Verb tense

- Combination of time and aspect of an action

 Time = past, present, future
 Aspect = simple, progressive, perfect

Past tenses

1. Simple present
- Action takes place at the time you express it or if it occurs regularly

2. Simple past
- Action is completed and has already taken place
 Regular verb = verb with d or ed
 Irregular verb = need to change the spelling of the word

3. Simple future
- Action will or is likely to take place
 Will or shall + base form of verb

Present tenses

- Designate actions that were or will be completed before other actions

- Appropriate tense form of the helping or auxiliary verb have + past participle

4. Present perfect
- Action that either occurred at an indefinite time in the past or began in the past, continuing to
the present
- Have/has + past participle

5. Past perfect
- Indicates action occurring before a certain time in the past
- Had + past participle

6. Future perfect
- Action will be finished by a certain time
- Will + have + past participle
Progressive tenses

- Express continuing action

- Be + present participle

7. Present progressive
- Something is happening at the time you express it

8. Past progressive
- Indicates two kinds of past action (continuing action in the past, action occurring at the same
time in the past as another action)
- Was/were + present participle

9. Future progressive
- Continuing action in the future
- Will be + present participle

Perfect progressive tenses

- Perfect continuous tense

- An event or action is, was, or will be continually occurring but that it is, was, or will be
completed at a later time

10. Present perfect progressive

- Action continuing from past to present and possibly future
- Has/have + been + present participle

11. Past perfect progressive

- Past action went on until another occurred
- Had + been + present participle

12. Future perfect progressive

- Action will continue until a certain future time
- Will + have + been + present participle