When learning English, it is necessary to take into account that, unlike Russian, where the verb has only 3 tenses - past, present and future, English verbs have 16 types of tense forms. And this is not at all accidental, because various shades of action in Russian can also be expressed by other verbal forms, for example, gerunds and participles.
It should be noted that the presence of a large number of tenses in the English language does not at all simplify the learning process itself and often leads to deep discouragement not only for students, but also for teachers themselves. Imagine - the teacher explains how the verb in the past simple, continuous and perfect tenses differs at a time when they are translated into Russian in exactly the same way!
Of course, you can express your thoughts and opinions in monosyllables and primitively, using, for example, only the simple indefinite tense. However, in order to speak freely, understand and "feel" the English language, the coordination of tenses, the table will be one of the mostnecessary tools that will help you navigate and correctly build a proposal. This option is used most often. It is necessary for clarity and better assimilation. Indeed, the tenses in English are much easier to understand if everything important is graphically highlighted and formatted accordingly. This method will help both beginners and professionals to understand this difficult topic.
In essence, the tense agreement in English is the replacement of the present tense verb in the subordinate clause of a sentence with the corresponding form of the past tense. This is done if the main part contains the past tense (see examples). But all verb forms remain unchanged when the main part is present or future tense. Thus, for students and practitioners of English, the table of tenses can be an indispensable tool. Make it and it will come in handy more than once!
It is important to remember that when translating complex, complex sentences, as well as indirect speech from Russian, it is necessary to observe the logical sequence and the coordination of tenses in English. In Russian, it is possible to combine the present, past, and future tenses appropriately and grammatically correctly in one sentence. For example:
I wonder (present) if Anna (past) knew what was going to happen tomorrow (future).
In English, with a literal translation without taking into account agreement, instead of a clear and intelligible sentence, you get a motley and even funny"porridge" from a set of words. Compare how two students translated this sentence, one (1) of whom relied on his imaginary knowledge and did not take into account the rules of the English language, and the other (2), not being sure of the grammar, used the tense table.
1. I'm interested did Ann know (Past Simple) about what will be (Future Simple) tomorrow. (Wrong, read it again, it even sounds clumsy.)
2. I wonder if Ann knew (Past Simple) about what would be (Future Simple in the Past) next day. (That's right - read in one breath.)
These simple examples show that tense agreement in English is an obligatory section in the learning process. And knowledge of these rules and competent application in English speech will open wide boundaries for you to communicate with foreigners.
