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Basic Grammar II
Tenses
Unit 3
Compiled by
John Cheung
英語動詞的時式，往往令人頭痛，既要顧及詞尾
變化，亦要加上適當的助動詞。本課程化繁為簡，
提綱挈領，教你何時該用那種時式。
Verb
Verb refers to an action (such as: bring, read, walk, run, learn)
or state (such as: exist, stand).
Verb form changes (inflects) when it works with person, number, tense,
etc. E.g. catch, catches, caught
For 3rd person singular subject (Jane, he, she, it), the verb marks with
V+‘s’ or V+‘es’ ending. E.g. Mary catches the bus.
person
number
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e.g.
1st
2nd
I, we
you
he, she, it
they
catch
catch
catches
catch
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3rd
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Tenses
Five main tenses are considered:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Simple Present
Simple Past
Present & Past Perfect
Continuous
Future
Verb form changes for different tenses, for
Regular Verbs  Past/Perfect tenses add –ed to the base form
Continuous tenses add –ing to the base form
Irregular Verbs  refer manual.
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Present Tense
Present Simple tense (現在式)
Relates the time of an action or state to
Action or State
the present 目前
Example
She does not like him.
facts, or something which is always true Cats have tails.
(timeless expressions) 事實、恆常真實
habitual actions, keep repeating
I visit my uncle every Friday .
scheduled events in the near future
The plane takes off at 10 o'clock tonight
慣性、重覆發生
計劃好將會發生
Tense Indicators: usually, always, often, sometimes, seldom
最經常發生
(Adverbs of Frequency)
最少發生
Subject-Verb Agreement
•
•
Verb form agrees with the Subject,
add ‘s’ or ‘es’ to the verb for singular subject. E.g. He goes swimming everyday.
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Past Tense
Past tense (過去式)
used to show that the act or state described occurred in the PAST
Examples
(uses the 2nd column of verb list in pp-19-21)
1. I went to work early this morning. (go-went-gone)
2. He returned from American yesterday.
3. She woke up, had a shower and left.
Tense Indicators:
last night/ Sunday/ week/ month/ year
ago, yesterday
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Present Prefect Tense
Present Perfect tense (現在完成式)
It indicates an event that has just finished. (剛做完)
Auxiliary Verb + Past Participle
( have/has ) + (3rd column of Verb List in pp-19-21)
Used in
To talk about experiences
Example
經驗
I have been to Italy.
(be)
Past action that has the result in the
present 過去行動導致今天成果
She has read that book.
(read)
Action which started in the past and
continued up to now. 過去行動持續到今天
I have lived in this town for 12 years. (live)
Tense Indicators
already, yet, recently, just, since (date/year), for (a period of time)
1.
2.
3.
4.
I have just finished my work.
Have you heard from Jim recently?
Martin has worked here since 2000.
I have not yet completed the project.
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Present Prefect Tense
This is a rather important tense in English, but the concepts or ideas are often new to speakers of other
languages. The problems come with the use of the tense and there are some differences in usage between
British and American English. In learning a language, try not to translate the tense/ concepts into your language.
(現在完成時式的概念，常令學習者莫明其妙。原因多數是因為學習者本身的母語沒有近似的概
念及/或用法，即使英美兩國的用法亦有差異。學習外語，不應將其翻譯成自己的語言。)
筆者按：翻譯是重寫，需要兼顧兩種不同的文化，非花上多年苦功不可能有成果，坊間的譯作，
多半只能譯到意思。
There are basically four uses for the present perfect tense:
1. Experience – the action/state happened in the past, now I have a memory of the
event. （過去曾經驗過，目前仍歷歷可見）
– I have seen ET. I have lived in Bangkok, have you been there?
– We have never eaten caviar.
2. Change – talking about a change/ new information
– I have bought a car.
（談及轉變或提供新資訊）
(yesterday, no car  now, I have a car)
– Has the price gone up?
(yesterday, at certain price  gone up now?)
– The police have arrested the series killer.
(yesterday, killer was free  now, arrested)
** Whereas the British use Present Perfect tense, the Americans use Past Simple tense.
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Present Prefect Tense
3. Continuing situation – to talk about a state (not an action) that started in the past,
continue in the present and will probably continue into the future.
