MPU3022

TENSES
(Part 1)

SIMPLE – Present, Past, Future

PROGRESSIVE – Present, Past, Future

PERFECT – Present, Past, Future

 VERBS & TENSES
• Verbs are action words.
• Verbs have multiple forms called tenses.
• Tenses tell us when an action occurs.
• Tenses tell us whether the action occurs in the present
or occurred in the past or will occur in the future.
• Types of Tenses: Simple, Progressive and Perfect.
• The present, past, and future tenses are called Simple
Tenses.
TENSES Present Past Future

Simple jump(s) jumped will jump

is/are/am was/ were will be

Progressive
jumping jumping jumping

has/have had will have

Perfect
jumped jumped jumped
 SIMPLE - Present
• Present tense is used to
1) Describe things that are always true, or situations that
exist now and (as far as we know) will go on
indefinitely
2) Talk about habit or things that happen on a regular
basis
3) Describe things which are true now but may not be
true in the future
4) Give instructions, directions and orders
5) Express opinions and feelings
6) Report sports commentaries and demonstrations at
the time they are happening
7) Discuss what happens in a play, film or book
8) Use with verbs that performs the actions they
describe
9) Express scheduled future actions
10) Report newspaper headlines
 SIMPLE – Present
1.
Describe things
that are always • Kevin plays the guitar
true, or brilliantly.
situations that • Lions roar and elephants
exist now and trumpet.
(as far as we • The earth rotates on its axis.
know) will go
on indefinitely
 SIMPLE – Present

• We leave for school at 7.00am

2. from Monday to Friday.
Talk about • The postman delivers letters
habit or things and packages every weekday.
that happen on • Every monsoon season, it
a regular basis always floods near the river
bank.
 SIMPLE – Present

3.
• The foundation students live in
Describe things the hostels provided.
which are true
• Pn Edna is a lecturer at the
now but may Music Department here.
not be true in
• She drinks green tea after
the future dinner.
 SIMPLE – Present

4.
• Raise your hand if you know
Give the answer.
instructions, • At the end of the block, turn
directions and left.
orders • Stay off the grass.
 SIMPLE – Present

5.
• Simon doesn’t read very well.
Express
• It is difficult to play the violin.
opinions and
feelings • Jean likes lemonade but her
sister prefers orange juice.
 SIMPLE – Present

6. • Rooney passes the ball to

Beckham outside the box. He
Report sports shoots and scores.
commentaries • I break five eggs and beat
and them until the mixture turns
demonstrations white.
at the time • Heat the solution in the flask
they are for two minutes. Then turn off
happening the flame.
 SIMPLE – Present

7. • In the movie, Daniel Radcliff

plays the central character of
Discuss what Harry Potter.
happens in a • In chapter 4, the protagonist
play, film or pretends to fall ill to avoid
book being caught.
 SIMPLE – Present

8.
Use with verbs • I refuse to believe everything
that performs Sam had said.
the actions • My parents suggest that we go
they describe out to eat tonight.
 SIMPLE – Present

9. • The plane to Tokyo departs at

Express 10.00a.m
scheduled • The piano exam begins at 8.00
future actions p.m. tomorrow night.
 SIMPLE – Present

10.
• Man pleads guilty of
Report manslaughter.
newspaper • Fiji gets a new president.
headlines
 FORMS OF
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
Affirmative /
Negative / Signal Words
Question

always,
Every, if sentences
A: He speaks.
never, type I
normally, (If I talk, …)
N: He does not speak.
often,
seldom,
Q: Does he speak?
sometimes,
usually
 SIMPLE – Past

• Past tense is used

1) For completed actions with or without mentioning a
specific time
2) To indicate a past habit
3) For situations that existed for a period of time in the
past, but not now
4) For stating a wish
 SIMPLE – Past

1. • Lionel arrived at the train

For completed station at 8.00a.m. this
actions with or morning.
without • The burglars broke into several
mentioning a homes.
specific time • We painted the walls in bright
colours.
 SIMPLE – Past

• When I was younger, I wore

2.
braces.
To indicate a past
• She always tied her hair up.
habit
• Gina’s parents never allowed
her to take the bus herself.
 SIMPLE – Past

3. • Dennis used to play

For situations badminton for the national
that existed for a team in the 90s.
period of time in • The Egyptians were the first to
the past, but not use perfume.
now • The last emperor ruled China
for only a short period of time.
 SIMPLE – Past

• I wish I had many siblings.

