TENSES

TYPES OF TENSES

HOW TO FORM TENSES?

WHEN TO USE TENSES CORRECTLY?

WHAT ‘TIME WORD’ TO USE FOR

TYPES OF TENSES

Simple Tenses

Progressive Tenses

Perfect Tenses

Perfect Progressive Tenses

HOW TO FORM TENSES?

SIMPLE TENSES PROGRESSIVE

TENSES

PERFECT

TENSES

PERFECT

PROGRESSIVE

TENSES

PR

ES

EN

T

sail

sails

does not + sail

do not + sail

is + sailing

are + sailing

am + sailing

has + sailed

have + sailed

has + slept

have + slept

has + been + sailing

have + been + sailing

PA

ST

sailed, worked

bought, slept

cut, put

was + sailing

were + sailing

had + sailed

had + slept had + been + sailing

FU

TU

RE

will + sail

is + sail

are + sail

will + be + sailing will have + slept will + have + sleeping

SIMPLE TENSES: WHEN TO USE TENSES CORRECTLY?

EXAMPLES EXPLANATION

PR

ES

EN

T

1. He works at the factory.

2. Does he work at the factory?

3. They attend the seminar every week.

• Describe facts.

• Describe habitual actions.

PA

ST

1. He worked at the factory.

2. Did he work at the factory?

3. They attended the seminar every

week.

• Describe actions

happened at a time in the

past.

• It began & ended in the

past.

FU

TU

RE

1. He will work at the factory.

2. Will he work at the factory?

3. They will attend the seminar every

week.

• Describe actions that will

take place at a time in the

future.

TASK 1: FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH

CORRECT SIMPLE TENSES.

1. Every Friday, we ______ (go) to the mosque for Friday prayer.

2. “______ you ______ (read) newspaper everyday?”

3. They ______ (not, attend) the talk by the Dean earlier this morning.

4. She ______ (fly) to Scotland next month.

5. The classroom ______(accommodate) 36 students.

6. Freedom to possess guns ______ (cause) the rise of gun shooting

incidents in American schools.

7. “Where ______ Shila ______ (live) before she moved to Ipoh?”

8. The minister ______ (launch) the book in a few days time.

9. “Why ______ the lady ______ (say) the word listen 11 times?

10. As soon as the new semester ______ (begin), I’ll buy a new phone.

TASK 2: REWRITE EACH SENTENCE WITH

THE PRONOUNS/NOUNS SHOWN.

1. I rarely find a good book in our library.

You ________________________________.

She ________________________________.

2. He goes home early.

We ________________________________.

A group of students ________________________________.

3. The newly-wed couple flies for Italy.

They ________________________________.

Gary and Brenda ________________________________.

TASK 3: REWRITE THE SENTENCES

BELOW INTO SIMPLE PAST TENSE

1. I don’t understand the way the lecturer behaves.

2. Rashid helps his friends.

3. Someone steals my wallet.

4. Does Ravi live here?

TASK 4: REWRITE THE SENTENCES

BELOW INTO ITS NEGATIVE FORM.

1. I have time for you.

2. Our children were at home.

3. The girls from our class win the dancing competition.

4. The poor mother has enough money to buy food.

5. Salman will fly to Korea in summer.

TASK 5: CHANGE THE SENTENCES

BELOW INTO QUESTIONS.

1. The breakfast is delicious.

2. The undertaker made the funeral ceremony looks memorable.

3. He will join the army next year.

4. We rented the house because the price is reasonable.

5. My youngest sister knows how to drive a manual car.

TASK 6: FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE

SIMPLE TENSES.

1. Give

a) He always ______ his wife a bouquet of flowers on her

birthday.

b) My teacher ______ us a test last Monday.

c) Mr Jones ______ us a test next week.

2. Buy

a) As soon as the new semester begins, I ______ a motorcycle.

b) She ______ a toaster for her friend’s wedding last week.

c) He often ______ bread for his old neighbour.

PROGRESSIVE TENSES: WHEN TO USE TENSES CORRECTLY?

EXAMPLES EXPLANATION

PR

ES

EN

T

1. He is working at the factory.

2. Is he working at the factory?

3. They are attending the seminar now.

• Describe action that is in

progress at the present

time.

