Download Understanding Verb Tenses: Simple, Perfect, and Progressive and more Assignments Piano in PDF only on Docsity!
Simple Tenses Perfect Tenses Present: I learn. Present perfect: I have learned. Past: I learned. Past perfect: I had learned. Future: I will learn. Future perfect: I will have learned. Progressive Tenses Present progressive: I am learning. Past progressive: I was learning. Future progressive: I will be learning. Present perfect progressive: I have been learning. Past perfect progressive: I had been learning. Future perfect progressive: I will have been learning.
Verb Tenses
Explanation
Tense refers to the form a verb takes in a sentence, whether to express the present, past or future.
Examples
Simple Tenses
Present The present tense indicates that an action is taking place at the time you express it, or an action that occurs regularly. o We wear organic cotton shirts [an action taking place when it is expressed]. o I watch the documentary on PBS each Sunday night [an action that occurs regularly]. Past The past tense indicates that an action is completed and has already taken place. o Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his most famous speech in 1963 [an action completed in the past]. o As a girl, she wondered how her college degree would help her career [an action that occurred once or many times in the past but did not extend to the present]. Future The future tense indicates that an action will or is likely to take place. o Later today I will rinse the dishes [a future action that will definitely occur]. o The defendant probably will plead innocent [a future action that is likely to occur]. …connections… For more help identifying subjects and verbs, turn to Subjects, Verbs & Clauses.
Perfect Tenses
Perfect tenses designate actions that were or will be completed before other actions. You can form the perfect tenses with the appropriate tense form of the helping, or auxiliary, verb have plus the past participle. Present perfect The present tense indicates that an action is taking place at the time you express it, or an action that occurs regularly. o We have worn organic cotton shirts [an action that began in the past and is finished at the present]. o She has donated extensively to UNICEF [an action that began in the past and extends into the present]. Past perfect The past perfect tense indicates an action occurring before a certain time in the past. o By 1995, Doctor Harvey had built the first artificial brain. Future perfect The future perfect tense indicates that an action will be finished by a certain time. o By Thursday, the President will have apologized for his mistake.
Progressive Tenses
The progressive tenses express continuing action. You can form them with the appropriate tense of the verb be plus the present participle. Present progressive The present progressive tense indicates that something is happening at the time you express it. o The worker is hammering , and her foreman is watching lazily. Past progressive The past progressive tense indicates two kinds of past action. o Poe’s writing was becoming increasingly bizarre and dark [a continuing action in the past]. o The mob tackled Jean-Luc Goddard while he was introducing the film [an action occurring at the same time in the past as another action]. Future progressive The future progressive tense indicates a continuing in the future. o The government will be monitoring the phones in the lab.
Exercise 2 – Simple Past Tense
In each of the following sentences, underline any verbs that should have – ed or – d endings and supply the missing letters. Watch for time expressions (last week, yesterday, years ago) that indicate past time. incorrect: The committee vote to adjourn yesterday. correct: The committee voted to adjourn yesterday.
- The driver ask for the exact fare last week.
- Oliver use to live in Berkeley when he was a college student.
- Katerina studied all the time and so she graduate from college last year.
- College students are suppose to attend every class meeting.
- Last Sunday, Laura listen to the drummers in the park.
- Until I started school, I work twenty hours per week and study the rest of the time.
- Finally Gayle’s cat return home.
- Several years ago I witness a crime and identify the criminal. Adapted from Fog City Fundamentals, Fourth Edition, Altman & Deicke, 1998.
Exercise 3 – Perfect Tenses
Use the perfect tense to fill in the blank using the same time period (past, present, future) as the sample. Example: Joan licks the popsicle. (present tense) Joan has licked the popsicle. (present perfect tense) (Remember: Perfect tenses for the verb to run are: Present: she has run Past: she had run Future: she will have run )
- Eric took piano lessons. Eric ____________________ piano lessons since he was ten years old.
- Tara raises as many children as she can. Tara _______________ as many children as she can.
- Bill, on the other hand, will join the Coast Guard. Bill, on the other hand, ____________________ the Coast Guard.
- Alyssa gives a drawing to each of her friends. Alyssa ________________ a drawing to each of her friends.
- Chickens pecked at bugs and fruit in the garden. Chickens ____________________ at bugs and fruit in the garden.
- Each egg will travel a thousand miles before it lands on her lap. Each egg _____________________ a thousand miles before it lands on her lap.
- The wings had plenty of room to spread. The wings _____________ plenty of room to spread.
- Madison collects the hay in the morning after breakfast. Madison ____________________ the hay in the morning after breakfast.
