Verb Tense

Six Tenses

Verb Tense: Present Tense

• Shows action that is happening NOW.– I sing in the shower.– I walk the dog.– She cuts the cake.– He drives the car.– They eat dinner.– We travel to Italy.– You like to play the piano.

Verb Tense: Past Tense

• The Past Tense shows action that occurred in the past.– Gene Kelly sang in the rain.– I walked to school this morning.– He played basketball this morning.– We drove to school earlier today.– She ate lunch an hour ago.– They took the English test yesterday.

Verb Tense: Future Tense

• The Future Tense shows action that is going to take place in the future.– We will sing tomorrow.– I will eat lunch in an hour.– He will play the guitar in the concert.– She will study for her test tonight.– They will celebrate her birthday next week.

Verb Tense: Present Perfect Tense

• The Present Perfect Tense shows action that occurred in the past and continues in the present.– We have sung that song many times.– I have seen you here before.– She has read that book before.

* Note the use of the helping words has and have.

Verb Tense: Past Perfect Tense

• The Past Perfect Tense shows action that occurred before some other action. The word had goes before the verb.– You had sung in the choir before last week’s

performance, hadn’t you?– I had met her before you did.– She had paid for the coat by mail before she

received the bill.

Verb Tense: Future Perfect Tense

• The Future Perfect Tense shows action that will be completed at some specific time in the future.– She will have sung that song by the time we

get to the concert.– I will have finished my breakfast by the time

you arrive.– They will have cleaned the house by noon.