Future Perfect Continuous

FORM

Positive: Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing (present participle)
Negative: Subject + have/has + not + been + verb-ing
Question: Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing?


USAGE

Future perfect continuous is used to talk about:

A) an action that will still in progress at a particular time in the future (or to show a duration before Something in the future). The common time expressions used with future perfect continuous: before, by tomorrow/8 o'clock/next month, until/till; for examples,

• They will have been talking for over an hour by the time Sokha arrives.
• Sokha will have been teaching at PUC for 3 years by the time he leaves for Australia.
• How long will you have been studying when you graduate?
• A: When you finish the course, will you have been living in France for over a year?
  B: No, I will not have been living here that long.

B) cause of something in the future; for examples,

• They might be tired when we see them because they will have been working very hard.
• He’ll be jet lag when he gets home because he will have been flying for over six hours.

Future Perfect Simple

FORM

Positive: Subject + will + have + verb 3 (past participle)
Negative: Subject + will + have + verb 3
Question: Will + subject + have + verb 3?



USAGE

Future perfect simple is used to talk about actions that will be finished before a certain time in the future (or a duration of an action up to a point of time in the future). The common time expressions used in the future perfect are: before, by tomorrow/7 o'clock/next month, until/till, etc. For examples,

• By next November, I will have received my promotion.
• Will she have learned enough Chinese to communicate before she moves to Beijing?
• By the time I finish this course, I will have taken ten tests.
• Will you have finished your assignment by the time I get back?
• I will have been in Bangkok for six months by the time I leave.
• She will have worked at that company for three years when it finally closes.

Future Continuous

FORM

Positive: Subject + will + be + verb-ing (-ing form of the verb)
Negative: Subject + will + be + verb-ing
Question: Will + subject + be + verb-ing?



USAGE

Future continuous (progressive) is used to talk about:

A) an action that will be in progress at a specified time in the future; for examples,

• This time next three years, I will be working in a nice office.
• Tomorrow at this time, I will be sitting in an exam.
• We will be flying to Korea at midnight tonight.

B) an action that will be in progress and will be interrupted by a shorter action; for examples,

• She will be having a bath when I'm back home.
• He will be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
• I won't be learning English tomorrow at this time because I'll see a doctor.

C) a formal question, i.e. asking in a more formal way instead of future simple; for examples,

• When will you hand in your paper? (Teacher to student)
• When will you be grading the tests? (Student to teacher)
• Will you be going to the shop later? If you go, could you get me some potatoes?
• Will she be cooking when we knock at the door?
• Will Mark be playing football at 6 p.m.?

Other Ways of Expressing Future Meanings

Other than future tenses in previous lessons, learners should also be aware that there are other forms used to express or talk about the future, too. This lesson will give you a short explanation of those forms as follow.


PRESENT SIMPLE

We use it to talk about fixed events (which are not simply the wishes of the speaker), programs, and schedules (a list of planned activities or things to be done). For examples,

• We finish semester one on January 25 next year.
• I flight this evening.


PRESENT CONTINUOUS

We use it to describe fixed arrangements (what you have arranged to do), especially social (like parties, meetings…) and travel arrangements. A time reference is usually given. For examples,

• We are having a cycle meeting next week.
• We have bought two tickets. We're seeing a play this weekend.


BE TO + VERB

We use ti for formal plans, official arrangements, and prohibitions. For examples,

• The factory is to close three weeks for repair.
• You are not to open files in the flash drive before scanning.


BE DUE TO / BE ABOUT TO + VERB

We use it to show an immediate future or something will happen shortly after you speaking (or something takes place at a fixed time). For examples,

• He is about to leave to room. [ He is at the door way now.]
• I think the play is about to start now. [It is on time now.]


MODAL + VERB

We use to show future possibility or probability. For examples,

• I may go shopping tonight, I haven't decided yet.
• I may pursue a degree in economics or marketing after I finish this course.


VERB + TO INFINITIVE

There are some certain verbs which already express future meaning like plan, intend, propose, hope, agree, promise... For examples,

• I intend to run my own business.
• She has proposed to change our plan.
• We have just agreed to launch a new product.

