Verb Tense
Tense denotes the time of the action
indicated by a verb. The time is not always
the same as that indicated by the name of the
tense.
6 Types
Verb Tenses
Present
Past
Future
Present
Perfect
Past
Perfect
Future
Perfect
Present Tense
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Present tense may express
action which is going on at the
present time or which occurs
always, repeatedly, or
habitually.
Examples: He sees the train.
He eats cereal for breakfast
every day.
Past Tense
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Past tense expresses action
completed at a definite time in
the past.
Examples: He wrote the letter
yesterday. She lived to be 90
years old.
Future Tense
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Future tense expresses action
which will take place in the
future.
It uses the helping verbs will or
shall* and the present tense
form of the verb).
Examples: He will send the
letter tomorrow. I shall wait here
until you return.
* Traditionally, shall is used for
1st person and will for 2nd and 3rd
persons.
Present Perfect Tense
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Present perfect tense expresses action
completed at the present time (perfect
means complete) or begun in the past and
continuing into the present.
This tense uses the helping verbs has and
have and the past participle of the verb.
Examples:
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He has written a letter to his uncle. (completed
action)
The Waltons have lived here for seven years.
(continuing)
Past Perfect Tense
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Past perfect tense expresses
action completed before certain
time in the past. (This is the
before-past tense.)
It uses the helping verb had and
the past participle of the verb.
Example: She had written the
letter before I saw her.
Future Perfect Tense
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Future perfect tense expresses
action which will be completed
before a certain time in the
future. (This is the before-future
tense)
It uses the helping verbs will
have or shall have and the past
participle of the verb.
Example: He will have finished
the paper before next Friday.
Verb Forms
Verb Forms
Regular
Irregular
Regular Verbs
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Regular verbs form their past
tense and past participle by
adding –ed or –d to their present
tense form.
More than 95% of all English
verbs are regular.
Regular verbs cause few
problems in speaking and
writing.
Regular verbs and their
Principal Parts
Principal
Parts:
Present Present Past
Participle Tense
Tense
Past
To call
call,
calls
calling
called
(have)
called
To dust
dust,
dusts
dusting
dusted
(have)
dusted
Participle
Verb:
Irregular Verbs
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Irregular verbs can form their
past tense and past participle
forms in various way.
These forms cause even native
speakers innumerable
problems.
The most irregular verb of all is
the verb to be.
Another irregular verb that is
important for its use with other
verbs is the verb to have.
Four Principal/Main Parts
Principal
Parts:
Present
Tense
Present
Past
Participle Tense
Past
be, am,
are, is
being
was,
were
(have)
been
having
had
(have)
had
Participle
Verb:
To Be
To Have have,
has
Other Common Irregular
Verbs and their Principal Parts
Principal
Part
Present
Tense
Present
Participle
Past Tense
Past
Participle
saw
To do
see,
seeing
sees
do, does doing
To fly
fly, flies
flew
To run
run, runs running
(have)
seen
(have)
done
(have)
flown
(have)
run
Verb
To see
flying
did
ran
Conjugation
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A conjugation of a verb is the
correct arrangement of its form
through its tenses, persons, and
numbers.
Person means the speaker, the
person spoken to, and the
person or thing spoken of.
Number means singular or
plural.
Conjugation of the verb: to be
Tense
Singular
Plural
Present
I am
You are
He, she, it is
We are
You are
They are
Past
I was
You were
He was
We were
You were
They were
Future
I shall be
You will be
He will be
We shall be
You will be
They will be
Present Perfect
I have been
You have been
He has been
We have been
You have been
They have been
Past Perfect
I had been
You had been
He had been
We had been
You had been
They had been
Future Perfect
I shall have been
You will have been
He will have been
We shall have been
You will have been
They will have been