UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH TENSES

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1.1. Backround

English is international language. If we can speak English well, we can communicate with all
people in the world. And then we also can get insight and science for our nation, we can read
English literature, listen international radio, and watch international movie. So, we can get
sciences for all category.

Not only to add skill international language, learn English make easier to get a job.

Speak international language give as many advantage for every one. Make us ready to stay
anywhere. Therefore, it is necessary to learn grammar or tenses in English so that we can speak
English more easy. We also understand how to make sentence correctly.

1.2. Questions of the Problems

1. What the defition from tenses?

2. What the formula from tenses?
3. What the example from tenses?
1.3. Objectives

1. To know definition from tenses

2. To know formula from tenses
3. To know example from tenses

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL STUDY

2.1. Definition, Formula And Example Of 16 Tenses

1. Simple Present Tense

The simple present is a verb tense with two main uses. We use the simple present tense when an
action is happening right now, or when it happens regularly (or unceasingly, which is why it’s
sometimes called present indefinite). Depending on the person, the simple present tense is
formed by using the root form or by adding ?s or ?es to the end.

Formula and Examples

 • (+) Subject + verb 1 (+ s/es) + object / Subject + to be (am/is/are) +
adjective/adverb
(+) I use social media / She likes eating out / She is very polite and kind
• (-) Subject + do/does not + verb 1 + … / Subject + to be (am/is/are) + not +
adjective/adverb
(-) They do not use social media / She is not very polite and kind
• (?) Do/does + subject + verb 1 + object? / To be (am/is/are) + subject +
adjective/adverb?
(?) Does he use social media? / Is she polite and kind?
2. Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous tense is used for actions happening now or for an action that is
unfinished. This tense is also used when the action is temporary.

Formula & Example :

• (+) Subject + be (am/is/are) + verb (-ing) + …

(+) She is sleeping right now / We are studying today
• (-) Subject +be (am/is/are) + not + verb (-ing) + …
(-) She is not sleeping right now / We are not studying today
• (?) Be (am/is/are) + subject + verb (-ing) + …?
(?) Is she sleeping right now? / Are we studying today?
3. Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense is a verb tense used to express actions that occurred at a non-specific
time. The present perfect tense is also used to express actions that started in the past but continue
to the present.

Formula & Example :

• (+) I/You/We/They + have + verb 3 / He/She/It + has + verb 3

They have lived in Jakarta for a long time / He has learned English for one
year
• (-) I/You/We/They + have + not + verb 3 / He/She/It + has + not + verb 3
They have not lived in Jakarta for a long time / He has not learned English for
one year
• (?)Have + I/You/We/They + verb 3? /Has + He/She/It + verb 3?
Have they lived in Jakarta for a long time? / Has he learned English for one
year?
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense
The present perfect continuous tense (also known as the present perfect progressive tense) shows
that something started in the past and is continuing at the present time. The present perfect
continuous is formed using the construction has/have been + the present participle (root + -ing).

Formula & Example :

 • (+) Subject + has / have + been + verb-ing
They have been working together since senior high school. / She has been
working at that company for three years.
• (-) Subject + has / have + not + been + verb-ing
It has not been raining for three days / I have not been living in America since
2003.
• (?) Has/have + subject + been + verb-ing?
Have you been eating this egg for an hour? / Has he been playing cricket for two
hours?
5. Simple Past Tense
Simple past tense verbs—also called past simple or preterit—show action that occurred and was
completed at a particular time in the past. The simple past tense of regular verbs is marked by the
ending -d or -ed. Irregular verbs have a variety of endings. The simple past is not accompanied
by helping verbs. “The simple past tense is often used with an adverbial phrase that specifies a
time in the past, such as yesterday, last year, (or) an hour ago,” according to “Complete English
Grammar Rules.”