Future Simple (Be Going To)

FORM

Positive: Subject + am/is/are + going to + verb 1 (present form of the verb)
Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + going to + verb 1
Question: Am/Is/Are + subject + going to + verb 1?


USAGE

'Be going to' is used to talk about:

A) a plan or intention, i.e. at the time of speaking we have already decided, planned, or intended to do something; for examples,

 •  I am going to finish this proposal by this week. (Intention)
 •  They are going to move their house. (Plan)
 •  I am going to wait here until Sophal gets back. (Intention)

B) a prediction with present evidence, i.e. we predict something basing on what you have seen, heard, or known; for examples,

 •  Look at the tree! It’s going to fall down.
 •  The sky is full of clouds. It’s going to rain.
 •  The price’s going up. The demand for goods is going to decrease.

Future Simple (Will)

FORM

Positive: Subject + will + verb 1 (present form of the verb)
Negative: Subject + will + not + verb 1
Question: Will + subject + verb 1?


USAGE

Will (future simple) is used to talk about:

A) a future fact, i.e. something that will be always true; for examples,

 •  Sokha will be 20 in December.
 •  The sun will rise at 6:00 am.

B) a general prediction, or an assumption; for examples,

 •  Everything will be fine. (Prediction)
 •  There will be 20 million people in Cambodia in 2020. (Prediction)
 •  That will be Sopheak at the door. (Assumption)

C) a spontaneous decision, i.e. you decide to do something at the time of speaking; for examples,

 •  Hold on. I'll get a pen.
 •  We will see what we can do to help you.
 •  Maybe we'll stay in and watch television tonight.

D) a promise; for examples,

 •  I won't tell anyone your secret.
 •  I'll be there at 7 p.m., I promise.
 •  I will finish my report later today.

E) an idea of willingness (voluntary actions), i.e. offers/requests, invitation, threat, etc. For examples,
 •  Will you help me move this heavy table? (a request)
 •  A: I'm really hungry.
    B: I'll make some sandwiches. (an offer)
 •  We have a party next week. Will you join with us? (invitation)
 •  Stop that or I will call the police. (threat)

F) a result in first conditional sentence; for examples,

 •  If it rains tomorrow, I will stay at home.
 •  If my father doesn't buy me a bike for my birthday, I will be very unhappy.
 •  If I arrive late, I will call you.

Past Perfect Continuous

FORM

Positive: Subject + had + been + verb-ing
Negative: Subject + had not + been + verb-ing
Question: Had + subject + been + verb-ing?



USAGE

Past perfect continuous is used to talk about:

A) past action that had continued to a certain point in the past and was still happening at that time (or duration of a past action up to a certain point in the past); for examples,

 •  I had been running for an hour when it started raining.
 •  When I saw him I knew that he had been training.
 •  For how many hours had Thona been painting the house when the ladder fell?
 •  How long had the player been playing before he scored?


B) Action that had just stopped or finished before a past action; for examples,

 •  Before the budget cuts, the students had been participating in many extracurricular activities.
 •  His hands were dirty because he had been fixing the car.
 •  At that time your father was very tired. What had he been doing?

Past Perfect Simple

FORM

Positive: Subject + had + verb 3 (past participle)
Negative: Subject + had not + verb 3
Question: Had + subject + verb 3?


USAGE

Past perfect simple is used to talk about an action that had happened before other past action or a given time in the past. It is normally used with these common time expressions: after, before, already, as soon as, just, yet, until, till, by the time that, etc. For examples,

 •  The robber had left when the police arrived.
 •  We had finished the project when we went on holiday.
 •  She hadn’t eaten breakfast when you talked to her.
 •  Had you scanned for viruses when you inserted the flash?

Past Continuous

FORM

Positive: Subject + was/were + verb-ing (-ing form of verb)
Negative: Subject + was/were + not + verb-ing
Question: Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?


USAGE

Past continuous is used to show/talk about:

A) an action happening around a specific time in the past; for examples,

 •  This time last year I was staying at the beach.
 •  I was watching TV at the time you called me last night.
 •  It was raining at 8:30 am yesterday.

B) an interrupted action, i.e. an action was happening, and another past action interrupted; for examples,

 •  When she was cooking, her baby woke up and cried.
 •  I bumped into him while I was walking across the road.
 •  While I was doing homework, the phone rang.

