VERB TENSES

PRESENT TENSES
PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE

The present simple is formed with the infinitive of the main verb. The negative and interrogative are formed with
the present tense of the verb to do + infinitive.

I start ( he starts) work at 8.30 a.m. When do I start work?

I don’t start work until 9.00 a..m. / He doesn’t start work until 9.00 a..m.

1. for habitual and repeated actions

I play blues harp and dobro guitar.

2. with adverbs (or expressions) of frequency

often – usually – sometimes -seldom – rarely – always – occasionally – never – twice a week - on Tuesdays – most
of the time

He often arrives late

3. Certain verbs are usually only used in the simple form / verbs of the senses verbs of emotions verbs of
thinking
see- hear- smell – notice – recognize - want – desire – refuse – forgive – wish – care – love – hate – like – dislike -
think – feel – realize – understand – know – mean – suppose – believe – expect – remember – forget

She likes my brother very much. I suppose he realizes that now.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

This tense is formed with the present tense of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb.

I’m watching television. What are you doing?

1. For actions happening at the moment of speaking.

She’s reading the newspaper.

2. For a temporary state.

The company is reorganizing its services.

3. For a definite arrangement in the near future.

They’re signing the contract tomorrow.

4. Future planned actions

We are goint to the beach this Saturday.
He ‘s starting his new job next Monda y.
I’ m taking the 11 o’clock train to Berlin

MEHMET KAMİL YAR

 VERB TENSES

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

This tense is formed with the present tense of the verb to have + past participle of the main verb.

I’ve finished.
Where have you been?
I haven’t talked to him.

1. Actions in the recent past with ‘just, recently, already, at last, lately’
He has just immersed the temperature probe into the molten steel.

2. General experience with ‘ever – never – before – so far’

This is the highest carbon ratio I’ve ever seen.

3. The indefinite past: we are interested in what happened, not in when it happened.
I have seen the report. (I know what it is about.) He has sold the company.
They have had lunch.

4. Actions starting in the past and continuing to the present, with ‘for’ or ‘since”.
The operation has been suspended for two months.
The firm has had a Belgia n branch since October last yea r.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

This tense is formed with the present perfect of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb.

I ‘ve been writing code for our new data -m ining program.
Has she been trying to contact me? She hasn’t been writing at all.

We use this tense for actions started in the past, continuing to the present and probably continuing into the
future. We often use it with “for” or “since”.

I’ ve been trying to persuade him for ten yea rs now.

We ‘ve been practicing this routine since last Wednesda y.
I ‘ve been driving driving lorries for twenty years...
In this sentence, the duration is emphasized, either positively or negatively.
So I know what I’m talking about! So it’s high time I quit.

MEHMET KAMİL YAR

 VERB TENSES

PAST TENSES
SIMPLE PAST TENSE

This tense is formed by adding -ed to the infinitive. The negative and interrogative are formed with the past tense
of the verb to do + infinitive of the main verb

They arrived at head quarters an hour ago. When did he finalize this deal?
I didn’t finish until 12 o’clock.

1. For actions completed at a definite time in the past.

We signed the contract last Frida y at 2 o’clock.

2. For actions which are already completed in the past: the time is understood but not stated.
Did you arrive in time?

3. The ‘unreal past tense’ is used after the verb ‘to wish’ and after words and phrases such as ‘if only; it’s time;
suppose’ etc. The simple past tense implies that the speaker knows that the wish or the idea is impossible.
Note that the wish refers to the present time.

If I only knew his name.

I wish I were at home now.
If I were in his shoes, I would fix his wagon without much scruples.
It’s time I went home.

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

This tense is formed with the past tense of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb.

I was watching TV at 8 o’clock yesterda y.

Where were you looking for my glasses this time? I wasn’t eavesdropping at all!

1. To emphasize the continuity of the past action.

She was playing tennis with a friend.
He was discussing production planning for the coming week.

2. To describe an action in progress at a certain time in the past.

At 6 p.m. I was still sleeping.
At a quarter past nine I was having breakfast. Prices were going up all the time.

3. To describe an interrupted past action.

When he arrived, I was studying the quarterly reports.

4. To express repeated past actions which caused irritation, annoyance. ( with always, forever)
He was always trying to influence the personnel director. She was forever paring her nails during meetings.
MEHMET KAMİL YAR
 VERB TENSES

PAST PERFECT TENSE

This tense is formed with the past tense of the verb to have + past participle of the main verb.

