TENSES

Betty Schrampfer Azar

OVERVIEW OF VERB TENSES

1-1 THE SIMPLE TENSES
TENSE
SIMPLE PRESENT

EXAMPLES
(a) It snows in Alaska.
(b) Tom watches television everyday.

SIMPLE PAST

(c) It snowed yesterday.

(d) Tom watched television yesterday.

SIMPLE FUTURE

(e) It will snow tomorrow.

It is going to snow tomorrow.
(f) Tom will watch television tonight.
Tom is going to watch television
tonight.

MEANING
In general, the simple present
expresses events or situations that
exist always, usually, habitually;
they are exist now, have exist in
the past, and probably will exist in
the future.
At one particular time in the past,
this happened. It began and ended
in the past.

At one particular time in the

future, it will happen.

1-2 THE PROGRESSIVE TENSES

Form
: be + -ing (present participle)
Meaning : The progressive tenses *give the idea that an action is in progress during a
particular time. The tenses say that an action begins before, is in progress during, and
continues after another time or action.
TENSE
EXAMPLES
MEANING
PRESENT
(a) Tom is sleeping right now.
It is now 11.00. Tom went to sleep at
PROGRESSIVE
10.00 tonight, and he is still asleep. His
sleep began in the past, is in progress
at the present time, and probably will
continue.
PAST PROGRESSIVE

(b) Tom was sleeping when I

arrived.

Tom went to sleep at 10.00 last night. I

arrived at 11.00. He was still asleep. His
sleep began before and was in progress
at a particular time in the past. It
continued after I arrived.

FUTURE
PROGRESSIVE

(c) Tom will be sleeping when we

arrive.

Tom will go to sleep at 10.00 tomorrow

night. The action of sleeping will begin
before we arrive, and it will be in
progress at a particular time in the
future. Probably his sleep continue.

1-3 THE PERFECT TENSES

Form
: have + past participle
Meaning : The perfect tense all give the idea that one thing happens before another time or
event.
TENSE
EXAMPLES
MEANING
PRESENT PERFECT
(a) Tom has already eaten.
Tom finished eating sometime before
now. The exact time is not important.

PAST PERFECT

(b) Tom had already eaten when

his friend arrived.

First Tom finished eating. Later his

friend arrived. Toms eating was
completely finished before another
time in the past.

FUTURE PERFECT

(c) Tom will already have eaten

when his friend arrives.

First Tom will finish eating. Later his

friend will arrived. Toms eating will
completely finished before another
time in the future.

1-4 THE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES

Form
: have + been + -ing (present participle)
Meaning : The perfect progressive tenses give the idea that one event is in progress immediately
before, up to, until another time or event. The tenses are used to express the duration
of the first event.
TENSE
EXAMPLES
MEANING
PRESENT PERFECT
(a) Tom has been studying for
Event in progress: studying.
PROGRESSIVE
two hours.
When? Before now, up to now.
How long? For two hours.

PAST PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

(b) Tom had been studying for

two hours before his frien
came.

Event in progress: studying.

When? Before another event in the
past.
How long? For two hours.

FUTURE PERFECT
PROGRESSIVE

(c) Tom will have been studying

for two hours by the time his
friend arrives.

Event in progress: studying.

When? Before another time in the
future.
How long? For two hours.

SIMPLE TENSES
2-1 SIMPLE PRESENT
(a) Water consists of hydrogen and
oxygen.
(b) The average person breathes
21,600 times a day.
(c) The world is round.
(d) I study for two hours every night.
(e) I get up at seven every morning.
(f) He always eats sandwich for lunch.

The simple present says that

something was true in the past, is
true in the present, and will be
true in the future.
It expresses general statements of
fact and timeless truths.
The simple present is used to
express habitual or everyday
activities.

(a) I walked to school yesterday.

(b) John lived in Paris for ten years,
but now he lives in Rome.
(c) I bought a new car three days ago.
(d) Rita stood under a tree when it
began to rain.
(e) When Mrs. Chu heard a strange
noise, she got up to investigate.
(f) When I dropped my cup, the coffee
splled on my lap.

The simple past indicates that and

activity or situation began and
ended at a particular time in the
past.
If a sentence contains when and
has the simple past in both
clauses, the action in the when
clause happens firts. In (d): 1st:
The rain began. 2nd: She stood
under a tree.

2-2 SIMPLE PAST

2-3 SIMPLE FUTURE

(a) Jack will finish his work tomorrow.
(b) Jack is going to finish his work
tomorrow.
(c) Anna will not be here tomorrow.
(d) Anna wont be here tomorrow.

