Collins Cobuild English Grammar (204 page)

BOOK: Collins Cobuild English Grammar

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R101
The
present perfect progressive
is formed by using the present perfect of
be
and the
-ing
participle of the main verb.

Howard
has been working
hard over the recess.
What we
have been describing
is very simple.
Their shares
have been going up
.

R102
The
past perfect
is formed by using
had
and the
-ed
participle of the main verb.

The Indian summer
had returned
for a day.
Everyone
had liked
her.
Murray
had resented
the changes I
had made
.

R103
The
past perfect progressive
is formed by using
had been
and the
-ing
participle of the main verb.

She did not know how long she
had been lying
there.
For ten years of her life, teachers
had been making up
her mind for her.
I
had been showing
a woman around with her little boy.

R104
There are several ways of referring to the future in English. The simple future involves using the modal
will
or
shall
and the base form of the verb.

It is exactly the sort of scheme he
will like
.
My receptionist
will help
you choose the frames.
Don’t drop crumbs or we
shall have
mice.

In spoken English, the contracted form ’
ll
is usually used instead of
will
or
shall
, unless you want to be emphatic.

Send him into the Army;
he’ll
learn a bit of discipline there.
As soon as we get the tickets
they’ll
be sent out to you.
Next week
we’ll
be looking at the history of dance.

R105
If the full forms are used,
will
is generally used if the subject of the verb is not
I
or
we
.
Shall
is sometimes used if the subject is
I
or
we
, otherwise
will
is used.

Inflation is rising and
will
continue to rise.
I
shall
be away tomorrow.

R106
The
future progressive
is formed by using
will
or
shall
, followed by
be
and the
-ing
participle of the main verb.

Indeed, we
will be opposing
that policy.
Ford manual workers
will be claiming
a ten per cent pay rise.
I
shall be leaving
soon.

R107
The
future perfect
is formed by using
will
or
shall
, followed by
have
and the
-ed
participle of the main verb.

Long before you return, they
will have forgotten
you.
By next week
will have reached
the end of the book.
By that time, I
shall have retired
.

R108
The
future perfect progressive
is formed by using
will
or
shall
, followed by
have been
and the
-ing
participle of the main verb.

By March, I
will have been doing
this job for six years.
Saturday week, I
will have been going out
with Susan for three months.

R109
Passive forms are constructed using an appropriate tense of
be
and the
-ed
participle of the main verb. Detailed information on forming the passive is given below.

R110
The
present simple passive
is formed by using the present simple of
be
and the
-ed
participle of the main verb.

The earth
is baked
by the sun into a hard, brittle layer.
If you are on a full-time course you
are treated
as your parents’ dependent.
Specific subjects
are discussed
.

R111
The
present progressive passive
is formed by using the present progressive of
be
and the
-ed
participle of the main verb.

The buffet counter
is being arranged
by the attendant.
It is something quite irrelevant to what
is being discussed
.
Jobs
are
still
being lost
.

R112
The
past simple passive
is formed by using the past simple of
be
and the
-ed
participle of the main verb.

No date
was announced
for the talks.
The walls
were covered
with pictures of actors.
Several new cottages
were built
on the land.

R113
The
past progressive passive
is formed by using the past progressive of
be
and the
-ed
participle of the main verb.

The stage
was being set
for future profits.
Before long, machines
were being used
to create codes.
Strenuous efforts
were being made
last night to end the dispute.

R114
The
present perfect passive
is formed by using the present perfect of
be
and the
-ed
participle of the main verb.

The guest-room window
has been mended
.
I think real progress
has been made
.
The dirty plates
have been stacked
in a pile on the table.

R115
The
past perfect passive
is formed by using
had been
and the
-ed
participle of the main verb.

They
had been taught
to be critical.
They
had been driven
home in the station wagon.

R116
The
future passive
is formed by using
will
or
shall
, followed by
be
and the
-ed
participle of the main verb.

His own authority
will be undermined
.
Congress
will be asked
to approve an increase of 47.5 per cent.

R117
The
future perfect passive
is formed by using
will
or
shall
, followed by
have been
and the
-ed
participle of the main verb.

Another goal
will have been achieved
.
The figures
will have been distorted
by the effects of the strike.

R118
The future progressive passive and the perfect progressive passive are rarely used.

R119
The table below gives a summary of the active and passive forms. The passive forms marked with a star are very rarely used.

	active	passive
present simple present progressive present perfect	He eats it. He is eating it. He has eaten it.	It is eaten. It is being eaten. It has been eaten.
present perfect progressive	He has been eating it.	It has been being eaten.*
past simple past progressive past perfect	He ate it. He was eating it. He had eaten it.	It was eaten. It was being eaten. It had been eaten.
past perfect progressive	He had been eating it.	It had been being eaten.*
future future progressive future perfect	He will eat it. He will be eating it. He will have eaten it.	It will be eaten. It will be being eaten.* It will have been eaten.
future perfect progressive	He will have been eating it.	It will have been being eaten.*

R120
There are some verbs that are not usually used in the progressive, and some that are not used in the progressive in one or more of their main meanings.

Here is a list of verbs that are not usually used in the progressive: