Verb Tense Review

The Importance of Time

Verb tense expresses the time of an event
or action. Time and how it is expressed in
writing is very important to English
readers.
In this lesson, we will review the meaning
of each verb tense.
Grammar Study:

Present Simple
The Simple Present Tense
Expresses a habit or often repeated action.
Adverbs of frequency such as, often, seldom,
sometimes, never, etc. are used with this tense.

She goes to work everyday.

They always eat lunch together.
 The Simple Present Tense
This tense also expresses general truths or facts that are timeless.

Snow falls in the December in New York.

Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
We use the Present Simple to talk about:
- Activities that we repeat regularly (routines, habits).
My mum and dad always watch my documentaries.
- Permanent situations and states.
I don’t like cheese.
- General truths
A doctor works in a hospital.

Common time adverbials:

always, often, usually, sometimes, never, every day, every week, every year
twice a week, once a month , regularly, seldom, hardly ever, occasionally
 Note that:
Adverbs of frequency like usually,
sometimes, almost, never, etc, are used to
express how often things happen.
They come:

Before the verb. For example: I usually go to

school by bus.
• After the verb To Be. For example: She is often
with her friends at weekends.
 How to make he / she/ it
forms:
1. General rule
It takes –s.
Example:
Play → Plays.
2. With verbs ending in :o, s, x,
sh or ch:– es .
It takes
Example:
Teach→ Teaches.
3. With verbs ending in
consonant
It changes+ –y
y: into – I and takes
Example:
–es.
Study → Studies.
 Spelling
Y is lost in verbs ending in We use –es with verbs ending
consonant +y: in -s, -z, -sh, -ch, -s, -x:
watches, teaches, washes, fixes...
fly – flies -es where you wouldn’t

study – studies normally expect it

does, goes
Grammar Study:

Present
Continuous
 The Present Continuous
This tense is used to describe an action that is occurring right now
(at this moment, today, this year, etc.). The action has begun and is
still in progress.

She is typing a paper for her class.

He can’t talk. He is fixing the sink right now.
 The Present Continuous
The present progressive / continuous can also be used to
describe an action that is occurring in the present, but is
temporary.

John is living in London, but he might move soon.

 Spelling
The table shows how we form the –ing form of a verb

Most verbs + ing walk walking

Verbs ending in -e + ing come coming

e

Verbs ending in -ie + y + ing lie lying

ie
Short verbs ending
in a vowel + a Double the run running
consonant + ing
consonant
 Verb: to dance
AFFIRMATIVE
FORM:
I am dancing Verb TO BE (simple present)
You are dancing +
MAIN VERB ending in -ING
He / She / It is
dancing
USE:
We are dancing
 To talk about actions happening at or around
You are dancing
They are dancing the moment of speaking (temporary actions)

NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
•I am not dancing
•Am I dancing ?
•You are not dancing
•Are you dancing?
•He / She / It is not dancing
•Is he / she / it dancing?
•We are not dancing
•Are we dancing?
•you are not dancing
•Are you dancing?
•They are not dancing
•Are they dancing
Grammar Study:

Present Perfect
Simple
The Present Perfect Simple
The present perfect is used to talk about an event that
began in the past and continues up to the present.

He has lived in Modesto for two years.

(He began living in Modesto two years ago and he still lives
there.)
 The Present Perfect Simple
The present perfect is also used to talk about an event that
was completed in the past, but the specific time of the
event is not important.

I have seen that movie before.

He has already visited Vietnam.
(Specific dates and times are not mentioned.)
Present perfect tense
We use the present perfect tense with
since and for to say how long an action
has lasted.

I have played the piano since 2000.

I have played the piano for five years.

Present perfect tense
Since
We use since with the present perfect
tense to refer to the starting point of
an action.

I have studied at this school since 2000.

starting time Now

2000 2005

(2000 is a point of time, not a period of time.)

Present perfect tense
For
We use for with the present perfect
tense to refer to a period of time.

I have studied at this school for five years.

Now
since 2000 2005

starting
time period of time
(for five years)

( ‘Five years’ is a period of time, not a point of

time.)
Present perfect simple
We form the present perfect tense
with have / has + past participle.
I
You have eaten an apple.
We
They

He
She has eaten an apple.
It
John
Present perfect simple
Irregular verbs

Present Past Present perfect

take took have / has taken

ride rode have / has ridden

drank have / has drunk
drink
swam have / has swum
swim threw have / has thrown
throw saw have / has seen
see went have / has gone
go
Already / yet
In the Present Perfect tense, we use
already with positive (yes) sentences.

Have you eaten the apples yet? (question)

Yes, I’ve already eaten the apples. (positive)
‘Already’ goes in the MIDDLE or at the END of the sentence.

or Yes, I’ve eaten the apples already. (positive)

Already / yet
In the Present Perfect tense, we use
yet with questions or negative (no)
sentences.

Have you eaten the apples yet? (question)

‘Yet’ goes at the END of the sentence or question.

No, I haven’t eaten the apples yet. (negative)

once / twice
In the Present Perfect tense, we use
once /twice to express frequency.

How many time have you given flowers to the

pop star ? (question)
I’ve given flowers to a pop star once only.
‘once’ goes at the END of the sentence.

or I’ve given flowers to a pop star only once.

ever / never
In the Present Perfect tense, we use
ever (question) and never (answer) to
express frequency.

Have you ever celebrated the Cheung Chau

Bun Festival ? (question)

No,I’ve never celebrated the Cheung Chau

Bun Festival. (answer)
Grammar Study:

Present Perfect
Continuous
 Present Perfect Continuous
This tense is used to describe the duration of an action that
began in the past and continues into the present.

He has been studying grammar for an hour.

She has been cooking all day.
(He is still studying and she is still cooking.)
 Present Perfect Continuous
This tense is also used to describe events that have been in
progress recently and are rather temporary.

She has been living in Taiwan for the last two months, but she
plans to move soon.
Have/has + been + vb.-ing
I/we/they/you have (= I’ve,
etc.) doing, waiting,
been
he/she/it has (= he’s, etc.) playing, etc.
 Present Perfect Continuous
describes what a person is doing.
tells how long a person has been doing that action.
Ex. Katie is delivering mail.
She has been delivering mail for two hours.
She has been working for the post office since 1997.

● talks about an action that started in the past and continues in the
present. The action is not yet complete. It tells how long the action
has been in progress.
Ex. He has been washing windows since 8:00.
They have been waiting for the bus for twenty minutes.
 Since & For
You can use the present perfect continuous for
actions that are repeated over a period of time:

Debbie is a very good tennis player.

She’s been playing since she was eight.
Every morning they meet in the same café. They’ve been going
there for years.

For shows an amount of time.

for three hours
for ten days

Since tells when an action started

since 2:00
since he came to the United States
In most situations with how long, since, and
for, the continuous is more usual:

I’ve been studying English for six months.

(more usual than I’ve studied)
It’s been raining since lunchtime.
Richard has been doing the same job for
20 years.
“How long have you been driving?”
“Since I was 17.”
But some verbs (for example, know/like/believe) are not normally used
in the continuous:
 How long have you known Jane?
(not have you been knowing)

You can use either the present perfect continuous or present perfect
simple with live and work:
 John has been living / has lived in Denver for a long time.
 How long have you been working / have you worked here?

But we use the simple (I’ve done / I’ve lived, etc.) with always:
 John has always lived in Denver. (not has always been living)

We use the present perfect simple in negative sentences like these:

 I haven’t seen Tom since Monday.
(= Monday was the last time I saw him)
 Jane hasn’t called me for two weeks.
(= the last time she called was two weeks ago)

Good luck !!!