C) a parallel of past actions, i.e. two or more actions happening at the same time in the past; for examples,

 •  While the teacher was explaining, some students were chatting.
 •  They were playing in the garden while I was working in my study.
 •  She was singing while the guests were eating.

D) a complaint or annoyance about someone’s past habit or a past situation, i.e. it is used with 'always' or  'constantly'; for examples,

 •  My dog was always barking while I was sleeping.
 •  My boss was always asking me to do extra work that was his own business.
 •  David was constantly chatting in working hour.

Past Simple

FORM


Positive: Subject + verb 2 (past form of the verb)
Negative: Subject + did not + verb 1 (present form)
Question: Did + subject + verb 1 ?


USAGE


Past simple is used to show/talk about:

A) an action that happened at a specified time in the past; for examples,

 •  She went shopping yesterday.
 •  They finished high school last year.
 •  We founded the Association in 1999.

B) a completed action in the past, i.e. action that happened and finished in the past; for examples,


 •  Mark lived in London from 1990 to 1993.
 •  She worked for Cambrew for two years. (= completed in the past.)
 •  I studied there when I was in primary school.

C) a series of past actions, i.e. action happened and finished one after another in the past; for examples,


 •  He entered a room, lit a cigarette, and smiled at the guests.
 •  They went into the house and arrested the man.
 •  He went to the park, and then he met Seiha.


D) regular event or past habits; for examples,

 •  Everyday I went to the park.
 •  She got up at 5 everyday.


'Used to' and 'would' are also used to talk about regular or past habits. 

USED TO


'Used to' is used to talk about something we did in the past, but we no longer do it now; for examples,
 •  He used to smoke. (= Now he stops smoking.)
 •  They used to work for HSBC Bank.(= They no longer work there.)
 •  They didn’t use to work there.
 •  Did they use to work there?

WOULD
'Would' is used to talk about repeated actions in the past, usually with adverbs of​ frequency; for examples,
 •  Before I got this job, I would go out a lot.
 •  Every week he’d buy his mother a bunch of flowers.

Present Perfect Continuous

FORM

Positive: Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing
Negative: Subject + have/has + not + been + verb-ing
Question: Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing ?


USAGE

Present perfect continuous is used to show/talk about:

A) an action that has just stopped / finished; for examples,

 •  You look tired. Have you been sleeping properly?
 •  I can smell smoke. Has somebody been smoking?
 •  I've got a headache and a stiff neck. I've been working too long on computer.

B) an action that happened in the past and has continued up to the present, i.e. when we want to focus on the activity / or to say that something is still happening; for examples,

 •  I've been waiting for him for 30 minutes and he still hasn't arrived.
 •  He's been asking me about it for days. I wish he would stop.
 •  You haven't been performing well over the last few months.

Present Perfect Simple

FORM

Positive: Subject + have/has + verb 3
Negative: Subject + have/has + not + verb 3
Question: Have/Has + subject + verb 3 ?


USAGE

Present perfect simple is used to show/talk about:

A) an action that happened at an indefinite time in the past; for examples,

 •  I have met him before.
 •  They have taken the exam.
 •  She has finished her homework.

Note: When we know the time that the action happened, we use past simple – not present perfect simple; for examples,

 •  She bought a new bike last week. (Correct)
 •  She has bought a new bike last week. (Incorrect)

B) a past action which has continued until now, i.e. something that started in the past have continued up to now; for examples,

 •  We have known each other since we were in high school.
 •  They have lived here for five years.
 •  She has worked on the computer since six this morning.

C) past action with present result, i.e. something that happened in the past and you can see the result now; for examples,

 •  He has washed his car. (= It is clean.)
 •  They have spent all of their money. (= They are broke.)
 •  John has painted his house. (= It looks nice.)

D) a life experience, i.e. something that we have done or have never done in the past); for examples,

 •  We have never been to any place together before.
 •  It’s the most beautiful village I have ever been to.
 •  I have never driven a Mercedes.

Present Continuous

FORM

Positive form: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing (-ing form of the verb)
Negative form: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing
Question form: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?