PA

ST

1. He was working at the factory.

2. Was he working at the factory?

3. They were attending the seminar

when the accident happened.

• Describe action that was in

progress at a particular time

in the past.

• Usually include ‘extra

information’.

• Describe an action which

was in progress a time in

the past.

FU

TU

RE

1. He will be working at the factory.

2. Will he be working at the factory when

we arrive?

3. They will be attending the seminar

when you arrive.

• Describe action that will be

in progress at a particular

time in the future

• Describe an action which

was in progress a time in

the future.

TASK 1: FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH

CORRECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES.

1. At the moment, they ______ (work) hard to pass the exam.

2. She ______ (talk) to a group of children when I arrived.

3. She is in her class now. She ______ (study) Ship Materials.

4. Yesterday, my parents ______ (watch) the television at home while we______ (go) out for a movie.

5. Nora ______ (do) her homework when her mother returns from work in the evening.

6. ______ Ikmal ______ (listen) to the radio when I called? He didn’t answer my call.

7. ______ you ______ (play) football this evening?

8. The debaters ______ (argue) competitively so that they can win the tournament.

9. ______ they ______ (bully) the girl? It looks like the girl needs some help.

10. Psy ______ (perform) on stage when more fans arrived from every parts of Penang.

COMPARISON BETWEEN SIMPLE PRESENT

TENSE AND PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

TENSE

• ‘Time word’

• Examples

Simple Present Tense Present Progressive Tense

always, often, regularly, usually,

occasionally, once a month, every

day, annually, etc…

now, at the moment, at present,

currently, presently

Simple Present Tense Present Progressive Tense

We play futsal every Friday. We are playing futsal now.

Faisal works as a teacher. At the moment, Faisal is teaching in the

class.

He is unemployed. He is currently looking for a job.

TASK 2: FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH VERBS

IN THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE OR

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE

1. Alvin ______ (go) to the park with his friends every Sunday.

2. Now, he ______ (play) with his friends in the park.

3. “Yes, you can have it. I ______ (not, use) the book at the moment,” said the lecturer.

4. What ______ Johan ______ (do) now?

5. It often ______ (rain) in Taiping.

6. She ______ still ______ (study) to be an engineer.

7. Do not disturb me. I ______ (study) for my exam.

8. Mr Gopal usually ______ (mow) the lawn once a week.

9. My relatives regularly ______ (stay) at my house when they visit Penang.

10. My relatives ______ (stay) at my house at the moment.

COMPARISON BETWEEN SIMPLE PAST

TENSE AND PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE

• In describing a story, writers often use the past progressive

tense to refer to a background scene and the simple past tense

to refer to main actions.

• Examples

Simple Past Tense Past Progressive Tense

Suddenly, Johnny came round the

corner and walked right up to me.

“Sorry I’m late,” he apologized.

I was standing under a tree. It was

getting late and I was feeling anxious. I

was waiting for my friend, Johnny.

TASK 3: FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH

VERBS IN THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE OR

PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE

1. She ______(cut) herself as she ______(slice) some potatoes.

2. While Ahmad ______(dig) for some worms behind his house, he

______ (find) a treasure map.

3. At 8am yesterday, Dato’ Sri Najib ______(be) in Sabak Bernam. He

______(give) a speech on BR1M at 9am.

4. Police ______ (shoot) dead all members of the notorious gang

when they ______(escape) from the ambush.

5. We ______(not, bathe) for two days because there ______(be) no

water.

PERFECT TENSES: WHEN TO USE TENSES CORRECTLY?

EXAMPLES EXPLANATION

PR

ES

EN

T

1. He have worked at the factory.

2. Have he worked at the factory?

3. They have attended the seminar

for 2 hours.

• The exact time is NOT IMPORTANT.

• To show actions that ended a short

time ago.

• To show action that has happened in

the past & still continue in the

present time.

PA

ST

1. He had worked at the factory.

2. Had he worked at the factory?

3. They had attended the seminar

when we arrived.

• Describe action that had completely

finished before another action in the

past.

• The action of ‘attending’ had

completely finished before we

‘arrived’.

FU

TU

RE

1. He will have worked at the

factory.

2. Will he have worked at the

factory?

3. They will have attended the

seminar when their friends arrive.

