FORM Will [will + verb]

Examples:

* You will help him later.
* Will you help him later?
* You will not help him later.

USE 1 “Will” to Express a Voluntary Action

“Will” often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use “will” to respond to someone else’s complaint or request for help. We also use “will” when we request that someone help us or volunteer to do something for us. Similarly, we use “will not” or “won’t” when we refuse to voluntarily do something.

Examples:

* I will send you the information when I get it.
* I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.
* Will you help me move this heavy table?
* Will you make dinner?
* I will not do your homework for you.
* I won’t do all the housework myself!
* A: I’m really hungry.
B: I’ll make some sandwiches.
* A: I’m so tired. I’m about to fall asleep.
B: I’ll get you some coffee.
* A: The phone is ringing.
B: I’ll get it.

USE 2 “Will” to Express a Promise

“Will” is usually used in promises.

Examples:

* I will call you when I arrive.
* If I am elected President of the United States, I will make sure everyone has access to inexpensive health insurance.
* I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.
* Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.
* I won’t tell anyone your secret.

USE 3 “Be going to” to Express a Plan

“Be going to” expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is realistic or not.

Examples:

* He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.
* She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.
* A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?
B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.
* I’m going to be an actor when I grow up.
* Michelle is going to begin medical school next year.
* They are going to drive all the way to Alaska.
* Who are you going to invite to the party?
* A: Who is going to make John’s birthday cake?
B: Sue is going to make John’s birthday cake.

USE 4 “Will” or “Be Going to” to Express a Prediction

Both “will” and “be going to” can express the idea of a general prediction about the future. Predictions are guesses about what might happen in the future. In “prediction” sentences, the subject usually has little control over the future and therefore USES 1-3 do not apply. In the following examples, there is no difference in meaning.

Examples:

* The year 2034 will be a very interesting year.
* The year 2034 is going to be a very interesting year.

* John Murphy will be the next President.
* John Murphy is going to be the next President.

* The movie “Zenith” will win several Academy Awards.
* The movie “Zenith” is going to win several Academy Awards.

FORM - had been + present participle

Examples:

* You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.
* Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived?
* You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.

USE:

1 Duration Before Something in the Past

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. “For five minutes” and “for two weeks” are both durations which can be used with the Past Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect Continuous; however, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Examples:

* They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived.
* She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business.
* How long had you been waiting to get on the bus?
* Mike wanted to sit down because he had been standing all day at work.
* James had been teaching at the university for more than a year before he left for Asia.
* A: How long had you been studying Turkish before you moved to Ankara?
B: I had not been studying Turkish very long.

USE 2

Cause of Something in the Past

Using the Past Perfect Continuous before another action in the past is a good way to show cause and effect.

Examples:

* Jason was tired because he had been jogging.
* Sam gained weight because he had been overeating.
* Betty failed the final test because she had not been attending class.

FORM : had + past participle

Examples:

* You had studied English before you moved to New York.
* Had you studied English before you moved to New York?
* You had not studied English before you moved to New York.

USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Past

The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.

Examples:

* I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai.
* I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet.
* Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several times.
* Had Susan ever studied Thai before she moved to Thailand?
* She only understood the movie because she had read the book.
* Kristine had never been to an opera before last night.
* We were not able to get a hotel room because we had not booked in advance.
* A: Had you ever visited the U.S. before your trip in 2006?
B: Yes, I had been to the U.S. once before.

USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Past (Non-Continuous Verbs)

With Non-Continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past.

Examples:

* We had had that car for ten years before it broke down.
* By the time Alex finished his studies, he had been in London for over eight years.
* They felt bad about selling the house because they had owned it for more than forty years.

Although the above use of Past Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words “live,” “work,” “teach,” and “study” are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs.
IMPORTANT Specific Times with the Past Perfect

Unlike with the Present Perfect, it is possible to use specific time words or phrases with the Past Perfect. Although this is possible, it is usually not necessary.

Example:

* She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

MOREOVER

If the Past Perfect action did occur at a specific time, the Simple Past can be used instead of the Past Perfect when “before” or “after” is used in the sentence. The words “before” and “after” actually tell you what happens first, so the Past Perfect is optional. For this reason, both sentences below are correct.

Examples:

* She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.
* She visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

HOWEVER

If the Past Perfect is not referring to an action at a specific time, Past Perfect is not optional. Compare the examples below. Here Past Perfect is referring to a lack of experience rather than an action at a specific time. For this reason, Simple Past cannot be used.

Examples:

* She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska. Not Correct
* She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

* You had previously studied English before you moved to New York.
* Had you previously studied English before you moved to New York?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:

* George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanic’s license. Active
* Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanic’s license. Passive

We use ’should’ for giving advice.

*
You should speak to him about it.
*
He should see a doctor.
*
We should ask a lawyer.

We use ’should’ to give an opinion or a recommendation.

*
He should resign now.
*
We should invest more in Asia.
*
They should do something about this terrible train service.

‘Should’ expresses a personal opinion and is much weaker and more personal than ‘must’ or ‘have to’. It is often introduced by ‘ I think’.

*
I think they should replace him.
*
I don’t think they should keep the contract.
*
Do you think we should tell her.