Verb tense forms
WEEK 10. YEAR 8.
Lesson objectives
By the end of the lesson, the learner will be able
to:
a. identify the verb and tense in a sentence by
circling and labelling.
b. write sentences using the various tenses.
The present tense
 Present Simple
 The tense that is used to refer to events, actions, and conditions that are happening all the time, or
exist now.
•
“I play football.”
 Present Continuous:
 The tense that is used for actions happening now or for an action that is unfinished. This tense is also
used when the action is temporary.
•
“She is speaking to my mum at the moment.”
 Present Perfect:
 The tense that is used for something that started in the past and continued to the present time.
•
“I have swum in the sea countless times.”
 Present Perfect Continuous:
 The tense that is used to show that something started in the past and is continuing at the present
time.
•
“She has been competing in dance competitions lately.”
The past tense
 Simple Past:
 The tense that is used to describe an event or action that happened in the past.
•
“Last night, I cooked chicken curry.”
 Past Continuous:
 The tense that is used for a continuing action or event in a time which began or existed in the
past. It can also be used to describe an unfinished action that was interrupted by another event or
action.
•
“I was swimming with David last night when Bob arrived.”
 Past Perfect:
 The tense that is used to make it clear that one event happened before another in the past.
•
“He had failed to communicate that he had another wife when we first met.”
 Past Perfect Continuous:
 The tense that is used to show that an action started in the past and continued up until another
time in the past.
•
“Dave had been playing soccer for 10 years when he was offered a spot on the US Olympic team.”
The future tense
 Simple Future:
 The tense that is used to describe things that haven’t yet happened at the present time, but which
are expected, or likely to occur in the future.
•
“I will swim more than 10 laps tomorrow.”
 Future Continuous:
 The tense that is used for an unfinished action or event that will occur in future and continue for an
expected length of time.
•
“I will be swimming in the new Olympic-sized swimming pool on Friday.”
 Future Perfect:
 The tense that is used for actions that will be completed between now and some point in the future.
•
“I will have swum at least 1000km by the end of the year”
 Future Perfect Continuous:
 The tense that is used to describe actions that will continue up until a point in the future.
•
“In April, Damien will have been working in the company for 10 years.”
Go through the sentences provided below and
identify the type of tenses.
1. Sir Swanzy drinks coffee every morning.
2. The boy got up late and missed the bus.
3. My mother goes to pray in the temple.
4. The team is playing very well.
5. The school will be closed for winter break.
6. Leonard graduated from college last year.
7. The baby has eaten all the chips.
8. Have you read Pride and Prejudice?
9. The train has just left the station.
10. The sick child has been sleeping for three hours.
Go through the sentences provided below
and identify the type of tenses.
1. They have known each other for a long time.
2. Sam was going to school.
3. When I went there, Bucky was playing video games.
4. The workers have been working on the building for a long time.
5. Penny had done her homework when her parents came back.
6. Mr Eshun had been writing his last book for four months.
7. I will move to Delhi soon.
8. Mr Samuels will be staying in New York next week.
9. Beverly will have left before you arrive to see her.
10. Mr Peter will have been teaching for twelve years next month.