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.

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.

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.

Future Tense Future tense expresses action which will take place in the future. It uses the helping verbs will or could and the present tense form of the verb. Examples: He will send the letter tomorrow. I could wait here until you return.

Verb Forms

Regular Verbs Regular verbs form their past tense 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 Present Tense Present Participle Past Tense 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 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.