Категория: Grammar (Английска граматика)

  • Present tenses to talk about the future

    When we talk about future events which have already been planned or decided, or which we can see are on the way, we often use present tenses.

    The present progressive

    The present progressive is used mostly to talk about personal arrangements and fixed plans, especially when the time and place have been decided. (още…)

  • Present perfect progressive tense

    Affirmative Negative Question
    I have been writing
    She has been writing.
    You have been writing.    		 I have not been writing.
    She has not been writing.
    You have not been writing.    		 Have I been writing?
    Has she been writing?
    Have you been writing?

    Uses of the present perfect progressive tense

    We use the present perfect progressive to talk about situations which started in the past and are still going on, or which have just stopped and have present results. (още…)

  • Present perfect tense

    Affirmative Negative Question
    I have written
    She has written.
    You have written.    		 I have not written.
    She has not written.
    You have not written.    		 Have I written?
    Has she written?
    Have you written?

    Uses of the present perfect tense

    past events connected with the present

    We can use the present perfect tense to say that a finished action or event is connected with the present in some way.

    • He has broken his leg. (His leg is broken now.)
    • Somebody has let the cat in. (The cat is in now.)
    • Our dog has died. (Our dog is dead.)

    (още…)

  • Need

    Need is used both as an ordinary verb and as an auxiliary verb.

    As an ordinary verb

    As an ordinary verb need is used in the sense of ‘require’. It has the usual forms needs and needed. Ordinary need is followed by an infinitive with to.

    • One needs to be punctual.
    • Everybody needs to be loved.
    • He needed some more time to decide the question.

    Questions and negatives are made with do.

    • Do you need to go now?
    • I don’t need to talk to him.

    As an auxiliary verb

    (още…)

  • Ought to

    Ought is a modal auxiliary verb. There is no –s in the third person singular.

    • She ought to understand. (NOT She oughts to …)

    Ought is different from other auxiliary verbs. It is used with to

    • We ought to respect our parents.
    • We ought to help the poor.

    Note that to is dropped in question tags. (още…)

  • Must and Have to: The difference

    Both must and have to can be used to express the conclusion that something is certain. Note that have to is more common in American English.

    • He must be mad to do this. (OR He has to be mad to do this.)
    • You must be joking. (You have got to be joking.)

    Conclusions about the past are usually expressed with must followed by the perfect infinitive (have + past participle).

    (още…)

  • Must

    Must is a modal auxiliary verb. It has no –s in the third person singular.

    • He must go. (NOT He musts go…)

    Must is followed by an infinitive without to.

    • I must get some rest.
    • You must finish the report today itself.
    • You must not tell this secret to anyone else.
    • Little children must not be left unattended.
    (още…)

  • Primary auxiliaries

    An auxiliary verb is one which helps other verbs to make tenses, passive forms etc. There are two groups – primary auxiliaries and modal auxiliaries.

    Primary auxiliaries

    Be, do, have and their various forms are called primary auxiliaries.

    (още…)

  • Should, other uses

    Should have + past participle

    The structure should have + past participle can be used to talk about past events which did not happen.

    • I should have sent the money this morning, but I forgot.

    This structure can also be used to talk about past events which may or may not have happened.

    (още…)

  • Should

    Should is a modal auxiliary verb. There is no –s in the third person singular.

    • He should be here soon. (NOT He shoulds …)
    • You should mend your ways.

    Should is followed by an infinitive without to. Questions and negatives are made without do.

    • You should go now.
    • Should I go now?
    • No, you should not.

    Note that should is the past equivalent of shall in indirect speech.

    (още…)