TENSES

SIMPLE

PROGRESSIVE

PERFECT

SIMPLE TENSES

• 1. PRESENT TENSE
• 2. PAST TENSE
• 3. FUTURE TENSE

PRESENT TENSE

* Present tense—action of the verb is happening now.

Ex: She talks now.

Ex: They speak well.

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Past Tense

• Action of the verb has already happened.
• To make a verb past tense, add –ed if it is a regular verb.
• Ex: She talked yesterday.

Irregular verb—use past from the chart

Ex: They spoke well.

FUTURE TENSE

• The action of the verb has not happened yet, but it will.
• To make a verb future tense, add will or shall to the front of the verb.
• Ex: She will talk tomorrow.
• Ex: They will speak well.

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• On my first day at work I was a bit nervous. I —- (get) up early, —- (have) a shower, and —- (drink) some coffee. I was too nervous to eat.

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• It was a hot day, so I —— (decide) to prepare salad for lunch. Outside, the children ——- (play) in the garden. Suddenly I —- (hear) a loud noise, followed by a scream. I —– (run) outside to see what —— (happen).

PROGESSIVE TENSES

• Made up of a verb phrase
• Main verb uses—ing at the end of ALL progressive tenses.

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PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE

• This tense is used to describe an action that is occurring right now (at this moment, today, this year, etc.). The action has begun and is still in progress.
• Uses the helping verbs am, is, and are
• Am is used with the subject I
• Ex: I am talking to you.
• Is will be used if your subject is singular.
• Ex: She is talking to you.
• Are is used if your subject is plural.
• Ex: They are talking to you.

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PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE

• The past progressive is used to talk about an activity that was in progress at a specific point of time in the past. The emphasis is on the duration of the activity in the past.
• Uses the helping verbs was and were
• Use was if your subject is singular.
• Ex: He was talking to you.
• Use were if your subject is plural.
• Ex: They were talking to you.

PERFECT TENSES

• Is made up of a verb phrase
• Add –ed to the end of the main verb if the action verb is a regular verb.
• Use perfect tense chart if verb is irregular.
• Uses helping verbs have, has, or had BEFORE the main verb.

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

• The present perfect is used to talk about an event that began in the past and continues up to the present.
• Use has if your subject is singular.
• Ex: She has talked to you already.
• Use have if your subject is plural.
• Ex: They have talked to you already.
• Ex with irregular verb: She has known you for a while.

PAST PERFECT TENSE

• This tense describes completed events that took place in the past before another past event.
• Uses the helping verb had plus the main verb with –ed on the end if it is a regular verb.
• Example: She had talked to you before you ordered the gift.
• Example(irregular verb) They had known about the play.

FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

• This tense is used to describe an event or action that will be completed before another event or time in the future.
• Uses will have with the main verb ending in –ed if it is a regular verb.
• Irregular verb also uses will have +the main verb from column labeled perfect tense.
• Ex: I will have studied for the test before the circus comes to town.
• Ex: (irregular verb) I will have gone to the store before you get home.

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• I —- (think) I —– (look) very smart. I —– (wear) a suit and my best shoes. I —- (walk) to the bus stop and —- (wait) for the bus. While I —- (wait), I —– (notice) that people —– (look) at me in a strange way. I —- (try) to ignore them, and when my bus —- (arrive) I —- (get) on and —- (find) a seat. 30 minutes later, I —- (arrive) at my office. Just as I —- (get) off the bus, I —- (look) down and —- (realise) that I —- (wear) shoes of different colours…

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• Choose just, already, yet or still to fill the gaps in the sentences below.

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• 1. Have you sent that letter?
• No, I haven’t been to the Post Office —–

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• 2. I’ve —– seen Paul at the bus stop. He’s looking really well.

• Do you want me to get you a newspaper when I’m out? No thanks, I’ve —– read it online. (2 possibilities)
• 4. She’s a great traveller. She’s —– been to most European countries, and now she’s going to South America.

• 5. I’m supposed to be going to an interview tomorrow, but I —– haven’t had confirmation about the time.
• 6. Do you want to work an extra day tomorrow? No thanks, I’ve —– come back from holiday.

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• When I (was living) in London, a strange thing —– (happen) to me.

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• At that time, I —- (have) a job as a receptionist in a hotel. I —– (apply) for the job before I —– (arrive) in London, which —– (make) things a bit easier.

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PRACTICE SENTENCES�

• 1. Rosetta has ____ her juggling act at our talent show. (do)

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• 2. After she had _____ them, she juggled. (throw)

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• 3. She is ______ right now. (speak)

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• 4. Laughter was _____ throughout the audience. (ring)

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