Understanding verb tense
What are the verb tenses?
Present and present perfect
Past and past perfect
Future and future perfect
Consistency of tense
Modals
Review A
Review B
What are the verb tenses?
Verbs do a lot of work in sentences. They show
actions and states of being. They even take
different forms to show time.
flies
flew
will fly
What are the verb tenses?
The tense of a verb indicates the time of the
action or state of being expressed by the verb.
Perfect tenses indicate that something happened
or existed before a specific point in time.
Past
Past
Past Perfect
Present
Present
Present Perfect
Future
Future
Future Perfect
She
She
Gwen
will
She
has
Gwen
Gwen
have
had
will
played
plays
played
played
played
playinguitar
inthe
last
violin
a
inconcert
band
ten
year
in before
aconcerts
jazz
for
astomorrow.
well.
three
then.
band.
byyears.
April.
What are the verb tenses?
The tenses of verbs are formed from the four
principal parts of verbs.
Base Form
Present Participle
Past
Past Participle
smile
choose
[is] smil ing
[is] choos ing
smile d
cho se
[have] smile d
[have] cho sen
What are the verb tenses?
Each tense has a progressive form, which is
used to express continuing action or state of
being.
Present progressive
am, are, is talking
Past progressive
was, were talking
Future progressive
will (shall) be talking
Present perfect progressive
has, have been talking
Past perfect progressive
had been talking
Future perfect progressive
will (shall) have been talking
What are the verb tenses?
Present and present perfect
The present tense expresses an action or a
state of being that is occurring now, at the
present time.
Today we honor our veterans.
Polly is marching in the parade.
(Progressive form)
What are the verb tenses?
Present and present perfect
The present tense is also used in these ways:
to show a customary or
habitual action or state of
being
We recycle our aluminum
cans.
to express a general truth
The sun rises in the east.
to make historical events
seem current (historical
present)
In 1927, Charles Lindbergh
flies nonstop across the
Atlantic.
to discuss a literary work
(literary present)
In Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck
shows us the extremes of life
during the depression.
to express future time
We travel to Utah next month.
What are the verb tenses?
Present and present perfect
The present perfect tense
• expresses an action or a state of being that
occurred at an indefinite time in the past
• is usually formed using the helping verb have or
has plus the past participle
Mike has been in several parades.
He has played the drum in all of them.
What are the verb tenses?
Present and present perfect
The present perfect tense is also used to
express an action or state of being that began in
the past and continues into the present. In this
case, perfect means complete.
Mr. Lee has taught music at our
school since 2004.
(Progressive form)
Yoko has been taking flute lessons for
six years.
What are the verb tenses?
Past and past perfect
The past tense expresses an action or a state of
being that occurred in the past but did not
continue into the present.
The two friends shared the large swing.
They were swinging for a long time.
(Progressive form)
What are the verb tenses?
Past and past perfect
The past perfect tense
• expresses an action or a state of being that
ended before another past action or state of
being occurred
• is usually formed using had plus the past
participle
After Maria had gone home, Kim was bored.
She asked her dad about the time that he
had been a lifeguard at the beach.
What are the verb tenses?
Future and future perfect
The future tense
• expresses an action or a state of being that will
occur
• is usually formed using will or shall plus the
base form
My family will ride the train to Chicago.
We will be arriving at five o’clock.
(Progressive form)
What are the verb tenses?
Future and future perfect
The future perfect tense
• expresses an action or a state of being that will
end before another future action or state of
being
• is usually formed using will have or shall have
plus the past participle
By the time you receive this letter, she will have
returned home.
After this trip, he will have been to Chicago
three times.
What are the verb tenses?
On Your Own
Change the tense of the verb in each sentence, as indicated
in parentheses.
1. I do not miss the bus. (Change to future.)
2. Were they at the party? (Change to past perfect.)
3. By then, Keith had returned. (Change to future perfect.)
4. The team will practice for an hour with no break. (Change
to future perfect progressive.)
5. My sister dances well. (Change to past.)
[End of Section]
Consistency of tense
Do not change needlessly from one tense to
another.
To describe events that occur at the same time,
use verbs in the same tense.
past tense
past tense
Sara peeked over the fence and saw a cornfield.
present tense
present tense
Sara peeks over the fence and sees a cornfield.
Consistency of tense
For events that occur at different times, use
verbs of different tenses to show the sequence of
events.
past tense
past perfect tense
The pitcher wished that he had practiced more
before the game.
The action of wishing happened after the action of
practicing was complete.
Consistency of tense
For events that occur at different times, use
verbs of different tenses to show the sequence of
events.
past tense
present tense
Yesterday, Nina told us that her brother works
every week at the senior center.
The action of telling occurred at a specific time in the
past. The action of working occurs now.
Consistency of tense
On Your Own
Proofread the paragraph for unnecessary changes of verb
tense. Change the verbs to make the tenses consistent.
(1) I was in my room Saturday morning, planning to
study for two hours. (2) To my surprise, Nancy Chang drops
by. (3) She dashed into the house, runs up the stairs, and
calls my name. (4) What she wanted was a fishing
companion. (5) As I get my fishing gear together, I was so
happy. (6) On our way to the lake, we notice some dark
clouds. (7) We wished we checked the weather first.
[End of Section]
Modals
A modal is a helping verb that is joined with a
main verb or an infinitive to express an attitude
toward the action or state of being of the main
verb.
Helping verbs used as modals
can
could
may
might
must
ought
shall
should
will
would
Modals
The modal can or could is used to express ability.
Tammy can play point guard in the second half.
The team could have made better shots.
Modals
The modal may is used to express permission or
possibility.
Permission
Yes, you may borrow my sweater.
Possibility
My clothes closet may be too full.
The modal might is used to express possibility.
I might give some of my clothing to charity.
Modals
The modal must is used most often to express a
requirement. Sometimes, must is used to express
an explanation.
Requirement
We must conserve energy in our homes.
Explanation
My brother must have left the lights on.
Modals
The modal ought is used to express an obligation
or a likelihood.
Obligation
Reggie ought to study harder for math
quizzes.
Likelihood
The next quiz ought to be more difficult
than the last one.
Modals
The modal will or shall is used to express future
time.
I shall enter my painting in the contest.
After reviewing the entries, the
panel will announce the winner.
Modals
The modal should is used to express a
recommendation, an obligation, or a possibility.
Recommendation
Terrell should leave soon to catch
the bus.
Obligation
All students should get to school
on time.
Possibility
Should you arrive late, please go
to the office first.
Modals
The modal would is used to express the
conditional form of a verb. In other words, it is
used to express a situation that is contrary to fact.
If the weather had been more pleasant,
they would have gone on a picnic.
Mrs. Chang would be happy to prepare
food if you bring the plates and forks.
Modals
Would can also be used to express future time in
a subordinate clause when the main verb in the
independent clause is in the past tense.
past tense verb
modal expresses future time
They promised
usthat
thatthey
theywould
would
bring
music.
promised us
bring
thethe
music.
Main clause
Subordinate clause
Modals
Would is sometimes used to express
• an action that was repeated in the past
Every day she would wake early and feed the hens.
• an invitation or offer
Would you like a nice, fresh salad?
• a polite request
Would you please bring me those books?
Modals
On Your Own
Supply an appropriate modal for each sentence.
1. Jen _____ have cleaned out the garage yesterday.
2. _____ you please help Merrill with that large box?
3. You _____ probably guess what I am about to say.
4. If the train had been faster, we _____ have arrived
sooner.
5. I’m not certain, but I think Dad _____ be cooking stew
for dinner tonight.
[End of Section]
Review A
Change the tense of each boldface verb to the tense
indicated in parentheses.
1. The otter swam to the edge of the pond. (present
perfect)
2. Our class will read Shakespeare’s Macbeth. (future
progressive)
3. The three sisters regularly meet for lunch. (past)
4. Each student chooses a lab partner. (past perfect)
5. Wasps were entering the house through the torn screen.
(present)
Review B
Supply an appropriate modal, helping verb, or main verb to
complete each sentence correctly. The hints in parentheses
will help you.
1. Colleen _____ almost reach the light bulb. (shows ability)
2. Jack _____ repair the bicycle tomorrow. (future tense)
3. Most of the girls _____ already left. (present perfect)
4. I _____ attend the concert if only I had more time.
(shows a condition)
5. Tamara opens the refrigerator and _____ inside.
(consistent tense)
[End of Section]
The End