English

English Vowels

 
The English vowels are A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y. Each of these can be pronounced at least three ways: as a long sound, as a short sound, and as a schwa.
Click on a vowel to learn all of the ways it can be pronounced and listen to sound files.

A   E   I   O   U

 EnglishTenses

Present	Simple Present
	Present Continuous
Past	Simple Past
	Past Continuous
	Present Perfect Simple
	Present Perfect Continuous
	Past Perfect Simple
	Past Perfect Continuous
Future	Using the Simple Present
	Using the Present Continuous
	Using the Present Perfect Simple
	Using the Present Perfect Continuous
	Using going to
	Using shall/will

Tenses

The English Tense System

The links below are to lessons for each of the 12 basic tenses. In each lesson we look at two aspects of the tense:

• Structure: How do we make the tense?
• Use: When and why do we use the tense?

Some lessons look at additional aspects, and most of them finish with a quiz to check your understanding.

Many English learners worry too much about tense. If you stopped 100 native English speakers in the street and asked them about tense, 1 of them might give you an intelligent answer - if you were lucky. The other 99 would know little about terms like "past perfect" or "present continuous". And they would know nothing about aspect, voice or mood. But they can all speak fluent English and communicate effectively. Of course, for ESL it helps to know about tenses, but don't become obsessed with them. Be like those native speakers! Speak naturally!

Present Tense

I do do, I do

Present Continuous Tense

I am doing, I am doing tomorrow

Present Perfect Tense

I have done

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

I have been doing

Past Tense

I did do, I did

Past Continuous Tense

I was doing

Past Perfect Tense

I had done

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

I had been doing

Future Tense

I will do

Future Continuous Tense

I will be doing

Future Perfect Tense

I will have done

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

I will have been doing

n Idea About Tenses

There are three types of Tenses in English:

• Simple Tenses
• Progressive Tenses
• And Perfect Tenses

Each type has a structure for conjugation and is given an auxiliary to perform it. Since there are only three auxiliaries and to be fair we give an auxiliary to each category. Therefore, Do is used with simple tenses, Be with progressives, and Have with Perfect Tenses.
The time is divided into three parts: The Past, the Present, and the Future, so each type of tenses has three parts.

I. Match the following sentences with the suitable tense.

1. I have never been abroad.
2. It is raining right now.
3. They live in the country.
4. By the time we got to the airport, the plane had already taken off.
5. Did you travel last summer?
6. She will probably arrive tonight.
7. We will have finished before you arrive.
8. While we were having dinner, the lights went out.                   A. Simple present
9. Where do you live?                                                            B. Present cont.
10. He doesn’t get up early on Sundays.                                   C. Simple Past
11. We shall be studying physics at this same time tomorrow.   D. Past cont.
12. What are you doing?                                                         E. Simple Fut.
13. I’m listening to classical music.                                           F. Future Cont.
14. After she had cleaned the house, she prepared lunch.             G. Present Per.
15. Where were you yesterday morning?                                 H. Past Per.
16. I was at home.                                                                  I.   Future Per.
17. What were you doing?
18. I was revising for the next test.
19. When I got home, my parents had already eaten dinner.
20. How often does he read the newspaper?
21. She rarely helps her mother.
22. What time will you leave?
23. Are you busy now?
24. My mother was cooking dinner while I was doing my homework.
25. He has just finished his work.
26. They will have covered the program by the end of May.
27. I’ll be reading when you arrive.
28. As soon as the bell rang, the students left the classroom.
29. Have you ever seen an elephant?
30. Does he ever smoke?
31. He has already had breakfast.
32. What do you do?
33. What did you do last night?
34. What’s the matter with you?
35. They haven’t got time to fix the car.
36. He usually believes you.
37.   Previous climbers had cut steps in the ice.
    38. Somebody had cleaned my shoes and brushed my suit.

1. Change the following sentences to the negative and interrogative:

  Example:

• Hamid lives in the country
• Hamid doesn’t live in the city.
• Does Hamid live in the country?
• We get up early
1. Fatima trains Karaté
2. She is listening to classical music.
3. They were making noise.
4. He travelled abroad last summer.
5. She has finished her homework.
6. You will visit us tomorrow.
7. I help my classmates.
8. She was tired yesterday.
9. They had eaten dinner.
10. It is raining.
11. He played football last week.
12. She is fine.
13. We work everyday.
14. The weather was fine last Sunday.
15. Our teachers gave us a lot of homework last year.
16. John was preparing lunch.