ADVANCED

ENGLISH
GRAMMAR
ETI 109
*Present and Future Tenses

 Simple Present (I do)

 Present Progressive/Continuous (I am doing)
 Future Simple (I will), Going to and Present Progressive
 Future Progressive/Continuous (I will be doing)
 Future Perfect (I will have done)
 Future Perfect Continuous (I will have been doing)
 Future in the Past (would, was/were going to, past progressive)
The Simple Present Tense
Expresses a habit or often repeated action.
Adverbs of frequency such as, often, seldom,
sometimes, never, etc. are used with this
tense.

She goes to work everyday.

They always eat lunch together.
The Simple Present Tense
This tense also expresses general truths or
facts that are timeless.

Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

The Simple Present Tense

 We use the present simple to describe things that are always

true, or situations that exist now and, as far as we know, will go
on indefinitely.
 Example:
• It takes me five minutes to get to school.
• Trees grow more quickly in summer than in winter.
• Liz plays the violin brilliantly.
The Simple Present Tense

■ The present simple is used to report what we have heard or what

we have read:
• This newspaper article explains why unemployment has been
rising so quickly.
The Simple Present Tense

■ We often prefer to use the present simple with verbs describing

states:
• I really enjoy travelling.
• The group currently consists of five people, but we hope to get
more members soon.
■ Other common state verbs include agree, assume, believe,
belong to, contain, cost, disagree, feel, hate, have, hope,
know, like, look, love, own, prefer, realise, regret, resemble,
smell, taste.
The Simple Present Tense

■ When we tell a story or joke we often describe the main events

using the present (or past) simple.
• She goes (or went) up to this man and looks (or looked) straight
into his eyes.
The Simple Present Tense

■ Common time adverbials:

always, often, usually, sometimes, never
every day, every week, every year ...
twice a week, once a month
regularly, seldom, hardly ever, occasionally
■ Exercise:
 Explain how you boil an egg or start to drive a car. Begin
'First I ...’
The Present Progressive
This tense is used to describe an action that
is occurring right now (at this moment, today,
this year, etc.). The action has begun and is
still in progress.

She is typing a paper for her class.

He can’t talk. He is fixing the sink right now.
The Present Progressive
The present progressive can also be used to
describe an action that is occurring in the
present, but is/may be temporary.

John is living in London, but he might move

soon.
The Present Progressive

■ We use the present continuous when we talk about changes,

developments, and trends:
• I'm beginning to realise how difficult it is to be a teacher.
■ When we want to emphasise that something is done repeatedly,
we can use the present continuous with words like always,
constantly, continually, or forever. Often we do this when we
want to show that we are unhappy about it, including our own
behaviour:
• They're constantly having parties until the early hours of the
morning.
The Present Progressive

■ We often use time expressions such as at the moment, at

present, currently, just, and still to emphasise that the action or
event is happening now:
• 'Have you done the shopping?' I’m just going.'
■ Exercise:
• Talk about two or three things that you're doing a lot just around
now.
-Simple Present or Present
Progressive
■ The simple present is used for things that happen one after
another, and the present progressive for longer background
situations.
• I put some butter in a frying pan. While the butter is melting, I
break three eggs into a bowl and beat them ...
 Repeated actions just around the moment of speaking: present
progressive. Other repeated actions: simple present.
• Why is he hitting the dog?
• I go to the mountains about twice a year.
-Simple Present or Present
Progressive
■ Some verbs are rarely or never used in progressive forms, even
if we are talking about what is happening at a particular
moment.
• I don't like her hairstyle.
• I called because I need to talk.
-Simple Present or Present
Progressive
■ Many of these verbs refer to states rather than actions. Here is a
list of the most common ones.
■ mental and emotional states; use of the senses
■ assume, believe, doubt, feel (= 'have an opinion ), hate, hear,
imagine (= 'suppose'), know, (dis)Iike, love, prefer, realise,
recognise, regret, remember, see, smell, suppose, taste, think (=
'have an opinion ), understand, want, wish.
■ communicating, causing reactions
■ (dis)agree, appear astonish, deny, impress, mean, please,
promise, satisfy, seem, surprise.
-Simple Present or Present
Progressive
■ other state verbs
■ be, belong, concern, consist, cost, depend, deserve, fit, have
(='possess'), include, involve, Iack, matter, measure (= 'have
length etc'), need, owe, own, possess, resemble, weigh (='have
weight')’
■ Some of these verbs may occasionally be used in progressive
forms, especially to emphasise the idea of change, development
or novelty.
• As I get older, I'm remembering less and less.
• I didn't expect to like this place, but I'm really loving it.
-Simple Present or Present
Progressive
■ Look (meaning 'seem') can often be progressive or not, with
little difference.
• You look / You’re looking a bit tired today.
 Smell and taste can be progressive when we are talking about
the deliberate use of the senses to find something out.
• This meat smells funny. I (can) smell smoke
• 'What are you doing?' 'I'm smelling the fish to see if it's OK.'
-Simple Present or Present
Progressive
■ «Feel» (referring to physical sensations) can be progressive or
not, with little difference.
• I feel / I'm feeling fine.
 «See» can be progressive when it means ‘meet’.
• I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow.
■ Exercise:
■ - Swan, M. L., & Walter, C. (2011). Oxford English grammar
course: Advanced, pp. 27-29.
 The Future
Will and be + going + to are often used to
describe future actions.