• The sick patient wishes he
4. could live for another six
For stating a wish months.
• The poor parents wish they
had more money for their
family.
 FORMS OF
SIMPLE PAST TENSE
Affirmative /
Negative / Signal Words
Question

yesterday,
A: He spoke. 2 minutes ago, if sentence type II
in 1990, (If I talked, …)
N: He did not speak. the other day,
last Friday
Q: Did he speak?
 SIMPLE – Past
irregular past tense forms
TENSES Present Past Future
jump(s) jumped will jump
Simple sing(s) sang will sing
cut(s) cut will cut
is/are/am… was/ were… will be…
jumping jumping jumping
Progressive singing singing singing
cutting cutting cutting
has/have… Had… will have…
jumped jumped jumped
Perfect sung sung sung
cut cut cut
 SIMPLE – Future
will/shall & be going to
To make predictions based
To predict that something
on our opinion or our past
will happen in the future
experiences

• The cat will find its way

back to its owner. • She looks pale. I thinks
she is going to faint.
• Come over tonight. The
children will enjoy • Fiona and George are
seeing you again. going to get married
next May.
 SIMPLE – Future
will/shall & be going to
To talk about future
To talk about future events
activities and events that are
that have been previously
intended or have been
arranged in some detail in a
arranged in a less formal
formal context
context

• She is going to present

• Refreshments will be
a working paper at a
served from 10.00am
conference next month.
onwards.
• We are going to do
• The meeting will begin
some shopping before
at 2 o’clock.
flying home.
 SIMPLE – Future
will/shall & be going to
To talk about intentions or
To state a decision made at decisions about the future
the moment of speaking that were made some time
before we report them

• Wendy is going to tidy

• It is getting late. I think
her room this evening.
I will go to bed now.
• They told everyone
• Is that the phone. Don’t
they are going to move
worry. I will get it.
back to Canada.
 SIMPLE – Future
will/shall & be going to
To describe a future event
that follows another in an To replace the present
‘if-sentence’ (conditional continuous tense
sentence)

• If you look carefully,

you will see fine • I am watching a movie
scratches on the with my sister tonight.
surface. • I am going to watch a
• If they turn to the right, movie with my sister
they will be able to see tonight.
the twin towers.
 SIMPLE – Future
will/shall & be going to
To make official newspaper and news broadcast, formal
announcements of future plans and for weather forecasts

• Our Prime Minister will open the MAHA

International Fair tomorrow.
• The rain will clear by this evening.
 FORMS OF
SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE
Affirmative /
Negative / Signal Words
Question
If-Satz Typ I (If you ask
her, she will help you.)
A: He will speak.
N: He will not speak. assumption:
in a year,
I think,
Q: Will he speak? next week, probably,
tomorrow perhaps
A: He is going to speak.
N: He is not going to speak.
Q: Is he going to speak?
 TENSES Present Past Future
is/are/am
jump(s) jumped will jump going to…
Simple sing(s) sang will sing jump,
cut(s) cut will cut sing,
cut

is/are/am… was/ were… will be…

jumping jumping jumping
Progressive singing singing singing
cutting cutting cutting

has/have… Had… will have…

jumped jumped jumped
Perfect sung sung sung
cut cut cut
 PROGRESSIVE TENSES
(aka Continuous Tense)
• Progressive tenses are used to discuss ongoing or continuing
actions.
• They can also be used to talk about an action that is, was, or
will be occurring at the same time as another action.
• The progressive tenses use a form of the verb to be plus the
present participle of the verb.

is/are/am… was/ were… will be…

Progressive
jumping jumping jumping
(Continuous)
singing singing singing
Tenses
cutting cutting cutting
 PROGRESSIVE – Present
(Present Continuous)
• Progressive Present tense is used to
1) Talk about actions that have begun but have
not ended at the time of speaking
2) Describe repeated actions that are happening
at or around the time of speaking
3) Indicate that a situation is or may be
temporary
4) Talk about changes, progress, developments
and trends
5) Emphasise activities that are done repeatedly
6) Talk about actions taking place currently but
not necessarily at the time of speaking
 PROGRESSIVE – Present
(Present Continuous)

1.
• They are participating in an
Talk about actions essay writing competition
that have begun
• Rita is doing her laundry at the
but have not
backyard
ended at the time
of speaking • Who are you trying to fool
again?
 PROGRESSIVE – Present
(Present Continuous)

2.
Describe • I am hearing a lot of bad
repeated actions reports about your work lately.
that are • Why are you pacing up and
happening at or down in the hall?
around the time • You are smoking too much
of speaking these days.
 PROGRESSIVE – Present
(Present Continuous)

3.
• Abby is spending her holidays
Indicate that a in Vietnam.
situation is or
• I am working as a cashier at
may be
Jusco.
temporary
 PROGRESSIVE – Present
(Present Continuous)

4.
Talk about
changes, • Ali’s cooking skill is improving.
progress, • The growing number of divers
developments is damaging the coral reefs.
and trends
 PROGRESSIVE – Present
(Present Continuous)

