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 PresentPastFuture Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Perfect

Present Tense Present tense may express action which is going on at the present time or which occurs always, repeatedly, or habitually. 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. Examples: He sees the train. He eats cereal for breakfast every day.

Past Tense Past tense expresses action completed at a definite time in the past. 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. Examples: He wrote the letter yesterday. She lived to be 90 years old.

Future Tense Future tense expresses action which will take place in the future. 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). 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. 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. * 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. 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. This tense uses the helping verbs has and have and the past participle of the verb. Examples: Examples: He has written a letter to his uncle. (completed action) He has written a letter to his uncle. (completed action) The Waltons have lived here for seven years. (continuing) The Waltons have lived here for seven years. (continuing)

Past Perfect Tense Past perfect tense expresses action completed before certain time in the past. (This is the before-past 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. It uses the helping verb had and the past participle of the verb. Example: She had written the letter before I saw her. Example: She had written the letter before I saw her.

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) 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. 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. Example: He will have finished the paper before next Friday.

Conjugation A conjugation of a verb is the correct arrangement of its form through its tenses, persons, and numbers. 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. Person means the speaker, the person spoken to, and the person or thing spoken of. Number means singular or plural. Number means singular or plural.

Conjugation of the verb: to be TenseSingularPlural 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