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Verb tenses result from time concepts used in a culture. Tenses in another language
are difficult to acquire because time is a cultural concept. Following are common
interpretations for verb tenses in English. There are MANY exceptions, but you can deal
with exceptions after you know the basic rules of usage. Don't confuse the issue early
for students. Let them learn the common interpretation and, later, deal with more subtle
verb tense applications.
There are three basic classifications of tenses in English: Simple, Continuous, and
Perfect. Each of these has a present, a past and a future. And that's just the beginning!
Imagine that the horizontal line below represents time. The vertical line represents the
present moment (now). To the right of that vertical line, you have the future, to the left,
the past.
Simple Present
The simple present is formed by using the BASE form of the verb, adding an "S" to the
3rd person singular expression (I work, but he/she/it workS.) The final "S" in English
words is pronounced as /z/ if the sound preceding it is voiced, and /s/ if the sound
preceding it is unvoiced. Compare the final sounds in "goes" and "meets."
The simple present is an event in progress at the time the person is speaking, as
most people immediately respond. Rather, it typically refers to something (1) that
happens habitually or (2) that is always true. (Sometimes, the present form is even used
to express the future, but we won't go there right now. It messes up the graphic.)
Habitual event
The m mSimple Past is formed by adding "ED" to the base form of the verb. (Base:
walk + ED = walked)
The mm m Simple Past is left up to the irregular verb to decide. Irregular verbs must
be memorized and used until they are learned. There are many lists of irregular verbs in
English. Students can learn a few every week until they know the most common.
Irregular verbs also have irregular past participles, discussed later. Paired work can be
a lot of fun as students learn the past a past participles of irregular verbs. One student
give the base, the other responds with the past, and the first provides the past participle,
the other makes a sentence with the past participle, the first ends with a sentence in the
past. Five to ten minutes a day reinforces these forms.
Example:
= go -- went
= speak -- spoke
= give -- gave
Many people have great difficulty pronouncing the /ed/ at the end of regular verbs in the
past.
h
There are three pronunciations for the regular past tense ending "ED."
(syllable) - if the base from ends in /t/ or /d/. Example: "rate" (/t/)
becomes "rated," pronounced "rat /id;" "mend" (/d/) becomes "mended,"
pronounced "mend /id/."
The simple past tense refers to something that took place at a specific time in the past.
The simple future tense is formed by preceding the BASE form with the modal auxiliary
"WILL." The auxiliary is often contracted in informal conversation.
The simple future tense is used to express something that is expected to take place in
the future.
NOTE: We also use other tenses to express future expectation. For example, we say,
"Dora is going to pass her GED in June." In other words, we use "going to" as a
substitute for "will" in certain circumstances. However, "going to" is an expression used
for the future; it is not recognized as the future tense structure.
If you want more information about the future tense and how it is used in English, go to
http://www.u-aizu.ac.jp/~tripp/fut.html
A note "right off the bat:" The verb TO BE is an exception to everything! We'll talk about
this overused verb later.
Sentences in English use three aspects of verbs: the affirmative, the negative and the
interrogative. We have discussed the affirmative forms above.
Negative Sentences
Simple Present: Use QUESTION WORD (optional for info questions)+ DO/DOES (NOT)
+ SUBJECT + BASE
Simple Past: Use QUESTION WORD (optional for info questions)+ DID (NOT) +
SUBJECT + BASE
Simple Future: Use QUESTION WORD (optional for info questions)+ WILL (NOT) +
SUBJECT + BASE
Note: If the question is about the subject: WHO/WHAT + VERB IN PRESENT TENSE
(Who makes the decisions? What smells like perfume?)
Affirmative
Negative
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