Understanding verb tense and mood What are verb tense and mood? Verb tense Special problems in the uses of tenses Mood Modals Review A Review B

Understanding verb tense and mood

What are verb tense and mood?

Verb tense

Special problems in the uses of tenses

Mood

Modals

Review A

Review B

One job is to show when an action or state of being takes place. The form a verb takes to show time is called tense.


Verbs take different forms to do different jobs.

Early phones had round dials.

Our phone is red.

Cell phones will get even smaller.


Verbs also take different forms to show the attitude of the person using the verb. These forms are called mood.

Polish those shoes, soldier!

I polished this apple for you.

I suggest that you polish your nails.

Mark studies for his classes.

The tense of a verb indicates the time of the action or state of being expressed by the verb.

Past Future

Present

Present perfect

He has studied hard for every test.

Future

Future perfect

Perfect tenses indicate that something happened or existed before a specific point in time.

Tomorrow Mark will study math.He will have studied enough by the end of the night.

Past

Mark studied for two hours last night.

Past perfect

He also had studied a little right after school.

Now

Verb tense

The tenses of verbs are formed from the four principal parts of verbs.

Present participle

Base form

Past

Past participle

print see

[is] print [is] see ing

print ed s aw

[have] print ed [have] see n

ing

Verb tense

Each tense has a progressive form, which is used to express continuing action or state of being.

Verb tense

Present progressive am, are, is walking

Past progressive was, were walking

Future progressive will (shall) be walking

Present perfect progressive

has, have been walking

Past perfect progressive had been walking

Future perfect progressive will (shall) have been walking

In the past tense the emphatic form consists of did plus the base form.

In the present tense, the emphatic form of a verb consists of do or does plus the base form.

The present and past tenses have another form, the emphatic form, which shows emphasis.

Verb tense

Present emphatic do walk, does walk

Past emphatic did walk

Verb tensePresent and present perfect

The present tense expresses an action or a state of being that is occurring now, at the present time.

Martina and Jen race down the field.

The fans are cheering wildly.(Progressive form)

The players do look confident.(Emphatic form)

The present tense is also used in these ways:

In a surprise move the Greeks construct a huge wooden horse and leave it outside Troy.

to make historical events seem current (historical present)

The Dark Child relates the experiences of a boy growing up in an African village.

to discuss a literary work (literary present)

The sun sets in the west.to express a general truth

We go to the mall every Saturday.

to show a customary or habitual action or state of being

We drive to Maine tomorrow. to express future time


The present perfect tense

• is formed with the helping verb have or has

• expresses an action or a state of being that occurred at an indefinite time in the past


Tim and Mia have entered the data into the computer.

Who has been using this computer?

(Progressive form)

The present perfect tense is also used to express an action or state of being that began in the past and continues into the present.

Mr. Reed has been coaching soccer since 2003.

Mr. Reyes has taught science for ten years.

(Progressive form)


The past tense expresses an action or a state of being that occurred in the past and did not continue into the present.

Verb tensePast and past perfect

In the last lap the runner fell.

The fall did cause a bad injury.(Emphatic form)

The past perfect tense

• is formed with the helping verb had

• expresses an action or a state of being that ended before another past action or state of being occurred

Paul had traveled several miles before he realized his mistake.

He discovered that he had misread the road map.

Verb tensePast and past perfect

The future tense

• is formed with the helping verb shall or will

• expresses an action or a state of being that will occur

Leah will attend a writers’ workshop this summer.

She will be writing poetry and fiction.

(Progressive form)

Verb tenseFuture and future perfect

The future perfect tense

• is formed with the helping verbs will have or shall have

• expresses an action or a state of being that will end before some other future occurrence

You will have saved enough money for the car by the time you start back to school.

By then, you will have been working here a year.

Verb tenseFuture and future perfect

(Progressive form)

[End of Section]

Change the tense of the verb in each sentence, as indicated in parentheses.

1. Max has studied piano for one year. (Change to future.)

2. Ivy roots made their way into the bricks. (Change to present progressive.)

3. The smell of gas filled the air. (Change to past perfect.)

4. Ray runs every day. (Change to past perfect progressive.)

5. The picture has been needing a new frame. (Change to present emphatic.)

On Your Own

Verb tense

Present tense

Special problems in the use of tensesSequence of tenses

Use tense forms correctly to show relationships between verbs in a sentence.

To describe events that occur at the same time, use verbs in the same tense.

The bell rings, and the classroom empties.

The bell rang, and the classroom emptied.

Present tense

Past tense Past tense

Present tense

For events that occur at different times, use verbs of different tenses to show the order of events.

She plays soccer now, but last year she swam on the swim team.

Her soccer playing is occurring now. Her swimming on the swim team occurred in the past and preceded her soccer playing.

Past tense


Past perfect tense

For events that occur at different times, use verbs of different tenses to show the order of events.

Serena told us that she had invited Josh to the party.

Past tense

The action of inviting was completed before the action of telling.


In an if clause that expresses the earlier of two events, do not use would have. Instead, use the past perfect tense.

Special problems in the use of tensesIf clauses

If he would have taken more time, he would have won. If he had taken more time, he would have won.