Thomas will graduate in June.

Maria is going to go to Mexico next week.
 The Future
The simple present and present progressive
are also used to express future time. These
are often used in connection with schedules.

She is meeting a new client at eleven o’clock.

The train leaves at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.
The Future

■ Tips
 We use «going to» rather than «will» when we PREDICT that
something will happen in the future because we have some
evidence for it now. It may be that we predict an event that is
just about to happen on the basis of something that we feel, see
(etc.) now.
 We prefer «will» (the most common form) when we are simply
giving information about the future, with no special reason for
using present forms.
The Future

• I'm seeing Janet on Tuesday. (the arrangement exists now.)

• I wonder if she'll recognise me. (no evidence)
 However, if we make a prediction based on our opinion or our
past experience we use «will»:
• Why not come over at the weekend? The children will enjoy
seeing you again.
The Future

■ When we talk about INTENTIONS or DECISIONS about the

future that were made some time before we report them, we
prefer «going to» or «the present continuous».
• 'Who's arranging the party?' 'Jo's going to do it.' (- this has been
planned)
• Toni told me that she's going to move back to Spain. (= reporting
an intention)
The Future

■ However, notice that in a formal style, we use «will» rather than

«going to» to talk about future events that have been previously
arranged in some detail:
• The meeting will begin at 10.00 am. Coffee will be available from
9.30 onwards.
 When we state a decision made at the moment of speaking, we
prefer «will»:
• 'Is that the phone? "Don't worry. I'll get it.’
• It's late. I think I'll go to bed now.
The Future

■ We can use «will» or «going to» with little difference in

meaning in the main clause of an «if-sentence» when we say that
something (often something negative) is conditional on
something else - it will happen if something else happens first:
• If we go on like this, we'll / we're going to lose all our money.
• You'll / You're going to knock that glass over if you're not more
careful.
The Future

■ However, we use «will», not «going to», when we describe a

future event that follows another. Often 'if' has a meaning
similar to 'when' in this kind of sentence:
• If you move to your left, you'll be able to see the church.
The Future

■ «Be going to» and «the present progressive» are particularly

common in spoken English, as ways of talking about the future.
This is because conversation is often about future events that we
can see coming, so present forms are natural. In written English,
these forms are less often used. «Will» is extremely common in
writing, because written language tends to deal with less
immediate future events, when we do not see the future in the
present.
The Future

■ We can use «shall (or shan’t)» instead of «will (or won’t)» in

statements about the future with «I» and «we», although it is
more common to use «will/won’t» as «shall» is dying out.:
• When I retire, I shall/will have more time for my painting.
• The stronger we are, the more we shall/will be able to help others.
■ In current English we don't use shall/shan't with other subjects
(it, she, they, etc.) when we talk about the future.
The Future

■ In older English, «shall» was used to talk about «obligation»

(rather like «should»). This meaning still survives in first-person
questions, where «shall» is used to ask for «instructions» or
«suggestions,» or «offer services».
• What time shall we come round? Shall I take your coat?
 Legal documents, such as contracts, often use «shall» to express
«obligation».
• The hirer shall be responsible for maintenance of the vehicle.
(from a car-hire contract)
*be + infinitive: I om to ... etc

