VERB TENSETense 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 of Verb Tenses

Present Tense

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.

Your Turn: Write a present tense sentence about your morning routine.

Past Tense

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.

Your turn: Write a past tense sentence about Superbowl Sunday.

Future Tense

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.

I shall be late. We will be late.

Your Turn

Write two future tense sentences about your plans for Spring Break.

*Try to use shall (personal) and will (plural)

Present Perfect Tense

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: He has written a letter to his uncle.

(completed action) The Waltons have lived here for seven

years. (started in past, BUT still continuing)

Your turn

Write three (3) present perfect sentences selecting from any of the following irregular verb forms.

Forbidden SetFallen Brought

Swum TakenSprung Meant

Past Perfect Tense

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: Sheryl had sent the email before her manager returned from the meeting.

Your turn

Write a past perfect tense sentence about something you are skilled at doing (i.e. you could do it blind-folded and asleep without messing up).

Future Perfect Tense

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.

Your turn: Write a future perfect tense sentence about an upcoming class assignment (any course).

Verb Forms

Regular Verbs

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:

Verb:

Present Tense

Present Participle

Past Tense

Past Participle

To call call, calls

calling called (have) called

To dust dust, dusts

dusting dusted (have) dusted

Irregular Verbs

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:

Verb:

Present Tense

Present Participle

Past Tense

Past Participle

To Be be, am, are, is

being was, were

(have) been

To Have have, has

having had (have) had

Other Common Irregular Verbs and their Principal Parts

Principal Part

Verb

Present Tense

Present Participle

Past Tense Past Participle

To see see, sees

seeing saw (have) seen

To do do, does doing did (have) done

To fly fly, flies flying flew (have) flown

To run run, runs running ran (have) run

Conjugation

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 PluralPresent I am

You areHe, she, it is

We areYou areThey are

Past I wasYou wereHe was

We wereYou wereThey were

Future I shall beYou will beHe will be

We shall beYou will beThey will be

Present Perfect

I have beenYou have beenHe has been

We have beenYou have beenThey have been

Past Perfect I had beenYou had beenHe had been

We had beenYou had beenThey had been

Future Perfect I shall have beenYou will have beenHe will have been

We shall have beenYou will have beenThey will have been

Your Turn: conjugate each verb

Tense Singular Plural

Present1) Saunter2) Facilitate3) Deal*4) Discriminate5) Drink *

Past

Future

Present Perfect

Past Perfect

Future Perfect

Answers

Ve rbs1) Saunter2) Facilitate3) Deal*4) Discriminat

e5) Drink *

Singular Plural

Past

Future

Present Perfect

Past Perfect

Future Perfect