb tenses are future past and present
  5. need to ask a question
  6. The tense of a verb is determined by the tense of the question to which the given verb answers.

    The past tense of the verb can be easily recognized by the questions "what did you do?", "what did you do?" that is, what I / you / he did or did in the past: yesterday, a week ago, an hour ago. a year ago or just 2 minutes ago. but it's possible like this
    future The tense of the verb is determined by the tense of the question to which this verb answers

    The past tense of the verb can be easily recognized by the questions "what did you do?", "what did you do?" that is, what I / you / he did or did in the past: yesterday, a week ago, an hour ago. a year ago or just 2 minutes ago.

    an action that takes place in the present tense will answer the question "what is he doing?" i.e. what am I doing / are you doing / he is doing at the present moment of time, or in general, he usually does.


    an action that takes place in the present tense will answer the question "what is he doing?" i.e. what am I doing / are you doing / he is doing at the present moment of time, or in general, he usually does.

    The future tense of the verb denotes actions that are only planned, but will be performed later. They answer the questions "what will he do?" and "what will he do?" i.e. the subject will do / will do tomorrow, in an hour, in a week, in a year ..., that is, in the future. In the future tense, the auxiliary verb "to be" is often added: I will write, you will write, he will write. And esch it is possible to ask a question to a glogol. this is also an option. And so we repeat what tenses have verbs.
    FORGENT. FUTURE, PRESENT,

  7. And pour the word what time?
  8. The tense of a verb is determined by the tense of the question to which the given verb answers.

    The past tense of the verb can be easily recognized by the questions "what did you do?", "what did you do?" that is, what I / you / he did or did in the past: yesterday, a week ago, an hour ago. a year ago or just 2 minutes ago.

    an action that takes place in the present tense will answer the question "what is he doing?" i.e. what am I doing / are you doing / he is doing at the present moment of time, or in general, he usually does.

    The future tense of the verb denotes actions that are only planned, but will be performed later. They answer the questions "what will he do?" and "what will he do?" i.e. the subject will do / will do tomorrow, in an hour, in a week, in a year ..., that is, in the future. In the future tense, the auxiliary verb "to be" is often added: I will write, you will write, he will write ....

  9. future The tense of the verb is determined by the tense of the question to which this verb answers

    The past tense of the verb can be easily recognized by the questions "what did you do?", "what did you do?" that is, what I / you / he did or did in the past: yesterday, a week ago, an hour ago. a year ago or just 2 minutes ago.

    an action that takes place in the present tense will answer the question "what is he doing?" i.e. what am I doing / are you doing / he is doing at the present moment of time, or in general, he usually does.

    The future tense of the verb denotes actions that are only planned, but will be performed later. They answer the questions "what will he do?" and "what will he do?" i.e. the subject will do / will do tomorrow, in an hour, in a week, in a year ..., that is, in the future. In the future tense, the auxiliary verb "to be" is often added: I will write, you will write, he will write ...

  10. The tense of a verb is determined by the tense of the question to which the given verb answers.

In fact, the article is planned even a little wider: I will tell you how to accurately recognize the aspect tense and voice of a verb in a sentence.

Any form of the verb in English is described by 3-4 words that express time, view And pledge . For example:

Present Simple Active
Past Perfect Continuous Passive

To correctly determine the form of the verb, use the diagram above. In addition, it is recommended to read the articles: and.

At school, they usually talk about 12 / 16 / 26 (underline as appropriate) “English language times” ... However, in fact, this temporary forms verb. There are three tenses in English. Like ours: Past (Past), Present (Present) and Future (Future).

* Strictly speaking, there are two grammatical tenses in English, but today's article is not about that. If you are interested in discussing this, write comments or take a look at.

  • Times Past: verbs did, was, were, had or any verb in the second form (V2, Ved).
  • Present Time Indicators: verbs do, does, am, is, are, have, has or any verb in the first form (V1, Vs).
  • Future times: will.

** would, could, might belong to a special group: .

Step 2: Define the View

It's a little more complicated here. Conventions: V1 - the first form of the verb, V2 - the second form of the verb, V3 - the third form of the verb, Ving - the verb with the ending -ing.

