Perfect Tenses and Modals

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/perfect-tenses-modals

Introduction

### Course Review: Perfect Tenses and Modals If you’re on a journey to improve your understanding of English grammar, particularly at the intermediate level, the Coursera course titled **"Perfect Tenses and Modals"** offers a valuable stepping stone. As the first installment in the **"Learn English: Intermediate Grammar"** specialization, this course is designed specifically for those who have grasped basic grammar concepts and are eager to delve deeper into the nuances of English verb tenses and modals. #### Overview of the Course The **"Perfect Tenses and Modals"** course provides an engaging and structured learning experience. Throughout its duration, learners are introduced to essential verb tenses, including the **present perfect, present perfect progressive, past perfect, and past perfect progressive**. Additionally, the course culminates in a comprehensive examination of **modal verbs** that express ability, possibility, preference, and impossibility. This course combines video lectures with practical activities, which helps to solidify the theoretical concepts presented. For those who opt for the certificate (available for a fee), there’s an added benefit of engaging in discussions and peer reviews, facilitating a collaborative learning environment. #### Detailed Syllabus Breakdown 1. **Welcome Module**: The course begins with a warm welcome, outlining what to expect and how to navigate the materials. In this module, the instructional design is highlighted, with opportunities for videos and interactive practice—an inviting way to start your learning journey. 2. **Present Perfect Tense**: In the second module, learners dive into the present perfect tense. You will learn not just the rules, but how to apply them in everyday situations—forming questions, answers, and statements effectively. This focus on practical application sets the stage for the rest of the course. 3. **Present Perfect Progressive**: Building on the previous lessons, this segment contrasts the present perfect with the present perfect progressive. The tutorial emphasizes the context and usage of progressive tenses, helping students grasp their distinct purposes and applications thoroughly. 4. **Past Perfect and Past Perfect Progressive**: The course progresses logically into the past tenses, where students will understand what past perfect is, its applications, and the differences between present and past perfect tenses. This clarity can significantly enhance one’s narrative skills, making past storytelling coherent and impactful. 5. **Modals—Ability, Possibility, Preference, and Impossibility**: The final week is a treasure trove of knowledge about modal verbs. Understanding modals not only enriches vocabulary but also enhances conversational skills. Students learn to articulate abilities, express preferences, explore possibilities, and convey impossibilities, ensuring well-rounded communication capabilities. #### Recommendations I highly recommend **“Perfect Tenses and Modals”** for intermediate English learners who wish to solidify their grasp of verb tenses while boosting their speaking and writing prowess. The course's interactive nature keeps the learning process engaging and dynamic, which can help maintain motivation and enhance retention. For those preparing for further studies or professional environments where nuanced English is necessary, mastering these tenses and modals can be instrumental. Completing this course will no doubt help learners articulate their thoughts clearly and correctly in both spoken and written formats. In conclusion, invest your time in this course, and not only will you find satisfaction in your improved grammar skills, but you'll also open up a world of possibilities in your English communication!

Syllabus

Welcome

Welcome to the first course in the Learn English: Intermediate Grammar specialization. This course will cover the perfect verb tenses and modals. You will watch fun videos and do practice activities to help you learn this important grammar. If you have paid for the certificate for this course, you will also be able to participate in discussions and peer reviews to help you learn. To earn a certificate, you must pass several quizzes and assignments.

This week, you will learn about the present perfect verb tense. You will learn how to use it to form questions, answers, and statements, and you will learn when to use present perfect tense.

Now that you've learned about the present perfect tense, you're going to learn about the present perfect progressive. To start, you'll review when to use progressive tenses in English. Then you'll learn how to form the present perfect progressive and how it is different from present perfect.

This week, you'll learn what the past perfect is and when to use it. You'll practice using the correct form, and you'll also learn the difference between present perfect and past perfect.

In this last week, you are going to learn a lot. This module is all about modal verbs. English has a lot of these, and here you're going to learn about many of them. They will help you talk about abilities, possibilities, impossibilities, and preferences.