C1.

2 - UNIT 1
GRAMMAR
TENSE REVIEW: PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

USE

We use the past perfect simple when we are ​already talking about the past​ and want
to talk about ​an earlier past action​.

She noted that Mary ​had become​ more familiar with the challenges she had to fight
off.

We also use the past perfect simple in reported speech.

They said they ​had cancelled​ the meeting.

The past perfect simple is also very frequently used with the adverbs ​never​,
ever​, ​just​, ​for​, ​since​, ​already, yet​ & ​by then​.

They told me they had ​never ​been to Malaysia.

When we arrived at the airport, the plane had ​just t​ aken off.

I saw your mum last night; she looked beautiful. I hadn’t seen her ​for ​ages!

When you told me not to tell him anything I hadn’t texted him ​yet​. Thank God.

By then​ they had already come to their senses and had decided to give up on the
idea of finding his lost wallet.

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 Be careful not to overuse the past perfect. It is not necessary with ​before ​or
after,​ which make the sequence of events clear. Once we have established the time
sequence, we can use the past simple.

It t​ ook a
​ lot of legwork ​before I​ f​ ound ​anything.

FORM

To make the past perfect, use the ​verb ​to have​ ​in the past simple (​had​) ​and add the
past participle​ of the main verb.

I
You
He / She / It had left ​the room.
We
  You
They

I
You
He / She / It hadn’t seen ​him.
We
  You
They

I
you
Had he / she / it been ​there?
we
  you
they

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TENSE REVIEW: PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

We use the past perfect continuous when we are ​already talking about the past​ and
want to talk about an earlier past action, but:

● it focuses on how long the activity had been done for.

I​’d been trying​ to get through for hours before the lines w
​ ere​ back up again.

I​’d been seeing​ him for ages before he ​asked.​

had been seeing asked

This action happened first. This action happened after the other.

​ nd
The length of the activity are highlighted with the expressions ​for hours a
for ages​. ​However,​ ​sometimes there is no mention of how long:

​ ad been trying​ to get through before the lines were back up.
Ih

● it says how long something happened up to a point in the past.

We h​ ad been planning​ to go to Canada for a month when we r​ ealised w

​ e
couldn’t afford it.

had been planning realised

This action happened first. This action happened after the other.

The second action interrupts the first one.

We don’t usually use the past perfect continuous to describe states:

​ ​already ​realised ​that I wasn't invincible.​ (Not ​*​I’d been realising​)

By that time I’d

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FORM

The past perfect continuous is formed by the verb ​to be ​in the past perfect simple
(​had been​) and the -​ing ​form ​of the main verb.

I
You
He / She / It had been waiting ​outside.
We
  You
They

I
You
He / She / It hadn’t been chatting ​all night.
We
  You
They

I
you
Had he / she / it been coming ​to work by bus?
we
  you
they

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WAYS OF EXPRESSING THE FUTURE

USE

In English, there are many ways of expressing the future. The form we choose
depends on the following uses.

Study this useful chart:

TENSE USE EXAMPLES

·​ For ​future facts​ (simple The TV programme ​will finish in 2

​

facts over which we hours.

have ​no control​)
I​’ll​ turn 29 in a month.

·​ For ​instant or sudden

​ Wait a second, I​’ll open the car for
decisions​ (made at the you.
time of speaking)
I’m hungry! I’​ ll​ buy a sandwich.

Future simple I​’ll have chicken with vegetables,

(will) please.

·​ For ​future predictions

​ I think it ​will b
​ e sunny tomorrow.
(generally ​uncertain​)
I think my basketball team ​won’t ​be
successful this year.

·​ Will is also used to:

​

➢ make ​offers I​’ll​ make breakfast for you today.

➢ make ​promises I​’ll​ always be there for you. I promise.

➢ make ​requests and Will ​you give me a lift?

invitations
If you cheat again, I​’ll l​ eave you.
➢ threats

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 Future ·​ For something
​ ​ ill be flying
Tomorrow at this time I w
continuous happening at a to Stockholm.
specific time​ in the
future, or over a period ​ ill be doing in a
I wonder what we w
of time in the future. year.

Future perfect ·​ For ​things completed

​ You can call me at 4:30 because the
before a specific time ​ ill have finished​ by then.
meeting w
in the future.
By the time you arrive home tonight, I
will have cooked​ dinner.

·​ For ​already planned

​ It’s arranged! I ​am going to visit you
decisions​ (plans and next week.
intentions)
I​’m going to study Medicine at
university.
be + going to
·​ For ​future predictions
​ Look at the sky! There are lots of
(​based on present clouds! It’​ s going to​ rain!
evidence​)
Stop playing with that knife! You’​ re
going to​ cut yourself.

Present simple ·​ For ​events fixed on a

​ The bus​ departs ​at 8 am.
timetable
The plane to London ​takes off at 12
am.

Present ·​ For future

​

continuous arrangements I​’m helping​ my dad this afternoon.