  • Simple: the sentence contains only V1, V2 or will + V1.
  • Continuous: corresponds to the structure to be + Ving.
  • perfect: corresponds to the structure to have + V3.
  • Perfect Continuous: matches the structure: to have + been + Ving

The above forms are characteristic of the active voice. Go to step 3 to reveal the passive voice.

Step 3: determine the deposit

Structures for the active voice are written above. Passive voice formula: to be + V3. You can try to determine the pledge without formulas. In the case of the passive voice, an action is performed on the object, and not the object itself performs it.

  • Simple Passive: am/is/are/was/were/will be + V3
  • Continuous Passive: being+V3.
  • Perfect Passive: have/has/had/will have + been + V3.
  • Perfect Continuous Passive: not used.

Practicing and learning with examples

1) I don't eat much ice cream.Present Simple Active, because contains do + V1.
2) I was sleeping in the tent yesterday at 12 o'clock.Past Continuous Active, because contains was + Ving.
3) The shop was being visited yesterday at 12 o'clock.Past Continuous Passive, because contains was + being + V3.
4) What have you been doing?Present Perfect Continuous Active, because contains have + been + Ving.
5) The missing kids have been found.Present Perfect Passive, because contains have + been + V3.
6) They will be swimming tomorrow at 7 o'clock.Future Continuous Active, because contains will + be + Ving.

I have tried to cover all the difficult cases. Pay special attention to examples 4 and 5. If something does not fit into the scope of this article, and you still cannot determine the tense of the verb in English, then either you misunderstood something, or you came across: an infinitive, a participle, or gerund.

Instruction

So now practice. Verbs can change by number, and in the singular - also by gender. Moreover, they do not have several forms of faces. For the speech formation of the past tense, it is necessary to use the infinitive stem or the past tense stem with the suffix -l, which change by gender and number. For example: "He talked a lot and passionately and attracted listeners", "She said interesting things and attracted listeners" and "They spoke out of order and attracted an audience."

Moreover, in the form of the masculine singular, the only indicator of gender and number is zero: “Last he was soaked through”, “He prudently warned others about the danger”, “He faithfully guarded the catch”, “The man was very cold and constantly trembling” and "The old one was suddenly deaf and didn't move."

It is also interesting that the historical formation of the past tense, according to the opinion of a large number of linguists, goes back to the perfect participle, which has the suffix -l and is used in the perfect with the present tense and with the help of the auxiliary verb "to be".

Related videos

In Russian, two forms of verbs in the future tense are separated. This future is simple or synthetic and the future is complex or analytical. In addition, and depending on belonging to the first or second category, future tense verbs change in just two ways.

“...only having mastered in the possible perfection ... the native language, we will be able to master the foreign language in the same perfection, but not before….” (F. M. Dostoevsky)

I subscribe to your every word, Fedor Mikhailovich. If the head has basic knowledge of the native language AS A SYSTEM, logical and understandable, then we will easily learn the laws of a foreign language. For such a complex category as “time” and the part of speech “verb”, this is doubly relevant. For reference: at the philological faculty, 1 semester is devoted to the verb and 1 to all other parts of speech - it is the most difficult of all put together! So, let's deal with the tenses of the English verb once and for all.

Why are we only confused? English verb tenses

When I read articles / manuals about English verbs, sometimes it even becomes funny from phrases like this one: “There are 12 tenses in English, and only 3 in Russian. That's why it's difficult for us.”

Is it true: we have 3 times and it is difficult for us.

Lie: there are 12 tenses in English (there are 3 of them, like ours).

Additionally: believe me, our verbs also have a lot of their "troubles". If we deal with them, we will understand English faster. Now we will do just that: we will analyze the Russian system of tenses, and then “impose” it on the English tenses of verbs.

By the way, I did not make a reservation. There are 3 tenses in English:

  • Past (past),
  • Present (present),
  • Future (future).

But each of them has 4 forms:

  • simple,
  • continuous,
  • perfect,
  • perfect continuous.

Thanks to such a detailed system, tenses in English describe the situation in detail and even without context, verbs provide more information than Russian ones.

Learn native verbs a little better

Regarding Russian verbs, we will focus on only two features: time and aspect. Understanding these categories "will give us strength" to comprehend the system of English tenses.

