Conjugation

Drift away

s'éloigner peu à peu

Regular verb, phrasal verb.

Conjugated like want, look, need, double-check, double-click, even out

  • Phrasal verb: away

    Only drift changes; away stays the same: drifted away, drifted away.

In speech, the helping verbs shorten: I’m, he’s, we’re, I’ve, I’ll, I’d.

Newbie

Enough to talk about now, the past, and your plans, and to give instructions.

  1. Present simple

    Habits, facts, and how things usually are. To say no or ask, add do or does: I don't drift away, he doesn't drift away.

    1. I / you / we / they drift away
    2. he / she / it drifts away

  2. Present continuous

    What is happening now, and plans already arranged: we’re leaving tomorrow.

    1. I am drifting away
    2. you / we / they are drifting away
    3. he / she / it is drifting away

  3. Past simple

    A finished action at a past time: yesterday, in 2020. To say no or ask, add did: I didn't drift away.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they drifted away

  4. Future with going to

    Plans and intentions, and what you can see coming: it’s going to rain.

    1. I am going to drift away
    2. you / we / they are going to drift away
    3. he / she / it is going to drift away

  5. Imperative

    Orders, advice, and instructions. Let’s suggests doing it together. To say no: don't drift away.

    1. (you) drift away
    2. let's drift away
BeginnerExperiences, what you were doing, and the future with will.Present perfect · Past continuous · Future with willAlso show the Beginner tenses (3)

  1. Present perfect

    The past linked to now: experiences, news, and what started earlier and still goes on: I’ve lived here for two years.

    1. I / you / we / they have drifted away
    2. he / she / it has drifted away

  2. Past continuous

    An action in progress at a past moment, often interrupted: I was cooking when you called.

    1. I / he / she / it was drifting away
    2. you / we / they were drifting away

  3. Future with will

    Predictions, promises, offers, and decisions made now: I’ll help you.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will drift away
IntermediateHow long something has lasted, the past before the past, and what would happen.Present perfect continuous · Past perfect · Future continuous · Conditional · Conditional perfectAlso show the Intermediate tenses (5)

  1. Present perfect continuous

    An activity from the past until now, and how long it has lasted: I’ve been waiting for an hour.

    1. I / you / we / they have been drifting away
    2. he / she / it has been drifting away

  2. Past perfect

    The past before another past moment: when I arrived, the train had left.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they had drifted away

  3. Future continuous

    An action in progress at a future moment: this time tomorrow, I’ll be flying.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will be drifting away

  4. Conditional

    What would happen in an imagined situation, and polite requests: if I had time, I would help.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would drift away

  5. Conditional perfect

    What would have happened, but did not: if I had known, I would have come.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would have drifted away
AdvancedWhat will have happened, and the longer continuous tenses.Past perfect continuous · Future perfect · Future perfect continuous · Conditional continuous · Conditional perfect continuousAlso show the Advanced tenses (5)

  1. Past perfect continuous

    An activity that had been going on until a past moment: she was tired because she had been running.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they had been drifting away

  2. Future perfect

    An action finished before a future moment: by Friday, I’ll have finished.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will have drifted away

  3. Future perfect continuous

    How long an activity will have lasted at a future moment: in June, I’ll have been working here for a year.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will have been drifting away

  4. Conditional continuous

    An action that would be in progress in an imagined situation: if I were rich, I would be traveling now.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would be drifting away

  5. Conditional perfect continuous

    An activity that would have been going on in an imagined past: without the rain, we would have been playing outside.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would have been drifting away