USAGE

Present continuous is used to show/talk about:

A) something that is happening now or happening at the time of speaking; for examples,

 •  She is playing piano at the moment.
 •  We are sitting in the class now.
 •  They are playing football.

B) a situation in which you are in the middle/process of doing something it, or an unfinished action (although the time you speak, you are not doing the action); for examples,

 •  I am reading Fifty Shades of Grey this month.
 •  We are working on a project at the moment.
 •  She is writing a new novel.

C) a temporary situation (i.e. a situation that is happening for just a short period of time); for examples,

 •  He is sitting in the front row this morning.
 •  She is driving to school this week.
 •  They don't work on Sunday; but they are working this week. 

D) a situation or something that keeps changing or is changing gradually; for examples,

 •  It is getting more and more difficult to find the job now.
 •  The prices of all products are increasing at a remarkable rate.
 •  The tree is growing taller and taller.

E) a future arrangements (i.e. to show future meaning); for examples,

 •  What are you doing this afternoon?
 •  I am seeing the doctor on Monday next week.
 •  We are going to the cinema tonight.

F) to express annoyance or complaints on someone’s behavior or a situation: Used with "always" or "constantly"; for examples,

 •  Vannak is always coming to class late.
 •  He’s always speaking ill of me. 
 •  My husband is constantly coming home late at night.

Present Simple

FORM 

Positive: Subject + verb 1 (present form)
Negative: Subject + do/does + not + verb 1
Question: Do/Does + subject + verb 1?

Note: When the subject is singular, we have to add '-s/-es' to the verbs. 


USAGE

Present simple​ is used to show/talk about:

A) habits or routines (i.e. the activities that you do everyday or do repeatedly); for examples,

 •  She always gets up at seven.
 •  He goes to school every day.
 •  They clean their car two times a week.

B) general truths or facts (i.e. something that is always true or something that is true in general); for examples,

 •  The water boils at 100 degree Celsius.
 •  People always feel nervous before having job interview.
 •  The sun sets in the west.

C) permanent/long-term situations (i.e. something that is true for a long time or permanently true) For examples,

 •  He works for ANZ Royal Bank.
 •  They live in Kratie province.
 •  He drives to school.

D) states (we normally use it with stative verbs); for examples,

 •  He likes going out in the evening.
 •  IBM is one of the largest computer companies.
 •  Bopha owns an art gallery in Phnom Penh.

Future in the Past

Sam An Teng

When we talk about an action or event which was in the future at a past time, we use future in the past. It expresses an idea that something would happen in the future from the past perspective. To make it make easy, we can say that it is the past form of some future tenses, as:

[1] Subject + would + infinitive

We use this construction to talk about prediction, promise, or willingness.

For examples,

• I didn't think the noise would disturb anyone. (Assumption/Prediction)
• We thought she would ask for early retirement at that time. (Prediction)
• She said she would pay back all her debt. (Promise)
• He said he would give me a lift. (Voluntary action)

[2] Subject + was/were + going to + infinitive

We use this construction to talk about a plan or prediction with proofing evidence.

For examples,

• Last year at this time, I thought I was going to buy a new car. (Plan)
• He decided that he was going to pursue Master's degree last year.(Plan/Intention)
• It was going to rain as there was strong wind and dark cloud. (Prediction)
• He had hard time with his boss; I thought he was going to leave. (Prediction)

[3] Past continuous

We use this construction to talk about arrangement.

For examples,

• She thought she was seeing the doctor later that day.
• I thought they were leaving the next day.

[4] Subject + was/were + to infinitive

We use this construction to talk about a fixed schedule.

For examples,

• When I was drinking there, I heard the shop was to close at 11.
• The government announced last year that it was to expand the road to the airport.

[5] Subject + was/were + about to + infinitive

We use this construction to talk about an immediate future in the past.

For examples,

• She was about to leave when his mother called.
• I was about to mark his absent when he walked into the class.

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Related topics:

Present Simple
Present Continuous
Present Perfect Simple
Present Perfect Continuous
Past Simple
Past Continuous
Past Perfect Simple
Past Perfect Continuous
Future: WILL
Future: BE GOING TO
Other ways of expressing future meanings
Future Continuous
Future Perfect Simple
Future Perfect Continuous
Future in the past