1. The tense of the verb expresses the ratio of the time of action and the moment of speech.

Everything is simple here: if the action took place before the moment of speech, it is in the past; if it takes place after, it is in the future; if during the time, it is in the present.

2. The view characterizes the action as completed or incomplete.

If the action is completed and cannot continue (its limit has been reached), then the verb is perfect and answers the question “what to do?”.

Example: Freeze, sleep, run, go away, etc.

If the action is extended, “there is no end in sight”, then the verb is imperfect and answers the question “what to do?”.

Example: freeze, sleep, run, leave, etc.

View is a constant feature of the verb, the verb does not “change in appearance”, but is always either perfect or imperfect.

IMPERFECT verbs have all three forms of tense.

Example: I was looking for - looking for - I will look for (compound form of the future tense)

PERFECT verbs have only past and future forms.

Example: I found - I will find.

Pay attention to this: if the action is completed (everything, its limit has been reached), then in Russian it can NOT be in the present tense.

3. The real time and the grammatical form of the verb do not always coincide:

Example: He was yesterdaycomesto me andspeaks: "Finally, the sun is out!"

The action takes place yesterday (that is, in the past in relation to the moment of speech), but we express it in the forms of the present tense.

Another example: "The train leaves at three o'clock"

We talk about the future, but use the form of the present tense.

Pay attention to this, because there are similar “inconsistencies” in the English language too (and you don’t need to be afraid of this).

4. We can talk about absolute and relative times.

For example, verbs "gone" And "asleep"– both past tense (absolute). But if we put them in a sentence "After I left, he fell asleep", then the action "gone" will be in the past with respect to the action "asleep". It turns out that the relative time is the one that we see only from the context. Remember this moment.

Relative time can be expressed not only by subordinate clauses, as in the example above, but also with the help of participles, gerunds.

An example with a perfect gerund:Having prepared cake, sheremoved it to the refrigerator. (first cooked, and then removed, here one action follows another)

An example with an imperfect participle:Cooking cake, shereadbook (actions are simultaneous, parallel).

Participle example:removedmom's apartmentlay downrest (first removed, and then lay down).

Key Differences: How to Learn English Verb Tenses Quickly

We are now ready to move on to English verb tenses. As I said above, their tenses provide more comprehensive information about the action even without context (it is grammatically embedded). I will name 5 more important differences in the forms of verbs in English that I discovered while writing this article.

1. A different attitude to the concept of "moment of speech."

Example: a Russian person speaks "I live in Russia". The moment I talk about it, I live. Everything, time is present (we have one).

In English "I live in London" can be "always, constantly" or "at the moment, limitedly, and then something may change." The choice of time (Present Simple or Present Continuous) depends on these conditions.

2. Another significant difference follows from this - the importance of the "time interval" in which the action is performed.

This is perfectly shown by the example described above, and all tenses of the "family" Continuous. I'll give you one more:

Compare: "Iwasin MoscowVlast year" and "Iwasin Moscowforall summer"

There is no difference for a Russian verb: past tense, imperfective form.

However, in English we will translate the first option into Past Simple, and the second into Past Continuous, since the length of time is indicated.

I was in Moscow last year. – I was living in Moscow all summer.

It turns out that indicating a period of time involves the use of the Continuous form.

3. Also important is the "point in time" to which the action will be performed.

Example: a Russian person can say "Iordersoup"(verb of the future tense, perfect form).

In English, such a sentence would be built in the Future Simple: I will order a bowl of soup(spontaneous decision made at the moment of speaking).

To make a verb perfect (perfect form, if we draw an analogy with Russian), you need to indicate a specific point in time by which the action will be completed:

I will have called him backby six o'clock. - I'll call him backcloser to six o'clock(action will end by a certain moment, use Future Perfect)

It turns out that pointing to a point in time involves using the Perfect form.

By the way, the interval and moment of time means NOT only the direct meaning “from 17:00 to 18:00” or “by two o’clock in the morning”, but also the time RELATED to another action / event / state (I did while you did).

He will have bought a new car before his wife comes back from a trip to London. – He will buy a car before his wife returns from a trip to London (he will complete the action UNTIL a certain point, use the Future Perfect).

