If you ask the EnglishPapa students, what topics are the hardest for them to learn, most will probably name the tenses. Indeed, after Russian, where there are only three verb tenses, it is not easy to learn English tenses, because there are several times more of them. In addition, students have an obvious question: why do they need to know all the tenses in English? Let's break down everything we know about the English tenses and try to answer this question.
How many tenses are there in the English language?
In Russian, as we have already mentioned, there are three tenses: past, present, and future. In English, however, there are many more. It is difficult to name their exact number, because different specialists consider them in different ways. Yet, in the classical version, it is accepted to divide 12 verb tenses in English. Well, the tenses maximum number, which the English language some researchers call, reaches 32!
Why is there such tenses a large number in English?
Despite the fact that the words volume in the English language has long exceeded a million, the language rules prescribe the verbs treatment very sparingly. If we compare with Russian, the "great and mighty" uses different verbs word forms. For example, "read" and "read". English uses different tenses changing words instead. This, on the one hand, simplifies the vocabulary, but, on the other hand, increases the tenses number that have to be learned.
Is it possible to know only a few tenses?
English courses for adults some students wonder if it is possible to learn only a few tenses. Unfortunately, this is not enough to fully master the language. The thing is that in English, there are no tenses that are considered outdated, or used only in the press and literature. You need to learn all the tenses, and that's the only way you will be able to read, write, and speak in English.
Moreover, if you think that the English language tenses study is the learning final stage, it is not quite true. Tenses are an ordinary topic, and their gradual mastering goes from level to level. But don't rush to get frustrated, because the rules regarding the tenses in English are clearly structured and normally amenable to learning. Imagine what difficulties an Englishman can have tried to learn declensions, conjugations and cases in Russian. Our teachers have been successfully teaching students all the tenses for more than a year, they have clearly perfected the methodology and achieve excellent results in a short time.
What to do if you can't master all the tenses in English
Enroll in the EnglishPapa! Often in order to understand the English tenses intricacies, you need expert help. Our teachers are qualified specialists who not only know all the English tenses perfectly but can teach them to you quickly and accurately. Sign up for our courses and speak English correctly!
A source: https://englishpapa.com/why-know-the-tenses-in-english/