(planned for a particular
time or place) I​’m meeting​ my friends tonight.
It is especially
common with expressions I​’m leaving ​in an hour.
like ​tonight,​ t​ omorrow​, ​this
weekend… ​ and with the
verbs ​see​, l​ eave​, ​arrive​,
meet,​ ​go ​and ​come.​

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 In practice, arrangements in the present continuous may be very ​similar ​to
plans with​ be + going to​. For example:​ I’m getting married soon! = I’m going to get
married soon!

If you need to revise how to form the future with ​will ​and ​be + going to ​keep on
reading:

FORM

WILL / WON’T

I
You
He / She / It will be 26 next summer.
We
  You
They

I
You
He / She / It won’t do it.
We
You
They

won’t = will not

I
you
he / she / it
Will we come?
you
they

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 SHALL

Sometimes in affirmative sentences and questions, English speakers use ​shall

instead of ​will when using the pronouns ​I and ​we​. It is generally a more formal use
of ​will​. However, it can be very common in everyday English when offering to do
something:

Shall I​ open the door?

​ e stay a bit longer?
Shall w
​ e go?
Shall w

BE + GOING TO

I am going to

You are going to

study German.
He / She / It is going to
  We
You are going to
They

I ’m not going to

You aren’t going to

watch TV.
He / She / It isn’t going to
  We
You aren’t going to
They

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 Am I

Are you
going to do this job?
Is he / she / it
 
we
Are you
they

Remember:

When you use ​be + going to​ with the verb ​go,​ you can omit the second ​go:​

I’m going ​to go​ to the USA next year.

I’m going to the USA next year.

By the way, do you remember how to express an immediate action in the future?
There’s a very simple way of doing it:​ be about to!​

BE ABOUT TO

● Be about + ​to infinitive refers to arranged actions that happen ​in the
immediate future​. It is often used with ​just.​

I​’m about to finish​ my report! At long last!

Sorry, I​’m just about to leave​! I can’t talk to you now.

Hurry up! The film​ is about to start!​

You can also say ‘be on the point / verge’ of + ​-ing /​ noun.

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 ​ ere on the point of​ c
The buildings w ​ ollapsing.​

The country i​ s​ o
​ n the verge of bankruptcy​.

● We use ​was / were about to + ​infinitive ​to describe future actions which
were interrupted.

I ​was about to take​ the bus, but then I saw Theresa and she gave me a lift.

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

It is used to express something happening, or being in progress, ​at a specific time

in the future​, or over a period of time in the future.

At 10 o’clock tomorrow,​ s​ he​ will be flying t​ o New York.

Later in the programme, we​ will be interviewing​ Mr Thompson.

FORM

To make the future continuous, you simply need to write the verb ​to be​ in the future
simple (​will be)​ and the ​gerund ​of the main verb.

I
You
He / She / It
We will be swimming​ in the sea.
You

  They

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 I
You
He / She / It won’t be ​having​ dinner together
We tomorrow.
You
They

I
you
he / she / it
Will we be sleeping​ in two hours?
you
they

​We normally use the future continuous with time expressions like tomorrow at
10 o’clock, at this time next Monday, in an hour, in three hours...

FUTURE PERFECT

It is used to express that something will be ​finished by a particular time in the

future​.

​ ill have finished ​the project b

Do you think your team w ​ y​ next Friday?

In​ two years time, I​’ll have bought​ a mansion.

In the examples above, ‘​by​’ means ‘not later than a particular time’ and ‘​in​’
means 'within a period of time’.

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FORM

To make the future perfect, you simply need to write the verb ​to have ​in the future
simple (​will have​) and the ​past participle ​of the main verb.

I
You
He / She / It
We will have inherited ​a house.
You
  They

I
You
He / She / It won’t have ​finished ​reading the
We review.
You
They

I
you
he / she / it
Will we have met​ your favourite actor?
you
they

FUTURE IN THE PAST

We often talk about the past and events or intentions which were in the future at that
moment.

● We use the ​past continuous to talk about a future event from a past
perspective.

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The TV show ​was starting​ at 12.30, so I prepared lunch quickly.

● We use ​be going to + infinitive to talk about intentions in the past that were
not​ fulfilled.

I ​was going to phone​ you, but I forgot.

● We use ​would ​to talk about future events that ​did actually happen and to
make predictions about the future from a past perspective.

​ ould become​ the most famous celebrity in Europe.

The lady w

​ ould be a
I knew there w ​ recession in Spain.

● We use ​was / were​ + infinitive​ to refer to future events that ​did happen​.

The artist ​was to die​ in poverty.

● We use ​was / were to have ​+ past participle ​to refer to future events that did
not​ actually happen.

​ as to have landed ​at Cairo, but something went wrong.

The plane w

● Other ways to express unfulfilled intentions or events that did not happen
include ​was / were due to,​ ​was / were meant to and was / were supposed
to.​

The meeting ​was due to be held​ yesterday, but Mr Harrison didn’t turn up.

Where is Claudia? She ​was meant to be​ here today.

​ as supposed to sign ​the contract, but he probably changed his mind.

Jake w

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