4. In English, as in Russian, there is the concept of "complete action" (perfect). BUT!

There is a difference, as a result of which English speakers have a perfect present tense: is the result of the action taken in the past or in the present? If in the present, then we use the Present Perfect.

I have broken the cup - as a result of fragments;

Our son has learned how to read - as a result, he knows how to read.

By the way, speaking of the Present Perfect, we will again return to the "moment and length of time." If the action has ended BY PRESENT (just, already) or in a period of time that has NOT ENDED YET (today, this week/month/year), then the time is considered present.

5. In English there are perfect continuous verbs (in Russian, either perfect or imperfect).

She had been working all night long - the translation "She worked all night long" would be logical, but the most accurate meaning of the sentence "Sheworkedall night andfinished workingin the morning”, that is, the action took place in a period of time and ended by its end.

It turns out that an indication of both a segment and a point in time involves the use of the Perfect Continuous form.

English verb tenses with examples

We figured out the theory - let's move on to practice. Let's talk about each specific time. I’ll make a reservation right away that I will NOT describe all cases of using tenses - this information can be found in various sources. I will just describe the BASIC cases of using tenses in English (with examples) and explain their logic.

What is happening in the present

present simple is used when we are talking about a regular, constant, typical action that is NOT tied to the moment of speech.

Example: She speaks 2 foreign languages ​​- She speaks two foreign languages ​​\u200b\u200b(that is, she knows how to speak them, this is her constant characteristic).

Present Continuous is used when we want to show that an action is being performed right now (now). RELATED to the moment of speech.

Example: The doctor is performing an operation now - The doctor is now performing an operation (he is doing it right now, at the time of the speech of the one who reports).

Present Perfect used when the action has completed (there is a result), but the time has not ended.

Example: He has called me today. - He called me today. (the action has already ended, and "today" has not yet ended).

Present Perfect Continuous is used when the action started in the past and is still going on in the present (we emphasize its duration).

Example: She has been watching TV all day. – She watches TV all day (from the very morning until now, can you imagine? Whoa day!).

What happened in the past

past simple used to express an action that happened at a certain time in the past, while the period of time has already ended.

Example: I saw him yesterday. – I saw him yesterday (this day is already over).

Past Continuous indicates a process that was CONTINUED at a certain moment or period in the past.

Example: I was reading a book at midnight - I read a book at midnight (this process was in the past and lasted for some period of time).

past perfect remember Russian relative time. Do you remember the mother who went to bed after cleaning? She cleaned the house in Past Perfect. This is the "Previous" tense.

Example: I had studied English before I moved to Moscow - I learned English BEFORE I moved to Moscow (first I studied the language, and then moved).

Past Perfect Continuous indicates an action that began in the past, continued for some "length of time" and ended by its end (or did not end).

Example: She had been cooking dinner for an hour before I came - She cooked dinner for an hour before I came (The action lasted for a certain period of time, and then ended at a certain moment).

What will happen in the future

Future Simple used to indicate some fact, decision or intention in the future, made at the time of speech.

We will take a taxi. - We will take a taxi (showing the intention in the future, taken now).

Future Continuous indicates a process that will start up to a certain point in the future and will still continue at that point.

I will be studying at university in a year. - I will be studying at the university in a year (the proposal does not indicate when the event will start or end, it is about this particular moment in time, which lasts now, but in a year).

Future Perfect used to express a future action that will take place up to a certain point in the future.

He will have gone by then. - He will have left by then (the action will be completed by the moment indicated in the context).

Future Perfect Continuous shows an action that will start EARLIER than another future action, will have some RESULT by this point, but will CONTINUE after it.

We will have been living together for 12 years next year - Next year we will live together for 12 years (the moment is indicated - next year, the duration is shown - for the whole 12 years! But the action does not even think to end).

But this form is used extremely rarely and is replaced by either Future Continuous or Future Perfect.

We are looking for logic in everything: tenses in English "for dummies"

By the way, if you understand the logic of the main meaning of this or that time, then additional use cases will perfectly fall on it.

1. For example: using Present Continuous when we want to show dissatisfaction, irritation.

He is always coming late! - He's always late.

