Quickly discover the secrets of the English tenses: why English speakers can use two tenses to mean the same thing – and where the rules can be bent and broken. This book is your answer to the foundations of fluent English. A comprehensive guide to the usage patterns of all 12 aspects of the English language, covering rules and grammatical forms, The English Tenses: Practical Grammar Guide is ideal as either an accompaniment to core texts or as a full self-study guide. For English learners of an intermediate level and above, this book introduces the reader to flexible uses of the English tenses, with simple, easy-to-follow explanations, colourful examples and enlightening comparisons. This guide explains the theory behind the grammar of the different aspects of English, as well as the many ways native English speakers adapt the rules. It covers simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous forms in the past, present and future, explaining their uses for showing time, emphasis and other purposes. Also covered are the specific applications of bare infinitives, participles and time clauses. Phil Williams, tutor and author of the website English Lessons Brighton, takes the reader from the past, to present to future, in a friendly, readable style - carefully comparing the tenses along the way. The book guides students towards more natural, and fluent, use of advanced English language.