（持續情況－指一種狀態而非動作；其始於過去，持續至今，且相信會延續到將來。）
E.g. How long have you known Jack?
I have worked here since June.
He has retired since June.
He has been ill for two days.
4. For & Since with Present Perfect Tense
（表示持續一段時間及從過去某一刻開始）
– For a period of tiime – 5 minutes, three days/ weeks, 6 months/ years, 2
centuries, a long time, ever, etc.
– Since a point in the past time – 6:20 pm, Monday, August, 1999, I left school,
the beginning of time, etc.
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Past Perfect tense
Past Perfect tense (過去完成式)
An action completed before another action in the past.
（指出兩件已經過去的事情的先後）
Auxiliary Verb + Past Participle
( had ) + (3rd column of Verb List in pp-19-21)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
She had left when I arrived.
(leave, arrive)
They had had lunch when I arrived.
(have, arrive)
He told me that he had seen the film. (tell, see)
I didn’t know who he was. I had never seen him before. (do, see)
The storm destroyed the house that they had built. (destroy, build)
Tense Indicators ??
after, before, when, while, but, because
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Past Perfect tense
More Examples
1.
When they came home, Liza ‘d (had) cooked dinner.
(come/cook)
2.
Had you had breakfast before you left the house?
(have/leave)
3.
Where had she stayed before she moved to live with her friend?(stay/move)
4.
Had she managed to find a place to stay when she went to London?
(manage/go )
5.
I wondered that if I had been there before.
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(wonder/be)
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Present Continuous tense
Continuous tense (進行式)
An action in progress or developing. (仍然在進行中的動作)
Auxiliary Verb ‘be’ + Verb + ‘ing’
is, am, are + (e.g. wear-ing )
Present Continuous tense
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
(現在進行式)
I am speaking to you.
She is not staying in London.
Is he watching TV?
Are they waiting for John?
John is going out with Mary.
When are you starting your new job?
Tense Indicators
now, at present, at this moment
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Past Continuous tense
Past Continuous tense（過去進行式）
an action that was continuous (i.e. going on) at a particular time in the past.
（在過去某時刻曾連續進行的一個動作）
Auxiliary Verb ‘be’ + Verb + ‘ing’
was, were + (e.g. do-ing )
Affirmative form（肯定）
1. This morning I was revising my lessons when my father came in.
2. Jim and Liza were playing tennis yesterday at 11:00.
Interrogative form（疑問）
1.
2.
3.
4.
What were you doing yesterday evening?
And what was your mother doing?
Where were you going, this morning at 7:30?
What were Jim and Liza doing?
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Past Continuous tense
The negative form（否定）
1. I wasn't reading a book yesterday evening; I was watching a film.
2. My mother wasn't preparing dinner; she was working on the computer.
3. We weren't playing cards.
Tense Indicators
at (xx pm) yesterday , when, while
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Future tense
Future Tense （將來式）
used to indicate the event described by a verb will take place in the future
（用來表示某動作將要發生）
Modal Auxiliary + Verb (base form)
will + (e.g. come)
Three usages:
1. No plan before we speak, decision made at the time of speaking, e.g.
–
–
–
–
2.
Hold on. I will get a pen.
（非計劃好的，說話的一刻才決定）
We will see what we can do to help you.
Maybe we’ll stay in and watch television tonight.
I don’t think I will buy that car.
Prediction, saying what we think will happen, e.g.
– It will rain tomorrow.
– Who do you think will get the job?
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（預期的，說出相信會發生的事）
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Future tense
3.
Be as the main verb enables us to use the Future tense even if we have a
firm plan and decision before speaking.
（已經計劃好的決定通常用 現在進行式 或 going to 來表示。但當句子以 be 為主動
詞時，可用 將來式 ）
– She is flying to London tomorrow.
– She is going to London tomorrow.
– She will be in London tomorrow.
（她明天飛往倫敦）
（她明天會去倫敦）
（她明天會在倫敦）
– I’m going shopping. I won’t be very long.
– Will you be at work tomorrow?
– Will he arrive on time?
– She will not leave before me.
– They will not be at school tomorrow.
Tense Indicators
tomorrow, next week/month/year,
in the coming week/month/year
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