VERB TENSES. The simple form of the verb is the base form, with no endings.

Transcription

1 VERB TENSES Verb tense is used to designate when an action takes place in time in relation to the subject of the sentence. The verbs denote whether the action refers to the present, past or future. There are three main categories of tense: simple, progressive, and perfect. Different forms of past, present, and future verbs are designed to express different time relationships within these three categories. I. SimpleTenses The simple form of the verb is the base form, with no endings. Simple Present Use the Simple Present tense to describe actions that occur on a regular basis, usual activities or habits: Example: I ride my bike to school everyday. We always celebrate New Years with our friends. Use the Simple Present tense to describe general facts or truths: Example: The earth revolves around the sun. Light travels at a speed of 186, miles. Note: When using 3 rd person singular, regular verbs in the simple present tense end in s. Example: Tom reads a story to his son every evening. 1

2 Hinting Words The following words are used with Simple Present tense to emphasize that the action is repeated. Always, never, seldom, often, usually, every day, sometimes. Simple Past To form the simple past tense with regular verbs, add ed to the end of the regular verbs. Irregular verbs have their own form of the past participle. (See Irregular Verb List at the end of this handout.) Use the Simple Past tense to express that an action was completed at a specific time in the past: Example: Yesterday, I studied all day. Tom graduated from high school in Hinting Words The following words and phrases are used with Past Simple tense to express a succession of past action. yesterday, the other day, on Sunday (weekdays), an hour (a week, year ) ago, in 1995 (or any year), at six (any hour prior to present), last summer ( week ) Simple Future To form the simple future tense, use will + the simple present form of the verb. Use the Simple Future tense for actions that will take place in the future: Example: Tomorrow, I will study all day. or to predict an outcome: Example: She will fail her exam if she does not study. 2

3 Note: In the future tense, 3 rd person singular of the Simple Present does not keep its s ending. Example: He takes time to study every day. (present) He will take his exam tomorrow. (future) Attention: Simple Future is not used in the adverbial clauses of time and condition after these words: if, when, till, until, before, after, as soon as, unless, while. Simple Present is used instead. Example: I will introduce you to my sister as soon as she comes. If we study hard, we will pass the test. The following sentences have two clauses and express future actions; however, the clause which starts with the above mentioned words uses Simple Present tense of the verb, whereas the other clause keeps its Simple Future tense: If we study hard (1 st clause with simple present), we will pass the test (2 nd clause simple future) Simple Future in the Past To form this tense, use would + the simple present form of the verb. Use the Simple Future in the Past to express an action which was future from the point of view of the past: Example: Yesterday morning, Tom told me he would meet Anna at 5pm. I thought Jack would come in time. II. Progressive Tenses The present, past and future progressive tenses are used to express actions that are in progress. The verbs in progressive tenses are formed by adding ing to the end of the verb. Present Progressive To form the present progressive tense, use the corresponding forms of the verb be (am for I, is for he, she, it, and are for we, you, they) + -ing ending added to the main verb. Example: I am singing. 3

4 Use the Present Progressive tense to describe actions that are currently in progress and are taking place right now. Example: I am practicing my verb tense so that I can write good sentences. Use the Present Progressive tense to express duration of an action that takes place in present. Example: The boys are watching TV from 3 to 5. Note: There are some verbs that are not used in progressive tenses. The Non-progressive verbs are: hear, see, believe, understand, know, be, exist, own, possess, belong, need, want, prefer, like, love, hate, forget, remember, think (believe), have (as possess). Present Simple tense is used instead with these verbs. Example: Now, I hear (not am hearing) a strange sound. I believe that English grammar is easy. Non-progressive I am thinking about my tests right now. Progressive Past Progressive To form the past progressive tense, use was, were + -ing. Use the Past Progressive tense to describe actions that were in progress at a definite moment in the past. Example: Last night, the students were studying verb tenses until 10:00 p.m. Use the Past Progressive tense to express duration of an action that took place in the past. Example: Yesterday, he was working on her project from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Future Progressive To form the future progressive tense, use will be + verb with -ing ending. Use the Future Progressive tense to describe actions that will be in progress or happening at some point in the future. Example: I will be going to the Writing Center for tutoring at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow. 4