• My neighbours are constantly

quarrelling.
5.
• That furniture store is always
Emphasise holding sales.
activities that are
done repeatedly • Ron is forever including his
younger brother in his crazy
schemes.
 PROGRESSIVE – Present
(Present Continuous)

6.
• Christopher is reading a book
Talk about actions by J.K.Rowling.
taking place
• Patty is writing a movie review
currently but not
for a newspaper.
necessarily at the
time of speaking • The workers are cleaning all
the windows in the building.
 FORMS OF
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE
Affirmative /
Negative / Signal Words
Question

at the moment,
A: He is speaking. just,
just now,
N: He is not speaking. Listen!,
Look!,
Q: Is he speaking? now,
right now
 PROGRESSIVE – Past
(Past Continuous)
• Progressive Past tense is used
1) For actions that were in progress at some time
in the past
2) For action that were going on when a second
one took place
3) To show two actions happening
simultaneously in the past
4) To indicate gradual development without ab
time expression
5) To express a past habitual action with adverbs
like always, often, constantly, etc
 PROGRESSIVE – Past
(Past Continuous)

1.
• Last Sunday, Jenny was baking
For actions that some cakes.
were in progress
• Were you frying fish just now?
at some time in
the past • The doctor was attending to
the patients at midnight.
 PROGRESSIVE – Past
(Past Continuous)

• Dad was shaking with anger as

he ran out of the office.
2.
• When James realized that the
For action that police were looking for him, he
were going on went into hiding.
when a second
one took place • Wendy dropped her purse
while she was shopping in the
mall
 PROGRESSIVE – Past
(Past Continuous)

3.
To show two • Gabriel was watching the
football match while his wife
actions was doing the dishes.
happening
• While the men were repairing
simultaneously the cables, their boss was busy
in the past talking on the phone.
 PROGRESSIVE – Past
(Past Continuous)

4.
To indicate • Ken’s teeth were aching.
gradual
• It was getting dark.
development
without ab time • Lightning was flashing in the
expression sky
 PROGRESSIVE – Past
(Past Continuous)

5.
To express a past • They were often working past
habitual action midnight.
with adverbs like
always, often, • My daughter was constantly
constantly, etc surfing the internet.
 FORMS OF
PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE
Affirmative /
Negative / Signal Words
Question

A: He was speaking.
while,
N: He was not speaking.
as long as
Q: Was he speaking?
 PROGRESSIVE – Future
(Future Continuous)

• Progressive Future tense is used to

1) Talk about an activity or event going on at a
particular time or over a particular period inn the
future
2) Talk about future activity or event which is the
result of a previous decision or arrangement or of
a routine activity
3) Express future without intention
4) Ask about someone’s plan in a polite manner
because you want them to do something
unexpected or difficult
 PROGRESSIVE – Future
(Future Continuous)

1. • The professor will be

To talk about an discussing more about the
activity or event topic in his next lecture.
going on at a • After the operation, my father
particular time won’t be doing any strenuous
or over a exercises for a while.
particular period
inn the future
 PROGRESSIVE – Future
(Future Continuous)
2.
To talk about
future activity or • We will be going over to my
event which is sister’s place for Raya
the result of a celebrations.
previous
• Ryan will be taking up his
decision or
place in college in September.
arrangement or
of a routine
activity
 PROGRESSIVE – Future
(Future Continuous)

• I had better go home now; my

3. mother will be looking for me.
To express • We shall be seeing Neil
future without tomorrow; we take the same
intention course in college.
 PROGRESSIVE – Future
(Future Continuous)
4.
To ask about
someone’s plan • What time will you be coming
in a polite to baby-sit Emily? We have to
manner be at the party by 8 o’clock.
because you • Will you be using the
want them to do computer much longer? I need
something to use it for my work.
unexpected or
difficult
 FORMS OF
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE TENSE
Affirmative /
Negative / Signal Words
Question

A: He will be speaking. in one year,

N: He will not be speaking. next week,

Q: Will he be speaking? tomorrow

 TENSES Present Past Future
is/are/am
jump(s) jumped will jump going to…
Simple sing(s) sang will sing jump,
cut(s) cut will cut sing,
cut

is/are/am… was/ were… will be…

jumping jumping jumping
Progressive singing singing singing
cutting cutting cutting

has/have… Had… will have…

jumped jumped jumped
Perfect sung sung sung
cut cut cut
 jokes
• An old teacher asked her student, "If I say, 'I am
beautiful,' which tense is that?"
The student replied, "It is obviously past."

• On the exam today, i was asked the past tense of

“think”
I thought for a while and finally wrote thinked

• Teacher: Change this sentence into Future Tense, "I

killed a person".
Student: The Future tense is "You will go to a jail"