Formula & Example :

• (+) Subject + verb 2 + object Subject + to be (was/were) + adjective/adverb

We attended the festival last week / She was absent yesterday.
• (-) Subject + did not + infinitive verb + object Subject + was/were + not +
adjective/adverb
We did not attend the festival last week / She was not absent yesterday.
• (?) Did + subject + infinitive verb + object?/ Was/were + subject +
adjective/adverb?
Did they attend the festival last week? / Was she absent yesterday?
6. Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous tense, also known as the past progressive tense, refers to a continuing action
or state that was happening at some point in the past. The past continuous tense is formed by
combining the past tense of to be (i.e., was/were) with the verb’s present participle (ing word).

Formula & Example :

• (+) Subject + be (was/were) + verb (-ing) + …<

She was waiting for you yesterday / They were discussing my birthday party.
• (-) Subject +be (was/were) + not + verb (-ing) + …
She was not waiting for you yesterday / They were not discussing my birthday
party.
• (?) Be (was/were) + subject + verb (-ing) + …?
Was she waiting for you yesterday? / Were they discussing my birthday party?
7. Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is a verb tense used to express actions that occurred in the past that
finished before another action in the past started.
Formula & Example :

• (+) Subject + had + verb 3

They had studied.
• (-) Subject + had + not + verb 3
They had not studied.
• (?) Had+ subject + verb 3?
Had they studied?
8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
The past perfect continuous tense (also known as the past perfect progressive tense) shows that
an action that started in the past continued up until another time in the past. The past perfect
continuous tense is constructed using had been + the verb’s present participle (root + -ing).

Formula & Example :

• (+) Subject + had + been + verb-ing + object

He had been living in Jakarta about ten years.
• (-) Subject + had + not + been + verb-ing + object
He had not been living in Jakarta about ten years.
• (?) Had + subject + been + object ?
Had He been living in Jakarta about ten years?
9. Simple Future Tense
In English grammar, the simple future is a form of the verb that refers to an action or event that
has not yet begun. As illustrated below (in Examples and Observations), the simple future is also
used to make a prediction or to show ability, intention, or determination. Also called the future
simple.

Formula & Example :

• (+) Subject + will/shall + Verb 1 + Object Subject + be + going to + Verb 1 +

Object
I will leave it. / I am going to leave it.
• (-) Subject + will/shall + not + Verb 1 + Object Subject + be + not + going to +
Verb 1 + Object
I will not leave it. / I am not going to leave it.
• (?) Will + Subject + Verb 1? Be + Subject + going to + Verb 1 + Object?
Will I leave it? / Am I going to leave it?
10. Future Continuous Tense
The future continuous tense, sometimes also referred to as the future progressive tense, is a verb
tense that indicates that something will occur in the future and continue for an expected length of
time. It is formed using the construction will + be + the present participle (the root verb + -ing).

Formula & Example :

 • (+) Subject + will + be +verb-ing
Mikaela will be running in a marathon race this Sunday morning.
• (-) Subject + will + be + not + verb-ing
Erika will not be competing against Mikaela in the race when the race starts.
• (?) Will + subject + be + verb-ing
Will Sunny and Rain be watching Mikaela race this Sunday evening?
11. Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect tense expresses action that will be finished at some point in the future. The
future perfect tense indicates actions that are complete, or finished. These actions have not yet
occurred but will occur and be finished in the future.

Formula & Example :

• (+) Subject + shall/will + have + been + complement / Subject + shall/will +

have + verb III + object
I will have been in this hospital until tomorrow morning.
• (-)Subject + shall/will + not + been + complement / Subject + shall/will + not +
have + verb III + object
I will not have been in this hospital until tomorrow morning.
• (?) Shall/will + subject + been + complement / Shall/will + subject + have + verb
III + object?
Will you have been in this hospital until tomorrow morning?
12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense
The future perfect continuous, also sometimes called the future perfect progressive, is a verb
tense that describes actions that will continue up until a point in the future. The future perfect
continuous consists of will + have + been + the verb’s present participle (verb root + -ing).