NonstandardStandard

[End of Section]

On Your Own

Special problems in the use of tenses

Correct each error in the use of verb tenses. If a sentence is already correct, label it C.

1. After she graduated, Corrine joins the navy.

2. We would have walked there if the weather would have been nice.

3. She delivers the mail when the regular mail carrier is sick.

4. After Sam had answered, Mr. Cain says, “That is correct.”

5. If you had asked politely, I might have helped you.

Mood

Mood is the form a verb takes to indicate the attitude of the person using the verb.

The indicative mood expresses a fact, an opinion, or a question.

Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Fact

Isabel Allende is a gifted writer. Opinion

Can you explain the difference between a meteor and a meteorite?

Question

Mood

The imperative mood expresses a direct command or a request.

Explain the difference between a meteor and a meteorite.

Direct command

Please pass me that astronomy book. Request

The present and past tenses have distinctive forms in the subjunctive mood.

Mood

• The present subjunctive expresses a suggestion or a necessity.

We recommend that Mary Collins be invited to speak at the assembly.

Suggestion

It is required that you attend the special training session.

Necessity

Mood

• The past subjunctive expresses a condition contrary to fact or expresses a wish.

If I were you, I’d check the oil level in the car.

Condition contrary to fact

Margaret wishes she were an auto mechanic.

Wish

Mood

[End of Section]

On Your Own

For each sentence, identify the mood of the boldfaced verb as indicative, imperative, or subjunctive.

________ 1. Was your brother excited about the game?

_________ 2. Be a good dog and stay right there, Molly.

_________ 3. Ms. Harper suggested that we volunteer.

_________ 4. Mr. Darwin said that he will lead a field trip to the animal sanctuary.

_________ 5. If I were as talented a singer as you, I would try out for the chorus.

Modals

A modal is a helping verb that is joined with a main verb or an infinitive to express an attitude toward the action or state of being of the main verb.

Helping Verbs Used as Modals

can could may might must

ought shall should will would

Modals

The modals can and could are used to express ability.

Can you swim the freestyle?

I could have taken swimming lessons this spring.

Modals

The modal may is used to express permission or possibility.

May I use your pencil?

Janelle might get a new bicycle.

The modal might is also used to express possibility.

Permission

You may want to add more garlic to the pasta sauce.

Possibility

Modals

The modal must is used most often to express a requirement. Sometimes must is used to express an explanation.

You must take care of houseplants if you want them to live.

I must have watered this plant too much; some of its leaves have turned yellow.

Requirement

Explanation

Modals

The modal ought is used to express an obligation or a likelihood.

Gary ought to send a thank-you note.

The post office ought to be open by now.

Obligation

Likelihood

Modals

The modals shall and will are used to express future time.

Where will the ceremony be held?

I shall graduate from high school this June.

Modals

The modal should is used to express a recommendation, an obligation, or a possibility.

Doug should visit each campus before deciding on a college.

You should have asked before borrowing the book.

Recommendation

Obligation

Possibility Should you decide to accept the other job offer, please let me know.

Modals

The modal would is used to express the conditional form of a verb.

If it had rained, we would have cancelled the hike.

I would have let you know about any changes.

Modals

Would can also be used to express future time in a subordinate clause when the main verb in the independent clause is in the past tense.

Calista told us that she would meet us at the park.

past tense verb

Main clause

Calista told us that she would meet us at the park.

Subordinate clause

modal expresses future time

Modals

Would is sometimes used to express

Every summer my family would travel to Colorado.

Would you please help him set the table?

• an action that was repeated in the past

• a polite request

• an invitation

Would you go to the folk festival with me?

Modals

[End of Section]

Supply an appropriate modal for each sentence.

1. “I definitely _____ call you tomorrow,” Ellen promised.

2. Take your umbrella because it _____ rain.

3. Explain this math problem to me; I _____ not figure it out.

4. The committee _____ not have chosen anyone better than Esteban.

5. Now that I have read that book, I _____ highly recommend it to all my friends.

On Your Own

Review A

Identify the tense or mood of each boldfaced verb, as indicated in parentheses. If the verb is in the progressive or emphatic form, also identify the form.

__________ 1. The band had finished the concert, but the audience called for another set. (tense)__________ 2. The class will be reading a play. (tense)__________ 3. If you were more patient, you would succeed. (mood)

__________ 4. I have been stung by a bee. (tense)

__________ 5. Remember to remove your shoes in a Japanese restaurant. (mood)

Review B

[End of Section]

1. If Maya _____ listened more carefully, she would have known what to do. (correct if clause)

2. You _____ register by 8:00. (shows a requirement)

3. I suggest that you _____ on time. (subjunctive mood)

4. I _____ help you paint if I had time. (shows a condition)

5. As a witness to the accident, Pam told the police what _____ happened. (correct sequence of tenses)

Supply an appropriate modal, helping verb, or main verb to complete each sentence correctly. The hints in parentheses will help you.

The End

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Understanding verb tense and mood What are verb tense and mood? Verb tense Special problems in the uses of tenses Mood Modals Review A Review B