LEO:LiteracyEducationOnline

SummaryofVerbTenses

InEnglish,therearethreebasictenses:present,past,andfuture.Eachhasaperfectform,indicatingcompletedactioneachhasaprogressiveform,indicating
ongoingactionandeachhasaperfectprogressiveform,indicatingongoingactionthatwillbecompletedatsomedefinitetime.Hereisalistofexamplesof
thesetensesandtheirdefinitions:
SimpleForms

ProgressiveForms

PerfectForms

PerfectProgressiveForms

Present

take/s

am/is/aretaking

have/hastaken

have/hasbeentaking

Past

took

was/weretaking

hadtaken

hadbeentaking

Future

will/shalltake

willbetaking

willhavetaken

willhavebeentaking

SimpleForms
PresentTense
Presenttenseexpressesanunchanging,repeated,orreoccurringactionorsituationthatexistsonlynow.Itcanalsorepresentawidespreadtruth.
Example

Meaning

Themountainsaretallandwhite.

Unchangingaction

Everyyear,theschoolcouncilelectsnewmembers.

Recurringaction

Pbisthechemicalsymbolforlead.

Widespreadtruth

PastTense
Pasttenseexpressesanactionorsituationthatwasstartedandfinishedinthepast.Mostpasttenseverbsendined.Theirregularverbshavespecialpasttense
formswhichmustbememorized.

Example

Form

W.W.IIendedin1945.

Regularedpast

ErnestHemmingwaywrote"TheOldManandtheSea."

Irregularform

FutureTense
Futuretenseexpressesanactionorsituationthatwilloccurinthefuture.Thistenseisformedbyusingwill/shallwiththesimpleformoftheverb.
ThespeakeroftheHousewillfinishherterminMayof1998.
Thefuturetensecanalsobeexpressedbyusingam,is,orarewithgoingto.
ThesurgeonisgoingtoperformthefirstbypassinMinnesota.
Wecanalsousethepresenttenseformwithanadverboradverbialphrasetoshowfuturetime.
Thepresidentspeakstomorrow.(Tomorrowisafuturetimeadverb.)

ProgressiveForms
PresentProgressiveTense
Presentprogressivetensedescribesanongoingactionthatishappeningatthesametimethestatementiswritten.Thistenseisformedbyusingam/is/arewith
theverbformendingining.
Thesociologistisexaminingtheeffectsthatracialdiscriminationhasonsociety.

PastProgressiveTense
Pastprogressivetensedescribesapastactionwhichwashappeningwhenanotheractionoccurred.Thistenseisformedbyusingwas/werewiththeverbform
endingining.
TheexplorerwasexplainingthelastestdiscoveryinEgyptwhenprotestsbeganonthestreets.

FutureProgressiveTense

Futureprogressivetensedescribesanongoingorcontinuousactionthatwilltakeplaceinthefuture.Thistenseisformedbyusingwillbeorshallbewiththe
verbformendingining.
Dr.Joneswillbepresentingongoingresearchonsexistlanguagenextweek.

PerfectForms
PresentPerfectTense
Presentperfecttensedescribesanactionthathappenedatanindefinitetimeinthepastorthatbeganinthepastandcontinuesinthepresent.Thistenseisformed
byusinghas/havewiththepastparticipleoftheverb.Mostpastparticiplesendined.Irregularverbshavespecialpastparticiplesthatmustbememorized.
Example

Meaning

Theresearchershavetraveledtomanycountriesinordertocollectmoresignificant
data.

Atanindefinitetime

Womenhavevotedinpresidentialelectionssince1921.

Continuesinthe
present

PastPerfectTense
Pastperfecttensedescribesanactionthattookplaceinthepastbeforeanotherpastaction.Thistenseisformedbyusinghadwiththepastparticipleofthe
verb.
Bythetimethetroopsarrived,thewarhadended.

FuturePerfectTense
Futureperfecttensedescribesanactionthatwilloccurinthefuturebeforesomeotheraction.Thistenseisformedbyusingwillhavewiththepastparticipleof
theverb.
Bythetimethetroopsarrive,thecombatgroupwillhavespentseveralweekswaiting.

PerfectProgressiveForms

PresentPerfectProgressive
Presentperfectprogressivetensedescribesanactionthatbeganinthepast,continuesinthepresent,andmaycontinueintothefuture.Thistenseisformedby
usinghas/havebeenandthepresentparticipleoftheverb(theverbformendingining).
TheCEOhasbeenconsideringatransfertothestateofTexaswhereprofitswouldbelarger.

PastPerfectProgressive
Pastperfectprogressivetensedescribesapast,ongoingactionthatwascompletedbeforesomeotherpastaction.Thistenseisformedbyusinghadbeenandthe
presentperfectoftheverb(theverbformendingining).
Beforethebudgetcuts,thestudentshadbeenparticipatinginmanyextracurricularactivities.

FuturePerfectProgressive
Futureperfectprogressivetensedescribesafuture,ongoingactionthatwilloccurbeforesomespecifiedfuturetime.Thistenseisformedbyusingwillhave
beenandthepresentparticipleoftheverb(theverbformendingining).
Bytheyear2020,linguistswillhavebeenstudyinganddefiningtheIndoEuropeanlanguagefamilyformorethan200years.
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LastUpdate:22September2000
URL:http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/grammar/tenses.html