English Tenses & Relative Pronouns: A Comprehensive Grammar Reference

Future Simple: will + verb

Uses:

• Future Prediction: I'm sure you will enjoy the trip. (Estoy seguro de que disfrutarás el viaje)
• Spontaneous Decision: Don't worry. I'll help you. (No te preocupes. Te ayudaré)
• Scheduled Future Events: The lesson will start at 9:00. (La clase comenzará a las 9:00)

Be Going To: am/is/are + going to + verb

Uses:

• Future Plan: The teacher is going to meet us tomorrow. (El maestro nos va a encontrar mañana)
• Prediction Based on Present Evidence: Be careful! It is going to break!

Common Expressions:

• tomorrow
• this evening
• in an hour
• at 7 o'clock
• later

Future Continuous: will + be + verb + -ing

Uses:

• Action in Progress at a Specific Future Time: At this time tomorrow, we'll be studying. (En este momento mañana, estaremos estudiando)

Common Expressions:

• at this time tomorrow
• next day
• in the next decade

Future Perfect Simple: will + have + past participle

Uses:

• Action Completed by a Specific Time in the Future: They will have completed their exams by then. (Habrán completado sus exámenes para entonces)

Common Expressions:

• by this time next week
• by 2 o'clock
• by the end of...
• by then

Present Perfect Continuous: have/has + been + verb + -ing

Uses:

• Action that Started in the Past and Continues into the Present, or Whose Results Are Still Evident: We're tired. We have been working on our project all day.

Common Expressions:

• for a month
• since 2004
• all night
• all morning

Past Perfect Continuous: had + been + verb + -ing

Uses:

• Action that Continued for Some Time Up Until Another Past Action: I had been studying for three hours before I took a break.

Common Expressions:

• for hours
• since last March
• all night

Relative Pronouns

Who / That (for people)

You'll see some of the characters who/that are involved in the TV show.

Which / That (for objects)

She looks for metal which/that people have left on the streets.

When (for time)

Early in the morning is the time when Adam collects metal.

Where (for place)

Recycling plants are factories where materials are recycled.

Whose (for possessions)

This is the man whose scrap-metal business makes 7 million a year.