Verb tenses show us when an action took place. They also show us how long it occurred, which actions happened first, or if a past action had an impact on the present.
Main tenses are past, present, and future tense.
Past=earlier actions, present=actions happening now, future=actions that will happen later
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Standard tense in English is present tense (usually just root form of the verb)
Past sees the addition of the suffix –ed
Future sees the modal verb will
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SIMPLE TENSE
Refers to normal forms of past, present, and future. Nothing fancy to add any new info for us.
Easiest with fewest rules!
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SIMPLE PAST TENSE
We use to show actions completed in the past, and these have no extra emphasis.
We add –ed suffix to regular verbs (or just –d if the past tense verb ends in e already!)
Example: I helped my sister yesterday.
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REMEMBER…
Be careful of the irregular past tense verbs!
Don’t follow normal rules. Use their own unique forms for the past tense.
Notice the past tense of the irregular verb gois went.
Regular verbs: I picked up the paper, but it dropped from my hands.
Irregular verbs: This morning I went to the pharmacy, but I forgot myprescription.
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PERFECT TENSE
A bit more complex
Used for actions relating to other points in time, either completed or ongoing
Example: I have played trumpet since I was a child.
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PRESENT PERFECT
Remember [have/has] + [past participle]
Remember it is one of the more difficult verb tenses in English!
Example: I have helped my brother too much this week.
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REMEMBER
Used to describe a few different types of actions like: an ongoing action started in the past that is not yet completed, the same action completed multiple times in the past and likely to be completed again, an action completed very recently (usually with just or now), an uncompleted action that is expected to be finished (in the negative), Additionally, the present perfect can be used to emphasize the significance of a completed action, especially one that happened over time.