Verb Tense

Tense denotes the time of the action

indicated by a verb. The time is not always
the same as that indicated by the name of the
tense.

6 Types

Verb Tenses

Present

Past

Future

Present
Perfect

Past
Perfect

Future
Perfect

Present Tense

Present tense may express

action which is going on at the
present time or which occurs
always, repeatedly, or
habitually.
Examples: He sees the train.
He eats cereal for breakfast
every day.

Past Tense

Past tense expresses action

completed at a definite time in
the past.
Examples: He wrote the letter
yesterday. She lived to be 90
years old.

Future Tense

Future tense expresses action

which will take place in the
future.
It uses the helping verbs will or
shall* and the present tense
form of the verb).
Examples: He will send the
letter tomorrow. I shall wait here
until you return.
* Traditionally, shall is used for
1st person and will for 2nd and 3rd
persons.

Present Perfect Tense

Present perfect tense expresses action

completed at the present time (perfect
means complete) or begun in the past and
continuing into the present.
This tense uses the helping verbs has and
have and the past participle of the verb.
Examples:

He has written a letter to his uncle. (completed

action)
The Waltons have lived here for seven years.
(continuing)

Past Perfect Tense

Past perfect tense expresses

action completed before certain
time in the past. (This is the
before-past tense.)
It uses the helping verb had and
the past participle of the verb.
Example: She had written the
letter before I saw her.

Future Perfect Tense

Future perfect tense expresses

action which will be completed
before a certain time in the
future. (This is the before-future
tense)
It uses the helping verbs will
have or shall have and the past
participle of the verb.
Example: He will have finished
the paper before next Friday.

Verb Forms

Verb Forms

Regular

Irregular

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs form their past

tense and past participle by
adding ed or d to their present
tense form.
More than 95% of all English
verbs are regular.
Regular verbs cause few
problems in speaking and
writing.

Regular verbs and their

Principal Parts
Principal
Parts:

Present Present Past

Participle Tense
Tense

Past

To call

call,
calls

calling

called

(have)
called

To dust

dust,
dusts

dusting

dusted

(have)
dusted

Participle

Verb:

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs can form their

past tense and past participle
forms in various way.
These forms cause even native
speakers innumerable
problems.
The most irregular verb of all is
the verb to be.
Another irregular verb that is
important for its use with other
verbs is the verb to have.

Four Principal/Main Parts

Principal
Parts:

Present
Tense

Present

Past
Participle Tense

Past

be, am,
are, is

being

was,
were

(have)
been

having

had

(have)
had

Participle

Verb:

To Be

To Have have,
has

Other Common Irregular

Verbs and their Principal Parts
Principal
Part

Present
Tense

Present
Participle

Past Tense

Past
Participle

saw

To do

see,
seeing
sees
do, does doing

To fly

fly, flies

flew

To run

run, runs running

(have)
seen
(have)
done
(have)
flown
(have)
run

Verb

To see

flying

did

ran

Conjugation

A conjugation of a verb is the

correct arrangement of its form
through its tenses, persons, and
numbers.
Person means the speaker, the
person spoken to, and the
person or thing spoken of.
Number means singular or
plural.

Conjugation of the verb: to be

Tense

Singular

Plural

Present

I am
You are
He, she, it is

We are
You are
They are

Past

I was
You were
He was

We were
You were
They were

Future

I shall be
You will be
He will be

We shall be
You will be
They will be

Present Perfect

I have been
You have been
He has been

We have been
You have been
They have been

Past Perfect

I had been
You had been
He had been

We had been
You had been
They had been

Future Perfect

I shall have been

You will have been
He will have been

We shall have been

You will have been
They will have been