Verb Tenses and Forms
There are three main verb tenses: past, present, and future.
Each of these tenses has four forms: simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive.
Let’s learn more!
Verb Tenses
Past, present, and future tense verbs are all common and familiar to English speakers.
Past tense verbs express something that has happened already. Present tense verbs express something that is happening currently. Future tense verbs express something that will happen but has not yet happened.
Examples
Past: She jumped over the fence.
Present: She jumps over the fence.
Future: She will jump over the fence.
Verb Forms
Each verb tense, however, also has four forms: simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive.
Simple Form
The simple form is demonstrated in the example above. Simple past tense verbs typically end in the suffix “–ed” (except in irregular verbs, such as “ran”). Simple present tense verbs typically end in the suffix “–s.” Simple future tense verbs typically follow the helping verb “will” or “shall.”
Forumla: main verb + suffix or helping verb “will/shall” + main verb
Examples
Simple past: She jumped over the fence.
Simple present: She jumps over the fence.
Simple future: She will/shall jump over the fence.
Progressive Form
The progressive form expresses an action that is “in progress,” an ongoing action, or an action that occurs over an extended period of time. To express the progressive form, the helping verb “to be” (is, was, will be) is added before the main verb and the suffix “–ing” is added to the end of the main verb. The tense of the helping “to be” verb determines whether the verb phrase is past progressive, present progressive, or future progressive tense.
Formula: “to be” + main verb + suffix “–ing”
Examples
Past progressive: She was jumping over the fence.
Present progressive: She is jumping over the fence.
Future progressive: She will be jumping over the fence.
Perfect Form
The perfect form is used to express an action that has already been completed. To use the perfect form, the helping verb “to have” (had, has, will have) is added before the main verb and a suffix to indicate past tense (“–ed” for regular verbs, often “–en” for irregular verbs) is added to the end of the main verb. The tense of the helping verb “to have” determines whether the verb phrase is past perfect, present perfect, or future perfect tense.
Formula: “to have” + main verb + suffix
Examples
Past perfect: She had jumped over the fence.
Present perfect: She has jumped over the fence.
Future perfect: She will have jumped over the fence.
Perfect Progressive Form
The perfect progressive form combines the perfect and progressive forms. It is used to express a continuous action that has already been completed. To use the perfect progressive form, the helping verb “to have” (had, has, will have) is added before the main verb and a suffix to indicate past tense, the helping verb “to be” (was, is, will/shall be) is added after the “to have” verb and before the main verb, and finally the suffix “–ing” is added to the end of the main verb. The tense of the helping verbs determines whether the verb phrase is past perfect progressive, present perfect progressive, or future perfect progressive.
Formula: “to have” + “to be” + main verb + suffix “–ing”
Examples
Past perfect progressive: She had been running along the fence.
Present perfect progressive: She has been running along the fence.
Future perfect progressive: She will have been running along the fence.
Uses of Tense and Form
Now that you know how to use each tense and form, we will explore why you might use them and why you might use one tense and form over another.
Simple Present vs. Present Progressive
Simple present is used to express a statement or general truth, or an everyday, habitual activity.
Examples
Africa possesses valuable natural resources.
I brush my teeth after every meal.
Present Progressive is used to express something that is happening right now or something that is true for only a short time.
Examples
John is eating lunch in the cafeteria (right now).
Some students are taking English 101 (this semester).
Both simple present and present progressive can be used to indicate something that will happen in the future.
Examples
Ramadan ends/is ending tomorrow.
The movie comes out/is coming out soon.
Simple Past vs. Past Progressive
Simple past is used to express a completed action that happened at one definite time, or two completed actions in a sequence.
Examples
The earthquake shook Greece yesterday.
When the earthquake occurred, people screamed.
Past progressive is used to express an ongoing action that happened in the past, or two simultaneous, continuous acts that occurred in the past.
Examples
I was reading a book.
While I was sleeping, Tom was reading.
A combination of past progressive and simple past verbs are used when an action is interrupted by another.
Examples
When the earthquake occurred, people were sleeping.
I was studying in the library when the pizza arrived.
Present Perfect vs. Perfect Progressive
Present perfect is used to express something that happened before now, or when time is not definite.
Examples
I have studied hard.
Scientists have located new oil reserves in the Pacific.
Present Perfect Progressive is used emphasizes a continuing action that began in the past, or a continuing action that began at a specific time often using since and for.
Examples
Humans have been raising grain since 5,000 B.C.
Since I arrived in the U.S., I have been living in D.C.
Past Perfect vs. Past Perfect Progressive
Past perfect indicates something that happened even further back in time than another past event, or a past action that precedes another past action (when the event occurred, not location in the sentence).
Examples
John wanted to go home, but, earlier that morning, he had promised Tom he would help him with his homework.
By the time Tom went to Rome, he had sold his car.
Past Perfect Progressive is used to express a continuous action that happened even further back in time than another past event, or a continuous action that preceded another past action.
Examples
When Tom called me, I had been studying for 3 hours.
I had been running when I tripped and hit my head.
Simple Future vs. Future Progressive
Simple future tense indicates a future action and willingness, using the helping verb “will” or “shall,” or indicates two sequential actions that will happen in the future.
Examples
I will help you.
We shall go to the dance.
As soon as I talk to Lee, I will call you.
Future progressive tense indicates something that will occur in the future, or something that will occur at a specific point in the future, or two sequential continuous actions that will happen in the future.
Examples
Microsoft is going to hire a new CEO.
At midnight, most people will be sleeping.
While you are working, I will be sleeping.
Future Perfect vs. Future Perfect Progressive
Future perfect indicates something that will take place in the future by a certain point in time or by the time something else takes place.
Examples
By midnight, I will have finished the report.
By the time I get home, my husband will have left.
Future perfect progressive is used to express a continuous action or the duration of something that will take place by a certain point in the future.
Examples
By 4:00 p.m., I will have been working for four hours straight.
When you graduate from high school, I will have been in college for three years.
Hailey | 2019
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