5 Future Progressive in the Past To form the future progressive in the past, use would be + verb with -ing ending. Use the Future Progressive in the Past to express actions going on at a time a definite moment which was future from the point of view of the past. Example: They were sure that she would be talking for at least another three hours. III. Perfect Tenses The present, past, and future perfect tenses all use the past participle form of the verb. The past participle form of regular verbs is the same as the simple past: simply add ed to the end of the regular verbs. Irregular verbs have their own form of the past participle (See Irregular Verb List at the end of this handout). Present Perfect To form the present perfect tense, use have or has + the past participle (regular verbs with the ed ending.) Use the Present Perfect tense for an action that occurred in the past at an unknown time, and the result of that completed action is connected with the present. Example: They have finished their homework for English 101. (You can see the result of the finished homework.) or for an action that began in the past, continues through the present, and is uncertain when exactly it will finish. Example: She hasn t seen Tom yet. Hinting Words The following words are used with Present Perfect to express a completed action connected with the present. Already, ever, never, yet, often, just, lately. Example: He has never failed any test. 5

6 Today, I have already seen a tutor at the Writing Center. Attention: When a question begins with the question word when Simple Past is used instead of Present Perfect. Example: I have lost my book. When did you lose it? *Note: The difference between Simple Past and Present Perfect: Example: Tom wrote a letter last night. (Simple Past is used because the action is finished at a certain point in the past, last night. Tom has just written a letter. (Present Perfect is used because the completed action is connected with the present.) Past Perfect To form the past perfect tense, use had + the past participle. Use the Past Perfect tense for an action already completed before the time of another action that occurred in the past: Example: He had walked several blocks before realizing he was on the wrong street. When we arrived (simple past), the train had already left (past perfect as this action occurred first, before we arrived.) Hinting Words Past Perfect is used with the following words or adverbial expressions to show a completed action before a given past moment. by six o clock, by that time, by the end of the week ( day, year ), after, before. Example: She had submitted her assigned essay by the due date. 6

7 Future Perfect To form the future perfect tense, use will + have(has) + the past participle. Use the Future Perfect tense to indicate an action that will be completed in the future before or by a specific future time. Example: By the time of the exam, I will have learned all the verb tenses. I think he will have finished all his midterm exams before the Spring Break. Future Perfect in the Past To form the future perfect in the past, use would + have (has) + the past participle. Use the Future Perfect in the Past to indicate an action completed before a definite moment which is future from the point of view of the past. Example: I thought I would have finished the work before your arrival. *Note: The perfect tenses also have progressive forms. The Perfect Progressive forms describe how long an action is, was, and will be in progress. Combine the perfect and progressive forms to form the perfect progressive: have, has, had + been + -ing. Examples: I have been studying since morning. (Present Perfect Progressive, which shows an action that began in the past, has been continuing for some time, and is still in the progress at the present moment or very recently finished.) She had been studying until she fell asleep. (Past Perfect Progressive, which expresses an action that began before a definite moment in the past, and was still in progress at that moment or had very recently finished.) He will have been studying for five hours by 5:00 p.m. (Future Perfect Progressive, which shows an action that will begin before a definite moment in the future, and will be continuing at that moment.) They would have been studying for five hours when we called them for the second time. (Future Perfect Progressive in the Past, which shows an action that will begin before a definite moment in the future, will continue, and that moment is viewed from the past.) 7

