Language Arts: Verb Tenses - Tutorial
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Simple Tenses
Verbs tell us the time that an action took place. The time that a verb shows is usually called tense. There are twelve verb tenses altogether. This section will cover the twelve verb tenses. Let's get started!
Perfect Tenses
The simple present tense is used for
something that:
happens regularly
is a fact or always true
is happening at the moment. It can be used when describing how one
feels, or what one believes.
For example:
Traffic is always hectic this time of
day.
I carry my umbrella on rainy days.
Steve believes his answer is
correct.
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The simple past tense is used for
something that:
happened in the past
To form the past tense of a regular verb, simply add a d or ed to the base of the verb. It is called simple because nothing
more needs to be added to it.
To review the List for Irregular Verbs: click here.
Let's take a look at a some of examples, using simple past tense verbs for the regular verb paint and the irregular verb drive:
He painted the house yellow.
We drove to the lake last weekend.
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The simple future tense is used for
something that:
happens in the future
This tense uses the linking verb will + the base verb. For more on linking verbs: click here
For example:
I will leave for Florida tomorrow.
Harry will begin his new job next week.
The past perfect tense is used for:
action that is completed before a
specific time in the past. This tense
uses had + past participle
For example:
Before yesterday, Jim had thought that decorating a cake was easy.
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The present perfect tense is used for:
action that starts in the past and continues into the present or has just been completed. This tense uses have or has + past participle
For example:
Nina has worked at the school for the
past fifteen years.
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The future perfect tense is used for:
action that will be completed by a
certain time in the future. This tense
uses will + have + past participle
For example:
By next week, George will have
graduated from college.
She will have finished all of her chores by the end of the day.
The past progressive tense is used
for something that:
was in the process of continuously occurring in the past.
For example:
Nina was going to the store.
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Progressive Tenses
The present progressive tense is used for something that:
is happening continuously in the
present.
For example:
Fred is watching television.
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The future progressive tense is used
for something that:
will happen continuously in the
future.
For example:
Mary will be making the arrangements for the upcoming event.
Perfect Progressive Tenses
The past perfect progressive tense is formed by:
adding had plus been to the present
participle (the -ing form of the verb).
For example:
She had been going to the meetings
until recently.
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The present perfect progressive tense is formed by:
adding has plus been to the present
participle (the -ing form of the verb).
For example:
Norman has been writing to his friends in Arizona for years.
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The future perfect progressive tense is formed by:
adding will have plus been to
the present participle (the -ing form
of the verb).
For example:
Fran will have been working at the
bookstore for over 20 years.
A Verb Tense Review
Notice that the past, present, and the future tenses are shown within the four
category of tenses (simple, perfect,
progressive, and perfect progressive).
The simple tenses are formed by
simply writing the past, present, and
future of the verbs. Only the helping verb will + the base verb is used with the future tense.
The perfect tenses are formed by adding: have, has, or had to the past participle (the past participle usually ends in ed)
If the tense is in the past, then use had. If the tense is in the present, then use has or have. If the tense is in the future, then use will have + the past participle.
The progressive tenses are formed by adding: am, is, are, was, or were to the present participle (the verb that
usually ends in ing).
If the tense is in the past, then use was, or were. If the tense is in the present, then use am, is, or, are. If the tense is in the future, then use will be with the present participle.
The perfect progressive tenses are
formed by the following:
past: had been + present participle
present: has or have been + present participle
future: will have been + present participle
More on Verbs
Singular Plural
1st person: I we
2nd person: you you
3rd person: he, she, it they
Notice that the plural you refers to a speaker talking to a group of people
(you as a whole).
Make sure that the subject agrees with the verb that is used in the sentence.