Will and be going to is used to

express future time.* In speech,
going to is often pronounce
gonna.
In (d): The contracted form of
will + not is wont.

PROGRESSIVE
3-1 PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
(a) John is sleeping right now.
(b) I need an umbrella because it is
raining.
(c) The students are sitting at their
desk right now.

(d) I am taking five course this

semester.
(e) John is trying to improve his work
habits.
(f) Susan is writing another book this
year.

The present progressive expresses

an activity that in progress at the
moment of speaking. It is a
temporary activity that began in
the past, is continuing at present,
and will probably end at some
pont in the future.
Often the activity is of a general
nature: something generally in
progress this week, this month,
this year. Note (f): The sentence
means that writing a book is a
general activity Susan is engaged in
at present, but it does not mean at
the moment of speaking she is
sitting at her desk with pen in
hand.

3-2 PAST PROGRESSIVE

(a) I was walking down the street
when it began to rain.
(b) While I was walking down the
street, it began to rain.
(c) Rita was standing under a tree
when it begabn to rain.
(d) At eight oclock last night, I was
studying.
(e) Last year at this time, I was
attending school.
(f) While I was studying in one room
of our apartment, my roomate was
having a party in other room.

In (a): 1st: I was walking down the

street.
2nd: It began to rain.
Both action occured at the same
time, but one action began earlier
and was in progress when the
other action occured.
In (d): My studying began before
8:00, was in progress at that
time, and probably
continued.
Sometimes the past progressive is
used in both parts of a sentence
when two actions are in progress
simultaneously.

3-3 FUTURE PROGRESSIVE

(a) I will begin to study at seven, Yiu
will come at eight. I will be studying
when you come.
(b) Right now I am sitting in class. At
this same time tomorrow, I will be
sitting in class.
(c) Dont call me at nine because I
wont be home. I am going to be
studying at the library.
(d) Dont get impatient. She will be
coming soon.
(e) Dont get impatient. She will come
soon.

The future progressive expresses

an activity that will be in progress
at a time in the future.

The progressive form of be going

to: be going to + be + -ing.
Sometimes there is little or no
difference between the future
progressive and the simple future,
especially when the future event
will occur at an indifinate time in
the future, as in (d) and (e).

PERFECT
4-1 PRESENT PERFECT
(a) They have moved into a new
apartment.
(b) Have you ever visited Mexico?
(c) I have never seen snow.
(d) I have already seen that movie.
(e) Jack hasnt seen it yet.
(f) Ann started a letter to her
parents last week, but she still
hasnt finished it.
(g) Alex feels bad. He has just
heard some bad news.

The present perfect expresses the

idea that something happened (or
never happened) before noun, at an
unspesific time in the past. The exact
time is happened is not important.
If there is a spesific mention of time,
the simple past is used: They moved
into a new apartment last month.
Notice in the examples: the adverbs
ever, never, already, yet, still, and
just are frequently used with the
present perfect.
The present perfect also expresses
the repetition of an activity before
noun. The exact time of each
repetition is not important.
Notice in (h): so far is frequently used
with the present perfect.

(h) We have had four tests so far

this semester.
(i) I have written my wife a letter
every other day for the last two
weeks.
(j) I have met many people since I
came here in June.
(k) I have flown on an airplane
many times.
(l) I have been here since seven
The present perfect, when used with
oclock.
for or since, also expresses a situation
(m) We have been here for two
that began in the past and continues
weeks.
to the present.*
(n) I have had this same pair of
In the examples, notice the differene
shoes for three years.
between since and for:
(o) I have liked cowboy movies
Since + a particular time
ever since I was a child.
For + a duration of time
(p) I have known him for many
years.
*The verbs used in the present perfect to express a situation that began in the past and still exists
are typically verbs with a stative meaning (see Chart 6-1).
The present perfect progressive, rather than the present perfect, is used with action verbs to
express an activity that began in the past and continues to the present (see Chart 5-1):
I have been sitting at my desk for an hour. Jack has been watching TV since seven oclock.

4-2 PAST PERFECT

(a) Sam had already gone by the time
Ann got there.
(b) The thief simply walked in.
Someone had forgotten to lock the
door.
(c) Sam had already left when Ann got
there.
(d) Sam had left before Ann got there.
(e) Sam left before Ann got there.
(f) After the guests had left, I went to
bed.
(g) After the guests left, I went to bed.

The past perfect expresses an

activity that was completed before
another activity or time in the
past.
In (c): First : Sam left
Second: Ann got there
If either before and after is used in
the sentence, the past perfect is
often not necessary because the
time relationship is already clear.
The simple past may be used, as in
(e) and (g). Note: (d) and (e) have
the same meaning; (f) and (g) have
the same meaning.

