4. The perfect progressive tenses
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1.
The Simple Tenses |
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Tenses and Use |
Example |
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Simple Present In general, the simple
present expresses events or situation that exist always, usually, habitually;
it exists now, has existed in the past, and probably will exist in the
future. |
- It rains
in Cambodia. - - Dara watches television every day. |
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Simple Past At one particular time in the past, this happened.
It began and ended in the past. |
- It rained in Cambodia yesterday. -
Dara watched
television last night. |
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Simple Future At one particular
time in the future, this will happen. |
-
It will
rain in tomorrow. -
It is
going to rain tomorrow. -
Dara will
watch television tonight. -
Dara is
going to watch television tonight. |
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2.
The Progressive Tenses |
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Form: be + verb-ing Meaning: The progressive tenses; give the idea that
an action is in progress during a particular time. The tenses say that an
action begins before, is in progress during, and continues after
another time or action. |
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Present Progressive |
-
Dara is
sleeping right now. It is now 2:00 pm. Dara went to sleep at 1:00 pm and
he is still asleep. His sleep began in the past, is in progress at the
present time, and probably will continues. |
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Past Progressive |
Dara was
sleeping when I arrived. Dara went to sleep at 1:00 pm. I arrived at 2:00 pm.
He was still asleep. His sleep began before and was in progress at a particular
time in the past. It continued after I arrived. |
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Future Progressive |
-
Dara will
be sleeping when I arrive. Dara will go to sleep at 1:00 pm this afternoon. I
will arrive at 2:00 pm. The action of sleeping will begin before I arrive,
and it will be in progress at a particular time in the future. |
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1.
The Perfect Tenses |
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Form: have/has + past
participle Meaning: The perfect tenses all give the idea that
one thing happens before another time or event. |
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Present Perfect |
-
Dara has
already eaten. Dara finished eating sometime before now. The exact
time is not important. |
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Past Perfect |
-
Dara had
already eaten when his
friend arrived. First Dara finished eating. Later his friend arrived.
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Future Perfect |
-
Dara will already have eaten when
his friend arrives. -
First Dara will finish eating. Later
his friend will arrive. |
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2.
The Perfect Tenses |
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Form: have/has + been +
verb-ing Meaning: The perfect progressive tenses give the idea
that one event is in progress immediately before, up to, until another time
or event. The tenses are used to express the duration of the first event. |
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Present Perfect Progressive |
-
Dara has
been studying for two hours. Event in progress: studying. When? Before now, up to
now. How long? For two hours. |
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Past Perfect Progressive |
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Dara has
been studying for two hours when
his friend arrived. Event in progress: studying. When? Before another
event in the past. How long? For two hours. |
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Future Perfect Progressive |
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Dara will
have been studying for two hours by
the time his friend arrives. Event in progress: studying. When? Before another
event in the future. How long? For two hours. |
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