SIMPLE VERB TENSES

• Tense expresses the time of an event or action.
• Time and how it is expressed in writing is very important to English readers.
• The English language has twelve different tenses.
• We will review the meaning of each verb tense.

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Prithviraj Thakur, Department of English, G.S. Arts, Commerce and Science College, Khamgaon.

The Importance of Time

VERB TENSE OVERVIEW

We can analyze the twelve verb tenses in terms of three characteristics:

TENSE, ASPECT AND TIME

VERB TENSE OVERVIEW

Tense refers to the location of an event of action in time, in the past or in the present. Tense is marked by an inflection of the verb. For example, Mark walks to the park (present tense) and Mark walked to the park (past tense).

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• Actions which occur at other times, for example in the future, are made in a number of ways. The future can be expressed by using the modal auxiliary will or the semi-auxiliary be going to. For example, Mark will walk to the park tomorrow and Mark is going to walk to the park tomorrow.
• The expression of future time does not involve an inflection of the verb so we should not refer to the future tense. Strictly speaking there is no future tense in English, only

present and past.

VERB TENSE OVERVIEW

Aspect refers to how an event or action is to be perceived with respect to time, rather than to its actual location in time. Aspect shows the relationship between tenses. Consider the following examples:

1. Mark fell in love on his twentieth birthday.

2. Mark has fallen in love. (perfective aspect)

3. Mark is falling in love. (progressive aspect)

• The first example indicates that Mark fell in love in the past, specifically on his twentieth birthday. This is a simple past sentence.
• The second example also refers to the past, but it implies that the action occurred recently and is still relevant.
• The third example indicates that the act of falling in

love is still in progress.

VERB TENSE OVERVIEW

Time

• We can place events in time with tense. English verb forms officially have two times, present (he walks) and past (he walked). There is no verb form for the future; the future gets built using a combination of auxiliary verbs and other forms of the verb (he will walk, he is going to walk).
• There are other ways, however, that English uses to situate events in time. For example, the Present Tense can be used to place events at various times with the help of aspect (perfective or progressive). Consider these examples: the package arrives tomorrow and the package is arriving tomorrow. A form of the present tense is used in both of these examples (present, and present participle) and they both express a future event, but these two sentences express the future event differently because of the use of aspect.
• In the first example, we get the impression that a package regularly arrives on this day of the week. In the second example, we understand that the arrival of packages is not a

regular event.

SIMPLE TENSES

1. SIMPLE PRESENT
2. SIMPLE PAST
3. SIMPLE FUTURE

A. Simple present

•  = base form: I work.
• OR base form + -s: He works.

She works.

It works.

OR base form + -es : I watch / she watches.

 I study / he studies.

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“s” Form Spelling

1. We add “s” to most verbs to make the “s” form

like likes need needs

• When the base form ends in s, z, sh, ch,or x, we add “-es”

miss misses wash washes

watch watches fix fixes

• When the base form ends in a consonant + y, we change the y to i and add “–es”.

study studies carry studies

• When the base form of the verb ends in a vowel + y, we do not change the y.

say says play plays

• Some verbs have irregular forms:

Do does have has go goes

Change the following verbs into the present tense for the third person singular.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Change the following verbs into the present tense for the third person singular.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING: ANSWERS

“s” Form - Pronunciation

• The final form for the third-person singular form of the simple present tense is pronounced three different ways:
• /s/ /z/, or /iz/
• It is pronounced /s/ after the voiceless sounds /p/, /t/, /k/
• Stops, wants, walks.
• It is pronounced /z/ after all the vowel sounds and the voiced sounds /b/, /d/, /g/, /v/, /m/, /n/, /l/, and /r/
• Grabs, needs, drives, lives, comes, wears, rains, plays.
• It is pronounced /iz/ after the sounds /s/, /z/, and words that end in –ge, -ce, and –se. We must pronounce an extra syllable.
• use uses wash washes
• fix fixes charge charges
• dance dances miss misses
• DO and SAY have a change in vowel sound:
• do does say says

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Match the words given with the correct pronunciation.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Auxiliary Verbs: Do / Does

• Affirmative Statements:
• I take a shower every morning.
• He takes the train to work.
• Use DO / DOES with negative Statements and questions:
• Use Do with I, you, we, they, and plural nouns
• You don’t understand me.
• Do they work in New York?
• Use Does with he, she, it, and singular nouns
• She doesn’t study French.
• Does he call you every day?

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Please remember!

• After an auxiliary verb (do – does) use the base form of the verb (not the “s” form)
• He doesn’t worry too much.
• Does it stay open on holidays?
• Questions follow this format:
• Aux + Subject + Verb? ASV?

Does she work on weekends?

Do they buy groceries at the supermarket?

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GENERAL RULES

1. A general truth.

            e.g. The sky is blue.

2. A typical activity.

            e.g. I always brush after I eat.

            Bob watches TV every night.

            Sara works 5 days a week.

3. A statement of something existing at the time of speaking.

            e.g. I hear the train coming. 

