Tense and Aspect

Tenses are what make verbs indicate times. Whether an action happens in the
past, present or future.
Tenses come in aspects : simple, continuos or progressive, perfect and perfect
continous or progressive depending on whether they refer to actions that are
stable, in progress, already complete or expecting an outcome.
Tenses Aspects Example
Simple
I will study
(used for action
Professor Swan’s
that are
unit.
unchanging
straightforward
Our family will
Simple Future facts or truths,
move to Canada
whether these
next year.
exist in the
present, past, or I am going to
future) cook dinner later.
I will be studying
abroad next
semester.

Continous or They will be

Progressive celebrating
Future (indicates an tomorrow after
Progressive action that is, was school
or will be
ongoing) My cousin will be
arriving on Air
Canada from
Toronto
tomorrow at 5;15
Future Perfect Perfect I will have
(indicates an studied three
action is complete degrees.
or leading
towards an She will have
outcome) finished eating
later at one
o’clock

We will have
spent all our
money on slot
 machines by the
time.

Form Example
Tenses
Active Passive Active Passive
My art
I will do my project will
art project be done sfter
S+ after dinner dinner
S + will/shall
Will/Shall +
+ be + V3
V1 My mother is Asian food is
Simple Future going to cook going to be
S + is/am/are
S+ is/am/are Asian food cooked by my
+ going to +
+ going to + mother.
be + V3
V1 Somebody
will clean the The room
room later. will be
cleaned later.
Future S + will/shall
-
Progressive + be + Ving
By next By the next
month, the month, your
selection application
panel will will have
have been
reviewed reviewed.
your
application. The exam
will have
S + will/shall S + will/shall
Future Perfect Students will been
+ have + V3 + have + been
have completed
completed the before closing
exam before time.
closing time.
This car will
He will have have been
bought this bought by
car next him next
month. month.