We're talking habit! Why is the Present Simple not used? Because we point to the duration, the continuity of this action. “Well, how long can this go on” - Present Continuous is indignant in this case.

2. Another example: the use of Present Simple in the schedules of buses, trains, movie screenings, etc.

The train leaves at 8 a.m - The train leaves at 8 am.

Why is the present tense used for actions that will take place in the future? Because it's repetitive. A more detailed comparison of Simple and Continuous.

So, in almost every case, you can find a completely visual explanation. If it still doesn’t work out, well, you have to remember. Still, a different language means a different way of thinking 🙂

Our YouTube video will help you understand even better.

What verbs change with tenses?

First, we need to remember that when we talk about tense forms of a verb, we are talking about the indicative mood, that is, we are talking about an action that, in our opinion, is happening, has happened or will happen in reality.

In the imperative and conditional mood, verbs do not have tense forms.

Verb tenses

A verb in Russian has three tenses: present, past and future.

Verbs in the present tense denote actions performed at the moment of speech, that is, at the moment when we pronounce this verb (I running- this means that I say the word "running" and running at the same time).

Verbs in the past tense denote an action that took place or took place BEFORE we uttered this word: I fled, came running- so now, when I say this, I'm not running anymore. Performed or performed an action before the moment of speech.

A verb in the future tense denotes an action that has taken place or will take place after we have pronounced this verb.

Verb change by tenses

Let's change the tenses of the verb walk.

In the past time: walked - what did you do? Walked, walked, walked, walked. I have already gone there and returned.

Past tense:

Present tense. What do you do, do, do? and so on : walk, walk, walk

Present tense:

I go we go

you go you go

he walks they walk

Future tense. I will walk, you will walk. In this case, the person and number are determined by the auxiliary verb, to which personal endings are attached (I will, you will, we will), and the verb itself walk is in indefinite form. This form of the future tense is called future complex.

Future tense:

I will at we will walk eat walk

you will eat you will walk ee walk

he will no they will walk ut walk

All three tense forms: past, present, future, and the future is complex, will be in imperfective verbs - walk, decide but not solve), sign, draw.

Only two tense forms: past and future, and the future is simple - for perfective verbs: come, decide, sign, draw.

Present tense forms are not formed from perfective verbs.

Education is temporarý x forms

Firstly, some verb forms are formed not only with the help of endings, but also with the help of suffixes.

For example, the suffix - l- the past tense does not form a new word, but forms the form of the past tense, i.e., unlike the vast majority of suffixes in Russian, it is formative, not word-forming and, therefore, is not included in the stem, just like the suffix - be indefinite form and suffix - And imperative mood.

Walk- l, laugh- l-ah, I think- l-and, come- l-axis.

Secondly, the verb for the formation of tense forms usually uses not one stem, like a noun and an adjective, but two!

Vowel spelling before l in past tense verbs

In past tense verbs before l the same vowel is written as in the indefinite form: depend - depended, bark - barked.

Bibliography

  1. Russian language. Grade 6 / Baranov M.T. and others - M .: Education, 2008.
  2. Babaitseva V.V., Chesnokova L.D. Russian language. Theory. 5-9 cells - M.: Bustard, 2008.
  3. Russian language. 6 cells / Ed. MM. Razumovskaya, P.A. Lekanta. - M.: Bustard, 2010.
  1. Lik-bez.com ().
  2. School-collection.edu.ru ().

Homework

Exercise number 1.

Rewrite, inserting the missing letters, find the verbs and determine their tense.

SOUNDS OF SPRING.

Thousands of sounds are born in the spring in the revived forest. From the stump to the hemp, he tried ... stinging, the mouse squeaked thinly ..., boomed, hit the b ... cut and the beetle fell heavily. On m ... kushka b ... cuts will soon c ... cuckoo cuckoo. On the very top of the oak, a wild dove will coo. At sunset, from ... ntsa, an owl hoots terribly in the forest.

Exercise number 2.

Find the verbs in the present tense and write them down.

1. Fell 6. Dancing

2. Reads 7. Wash

3. They laugh 8. I will paint

4. I'll write 9. We'll weld