You are here#6: Verb Tenses
#6: Verb Tenses
INTRODUCTION
Verbs are the action of the sentence. Not only do they tell what happened, they give a sense of when with the tense of the verb. This is usually where English's eclectic habit of grabbing any word that catches its fancy creates problems. Where other languages will take the root form of the verb and add a new ending to change tenses, English does that along with irregular verbs--words that change spellings when the tense changes. I can't give you every irregular verb in this Grammar Guide, which is why I recommend working with a beta reader (and if you're an ESL writer it's doubly helpful to find one whose native language in English). What I can do is introduce you to the tenses, the parts that make up the tenses, and what times the tenses convey.
Using the wrong tense is called shifting verb tenses, a common problem when you're caught up in putting the story on paper. This Grammar Guide will help you identify when it happens.
Shifting verb tense covers mistakes made between the singular and plural forms of the verb. These are easier to spot once you isolate the subject and the verb. The two will not sound right together. Other shifting verb tenses are mistakes with the actual tenses, either in the same sentence or paragraph.
Every verb has four basic forms called principle parts: the infinitive, present participle, past, and past participle. These parts combined with helping verbs create different tenses. The regular verbs follow the rule of adding a new ending to the infinitive to change forms.
Irregular verbs are the exception words. Either the spelling is changed entirely or no change takes place at all.
TENSES
Counting the infinitive there are seven tenses with one or two forms under them.
- Infinitive
- Present Infinitive
- Perfect Infinitive
- Present
- Present Progressive
- Emphatic
- Past
- Past Progressive
- Emphatic
- Future
- Future Progressive
- Present Perfect
- Present Perfect Progressive
- Past Perfect
- Past Perfect Progressive
- Future Perfect
- Future Perfect Progressive
Infinitive
When combined with to (called the present infinitive), the infinitive expresses an action following another action.
Example: The children were disappointed because they had hoped to go with us.
When combined with to have (called the perfect infinitive), the infinitive expresses an action before another action.
Example: I am glad to have seen that movie.
Present
The present tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) occurring at the present time.
Example: I work here.
Example: We go to the mall.
It is also used to indicate habitual action.
Example: She works every day.
Example: They go to the store each week.
It is often used to express a general truth, something that is always true.
Example: I did not know that Salem is the capital of Oregon.
Using the present tense to achieve vividness in writing about past events is known as the historical present.
Example: Florence Nightingale promptly senses the needs of the patients and comes to their aid.
The present progressive is used when you want to write about continuing action. It is formed by conjugating "be" and combining that with the present participle.
Example: I am working now.
Emphatic form is used when you want to make a point in the sentence. You can say the verb with unusual stress or add "do" to the infinitive part of the verb.
Example: I do work.
Past
The past tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) that occurred in the past but didn't continue into the present. Most narratives are written in past tense, saving present tense for character dialogue.
Example: I worked during the holidays.
Example: You went to the party last night.
Actions in the past that were continuous or habitual but were interrupted by something are expressed by using the past progressive form.
Example: I was working there during the holidays.
Example: He was going to the party before the phone call.
The emphatic form is created with "did" and the infinitive part of the verb. It is used to stress a point in the sentence.
Example: I did work there.
Example: They did go to school.
Future
Future tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) occurring at some time in the future.
Example: I will work in the library after school.
Example: We will go to the park.
Use the future progressive form to express a future habitual action.
Example: I will be working in the library after school.
Example: I will be going to the Faire site every weekend.
Present Perfect
Present perfect tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) occurring at no definite time in the past.
Example: He has worked for us many times.
Example: We have gone to the Grand Canyon before.
It is also used when the action started in the past, and is still ongoing. The Present perfect progressive form can also be used.
Example: I have worked here for six weeks.
Example: I have been working here for six weeks.
Past Perfect
Past perfect tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) completed in the past before some other past action or event. It is always used for the earlier of the two actions. Like the present perfect tense, the past perfect progressive form can also be used.
Example: When I had worked for a week, I asked for my pay.
Example: When I had been working for a week, I asked for my pay.
Future Perfect
Future perfect tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) which will be completed in the future before some other future action or event. And again, you can use the future perfect progressive the same way.
Example: By the time school opens, I will have worked here eight weeks.
Example: By the time school opens, I will have been working here for eight weeks.
HOMEWORK
Explain the difference in meaning between the sentences in the following pairs. The sentences are correct. Name the tense used in each sentence.
- Katherine went to high school for two years.
Katherine has gone to high school for two years. - How long has she been here?
How long was she here? - What has been going on here?
What went on here? - Have the ballots been counted?
Had the ballots been counted? - We learned that he had been there for three hours.
We learned that he has been there for three hours. - I suppose Mary will have finished college when they return from abroad.
I suppose Mary will finish college when they return from abroad. - Was she sleeping?
Had she been sleeping? - After July 1, I will have been studying here a year.
After July 1, I will be studying here for a year. - We'll have given them more pay.
We'll give them more pay. - What had she done?
What has she done?
Grade yourself here.
