Mastering English: Tenses, Conditionals, and More
Past Tenses
We can use past tenses to tell a story or describe past events, including personal anecdotes.
-When I lived on the island, I enjoyed walking on the beach in the early morning with Bonnie.
Past Simple
We can use the past simple for actions that started and finished in the past, for example, a series of events in someone’s life. The past simple is often used in stories and dialogues.
-Nelson Mandela was born in 1918. He became the first black President of South Africa.
Past Continuous
We use the past continuous for background information and to describe a scene or situation that continued for some time.
-At 6 o’clock that evening, Dan was still missing. Bobby was feeling worried.
Past Simple and Past Continuous
We often use the past simple and past continuous together when one action interrupts another.
-I was strolling along the beach one day when, suddenly, Bonnie ran off.
Past Simple and Past Perfect
We can use the past perfect with the past simple together in a sentence to describe an action that occurred before another past action.
-I quickly realized that the storm the previous night had washed up the body.
Past Perfect Continuous
We use this tense to describe something that has been happening for a long period of time.
-I could tell that the body had been lying on the beach for several hours because the man’s clothes were dry.
Confusing Verbs
To Wait
The act of waiting.
-You wait at the bus stop for the bus.
To Expect
To view something as likely or reasonable. When you expect something, you know it will happen.
-You expect the sun to rise in the morning because it has happened every day of your life so far.
To Hope
A feeling that some desire will be fulfilled. Hope.
-If you are waiting for the bus, you could say that you hope the bus is on time because you have a plane to catch.
To Look Forward To
To think about something in the future with pleasure; to desire.
-I am looking forward to going to Canada this summer.
Conditional Sentences
Type 1
Refers to the future. An action in the future will only happen if a certain condition is met by that time. We don’t know for sure whether the condition will be met or not.
IF + PRESENT SIMPLE, WILL-FUTURE or WILL-FUTURE + IF + PRESENT SIMPLE
-If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation, or I will send her an invitation if I find her address.
Type 2
It is possible but very unlikely that the action will be fulfilled. For unreal or hypothetical things in the present.
IF + PAST SIMPLE, would + infinitive or would + infinitive + IF + PAST SIMPLE
-If I found her address, I would send her an invitation, or I would send her an invitation if I found her address.
Type 3
It is impossible for the condition to be met because it refers to the past.
If + PAST PERFECT, would have + past participle or would have + past participle + IF + PAST PERFECT.
-If I hadn’t studied, I wouldn’t have passed my exams, or I wouldn’t have passed my exams if I hadn’t studied.
Used To
We use the infinitive “used to” to talk about a past situation that is no longer true. It tells us that there was a repeated action or state in the past that has now changed.
- -She used to be a long-distance runner when she was younger.
- -I didn’t use to sleep very well, but then I started doing yoga, and it really helps.
- -Did you use to come here as a child?
Be Used To
“Be used to” means ‘to be familiar with’ or ‘to be accustomed to’.
- -She’s used to the city now and doesn’t get lost anymore.
- -He wasn’t used to walking so much, and his legs hurt after the hike.
- -I’m a teacher, so I’m used to speaking in public.
Get Used To
We use “get used to” to talk about the process of becoming familiar with something.
- -I’m finding this new job hard, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it soon.
- -It took my mother years to get used to living in London after moving from Pakistan.
- -I’m getting used to the noise now. I found it really stressful when I first moved in.
Passive Voice
The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than the person or object that performs the action.
-“A Hard Day’s Night” was written by the Beatles. The Beatles wrote “A Hard Day’s Night”.
The passive voice in English is composed of two elements: the appropriate form of the verb ‘to be’ + past participle.
- -Affirmative: The house was built in 1899.
- -Negative: The house wasn’t built in 1899.
- -Interrogative: Was the house built in 1899?
- -Interrogative Negative: Wasn’t the house built in 1899?
- -Present simple: Alioli is made from oil, garlic, and salt. is/are + past participle
- -Present continuous: The hall is being painted this week. is/are being + past participle
- -Past simple: John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. was/were + past participle
- -Past continuous: The signs were being put up last week. was/were being + past participle
- -Present perfect: Oranges have been grown here for centuries. have been + past participle
- -Past perfect: When he got home, he found that his flat had been burgled. had been + past participle
- -Future simple: The work will be finished next week. will be + past participle
Passive Voice with Infinitive
The passive voice of the infinitive is used after modal verbs and other verbs normally followed by an infinitive.
- -You have to be tested on your English grammar.
- -John might be promoted next year.
- -She wants to be invited to the party.
- -I expect to be surprised on my birthday.
- -You may be disappointed.
Passive Voice with Gerunds
- -I remember being taught to drive.
- -The children are excited about being taken to the zoo.
- -The children are excited to be taken to the zoo.
- -Most film stars hate being interviewed.
- -Most film stars hate to be interviewed.
Special Passives with Have and Get (Causative Passive)
We generally use “have something done” when we talk about paying someone to do something for us. Order: Subject + Have + object + past participle (have something done).
-I had my car washed yesterday.
This has the same meaning as “have”, but is less formal. Order: Subject + Get + object + past participle (get something done).
-The students get their essays checked.