■ We often say that something «is to happen» when we talk about

official plans and fixed arrangements.
• The Prime Minister is to visit British soldiers in Antarctica.
• Our firm is to merge with Universal Export.
 The structure is common in «if clauses», where the main clause
expresses a «pre-condition» - something that must happen first if
something else is to happen.
• We’d better hurry if we're to get there by lunchtime.
• You'll need to start working if you're to pass your exam.
*be + infinitive: I om to ... etc

■ The structure can also be used (for example by parents) to give

orders.
• You're to do your homework before you go to bed.
• Tell Jenny she's not to be back late.
■ Exercise:
■ - Swan, M. L., & Walter, C. (2011). Oxford English grammar
course: Advanced, pp. 31-33.
 The Future Progressive
This tense is used to describe an event or
action that will occur over a period of time at a
specific point in the future.
at 10 a.m. tomorrow
by the time you arrive

I will be teaching English at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

They will be moving their furniture out of the house
by the time you arrive tomorrow.
The Future Progressive

■ Compare the use of will and the future continuous in these

sentences:
• Ann will help us organise the party. (= she is willing to help)
• Ann will be helping us to organise the party. (= a previous
arrangement)
• Will you come to the concert? (= an invitation)
• Will you be coming to the concert? (= asking about a possible
previous arrangement)
The Future Progressive

• We'll join you in half an hour. (= I have just decided)

• We'll be joining you in half an hour. (= a previous arrangement)
■ When we use «the future continuous», we are often referring
simply to some future event or action that has been previously
arranged. However, we use «will,» not «the future continuous»,
to talk about such things as decisions that people have made,
willingness to do things, inviting, promising, etc.
The Future Progressive

■ You can use «the future continuous» rather than «will» or «the
present continuous» for the future to sound particularly polite
when you ask about people's plans.
• Will you be starting work on the room today? You see, I hope to
use it for a meeting tomorrow.
 The Future Perfect
This tense is used to describe an event or
action that will be completed before another
event or time in the future.

will have finished the exam class ends

We will have finished the exam by the time class

ends tomorrow.
Future Perfect Progressive
This tense describes an action that has been
in progress for a duration of time before
another event or time in the future.

finishes law school

will have been living in the U.S. for

eight years

By the time he finishes law school, we will have

been living in the U.S. for eight years.
Future Perfect Progressive
■ We can use the future perfect continuous to emphasise how long
something has been going on by a particular point in the future:
• On Saturday, we will have been living in this house for a year.
• Next year I will have been working in the company for 30 years.
■ In sentences with the future perfect continuous we usually
mention both the particular point in the future ('On Saturday...',
'Next year...') and the period of time until this point ('...for a
year’, '...for 20 years'). Notice that we don't usually use the
future perfect continuous with verbs describing states :
• Next month I will have known Derek for 20 years, (not ...will
have been knowing...)
*future in the past

■ There are a number of ways of talking about an activity or event

that was in the future at a particular point in the past.
 past progressive
 was/were going to
 would
 was/were to, etc.
*future in the past

• The new computer will arrive next week.

• Our computer was broken and we hoped the new one would
arrive soon.
• I'm going to grow tomatoes and carrots this summer.
• During the winter I decided that I was going to grow tomatoes
and carrots when the summer came.
• I'm collecting my mother from the station this afternoon.
• I left the meeting early because I was collecting my mother at
3.30.
*future in the past

• As it's raining, I think I'll be going home by taxi.

• Jane she said that she would be going home by taxi because of
the rain.
• The exam will have finished by 3 o'clock, so I'll see you then.
• The exam was so easy that most people would have finished
after 30 minutes.
• The Prime Minister has announced that there is to be an election
on May 1st.
• I was on holiday in Greece when I heard there was to be an
election back home.
*future in the past

■ When we use was/were to have + past participle we are

talking about something that had been arranged, but did not
happen.
• The Lord Mayor was to have laid the foundation stone but he
was taken ill last night so the Lady Mayoress is doing it instead.
■ Exercise:
■ - Swan, M. L., & Walter, C. (2011). Oxford English grammar
course: Advanced, pp. 38-39.
■ Homework:
 Write a short story (max. 1 page) by using simple and future
tenses.