ENGLISH VERB TENSES

Introduction To Some English Verb Tenses And Commonly-Used Meanings

LEGEND V = verb itself V ing = ‘ing’ form V 3 = past participle

TENSE STRUCTURE MEANINGS & EXAMPLES

Single Event/Action Permanent Facts Habitual Actions Commonly Used Words

Simple Present V = verb itself Happening Now The sun rises in He always eats always, often, frequently, usually,
3rd person singular This chocolate cake the east. breakfast before sometimes, seldom, occasionally,
tastes great! he goes to work. rarely, never, every day, week…..
once a day, week. …..

Action in Progress Now Temporary Action Future Plans Frequent Action Non-Action Verbs NOT Used in
Present am Right now I’m eating I work with my We are moving to He is constantly Continuous Form
Continuous is V ing my lunch. father, but this a new apartment complaining about love, like, hate, prefer, detest,
are year I am studying next week. his workload. admire, know, understand,
at Humber. (expresses believe, think (opinion), realize
emotion)

Action Competed in the Past

Simple Past V -ed regular verbs I baked a cake yesterday.
* Irregular verbs

Continuous Past Repeated Action

Past Continuous Action in Progress When I saw him,
was/were V ing Between 10 and 11 he was painting
am he was watching the fence.
the soccer match.
Prediction Inevitability Promise Determination
will V Your savings will We’ll need more I’ll spend your The college will
Simple Future disappear. tables and chairs. money carefully. hire more staff.

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ENGLISH VERB TENSES

Prediction Inevitability
be going to V Your savings are going We’re going to
to disappear. need more tables
and chairs.

Action Started in the “Already” (Action Action Covering a Very Recently Action Completed in the Past but
Past and Continues to Completed) Lifetime Completed Actions has Results/Relevance in the
Simple Present have/has V 3 the Present I have already All my life I have He has just left. Present
Perfect He has known her for done my loved Northern I have lived in Italy, so now I can
V3 = past participle 10 years. homework. Ontario. Keyword = just speak Italian.

Commonly Used Words

Action Completed in the Past before Another Past Point just, recently, already, scarcely,
When I arrived, he had already eaten. barely, ever, never, yet, still
Simple Past had V 3
Perfect Shows the order of events in the past – one earlier (had eaten) and one later (came Commonly Used with Adverbial
home) Clauses starting with:
until, before, after, when,
because, although

Past Past NOW

Perfect

Simple Future Action that Starts Anytime and Continues Through a Future Action Completed in the Future Before a Future Point in
Perfect will have V 3 Point in Time Time
By the year 2010, I will have known him for 20 years. By 2009, he will have finished college.

Past NOW Future Perfect NOW Future Perfect Future

(1990) (2010) (finished (2009)
college)

Reference: Hartmann, P., Exparaza, P. P., & Zarian, A. (1984). Tense Situations:Tenses in Contrast and Context. Fort Worth: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.

For Additional Reference Material and Online Exercises, try http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbtenseintro.html

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