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Simple Tenses
Simple Tenses
Simple Tenses
Simple Tenses
Future Tense
The future tense is one of the easiest tenses to learn because it has no irregular forms. Just as its
name suggests, it's used to describe actions that will happen in the future. It is formed by
combining the helping verb will with the base form of the main verb.
Tomorrow I will walk home from school.
Progressive Tenses
Present Progressive Past Progressive Future Progressive
Present Progressive
The present progressive tense is typically used to talk about something that is happening right
now. It can also be used to talk about a future action or an action that is occurring at the same
time as another one. It is formed by using a present tense form of the verb to be plus the present
participle of the main verb.
I am walking to school right now. (current action)
He is walking to school tomorrow. (future action)
Most days we are walking to school when you see us. (simultaneous actions: are
walking and see)
Hint:
The word simultaneous means happening at the same time.
Past Progressive
The past progressive is used to describe an action that was occurring at the same time as another
past action.
Yesterday I was walking to school when you saw me.
(simultaneous actions: was walking and saw)
Future Progressive
The future progressive is usually used to describe an action that will occur at the same time as
another future action. To form the future progressive tense, use this formula: will be + present
participle.
Tomorrow I will be walking to school when you see me.
(simultaneous actions: will be walking and see)
Notice how the verb see is in the present tense, not the future tense. When people talk about
future simultaneous actions, usually one verb is in the future progressive and the other is in
the simple present.
Perfect Tenses
Perfect tenses show when an action happened in relation to another action. To form the perfect
tenses, use a form of the helping verb have (have, has, had, will have) plus the past participle of
the main verb. The verb have changes to show the tense.
Hint:
To review irregular past participles, visit Lesson 7.
Perfect Tenses
Present Perfect
An action in the present perfect began in the past and continues in the present or has ended by
the present. It can also be used to talk about past actions that happened multiple times. To form
the present perfect, use the present tense of the verb to have plus the past participle of the main
verb.
Most days I take the bus to school, but for the last two weeks I have walked to school.
I have finished my homework already.
Past Perfect
An action in the past perfect began and ended before another past event. To form the past
perfect, use the past tense of the verb to have plus the past participle of the main verb.
Yesterday I rode the bus to school, but the day before I had walked to school.
I was watching TV because I had finished my homework already.
Future Perfect
An action in the future perfect tense will be finished by a particular time in the future. To form
this tense, use this formula: will + have + past participle.
By the time I arrive at school tomorrow, I will have walked to school 100 days in a row.
By 8 p.m. I will have finished my homework.
Emphatic Form
Present Emphatic Past Emphatic There is no future emphatic because you can't
emphasize something that hasn't happened yet.
do/does walk did walk
do/does finish did finish