            I smell smoke.

4. A scheduled event or activity.

            e.g. My plane leaves at 8:30 tomorrow.

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• Choose the correct form of the following verbs:

open(s) - speak(s) - take(s) - do(es) - cause(s) - live(s) - play(s) - close(s)

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• Ann _____  hand ball very well.
• The swimming pool  _____at 7:00 in the morning.
• It  ______at 9:00 in the evening.
• Bad driving _____ many accidents.
• My parents  ______in a very small flat.
• The Olympic Games _____ place every four years.
• They are good students. They always ______  their homework.
• My students  ______a little English.

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

• Choose the correct form of the following verbs:

open(s) - speak(s) - take(s) - do( es ) - cause(s) - live(s) - play(s) - close(s)

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• Ann plays hand ball very well.
• The swimming pool  _opens_ at 7:00 in the morning.
• It  _closes _at 9:00 in the evening.
• Bad driving causes many accidents.
• My parents  lives in a very small flat.
• The Olympic Games __take___ place every four years.
• They are good students. They always ___do___  their homework.
• My students  __speak__ a little English.

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING: ANSWERS

SIMPLE PAST

•  = base form + -ed for regular verbs :

I worked yesterday.

The simple past for irregular verbs varies :

He ate lunch at noon. (irregular verb)

GENERAL RULES

1. An activity begun and completed at a particular time in the past.

           e.g. I went to work yesterday morning.

2. Commonly used with “after” and “before” clauses.

            e.g. After Bob ate dinner, he drove to CEC.

            The students arrived in class before the teacher.

3. “Used to” = past habits  (used to  + base form)

            e.g. I used to ride horses when I was a kid.

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• Give the correct form of the following verbs:

(Present Tense)

• 1 . I ______  to the mall after school. ( go )
• 2. My brother ______  a bear an hour ago. ( see )
• 3 . _____Mike visit his grandmother last night? ( do )
• 4. Alex did not _____  last weekend. ( work )
• 5.  ____Judy and Liz at last month's meeting? ( is )
• 6.We ____  not happy after the sad ending. ( are )
• 7. _____you see Jody's new dog yesterday? ( are )
• 8. Sorry, I ____  hear you at the door. ( do )
• 9. I _______  English for two years. ( study )
• 10.What _____  you eat for lunch yesterday? ( do )

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

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• Give the correct form of the following verbs:

(Present Tense)

• 1 . I _went___  to the mall after school. ( go )
• 2. My brother _saw___  a bear an hour ago. ( see )
• 3 . __Did_ Mike visit his grandmother last night? ( do )
• 4. Alex did not _work__  last weekend. ( work )
• 5.  Were__ Judy and Liz at last month's meeting? ( is )
• 6.We _were_  not happy after the sad ending. ( are )
• 7. _Did_ you see Jody's new dog yesterday? ( do )
• 8. Sorry, I _didn’t___  hear you at the door. ( don’t )
• 9. I _studied___  English for two years. ( study )
• 10.What __did__  you eat for lunch yesterday? ( do )

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING: ANSWERS

SIMPLE FUTURE

• = will + base form:  I will work tomorrow. 

He will eat dinner later. 

OR am / is / are + (going to + base form): 

I am going to work tomorrow.  

She is going to eat dinner at Al’s Restaurant.

  We are going to study Unit 1 tonight.

GENERAL RULES

1. A future event or activity.

           e.g.   Our break will begin at  8:10.

            I will study later.

            I’m going to study later.

2. Use will (not: going to) to volunteer.

            e.g. Wait a second. I will help you with that sofa. If you try to move it by yourself, your back will be out for a week.

3. Use going to  (not: will) with a preconceived plan.

            e.g. I’m going to mow my lawn tomorrow.

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• Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.

1. A: Why are you holding a piece of paper? � B: I (write) ______ a letter to my friends back home in Texas. ��2. A: I'm about to fall asleep. I need to wake up! � B: I (get) ______  you a cup of coffee. That will wake you up. ��3. A: I can't hear the television! � B: I (turn)  ________it up so you can hear it. ��4. We are so excited about our trip next month to France. We (visit) _____ Paris, Nice and Grenoble.��5. Sarah (come) ________to the party. Oliver (be)  _______there as well. ��6. Ted: It is so hot in here! �Sarah: I (turn)______  the air-conditioning on. ��

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

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Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.

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1. A: Why are you holding a piece of paper? � B: I (write) am going to write a letter to my friends back home in Texas. ��2. A: I'm about to fall asleep. I need to wake up! � B: I (get) will get you a cup of coffee. That will wake you up. ��3. A: I can't hear the television! � B: I (turn) will turn it up so you can hear it. ��4. We are so excited about our trip next month to France. We (visit) are going to visit Paris, Nice and Grenoble.��5. Sarah (come) will come to the party. Oliver (be) will be there as well. ��6. Ted: It is so hot in here! � Sarah: I (turn) will turn the air-conditioning on. �.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING: ANSWERS

End of Session