I had never seen so many measuring tools. Wha t assistance had he given?
He hadn’t expected this outcome.

1. We use this tense to describe one past action happening before another past action.
The customer had left the shop by the time I found his order form.

3. We use it when necessary to indicate the sequence of two actions.

He had already cleared the screen when I got behind his desk.

4. We often us it when the second action is understood, but not stated.

I hadn’t realized! (until you told me.)

When I had had dinner, I watched TV.

I had dinner before I watched TV.

In (1) the sequence of actions is expressed by the past perfect tense; whereas in (2) the sequence of actions is
indicated by the use of before

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

This tense is formed with the past perfect tense of the verb to be + present participle of the main verb.

She had been working as a secretary for two yea rs when she was promoted.
Wha t had she been writing all da y?
He hadn’t been listening to that tape for that long.

1. We use this tense to describe a continuous past action happening before another past action. We often
use it with for + time period.
We had been waiting for thirty minutes when they arrived.

2. We use this tense to emphasize the continuity or duration of the past action.
I had been waiting for my exam results for six weeks. (before I got them.)

MEHMET KAMİL YAR

 VERB TENSES
FUTURE TENSES
SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE

We use this tense to express a pure future. Actions expressed in the simple future are bound to happen because
of the course of time. This means that the speaker has no power over the events, that he cannot control what will
happen. For this reason this tense is also called the uncertain future..

He will be sixteen yea rs old next Frida y.

The baby will be born next month

1. We often use this tense with particular verbs; such as think – know – believe – suppose – expect – hope to
express beliefs, convictions, hope, expecta tions, knowledge and opinions about the future.
I think Brazil will win.
I don’t suppose she will be promoted now.

2. We often use it with particular adverbs such as: probably – possibly –perhaps to express uncertainty about
the future.
He will probably ask the general manager.
This matter will probably not be raised before the commission’s first meeting

3. The simple present is used in conditional clauses and time clauses. The simple future is used in the main
clause.
He ‘ll help you if you ask him.
I ‘ll tell him the news as soon as I see him.
He ‘ll be arrested the moment he sets foot on Schengen soil.

PLANNED FUTURE TENSE

This tense is formed with the present tense of the verb to be + going to + infinitive of the main verb.

I’ m going to watch this football match on TV tonight. Wha t are you going to do about this?
She isn’t going to give this party next week

1. We use this tense to talk about present intentions and plans for future actions.
I ‘m going to pass my exa ms next month.
I ‘m going to spend two weeks in Spain this summer.

2. We also use going to in order to express subjective certainty on the part of the speaker.
This boat is going to sink.
It’s going to rain, by the look

MEHMET KAMİL YAR

 VERB TENSES

FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE

This tense is formed with the future simple of to be + present participle of the main verb.

We’ ll be flying to Rome this time next week. Wha t will you be doing this time next week?
They won’t be sitting in the classroom at 6 o’clock tomorrow.

1. We use this tense for actions that will be in progress at a certain time in the future.
At 11.45 next Frida y, I ‘ ll be doing my chemistry exam.
I’ ll be hiking through the States this time next yea r.
This time next week I’ll be taking my driving test.

2. The future continuous is also used to express long-term arrangements, especially for travelling.
The band will be travelling through Scandina via at the end of the month. They will be giving three
performances there.

3. The future continuous is also used to ask very polite questions about future activities. By using the future
continuous tense, the speaker asking the questions shows that he does not want to influence the other
person’s decision in any way at all.
Where will you be having dinner, Sir? (secretary to boss) Wha t will you be having, Ma dam? (waiter to
customer)

4. The future continuous is also used to make deductions about what is happening at the moment of speaking.
Examples
He will be working in his garden now. Otherwise, he would ha ve heard the phone.
She hasn’t begun making up the beds. She will still be doing the washing up.

FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

This tense is formed with will + have + past participle of the main verb.

They ‘ll have finalized their business by noon.

Will they have copied all that material by Frida y morning?

We use this tense to describe actions which we know will (or will not) be completed by a certain time in the
future.
I ‘ll have finished this book by the end of the week.
By the end of next week, I’ll ha ve finished my exams.

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

This tense is formed with the future perfect tense of to be + present participle of rthe main verb.

By the end of this year, we ‘ll have been experimenting with this polymer for more than three months.
How long will you have been living in that shack by the end of this year?
MEHMET KAMİL YAR