TENSE FORM USAGE EXAMPLE OBS.

1. Simple Future

A:S+shall/will+V(1)I:Shall/will+S+V(1)?N:S+shall/will+not+V(1)

-to express a habitual/repeated future action.

I shall /he will go there tomorrow.

Shall is used only for the first person.

2. Continuous Future

A:S+shall/will+be+V-ingI: Shall/will+S+be+V-ing?N: S+shall/will+not+be+V-ing

-to express a future action which develops at a given moment (e.g., at this time tomorrow / next Sunday etc.)

We shall/they will be visiting Paris at this time next Sunday.

3. Future Perfect Simple

A: S+shall/will+have+V(III)I: Shall/will+S+have+V(III)N:S+shall/will+not+have+V(III)

-to express a future action prior to:a)Another future action;b)A future moment of reference.

I shall have read the newpaper:a)by the time mother comes home.b)by 10 o`clock.

4. Future Perfect Continuous

A: S+shall/will+have+been+V-ingI: Shall/will+S+have+been+V-ingN:S+shall/will+not+have+been+V-ing

-to express a future action which started :a) before another future

action;b) before a future

moment of referenceand which is still carried out at that particular moment.

I shall have been reading for two hours: a) when mother comes home. b) tomorrow at 5 o’clock.

The meaning of the example is: I’ll start reading two hours before mother comes and,when she comes, I’ll still be reading.

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FUTURITY

5. Present Simple

A: S+V(I)/V-(e)sI: Do/does+S+V(I)?N: S+ do/does+not+V(I).

a) to express a future action included in a programme[e.g., the train timetable / the school timetable etc.];

b) in a time clause, to expresss a future action simultaneous to another future action.

a) The train to Bucharest leaves the railway station tomorrow at 5 a.m.

b) I shall be very happy when I see him.

The verb adds –(e)s in the third person, singular.

6. Present Continuous

A: S+be[Present]+V-ing.I: Be[Present]+S+V-ing?N: S+be[Present]+V-ing.

- to express a planned future action.

I am going to the seaside next summer.

Even though it is not summer yet, I’ve planned to go, so the action can be expressed with Continuous Present.

7. Present Perfect

A: S+have[Present]+V(III).I: Have[Present]+S+V(III)?N: S+ have[Present]+not+V(III).

In a time clause, to express a future action prior to another future one.

I’ll go out after I have eaten my cake.

Since Future is not allowed in time clauses, Present Perfect is used instead.

8. Simple Future-in-the-Past

A: S+would+V(I).I: Would+S+V(I)?N: S+would+not+V(I).

- in Indirect Speech, instead of Simple Future, when the verb in the main clause is in the Past.

He said he would go there the next day.

9. Continuous Future-in-the-Past

A: S+would+be+V-ing.I: Would+S+be+V-ing?N: S+would+not+be+V-ing.

- in Indirect Speech, instead of Future Continuous, when the verb in the main clause is in the Past.

He said he would be visiting Paris at that time the next Sunday.

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10. Future Perfect-in-the-Past. Simple Aspect.

A: S+would+have+V(III).I: Would+S+have+V(III)?N:S+would+not+have+V(III).

- in Indirect Speech, instead of Simple Future Perfect, when the verb in the main clause is in the Past.

He said he would have read the newspaper a)by the time mother came home.b)by 10 o`clock.

11. Future Perfect-in-the-Past. Continuous Aspect

A: S+would+have+been+V-ing.I: Would+S+have+been+V-ing?N:S+would+not+have+been+V-ing.

- in Indirect Speech, instead of Continuous Future Perfect, when the verb in the main clause is in the Past.

He said he would have been reading for two hours: a) when mother came home. b) the next day at 5 o’clock.

12. Past Tense Simple

A: S+V(II)/V-edI: Did+S+V(I)?N: S+ did+not+V(I).

- in Indirect Speech, instead of Simple Present, when the verb in the main clause is in the Past.

She said she would be very happy when she saw him.

13. Past Tense Continuous

A: S+be[Past]+V-ing.I: Be[Past]+S+V-ing?N: S+be[Past]+V-ing.

- in Indirect Speech, instead of Continuous Present, when the verb in the main clause is in the Past.

He said he was going to the seaside the next summer

14. Past Perfect.

A: S+have[Past]+V(III).I: Have[Past]+S+V(III)?N: S+ have[Past]+not+V(III).

- in Indirect Speech, instead of Present Perfect, when the verb in the main clause is in the Past.

He said he would go out after he had eaten his cake.

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15. To be going to

- to express an action which will happen in the “near future”.

I am going to pay him a visit tomorrow.

To be going to also has the meaning of intention.

16. To be about to

- to express an action which is “on the verge of happening”

It is about to rain.

17. To be to

- to express a future action which is “bound to happen”.

He is to come in a few minutes. To be to is also an equivalent of the modal verb must; the difference of meaning comes out of the context in which it is used.

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