Verb Overview
The official names of the tenses are not important for the ACT/GMAT/GRE/PSAT/SAT. What is important is knowing the proper
structure to have the correct verb tense to express what you are doing.
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Subject-Verb Agreement
o Verbs must agree with its subject noun in person and number: Singular, add an “s”; plural, no “s.”
o The noun closest to a verb may not be its subject.
o Even if there are 2 (or more) subjects, only “and” makes it compound and plural.
Infinitives are verb forms that are preceded by the word “to.”
o E.G., I want to swim in the pool.
Gerunds are verb forms that end with “–ing” and act as nouns.
o E.G., I enjoy swimming.
Participles are verb forms that act like adjectives.
o Past Participles have happened in the past—they use the simple past tense form of the verb, which is
usually, but not always, “-ed.”
 E.G., The whispered word.
o Present Participles operates in the present—they use the “-ing” form of a verb.
 E.G., The house has a swimming pool.
o Future Participles don’t exist in the English language.
Verb Tenses (In order of importance)
o Simple Tenses
 Past Simple Tense: before now.
 “I studied.”
 Present Simple Tense: right now.
 “I study.”
 Future Simple Tense: after now.
 “I will study.”
o Perfect Tenses
 Past Perfect Tense: started in the past and ended before another action also in the past; uses “had” +
past tense.
 “I had studied before I took the test.”
 Present Perfect Tense: started in the past and is still happening; uses “have” or “has” + past tense.
 “I have studied today.”
 Future Perfect Tense: started in the past, present, or future and ending at a specific time in the
future; uses “will have” + past tense.
 “I will have studied by next week.”
o Progressive Tenses
 Past Progressive Tense: a continuing action going on in the past; uses “to be” past tense (was or
were) + present participle.
 “I was studying.”
 Present Progressive Tense: a continuing action going on now; uses “to be” present tense (am, are, or
is) + present participle.
 “I am studying.”
 Future Progressive Tense: a continuing action going on in the future; uses “will be” + present
participle.
 “I will be studying.”
o Perfect Progressive Tenses
 Past Perfect Progressive Tense: a continuing action completed in the past; uses “had been” + present
participle.
 “I had been studying.”
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Present Perfect Progressive Tense: a continuing action that began in the past and either is ongoing
or has current relevance; “have been” or “has been” + present participle.
 “I have been studying.”
Future Perfect Tense: a continuing action that will be completed in the future; uses “will have been”
+ present participle.
 “I will have been studying.”