Verb TenseVerb Tense

Tense denotes the time of the action Tense denotes the time of the action indicated by a verb. The time is not indicated by a verb. The time is not

always the same as that indicated by the always the same as that indicated by the name of the tense.name of the tense.

6 Types6 Types

Verb Tenses

Present Past FutureFuture

PerfectPast

PerfectPresent Perfect

Present TensePresent Tense

Present tense may express Present tense may express action which is going on at the action which is going on at the present time or which occurs present time or which occurs always, repeatedly, or habitually.always, repeatedly, or habitually.

Examples: He Examples: He seessees the train. the train. He He eatseats cereal for breakfast cereal for breakfast every day.every day.

Past TensePast Tense

Past tense expresses action Past tense expresses action completed at a completed at a definitedefinite time in time in the past.the past.

Examples: He Examples: He wrotewrote the letter the letter yesterday. She yesterday. She livedlived to be 90 to be 90 years old.years old.

Future TenseFuture Tense Future tense expresses action which Future tense expresses action which

will take place in the future.will take place in the future. It uses the helping verbs It uses the helping verbs willwill or or

shall*shall* and the present tense form of and the present tense form of the verb).the verb).

Examples: He Examples: He will sendwill send the letter the letter tomorrow. I tomorrow. I shall waitshall wait here until you here until you return.return.

* Traditionally, * Traditionally, shallshall is used for 1 is used for 1stst person and person and willwill for 2 for 2ndnd and 3 and 3rdrd persons.persons.

Present Perfect TensePresent Perfect Tense Present perfect tense expresses action Present perfect tense expresses action

completed at the present time (perfect completed at the present time (perfect means complete) or begun in the past means complete) or begun in the past and continuing into the present.and continuing into the present.

This tense uses the helping verbs This tense uses the helping verbs hashas and and havehave and the past participle of the and the past participle of the verb.verb.

Examples: Examples: He He has writtenhas written a letter to his uncle. a letter to his uncle.

(completed action)(completed action) The Waltons The Waltons have livedhave lived here for seven here for seven

years. (continuing)years. (continuing)

Past Perfect TensePast Perfect Tense

Past perfect tense expresses Past perfect tense expresses action completed action completed beforebefore certain certain time in the past. (This is the time in the past. (This is the beforebefore-past tense.)-past tense.)

It uses the helping verb It uses the helping verb hadhad and and the past participle of the verb.the past participle of the verb.

Example: She Example: She had writtenhad written the the letter before I saw her.letter before I saw her.

Future Perfect TenseFuture Perfect Tense

Future perfect tense expresses Future perfect tense expresses action which will be completed action which will be completed before a certain time in the future. before a certain time in the future. (This is the (This is the beforebefore-future tense)-future tense)

It uses the helping verbs It uses the helping verbs will havewill have or or shall haveshall have and the past and the past participle of the verb.participle of the verb.

Example: He Example: He will have finishedwill have finished the paper before next Friday.the paper before next Friday.

Verb FormsVerb Forms

Verb Forms

Regular Irregular

Regular VerbsRegular Verbs

Regular verbs form their past Regular verbs form their past tense and past participle by tense and past participle by adding –ed or –d to their present adding –ed or –d to their present tense form.tense form.

More than 95% of all English More than 95% of all English verbs are regular.verbs are regular.

Regular verbs cause few Regular verbs cause few problems in speaking and problems in speaking and writing.writing.

Regular verbs and their Regular verbs and their Principal PartsPrincipal Parts

Principal Principal Parts:Parts:

Verb:Verb:

Present Present TenseTense

Present Present ParticipleParticiple

Past Past TenseTense

Past Past ParticipleParticiple

To callTo call call, call, callscalls

callingcalling calledcalled (have) (have) calledcalled

To dustTo dust dust, dust, dustsdusts

dustingdusting dusteddusted (have) (have) dusteddusted

Irregular VerbsIrregular Verbs

Irregular verbs can form their past Irregular verbs can form their past tense and past participle forms in tense and past participle forms in various way.various way.

These forms cause even native These forms cause even native speakers innumerable problems.speakers innumerable problems.

The most irregular verb of all is the The most irregular verb of all is the verb verb to beto be..

Another irregular verb that is Another irregular verb that is important for its use with other important for its use with other verbs is the verb verbs is the verb to haveto have..

Four Principal/Main PartsFour Principal/Main Parts

Principal Principal Parts:Parts:

Verb:Verb:

Present Present TenseTense

Present Present ParticipleParticiple

Past Past TenseTense

Past Past ParticipleParticiple

To BeTo Be be, am, be, am, are, isare, is

beingbeing was, was, werewere

(have) (have) beenbeen

To HaveTo Have have, have, hashas

havinghaving hadhad (have) (have) hadhad

Other Common Irregular Verbs Other Common Irregular Verbs and their Principal Partsand their Principal Parts

Principal Principal PartPart

VerbVerb

Present Present TenseTense

Present Present ParticipleParticiple

Past TensePast Tense Past Past ParticipleParticiple

To seeTo see see, see, seessees

seeingseeing sawsaw (have) (have) seenseen

To doTo do do, doesdo, does doingdoing diddid (have) (have) donedone

To flyTo fly fly, fliesfly, flies flyingflying flewflew (have) (have) flownflown

To runTo run run, run, runsruns

runningrunning ranran (have) (have) runrun

ConjugationConjugation

A conjugation of a verb is the A conjugation of a verb is the correct arrangement of its form correct arrangement of its form through its tenses, persons, and through its tenses, persons, and numbers.numbers.

PersonPerson means the speaker, the means the speaker, the person spoken to, and the person spoken to, and the person or thing spoken of.person or thing spoken of.

NumberNumber means singular or means singular or plural.plural.

Conjugation of the verb: Conjugation of the verb: to beto beTenseTense SingularSingular PluralPlural

PresentPresent I amI am

You areYou are

He, she, it isHe, she, it is

We areWe are

You areYou are

They areThey are

PastPast I wasI was

You wereYou were

He wasHe was

We wereWe were

You wereYou were

They wereThey were

FutureFuture I shall beI shall be

You will beYou will be

He will beHe will be

We shall beWe shall be

You will beYou will be

They will beThey will be

Present PerfectPresent Perfect I have beenI have been

You have beenYou have been

He has beenHe has been

We have beenWe have been

You have beenYou have been

They have beenThey have been

Past PerfectPast Perfect I had beenI had been

You had beenYou had been

He had beenHe had been

We had beenWe had been

You had beenYou had been

They had beenThey had been

Future PerfectFuture Perfect I shall have beenI shall have been

You will have beenYou will have been

He will have beenHe will have been

We shall have beenWe shall have been

You will have beenYou will have been

They will have beenThey will have been