8 Common Problems with Verb Tense Shifting from one tense to another Incorrect Shifts Do not shift tense if actions or states occur at the same time. Example: In the morning, the Writing Center opened its doors, welcomed students, and will tutor all day. (Opened and welcomed are in the past tense. Will tutor is in the future tense and is inconsistent with the time frame of the other actions.) Corrected: In the morning, the Writing Center opened its doors, welcomed students, and tutored all day. Correct Shifts Shift tense if there is a change in time between actions or states. Example: Jane arranges flowers and makes bouquets, a job she began three years ago. (Arranges and makes are in present tense referring to what she currently does. Began is past tense referring to a job she started in the past.) VERB TENSE CHART Simple Present Tense Singular Regular / irreg. / be Plural Regular / irreg. / be I you he/she/it Simple Past Tense talk, give, am talk, give, are talks, gives, is we you they talk, give, are talk, give, are talk, give, are Singular Regular / irreg. / be Plural Regular / irreg. / be I you he/she/it talked, gave, was talked, gave, were talked, gave, was we you they talked, gave, were talked, gave, were talked, gave, were Simple Future Singular Regular / irreg. / be Plural Regular / irreg. / be I, you, he/she/it will talk, will give, will be we, you, they will talk, will give, will be 8

9 Present Perfect I, you, we, they he/she/it Regular / Irregular / be have talked, have given, have been has talked, has given, has been Past Perfect Regular / Irregular / be I, you, he/she/it, we, they had talked, had given, had been Future Perfect Regular / Irregular / be I, you, he/she/it, we, they will have talked, will have given, will have been Present Progressive I he/she/it you, we, they Past Progressive I, he/she/it you, we, they Regular / Irregular / be am talking, am giving, am being is talking, is giving, is being are talking, are giving, are being Regular / Irregular/ be was talking, was giving, was being were talking, were giving, were being Future Progressive Regular / Irregular/ be I, you, he/she/it, we, they will be talking, will be giving, will be being 9

10 10 SIMPLE FORM SIMPLE PAST PAST PARTICIPLE SIMPLE FORM SIMPLE PAST PAST PARTICIPLE Be Become Begin Bend Bite Blow break bring broadcast build buy catch choose come cost cut dig do draw drink drive eat fall feed feel fight find fit fly forget forgive freeze get give go grow hang have hear hide hit hold hurt keep know lay lead leave lend let was, were became began bent bit blew broke brought broadcast built bought caught chose came cost cut dug did drew drank drove ate fell fed felt fought found fit flew forgot forgave froze got gave went grew hung had heard hid hit held hurt kept knew laid led left lent let been become begun bent bitten blown broken brought broadcast built bought caught chosen come cost cut dug done drawn drunk driven eaten fallen fed felt fought found fit flown forgotten forgiven frozen gotten (got) given gone grown hung had heard hidden hit held hurt kept known laid led left lent let lie light lose make mean meet pay put quit read ride ring rise run say see sell send set shake shot shut sing sit sleep slide speak spend spread stand steal stick strike swear sweep swim Take care, teach tear tell think throw understand upset wake wear win withdraw write lay lit (lighted) lost made meant met paid put quit read rode rang rose ran said say sold sent set shook shot shut sang sat slept slid spoke spent spread stood stole stuck struck swore swept swam took taught tore told thought threw understood upset woke wore won withdrew wrote lain lit (lighted) lost made meant met paid put quit read ridden rung risen run said seen sold sent set shaken shot shut sung sat slept slid spoken spent spread stood stolen stuck struck sworn swept swum taken taught torn told thought thrown understood upset waked (woken) worn won withdrawn written

11 PRACTICE Fill in the blanks with appropriate verb tenses. I can't believe I (get) that apartment. I (submit) my application last week, but I didn't think I had a chance of actually getting it. When I (show) up to take a look around, there were at least twenty other people who (arrive) before me. Most of them (fill, already) out their applications and were already leaving. The landlord said I could still apply, so I did. I (try) to fill out the form, but I couldn't answer half of the questions. They (want) me to include references, but I didn't want to list my previous landlord because I (have) some problems with him in the past and I knew he wouldn't recommend me. I (end) up listing my father as a reference. It was total luck that he (decide) to give me the apartment. It turns out that the landlord and my father (go) to high school together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he (look) at my credit report. I really lucked out! This handout was based on the following texts: Hacker, Diana. The Bedford Handbook. 7 th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin s, Online Writing Lab at Purdue University. West Lafayett, IN < Schrampfer Azar, Betty. Chartbook: A Reference Grammar. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall Regents, All of the above texts are available in The Writing Center. Please visit our website at for additional resources and services. Last Revised: 4/8/13 11