Enjoying Tenses

Definition of Verb Tense Verb tenses are tools that English speakers use to express time in their language.

Types of Verb Tense SIMPLE TENSES Simple Present Tense – is use to describe an action, event or condition that is occurring in the present, at the moment of speaking. Simple Past Tense – use to describe an action, event, or condition that occur in the past sometime before the moment of speaking or writing. Simple Future Tense – use to refer an action that will take place after the action of speaking or writing.

PERFECT TENSES Present Perfect Tense- use to describe an action that began in the past and continuing into the present or has just been completed at the moment of utterance. Past Perfect Tense – refers to the action that took place and were completed in the past. Future Perfect Tense – refers to an action that will be completed sometime in the future before another action takes place.

PROGRESSIVE TENSE Present Progressive Tense – emphasizes the continuing nature of an action, event, or condition. Past Progressive Tense – describes an action on going in the past. Takes place with in a specific time frame. Future Progressive Tense – describes an action on going in the future. Continuing action that will occur in the future.

PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES Present Perfect Progressive Tense – use to describe an action, event, or conditioning that has began in the past and continues into the present. Past Perfect Progressive Tense – indicate that a continuing action in the past began before another action began or interrupted the first action. Future Perfect Progressive Tense – indicate a conditioning action that will be completed at some specific time in the future.

Categorizing Verb Tenses TIME Present Past Future

ASPECT Simple (Indefinite) – describes an action but do not state whether the action is finished. Perfect (Complete) – describes a finished action. Progressive (Continuing) – describes an unfinished action.