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Tense denotes the time of the action

indicated by a verb. The time is not

always the same as that indicated by the

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Present TensePresent tense may express action which is

going on at the present time or which occurs

always, repeatedly, or habitually.

Examples: He sees the train.

He eats cereal for breakfast every day.

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Past TensePast tense expresses action completed at a

definitetime in the past.

Examples: He wrote the letter yesterday.

She lived to be 90 years old.

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Future Tense Future tense expresses action which will take place in the

future.

It uses the helping verbs will or shall* and the present

tense form of the verb).

Examples: He will send the letter tomorrow.

I shall wait here until you return.

* Traditionally,shallis used for 1stperson and willfor 2nd

and 3rdpersons.

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Otherwise known as the

Timeless Present

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Simple Present Tense is used: While referring to habitual actions--actions that you

always or never do

While referring to unchanging truths

While making general statements of fact

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Examples (habit) He always comes late to the class.

(unchanging truth) The sun rises in the east.

(general statement of fact) They are friendly.

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IndicatorsAlways Whenever Everyday

Usually Often Frequently

Sometimes Rarely Occasionally

never

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Verb FormI study I wait

You study You wait

S/he/it studies s/he/itwaits

We study wewait

They study theywait

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Diagram--time on a line

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Sometimes called the

Present Continuous Tense

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The Present Progressive Tense

is Used:When an activity is in progress now at the

moment of speaking

When an activity began before nowand continues

into the future without stopping.

When an activity is temporary.

When an activity is developing and changing.

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Examples Imexplaining something to the class right now.

Hestaking 16 credits this semester.

She is understanding English more and more

because she moved into the dormitory.

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IndicatorsRight now, at this

moment

Still

This year, week,

month, etc.

As we speak

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Form

I am studying I'm studying

You are studying You're studying

S/he/it is studying S/he/it's studying

We are studying We're studying

They are studying They're studying

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Diagram--time on a line

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A tense very commonly used in English to refer to the past!

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The Present Perfect is Used:

When an activity happened at an unspecifiedtime

in the past (before the present)

When an activity has beenrepeated several timesbefore now

When an activity was very recently completed

before now

When an activity is not completedin the past

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Examples

(unspecified time before now) They have already seen

that movie.

(repeated activity before now) We have visited New York

City many times.

(an action has recently been completed before now) I have

just eaten.

(action not completed in the past) I have studied Spanish

for many years.

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Indicators

Before Ever Never

So far Already Yet

Just Recently For

since

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Form 1

have or has +past participle

I have studied . . . I have seen . . .

You have studied . . . You have seen . . .

S/he/it has studied . . S/he/it has seen . . .

We have studied . . . We have seen . . .

They have studied . . . They have seen . . .

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Form 2I've walked. . . I've grown. . .

You've walked . . . You've grown . . .

S/he/it's walked . . . S/he/it's grown . . .

We've walked . . . We've grown . . .

They've walked . . . They've grown . . .

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Diagram 1--time on a line

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Diagram 2--time on a line

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Present Perfect Progressive

This tense is used to describe actions that have

been continuously in progress before now.

These actions are not completed.

Example:I have been waiting here for the last

two hours.

Form: have or has + been + verb ing

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The Simple Past Tense is Used:

When an activity or situation began and ended

at a particular time in the past--in other words,

when an activity or situation is completed in

the past

To refer to past habits

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Examples

(Completed action in the past) He was late

to class yesterday.

(Completed action in the past) We arrived

three weeks ago.

(Past habit) She always wrote a letter to her

mother on Sunday night.

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IndicatorsLast night, week, year, month, Saturday,

semester, etc.

Yesterday

ago

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Verb FormI studied I waited

You studied You waited

S/he/it studied S/he/it waited

We studied We waited

They studied They waited

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Diagram--time on a line

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Past ProgressiveThis tense is used to refer to activities

continuouslyin progress around a time in the past.

Example: They were eating when the taxi arrived.

Form: was or were + verb ing

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Past Perfect This tense is not used a lot. It can often be used

interchangeably with the simple past because these

tenses do not differ much in meaning. The past

perfect tense refers to activities that happened before

a specific time in the past.

Example, He had visited her many times before shedied.

Form: had +past participle

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Past Perfect ProgressiveThis tense is used when an activity was

continuouslyin progress beforea specific time

in the past.

Example:I had been thinking about her before

she called.

Form: had + been + verb ing

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The Future Tense is Used:

To indicate that an activity or event will

take place at a time in the future

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ExamplesWhen Imretired, Imgoing to travel.

Next week, we will work on punctuation.

He is going to get his car fixed tomorrow.

Our plane departs at noon next Friday.

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IndicatorsTomorrow

Next Saturday, week, month, year, etc.

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Form 2I am going to stay I'm going to stay

You are going to stay You're going to stay

S/he/it is going to stay S/he/it's going to stay

We are going to stay We're going to stay

They are going to

stay

They're going to stay

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Form 3Sometimes the simple present tense or thePresent progressive tense are used to express a

future meaning. Usually these tenses are used

when scheduled events are being discussed.

I arrive I am arriving

You arrive You are arriving

S/he/it arrives S/he/it is arriving

We arrive We are arriving

They arrive They are arriving

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Diagram--Time on a Line

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Future Progressive TenseThis tense is used to refer to activities that will be

continuouslyin progress around some future time.

Example: We will be flying over New York at noon

tomorrow.

Form: will + be + verb ing

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Future Perfect

The future perfect expresses the idea that an

activity will occur before some future time.

Example: She will have finished dinner before

the game starts.

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Future Perfect Progressive This tense is used to refer to activities that will be

continuously in progress before a future time.

Example: He will have been working for 3 hours

before you arrive.

Form: will + have + been + verb ing

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Overview of the English Verb Tense/Aspect System

Simple Perfect

(HAVE +

verb+en)

Progress-

ive

(BE +

verb+ing)

Perfect

Progress-

ive(HAVE+ BEEN +

verb+ing)

Present * * *

Past *

Future *

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verb: to be

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verb: to beTense Singular Plural

Present I amYou are

He, she, it is

We are

You are

They are

Past I wasYou were

He was

We were

You were

They were

Future I shall beYou will be

He will be

We shall be

You will be

They will be

Present Perfect I have beenYou have been

He has been

We have been

You have been

They have been

Past Perfect I had beenYou had been

He had been

We had been

You had been

They had been

Future Perfect I shall have beenYou will have been

We shall have been

You will have been