verbs tense

 Past perfect tense expresses Past perfect tense expresses action completed. action completed before before certain certain time in the past[r]

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 PresentPerfect PerfectPast PerfectFuture

Present Tense

action which is going on at the present time or which occurs always, repeatedly, or

habitually

He eats cereal for breakfast every day

Past Tense

the past

yesterday She lived to be 90 years old

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 1 st

person and will for 2 nd and 3 rd

persons.

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 (continuing)

Past Perfect Tense

time in the past (This is the

the past participle of the verb

letter before I saw her

Future Perfect Tense

action which will be completed before a certain time in the future

participle of the verb.

the paper before next Friday.

Verb Forms

Verb Forms

Regular Verbs

tense and past participle by adding –ed or –d to their present tense form

verbs are regular

problems in speaking and writing

Regular verbs and their Principal Parts

Principal

Parts:

Verb:

Present

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

Other Common Irregular Verbs and their Principal Parts

Principal

Part

Verb

Present Tense Present Participle Past Tense Past Participle

done

flown

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

You are

He, she, it is

We are You are They are

You were

He was

We were You were They were

You will be

He will be

We shall be You will be They will be

You have been

He has been

We have been You have been They have been

You had been

He had been

We had been You had been They had been