The formation of the Present Indefinite.
1.The Present Indefinite is formed from the infinitive without the particle to.
In the third person singular the ending -s is added. After s, ss, ch, sh, tch, x, z and after the vowel o, -es is added: he writes, he passes, he pushes, he does.
2. In the third person singular we find the following change:
The final у is changed into i if it is preceded by a consonant and then -es is added: to study – he studies; to try – he tries.
After a vowel у is kept unchanged: to play – he plays; to stay – he stays.
3. The interrogative and the negative forms are formed by means of the Present Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to do and the infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to.
Affirmative Interrogative Negative
I work Do I work? I do not work
He works Does he work? He does not work
She works Does she work? She does not work
We work Do we work? We do not work
You work Do you work? You do not work
They work Do they work? They do not work
4. The contracted negative forms are:
I don’t work; He doesn’t work; They don’t work.
The use of the Present Indefinite.
The Present Indefinite is used to denote:
1. Customary, repeated actions. This is its most characteristic use.
The Browns go to the seaside every summer.
The repeated character of the action is often shown by adverbials such as every day, often, usually, etc.
2. Actions and states characterizing a given person.
He sings and plays the piano beautifully.
3. Universal truths, something which is eternally true.
Magnet attracts iron.
4. Actions going on at the present moment (with verbs not used in the Continuous form).
I hear somebody knock. Go and open the door.
5. A future action:
(a) in adverbial clauses of time and condition after the conjunctions when, till, until, before, after, as soon as, as long as, if, unless, on condition that, provided.
.. .Robert, will you mend me a pen or two before, you go?
(b) with the verbs of motion. The future action is regarded as something fixed (according to a timetable).
Usually with verbs of motion, such as to go, to come, to leave, etc.
The train leaves at 10 to-morrow.
THE PAST INDEFINITE
The formation of the Past Indefinite.
1. The Past Indefinite is formed by adding -ed or -d to the stem (regular verbs), or by changing the root vowel, or in some other ways (irregular verbs).
2.The interrogative and the negative forms are formed by means of the Past Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to do (did) and the infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to.
Affirmative Interrogative Negative
I worked (wrote) Did I work (write)? I did not work (write)
He worked (wrote) Did he work (write)? He did not work (write)
She worked (wrote) Did she work (write)? She did not work (write)
We worked (wrote) Did we work (write)? We did not work (write)
You worked (wrote) Did you work (write)? You did not work (write)
They worked (wrote) Did they work (write)? They did not work (write)
3.The contracted negative forms are:
I didn’t work; She didn’t work
The use of the Past Indefinite.
The Past Indefinite denotes an action performed within a period of time which is already over. The action is cut off from the present. The time of the action may be indicated by adverbials of past time, such as yesterday, a week ago, last year, etc.
The Past Indefinite is used to denote:
(a) an action performed in the past.
We entered Farmer Ridley’s meadow in silence.
(b) a succession of past actions.
He threw down his spade and entered the house.
(c) repeated actions in the past.
He made an entry in his diary every night.
N о t е. – Repeated actions are often expressed by used to + Infinitive and would + Infinitive. Used to is more colloquial and would is more literary.
Every afternoon, they used to go and play in the Giant’s garden.
Sometimes used to denotes an action characterizing a person or actions or states which lasted a long time ago.
There used to be an old oak-tree near the house.
THE FUTURE INDEFINITE