Created by Howard Price 1

Verb Tenses

To Think About Verb Tenses, Use a Time Line

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We are stuck in the present.

But, we can remember the past and think about the future.

We do this with our inner eye.

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How Does It Work?

Think of this as your inner-eye. This is what we use to remember

and to imagine with.

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If we really think about time, we are always stuck in the

present.

The Present

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Let’s use the inner-eye.

The Present

Thinking about the future.

The Future

Thinking about the past.

The Past

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By using the inner-eye, let’s now build a time line.

Present FuturePast

I am baking a pepperoni pizza.

What makes this action in the present tense?

bakingam

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Let’s think about yesterday.

Yesterday, I was baking a pepperoni pizza.

What makes this action in the past tense?

was

Present FuturePast

Thinking about the past.

baking

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Let’s think about tomorrow.

Tomorrow, I will be baking a pepperoni pizza.

What makes this action in the future tense?

will

Present FuturePast

Thinking about the future.

bakingbe

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What Marks the Past, Present, and Future?

Present FuturePast

Notice that “baking” is in the past, present and future. It really has no tense. It is just a continuation of an action

which is marked by the “ing”.

bakingamwas baking will bakingbe

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Let’s think about the near past.

Today, I have been baking pepperoni pizza.

Present FuturePast

What marks this action in the present tense?

have

What marks this action in the past tense?

been

Notice that “baking” is now in the past and in the present.

baking

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Let’s think about the past.

Yesterday, I was baking pepperoni pizza.

Present FuturePast

What marks this action in the past?

was baking

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Let’s think further into the past.

The day before yesterday, I had been baking pizza.

Present FuturePastPast/Past

What marks the action as past?

had

What marks the action further into the past?

been

baking

yesterdayday before

Notice “baking” is in the past and further in the past.

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Compare Patterns.

Present FuturePastPast/Past

had

been

baking

Present FuturePast

have

been

baking

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Think about the future as if it is the past.

Present FuturePast

By 2 o’clock tomorrow, I will have been baking pizza for two hours.

tomorrow

will

What marks the future?

What marks the present?

have

What marks the past?

been

Notice “baking” is in the future, present and past.

baking

by 2

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Think about the past as if it is the future.

Present FuturePast

Yesterday, I should have been baking pizza for the party.

What marks the past?

yesterday

been

What marks the present?

have

What marks the future?

should

Notice that “baking” is in the past, present and future.

baking

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The End

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The End