4-3 FUTURE PERFECT

) I will graduated in June. I will see you
on July. By the time I see you, I will
have graduated.
) I will have finished my homework by
the time I go out on a date tonight.

The future perfect expresses an

activity that will be completed by
another time or event in the
future.
(Note: by the time introduces a
time clause; the simple present is
used in a time clause).

PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
5-1 PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
Right now I am sitting at my desk.
(a) I have been sitting here since
seven oclock.
(b) I have been sitting here for two
hours.
(c) You have been studying for five
straight hours. Why dont you take
a break?
(d) It has been raining all day. It is still
raining right now.
(e) I have known Alex since he was a
child.
(f) INCORRECT: I have been knowing
Alex since he was a child.

(g) I have been thinking about

changing my major.
(h) All of students have been studying
hard. Final exams starts next week.
(i) My back hurts, so I have been
sleeping on the floor lately. The bed
is too soft.
(j) I have lived here since 1995.
I have been living here since 1995.
(k) He has worked at the same store
for ten years.
He has been working at the same
store for ten years.

This tense is used to indicate the

duration of an activity that began
in the past and continues to the
present. When the tense has this
meaning, it is used with the words,
such as for, since, all morning, all
day, all week.

Reminder: verbs with stative

meanings are not used in the
progressive. (see Chart 6-1) The
present perfect, NOT the present
perfect progressive, is used with
stative verbs to describe the
duration of a state (rather than an
activity) that began in the past and
continues to the present.
When the tense is used without
any spesific mention of time, it
expresses a general activity in
progress recently, lately.

With certain verbs (most notably

live, work, teach), there is little or
no difference in meaning between
the two tenses when since and for
is used.

5-2 PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

(a) The police had been looking for the
criminal for two years before they
caught him.
(b) Eric finally came at six oclock. I had
been waiting for him since fourthirty.
(c) When Judy got home, her hair was
still wet because she had been
swimming.
(d) I went to Janes house after the
funeral. Her eyes were red because

The present perfect progressive

emphasizes the duration of an
activity that was in progress
before another activity or time in
the past.
This tense also may express an
activity in progress close in time to
another activity or time in the
past.

she had been crying.

5-3 FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

(a) I will go to bed at ten P.M. Ed will
get home at midnight. At midnight
I will be sleeping. I will have been
sleeping for two hours by the time
Ed gets home.
(b) When Professor John retires next
month, he will have taught for 45
years.
(c) When Professor John retires next
month, he will have been teaching
for 45 years.

The future perfect progressive

emphasizes the duration of an
activity that will be in progress
before another time or event in the
future.
Sometimes the future perfect and
future perfect progressive have
the same meaning, as in (b) and
(c). Also, notice that the activity
expresses by either of these two
tenses may begin in the past.

ADDITIONAL LESSON MATERIAL

6-1 STATIVE VERBS
) Yum! This food tastes good.
I like it very much.
) INCORRECT: This food is testing good.
I am liking it very much.

) The chef is in the kitchen.

He is testing the sauce.
) It tastes too salty.
) He doesnt like it.

Some English verbs have stative meaning. They

describe states: conditions or situations that
exist. When verbs have stative meaning, they
are usually niu used in progressive tenses.
In (a): tastes and like have stative meaning. Each
describes a state that exist.
A verb such as taste has a stative meaning, but
also a progressive meaning. In (c): tasting
describes the action of the chef putting
something in his mouth and actively tasting its
flavor (progressive). In (d): tastes describes the
persons awareness of the quality of the food
(stative).
A verb such as like has a stative meaning. It is
rarely, if ever, used in progressive tenses.
In (e): It is incorrect to say He doesnt liking it.

COMMON VERBS THAT HAVE STATIVE MEANING:

Note: Verbs with an asterisk: (*) are like the verb taste: they can have both stative and
progressive in meanings and uses.
(1) MENTAL STATE
know
believe
imagine*
want*
realize
feel
doubt*
need
understand
suppose
remember*
desire
recognize
think*
forget*
mean*
(2) EMOTIONAL STATE
love
hate
mind
astonish
like
dislike
care
amaze
appreciate
surprise
please
envy
prefer
(3) POSSESION
posses
have
own
belong
(4) SENSE PERCEPTIONS
taste*
hear
see*
smell
feel
(5) OTHER EXISTING STATES
seem
cost*
be*
consists of
look*
owe
exist
contain
appear*
weigh*
matter
include*
sound
equal
resemble
look like