• Describe actions that will be

completely finished before another

time in the future.

• The action of ‘attending’ will

complete before their friends arrive.

TASK 1: COMPLETE THE TABLE BELOW

Root word Past tense Past participle

catch

do

eat

fight

make

pay

steal

see

swim

take

understand

write

hide

TASK 2: REWRITE THE SENTENCES IN

THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE.

1. Ms. Fadlina takes her daughter home.

Ms Fadlina has taken her daughter home.

2. We ride on a bus.

___________________________________ .

3. Do you make cookies?

___________________________________ .

4. The students submit their assignment on time.

___________________________________ .

COMPARISON BETWEEN SIMPLE PAST

TENSE AND PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

Simple Past Tense Present Perfect Tense

She wrote three reports last night.

(the time is clearly stated)

She has written three reports.

(time is not stated)

Our Dean managed MIMET for two

years.

(the dean does not manage MIMET

anymore)

Our Dean has managed MIMET for

two years.

(the dean still manages MIMET)

They read two story books last week.

(last week is already over)

They have read story books this

week.

(this week is not over yet)

TASK 3: FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE

SIMPLE PAST TENSE OR THE PRESENT

PERFECT TENSE

1. I ______ (meet) Susan in 1990. she ______ (be) my best friend ever since.

2. She ______ (never, meet) her father. He ______ (die) in an accident when she was very young.

3. Although he ______ (get) up a few hours ago, he ______ (not, make)his bed yet.

4. Last month, we ______ (go) to the museum four times.

5. They ______ (not, see) land for days since they ______ (leave) the island.

TASK 4: CHANGE THE FOLLOWING

SENTENCES TO THE NEGATIVE AND

QUESTION FORMS

Positive Negative Question

1. He had sprained his

ankle.

2. The officials had

postponed the match.

3.We have done our

chores.

4. He has gone to Karabi

Island.

TASK 5: REARRANGE THE FOLLOWING WORDS

OR PHRASE TO MAKE CORRECT SENTENCES.

PUT A COMMA WHERE NECESSARY

1. had closed / The bank / by the time / I / there / reached.

2. washed / She / had watered / after / the plants / her car / she.

3. Ali’s wife / he / had / eaten / home / already / when /came / from

work.

4. yesterday / had / gone out / already / but / phoned / I / me /

Jasmin.

5. the medicine / Kim / the doctor / took / which / had prescribed

TASK 6: FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE

SIMPLE PAST TENSE OR THE PAST

PERFECT TENSE

1. Yesterday, I ______ (buy) some durians.

2. I ______ (eat) the cake which I myself ______ (bake).

3. Rashidah ______ (win) a match in a lucky draw three days ago.

4. Josephine ______ (be) in trouble. She ______ (forgot) to bring her

history textbook.

5. He ______ (drink) the tea. Then he ______ (eat) the toast.

TASK 7: COMPLETE THE SENTENCES

BELOW USING VERBS IN THE SIMPLE

PAST OR PAST PERFECT TENSE

1. Before they had time to answer to answer the questions,

___________________________ .

2. ___________________________ by the time he arrived.

3. After she had baked the cake, ___________________________ .

4. The ship had left the port when ___________________________ .

5. She fainted after ___________________________ .

TASK 8: REWRITE THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

SENTENCES IN THE OTHER FIVE TENSES

1. Aidil - buy - a new phone.

Simple present:

Aidil buys a new phone every time Apple launches its latest product.

Simple past:

Aidil bought a new phone last weekend.

Present perfect:

Aidil has bought a new phone.

Past perfect:

Aidil had bought a new phone as soon as he received MARA loan.

Simple future:

Aidil will buy a new phone next month.

Future perfect:

Aidil will have bought a new phone once he receives his MARA loan.

TASK 8: REWRITE THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

SENTENCES IN THE OTHER FIVE TENSES

2. The cadet - sail - past the seven oceans.

3. We – conduct – group work.

4. A group of candidates – visit – our neighbourhood.

5. Members of the Diners Club – enjoy – discounts – at selected

restaurants.

Simple present:

Simple past:

Present perfect:

Past perfect:

Simple future:

Future perfect:

-THE END-

-Questions anyone?-