re: How Many Tenses Are There In English Language? page 10
Hi. I think you are almost right. I agree with you up to your number 12. (I teach the "will" and "going to" as two separate tenses, although I would not argue with you identifying them as one tense). This would take my total to 13, rather than your 12.
Thereafter, for your numbers 13 to 16, I don't agree with you. I would refer to your numbers 13 to 16 as "conditionals". (If........(condition A), would.... (consequence B))
In your tense 13, I am not sure of your meaning in the partial sentence "I would play". Either you are using "I would" as an alternative to "used to" to refer to a repeated action in the past (past simple) e.g. "All Summer long, I would (used to) play on my swing." , or as half of a conditional construction (what I refer to as the second, or "would" conditional) e.g.. "If I had (past simple) enough time, I would play (would + present simple) tennis more often." (Imagining the present to be different to what it is). Or are you using the construction "I was going to play"? (Past continuous of go). = "I was in the process of embarking upon the activity of playing." I do not recognise "future simple in the past" as a tense.
Your number 14, I refer to as half of a mixed conditional construction, e.g. If I wasn't sitting (past continuous) at the computer I would be bathing (would + present continuous). I do not recognise "future continuous in the past" as a tense.
Your number 15, I refer to as the third or "would have" conditional. e.g. "If I hadn't been (past perfect) busy, I would have played (would have + past participle (or would + past perfect)) tennis." (Imagining the past to have been different). I do not recognise "future perfect in the past" as a tense.
Your number 16, I refer to as another mixed conditional. E.g. "If I hadn't been studying (past perfect continuous) for my exams, I would have been playing (would + past perfect continuous) rugby for the University." I do not recognise "future perfect continuous in the past" as a tense.
I count five conditional forms: 1. Zero, or present condition. 2. First, or "will" condition. 3, Second, or "would" condition. 4. Third, or "would have" condition. 5. Mixed conditionals (those not falling into the zero to third conditionals).
Therefore, I say that there are 13 tenses (I will agree to 12) and five conditional forms.
If you count the conditionals as tenses, then I say there are 18 (or 17) tenses.
Perhaps it is more useful to use the term "form" rather than tense, particularly with the "future tenses". It's all a bit academic, I suppose; whatever we call them, we get to the same grammatically correct result in the end..
(But then again, I stand to be corrected, if you are a professor of English grammar)!!
We don't have an "Academie Anglaise" to dictate what is right and what is not.
I'm glad I grew up speaking English, and have a vague idea of what I'm trying to say, rather than have to learn it.........
Cheers.
Cart before the horse. Here's the post I'm replying to. (Or "the post to which I'm replying.", if you prefer)!
Thereafter, for your numbers 13 to 16, I don't agree with you. I would refer to your numbers 13 to 16 as "conditionals". (If........(condition A), would.... (consequence B))
In your tense 13, I am not sure of your meaning in the partial sentence "I would play". Either you are using "I would" as an alternative to "used to" to refer to a repeated action in the past (past simple) e.g. "All Summer long, I would (used to) play on my swing." , or as half of a conditional construction (what I refer to as the second, or "would" conditional) e.g.. "If I had (past simple) enough time, I would play (would + present simple) tennis more often." (Imagining the present to be different to what it is). Or are you using the construction "I was going to play"? (Past continuous of go). = "I was in the process of embarking upon the activity of playing." I do not recognise "future simple in the past" as a tense.
Your number 14, I refer to as half of a mixed conditional construction, e.g. If I wasn't sitting (past continuous) at the computer I would be bathing (would + present continuous). I do not recognise "future continuous in the past" as a tense.
Your number 15, I refer to as the third or "would have" conditional. e.g. "If I hadn't been (past perfect) busy, I would have played (would have + past participle (or would + past perfect)) tennis." (Imagining the past to have been different). I do not recognise "future perfect in the past" as a tense.
Your number 16, I refer to as another mixed conditional. E.g. "If I hadn't been studying (past perfect continuous) for my exams, I would have been playing (would + past perfect continuous) rugby for the University." I do not recognise "future perfect continuous in the past" as a tense.
I count five conditional forms: 1. Zero, or present condition. 2. First, or "will" condition. 3, Second, or "would" condition. 4. Third, or "would have" condition. 5. Mixed conditionals (those not falling into the zero to third conditionals).
Therefore, I say that there are 13 tenses (I will agree to 12) and five conditional forms.
If you count the conditionals as tenses, then I say there are 18 (or 17) tenses.
Perhaps it is more useful to use the term "form" rather than tense, particularly with the "future tenses". It's all a bit academic, I suppose; whatever we call them, we get to the same grammatically correct result in the end..
(But then again, I stand to be corrected, if you are a professor of English grammar)!!
We don't have an "Academie Anglaise" to dictate what is right and what is not.
I'm glad I grew up speaking English, and have a vague idea of what I'm trying to say, rather than have to learn it.........
Cheers.
Cart before the horse. Here's the post I'm replying to. (Or "the post to which I'm replying.", if you prefer)!
AnonymousThere are 16 tenses in english. I'll list them ...1. Present Simple - I play2. Present Continuous - I am playing3. Present Perfect - I have played4. Present Perfect Continuous - I have been playing5. Past Simple - I played6. Past Continuous - I was playing7. Past Perfect - I had played8. Past Perfect Continuous - I had been playing9. Future Simple - I will play (including "be going to + infinitive" form) I am goint to play10. Future Continuous - I will be playing11. Future Perfect - I will have played12. Future Perfect Continuous - I will have been playing 13. Future Simple in the past - I would play (including the "was/were going to + infinitive" form)14. Future Continuous in the past - I would be bathing15. Future Perfect in the past - I would have played16. Future Perfect Continuous in the past - I would have been playing
It honestly depends on where you are from.
In Britain there are two tenses, past and present.
In Canada and the U.S.A, it can also extend to the future tense.
In Britain there are two tenses, past and present.
In Canada and the U.S.A, it can also extend to the future tense.
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AnonymousIt honestly depends on where you are from.That's actually pretty funny.
CJ
Partly,
The 12 tenses you have shown (correctly) consist of both the progressive and simple forms of 6 tenses. All twelve are tenses but they are sometimes refered to as 6 tenses with both a simple and progressive form!
There are actually 13 tenses as the simple future has 2 forms it self.
The 12 tenses you have shown (correctly) consist of both the progressive and simple forms of 6 tenses. All twelve are tenses but they are sometimes refered to as 6 tenses with both a simple and progressive form!
There are actually 13 tenses as the simple future has 2 forms it self.
and to be and to have are not tenses?
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Anonymousand to be and to have are not tenses?No. "to be" and "to have" are infinitives.
Only two: Past and Present. Future is a fiction, continually modified by the present. The past exists, and the present exists (fleetingly), and the past may influence the present to produce the (infinitely possible but not-yet-existent) Future.
AnonymousFuture is a fiction,This is a non-political forum. Comments supporting or opposing a Trump presidency are inappropriate.
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