Transcript Verb Tenses

Verb Tenses
Forms of Verb Tenses
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Simple present
Present progressive*
Simple past
Past progressive*
Present perfect
Present perfect progressive*
Past perfect
Past perfect progressive*
Future
Future progressive*
Future perfect
Future perfect progressive*
(*The progressive is also called the continuous)
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Simple Present
now
Use
Examples
To express habitual actions or a
condition that is true at any time
The campus is quiet during the
vacation.
To express general truths
The sun sets in the west.
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Simple Present
now
Use
Examples
To report what is in print e.g.
academic writing.
In her article, Jones claims that
renewable energy is a viable
alternative in the long run.
Formation
Infinitive / Base form of the verb (with -s or -es for third
person singular).
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Present Progressive
now
Use
Examples
To express that an action or
activity is happening.
The student is preparing for her
final year project.
To express that an action
happening at present is
temporary.
The trainees are undergoing
training at he moment.
To express that an action is
already in progress at a
specified point of time in the
present.
At 8:30am, most of the
employees are working at their
desks.
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Present Progressive
Formation
am/ is/ are + present participle (-ing).
I am writing an academic essay for this module.
They are doing some research on nanotechnology.
He is preparing the lab set up for the next class.
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Simple Past
now
Use
Examples
To indicate a completed action
He majored in engineering.
To indicate that an action took
place at a specific time in the
past.
The students did this project last
semester.
Formation:
Regular verbs: base form + d/-ed
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Past Progressive
Use
now
Examples
To show
To show
To show
Formation
was/ were + present participle (-ing)
2011
Present Perfect
now
Use
Examples
To express an action or state
that began in the past and
continues to the present.
I have been an architect for four
years.
To show that an event occurred
in the past. The exact time is not
specified or important.
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They have gone to Tokyo on
business.
Present Perfect
now
Use
Examples
To express an action or state
which happened in the very
recent past.
Teacher. I’ve finished.
To indicate that an event has
occurred more than once in the
past (specific times are not
given or important).
The students have approached
their tutor several times for
assistance.
Formation:
has/ have + past participle
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Past Perfect
now
Use
Examples
To indicate an event that was
completed by a definite time or
before another action was
completed in the past.
By the time the rescue team
arrived at the scene, the waters
had reached 1.5 metres.
Formation:
had + past participle
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Past Perfect Progressive
now
Use
Examples
To stress the duration of an
activity that was completed
before another action or time in
the past.
The students had been
struggling with the problem for
an hour before they found a
solution.
Formation:
had + been + present participle (-ing)
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Future
now
Use
Examples
To express an action, event or state They will complete their assignment
that will occur in the future.
tonight.
Formation:
will + base form (no -s or -es)
Note:
Future time can also be expressed in
• am/is/are + going to + base form
• simple progressive or present progressive
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Future Progressive
now
Use
Examples
To express an action that will
occur over a duration at some
specific point in the future.
The final year students will be
doing their internship in
December.
To emphasize the duration of an The professor will be going on
action in the future.
sabbatical during the vacation.
Formation:
will + be + present participle
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Future Perfect
now
Use
Examples
To indicate that an activity will
be completed before another
event or time in the future.
The postgraduate students will
have finished their thesis by the
end of this semester.
Formation:
will + have + past participle
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Future Perfect Progressive
now
Use
Examples
To indicate that an activity has
been in progress for a period of
time before another event or
time in the future.
By March next year, the
engineers will have been
working on the project for three
years.
Formation:
will + have + present participle
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Sources
Lane, A. and Lange, E. (1999). Writing Clearly: An
Editing Guide (2nd ed.). USA: Heinle and Heinle
Publishers.
Oshima, A. and Hogue, A. (2006). Writing Academic
English (4th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, 325.
Raimes, A. (2006). Grammar Troublespots: A Guide
for Student Writers (3rd ed.). New York: Cambridge
University Press, 41-45.
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