Formula & Example :

• (+) Subject + shall/will + have + been + verb-ing + object

My grandmother will have been visiting us tomorrow morning.
• (-) Subject + shall/will + not + have + been + verb-ing + object
My grandmother will not have been visiting us tomorrow morning.
• (?) Shall/will + subject + have + been + verb-ing + object?
Will your grandmother have been visiting you tomorrow morning?
13. Simple Past Future Tense
It is used to express the ‘idea’ that in the past an action/event was predicted, planned, promised,
expected or obliged to be done in the future of past, doesn’t matter if the idea is correct or not.

Formula & Example :

• (+) Subject + should/would + be + object / Subject + should/would + verb I +

object
He should be in Banten next month.
 • (-) Subject + should/would + not + be + object / Subject + should/would + not +
verb + object
He should not be in Banten next month.
• (?) Should/would + subject + be + object / Should/would + subject + verb I +
object
Would you be pick up when I arrive at the station tomorrow?
14. Past Future Continuous Tense
Past Future Continuous Tense is used to express about the idea’ that in the past action/event was
predicted, planned, promised, expected or obliged to be happening (being continued) in a certain
period in the past future, or while simultaneously another action/event happened or was also
happening (being continued) in the same period in the past future, regardless the fact that idea
was not proved to be true.

Formula & Example :

• (+) Subject + should/would + be + verb-ing + object

I would be singing Indonesian anthem last Monday.
• (-) Subject + should/would + not + be + verb-ing + object
My brother would not be finishing Thesis last week
• (?) Should/would + subject + be + verb-ing + object?
Should I be singing Indonesian anthem last Monday?
15. Past Future Perfect Tense
It is used to express the ‘idea’ in the past that an action/event was predicted, planned, promised,
expected or obliged to have been done completely before/ by a certain time in the future (of
past), or before/while another action/event happened in the future of past, regardless the fact that
the idea has not been proved to be true.

Formula & Example :

• (+) S + would/should/could/may/might/must + have + past participle (verb-3)

She would have worked / They would have been
• (-) S + would/should/could/may/might/must + not + have + past participle (verb-
3)
She wouldn’t have worked / They wouldn’t have been
• (?) would/should/could/may/might/must + S + have + past participle (verb-3)
Would she have worked / Would they have been
16. Past Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Past Future Perfect Continuous Tense is used to express an action or imaginary situation that
would have been happening in the past. The verb of Past Future Perfect Continuous Tense is in
progress at a certain point or during certain periods in the past. Past Future Perfect Continuous
Tenses are suppositions or assumptions, referring to the actors in the sentence just assumed the
sentence stated by it.

Formula & Example :

 • (+) S + would + have + been + present participle (-ing)
I/you/she/he/it would have been driving.
They/we would have been working.
• (-) S + would + not + have + been + present participle (-ing)
I/you/she/he/it would not have been driving.
They/we would not have been working.
• (?) Would + S + have + been + present participle (-ing)
Would I/you/she/he/it have been driving.
Would they/we have been working.

CHAPTER III

CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATIONS

3.1. Conclusion

From the discussion above I can conclude that the tenses is a form of the verb in the English
language to indicate the time (present, future, or past) the occurrence of an act or event.

The types of tenses is divided into three parts, the Present Tense, Future Tense and Past Tense.
Present Tense itself consists of the Simple Present Tense, Present Continues Tense and Present
Perfect Tense. While Future Tense comprises Simple Future Tense, Future Continuous Tense,
Future Perfect Tense, Future Perfect Continuous Tense and. Then the latter consisting of Past
Tense Future Past Tense, Future Past Continuous Tense, Past Perfect Future Tense, Past and
Future Perfect Continuous Tense.

3.2. Recomendation

Similarly, we can describe the material that is the subject of this proposal, of course, there are
still many shortcomings and weaknesses, because it lacks of the knowledge and the reference.
Author much hope dear readers, providing constructive criticism and suggestions for the perfect
proposal to the author in the writing of the proposal in the next opportunities. Hopefully this
paper is useful for writers in particular are also dear readers in general. Such review this time,
may be useful for you and also inspire.