Grammar structures Insight units 1 to 5

Present perfect simple

ex: He has only returned to Russia twice in the last fifty years.

I have done a Bloom´s painting.

S + HAVE/HAS (N´T) + PAST PARTICIPLE

• Actions that happened at an unspecified point in the past.

• Actions or states that started in the past and continue up to the present.

Adverbs: Ever, Never, Already, Just, Yet

Present perfect continuous

ex: This painting has been hanging in my bedroom since I inherited it from my grandfather.

I have been studying English at the UNRC since 2023.

S + HAVE/HAS + BEEN + INFINITIVE + ING

• Repeated actions in the past that are still relevant.

• Situations or actions that began in the past and are still in progress.

• A recent action that just finished or has just been interrupted.

Past perfect simple

ex: She still misses her family in Mexico; before she left, she hadn´t considered how difficult life in another country could be.

The artist had died before I bought the sculpture.

S + HAD + PAST PARTICIPLE

• Actions or events that happened before another action or event in the past.

Adverbs: By the time, when, before, after, until.

Past perfect continuous

ex: She had been working on it for a long time and gave it to Alicia on her birthday.

I had been studying English for 3 years.

S + HAD + BEEN + INFINITIVE + ING

• Ongoing activities leading up to a more recent past event.

• Background information.

Future perfect simple

ex: We should know who is coming to the family reunion by the end of the week. I will have booked the hotel by then, too.

I will have completed my studies by 2030.

S + WILL + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

• Actions or events that will be completed in the future.

Adverbs: by, before + time expression

Future perfect continuous

ex: When I finally arrive in Moscow, I will have been travelling for three years.

S + WILL + HAVE + BEEN + INFINITIVE + ING

• Actions or events that will continue up to a particular time in the future.

Helper: For

Perfect infinitive

Ex: I expect to have sold my painting by next week.

I hope to have finished all my work by the evening.

TO HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

• To describe an event that might or could have happened in the past.

Used after certain verbs: Expect, Hope, Plan, Mean, Seem, Appear, Be likely

Perfect -ing

Ex: Not having eaten for hours, he was very hungry.

Having eaten the whole pizza, he felt rather greedy.

HAVING + PAST PARTICIPLE (“not” before having)

• To talk about the reason for something.

• Used in participial clauses.

• Used to emphasize that one action was completed before another.

Going to + infinitive (future)

Ex: She is going to set up a project to help refugees.

Somebody help that man with the walking stick. He is going to fall over"!

BE + GOING TO + INFINITIVE

• Intentions, decisions, or plans (already arranged)

• Predictions based on evidence.

Future simple

S + WILL + VERB INFINITIVE

1. Predictions without evidence.

ex: This city will probably develop quite rapidly over the next ten years, thanks to the next investment.

2. Decisions at the moment of speaking.

ex: I will wash the dishes.

3. Hopes.

ex: I hope I will find a job soon.

4. Promises.

ex: The centre will help young people find jobs.

5. Threats or warnings.

ex: I will kill you if you threaten me.

Future continuous

S + WILL BE + VERB WITH ING / INFINITIVE + -ING

1. Actions that will be ongoing or in progress at a specific time in the future.

ex: This time tomorrow we´ll be launching the project.

2. To describe a future action that is fixed or decided.

ex: I´ll be giving a speech at the launch party.

Present simple (future)

S + BASE VERB

1. Scheduled or timetable events

ex: The coach leaves at five o´clock. Don´t be late!

2. Facts

The sun rises at 6 am.

The present continuous

S + BE + INFINITIVE + ING

• Arrangements

Ex: We are meeting the CEO at 10 am tomorrow.

Past simple (narrative)

ex: I saw a movie yesterday

S + PASR FORM OF THE VERB (AUX DID)

• Completed past actions or states.

• Sequence of action in the past.

• Past habits.

Adverbs: Yesterday, last, ago

Past continuous (narratives)

Ex: While we were having dinner, it started to rain

WAS/WERE + VERB + INFINITIVE + ING

Background descriptions.

Actions in progress at a specific time in the past.

was/were going to + infinitive

Ex: I told you he was going to come to the party.

• Plans, intentions or predictions

Would + infinitive (past of future “will”)

Ex: I knew John would finish the work by 5 pm.

• Future possibilities

Predictions or events that took place, but not definite

Was/were + -ing (past of present continuous)

ex: I was upset because I was leaving this place that morning.

• Arrangements that were made

Was/were to + infinitive (to have)

Ex: This discovery was to have a major effect on the treatment of heart disease.

Events that took place were expected to happen.

Was/were about to + infinitive

Ex: I was about to watch a movie, but that can wait.

• An event that was in the very near future.

• To describe an event that was interrupted.

Be bound to + infinitive

Ex: He is bound to come to the party.

• An event that was likely to happen.

Be due to + infinitive

Ex: “it´s hot”

• Well, it was bound to be- I just took it out of the oven.

• An event that was scheduled to happen.

Would be + -ing (past of the future continuous)

Ex: I didn´t want to phone them at that time because I thought they would be having supper!

• A plan or event in progress at a future time.

Would have + past participle (past of future perfect)

Ex: It was half past five, dad would have finished.

• An event that would be completed in the future.

Would have been + -ing (past of future perfect continuous)

ex: I thought I would have been playing football, but I caught a cold.

• An action that would continue up to a future time.

Uses of would

1. Instead of “was/were going to”: To talk about future events in the past, but not definite plans.

Ex: After having school, she would join the police force.

2. Alternative to “used to”: To talk about repeated actions, but not past states.

Ex: They would often talk about the days they spent fighting crime in New York.

3. For offers or requests (more polite than will)

Ex: Would you pass me the salt, please?

4. To talk about a refusal on a past occasion.

Ex: The suspect would not cooperate with the police.

5. In second and third conditionals.

Ex: If I were you, I would talk to him.

6. In reported speech as the past of will.

Ex: He swore he would find her killer, no matter what.