VERB TENSES

TENSE EXAMPLE USE FORM

A. SIMPLE TENSE
1. Simple Present She speaks. Present Action; Present Condition; Singular: add - s / - es
Regularly occurring action; Plural: base form
Regularly occurring condition;
Constant action; Constant Condition
2. Simple Past She spoke. Completed Action; Regular: add - d / -ed
Completed Condition Irregular: change / retain
3. Simple Future She will speak. Future Action; Future Condition shall + base form
will + base form
B. PERFECT TENSE
1. Present Perfect She has spoken. Completed Action; Completed has + past participle
Condition; Action Continuing to have + past participle
Present; Condition Continuing to
Present
2. Past Perfect She had spoken. Action Completed Before Another had + past participle
Past Action; Condition Completed
Before Another Past Condition;
3. Future Perfect She will have spoken. Future Action Completed Before shall have + past participle
Another; Future Condition Completed will have + past participle
Before Another;
C. PROGRESSIVE TENSE
1. Present Progressive She is speaking. Long Continuing Action; am + -ing form
Short Continuing Action; is + -ing form
Continuing Condition are + -ing form
2. Past Progressive She was speaking. Long Continuing Action in the past; was + -ing form
Short Continuing Action in the past; were + -ing form
Continuing Condition in the past
3. Future Progressive She will be speaking. Continuing Future Action will be + -ing form
D. PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSE
1. Present Perfect She has been speaking. Action Continuing to the Present has been + -ing form
Progressive have been + -ing form
2. Past Perfect She had been speaking. Action completed before another had been + -ing form
Progressive past action; Condition completed
before another past condition
3. Future Perfect She will have been Continuing Future Action Completed will have been + -ing form
Progressive speaking. Before Another;
E. EMPHATIC TENSE
1. Present Emphatic She does speak. Emphasizing a statement; do + base form
Denying a contrary assertion does + base form
2. Past Emphatic She did speak. Emphasizing a statement; did + base form
Denying a contrary assertion