1. Created by Kathryn Reilly
Verb Tenses
Created by Kathryn Reilly

2. Verb Tense Background
Verbs change their form to allow writers to accurately describe events.
Verbs alert the reader if the action is in the past, present or future.
Within these three main time frames, actions can be further broken down.

3. Verb Tenses
Three main tenses exist in the English Language, and each may be further broken-down:
The Present Tense
Present Continuous
Present Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous
The Past Tense
Past Continuous
Past Perfect
Past Perfect Continuous
The Future Tense
Future Continuous
Future Perfect
Future Perfect Continuous
That’s twelve verb tenses total!

4. The Present Tense The present tense describes a general action.
This action may happen often.
I watch movies.
He watches movies.
We do not watch movies.

5. The Present Continuous
The present continuous describes an event happening right now.
The present continuous may also describe an event happening in the future, as long as a clue word appears in the sentence.
The present continuous requires the auxiliary verb be (remember: be is an irregular verb).
I am going on vacation.
She is going on vacation next month.
They are going on vacation.

6. The Present Perfect
The present perfect tense connects the past to the present.
The present perfect conveys experiences.
The present perfect conveys a situational change.
The present perfect conveys an ongoing situation.
The present perfect needs the auxiliary verb have.
I have enjoyed your company.
She has purchased an airplane ticket.
They have volunteered with Habitat for Humanity since August.

7. The Present Perfect Continuous
The present perfect continuous connects the past to the present.
The present perfect continuous presents an action that has been going on in the past and has recently stopped in the present.
The present perfect continuous also presents an action that began in the past and is continuing in the present.
This verb tense needs two auxiliary verbs: have and been.
Mr. Knox, who has been teaching for thirty-three years will retire soon.
We have been waiting in line to see Twilight for two hours!

8. The Past The past tense describes a simple action in the past.
The action is completely over, and has no influence on the present.
I lived in Maine.
He lived in Maine.
We lived in Maine.
She did not live in Maine.

9. The Past Continuous
The past continuous describes an event at a specific moment in the past.
Sentences using the past continuous usually alert the reader regarding the specific moment.
This tense is especially popular in crime and mystery fiction as well as memoirs.
This tense requires one auxiliary verb: be.
Officer, I’m innocent. I was volunteering at the food bank at the time in question.
You were sorting canned goods at the time of the robbery?

10. The Past Perfect The past perfect describes an event in the past.
The past perfect describes an event that occurred before another event in the past.
The past perfect often relays a sequence of events, especially in narrative texts.
This tense requires one auxiliary verb: had.
I hugged her after she had arrived on the plane.
I wasn’t happy; I had lost the competition.

11. The Past Perfect Continuous
The past perfect continuous describes a long action in the past before another action.
This tense assists the writer in relaying a sequence of events.
This tense requires two auxiliary verbs: had and been.
I had been hoping for a new car for months.
Had you been listening during the lecture before the pop quiz?

12. The Future Tense
The future tense describes a spontaneous future action.
The verb think is often used with this tense
I will call her tomorrow.
She thinks she will exercise.

13. The Future Continuous Background
The future continuous tense describes an event at a specific moment in the future.
A sentence written in the future continuous also needs to identify the moment that the event is occurring.
The future continuous tense requires two auxiliary verbs: will and be.
I will be skydiving on my 21st birthday.
Our class will be graduating on June 15th.

14. The Future Perfect Background
The future perfect tense describes the past in the future.
This tense is used to describe an action that will be completed in the future, such as a goal.
This tense requires two auxiliary verbs: will and have.
You will have completed the project by the 8 a.m. meeting.
We will have made a decision regarding your employment by Friday.

15. The Future Perfect Continuous Background
The future perfect continuous tense describes an event of some time being over in the future.
This tense is used to describe an action that a person is often involved in for a period of time.
This tense requires three auxiliary verbs: will, have and been.
The Hubble space telescope will have been orbiting in space for twenty-two years in January.
I will have been snowboarding for ten years this winter.

16. When in Doubt… …ask a teacher or tutor for help!
…consult a grammar handbook.
…conduct a web search using key terms:
“verb tenses”
“past, present and future verbs”