TENSES

Instructor: Iram Nazir

 Tense
• Grammatical expression of the location of events in
time
• Anchors an event to the speaker’s experience of the
world by relating the event time to a point of
reference
• The universal, unmarked referece point – the
moment of speaking – speech time
 SIMPLE TENSES

•1. PRESENT TENSE

•2. PAST TENSE
•3. FUTURE TENSE
 The present tense
• The basic meaning of the present tense – to locate a situation
holding at the present moment:
• this may be an instantaneous event (I promise to come), a
state which holds over time (Jupiter is the largest planet), or
a habitual occurrence (He works in an office)
• Secondary meanings of the present include reference to past
and future events, ‘historic present’ (This man comes up to me
and…) and the quotative (and she says ‘I don’t believe it’)
 The Past Tense
• Refers to a definite event or state that is
prior to utterance time;
• Its seconday uses refer to a present
event or state as hypothetical (If I were
you)
Future Tense
• English has no verbal inflection to mark
a future tense;
• instead, English makes use of a number
of forms to refer to future events
Present simple
• FORM
• He works
• Question:
• Does he work?
• Negative:
• He does not (doesn’t) work
Present Simple
• Functions:
• To talk about things in general:
• Nurses look after patients in hospitals
• To say how often we do things:
• I get up at 7 o’clock every morning
• In summer John plays tennis once a week.
Present simple:
• Verbs not normally used in continuous
tenses: like, love, hate, want, need, prefer,
realise, suppose, mean, understand,
believe, remember, belong, contain,
consist, depend, seem
• Do you understand what I mean?
Present continuous
• FORM
• Present of the verb to be + -ing
• He is reading
• Question
• Is he reading?
• Negative
• He is not reading
Present continuous:
• FUNCTIONS
• Action happening at the time of speaking:
• Let’s go now. It isn’t raining any more.
• Action happening in a period around the time of
speaking:
• Is Susan working this week?
• Is your English getting better?
• 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.
• Uses the helping verbs am, is, and are
• Am is used with the subject I
• Ex: I am talking to you.
• Is will be used if your subject is singular.
• Ex: She is talking to you.
• Are is used if your subject is plural.
• Ex: They are talking to you.
Present perfect
• FORM
• Have + -ed
• I have finished.
• Question:
• Have you finished?
• Negative
• I have not (haven’t) finished.
Present perfect
• FUNCTION
• Action in the past has a result now:
• I’ve lost my key.
• Action started in the past and continued until
now:
• I have lived here for 15 years.
Present perfect
• Just, already:
• I have just arrived. He’s already gone.
• Yet (questions, negatives)
• Has it stopped raining yet?
• I haven’t posted it yet.
Present perfect
• Today; This
morning/afternoon/evening (year,
month, week)
• I’ve seen him today
• Have you been there this year?
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
• The present perfect is used to talk about an event that
began in the past and continues up to the present.
• Use has if your subject is singular.
• Ex: She has talked to you already.
• Use have if your subject is plural.
• Ex: They have talked to you already.
• Ex with irregular verb: She has known you for a while.
Present perfect continuous
• FORM
• Have + been + -ing
• He has been waiting
• Question
• Has he been waiting?
• Negative
• He has not (hasn’t) been waiting
Present perfect continuous
• Activity that has recently stopped or just
stopped
• It has been raining. (The ground is wet)
• Activity is still happening
• It has been raining for two hours.
Present perfect continuous vs. Present
perfect simple

• Present perfect continuous: focus on activity

• My hands are very dirty. I’ve been repairing
the car.
• Present perfect simple: focus on result.
• My car is o.k. now. I’ve repaired it.
Past simple
• FORMS
• I went out yesterday.
• Question:
• Did you go out yesterday?
• Negative:
• I did not (didn’t) go out yesterday.
Past simple
• FUNCTIONS
• Action completed in the past:
• Mozart wrote more than 600 pieces of music
Past continuous
• Was/were + ing
• She was reading
• Question
• Was she reading?
• Negative
• She was not (wasn’t) reading.
 PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE
• The past progressive is used to talk about an activity that
was in progress at a specific point of time in the past. The
emphasis is on the duration of the activity in the past.
• Uses the helping verbs was and were
• Use was if your subject is singular.
• Ex: He was talking to you.
• Use were if your subject is plural.
• Ex: They were talking to you.
Past continuous
• FUNCTIONS
• Limited duration
• This time last year I was living in Brazil
• Action which was interrupted by another action
in the past
• I was watching TV when the phone rang.
Past perfect
• FORM:
• HAD + -ED (Past participle)
• I didn’t know who she was. I had never seen
her before.
PAST PERFECT TENSE

• This tense describes completed events that took place in

the past before another past event.
• Uses the helping verb had plus the main verb with –ed on
the end if it is a regular verb.
• Example: She had talked to you before you ordered the
gift.
• Example(irregular verb) They had known about the play.
Past perfect
• FUNCTION
• Action which happened before another action
in the past
• When Sarah arrived, Paul wasn’t there. He had
gone home.
 EXERCISE:Use the past tense forms to complete the sentences

Accuse, acquit, arrest, award, confess, charge, drop, engage, fine, grant,
imprison, plead, release, seize, serve

1. After six hours of questioning the accused man _____.

2. The government____an amnesty to all political prisoners.
3. Her boss ____her of stealing $250.
4. The secret police_____him for six months in a high security jail.
5. We ___the best commercial lawyer we could find to represent us but we still lost the case.
6. The prisoner ___guilty to all charges.
7. On 12 August they ___with murder.
8. The policemanstopped the car and___the driver.
9. The president ___ the opposition leader from prison.
10. The court ___him $2,500 for obtaining money by false pretences.
11. After consideration, the palintiff ____the case against his neighbour.
12. The customs____the shipment of books.
13. He ____ six months in a local prison.
14. The court ___the plaintiff $75 in damage plus costs.
15. Two of the men were sent to prison, but the judge____the third.
Key
• 1. confessed 2 granted, 3 accused, 4.
imprisoned, 5 engaged, 6 pleaded, 7
charged, 8 arrested, 9 released, 10 fined, 11
dropped, 12 seized, 13 served, 14. awarded,
15 acquitted
Advise, appeal, commit, disclaim, disclose, embezzle, establish,
follow, impose, legislate, manipulate, offer, preclude, prevent,
value

1. He___all knowledge of the robbery until $250,000 in

cash was found in his house.
2- He is___us $100,000 for the house, which is $10,000 less
than we wanted.
3. He says he’s innocent and he’s going to_____to the
supreme court against the decision.
4. He was sent to prison for six months for___his clients’
money.
Advise, appeal, commit, disclaim, disclose, embezzle, establish, follow,
impose, legislate, manipulate, offer, preclude, prevent, value

5. I believe that they are ___the accounts to make the

company look more profitable.
6. In my opinion they’ll ___the business at about $2m
7. Our solicitor has___to take the documents to the police.
8. Parliament has___against the sale of drugs.
9. The bank has no right to____details of my account to the
tax office.
Advise, appeal, commit, disclaim, disclose, embezzle, establish,
follow, impose, legislate, manipulate, offer, preclude, prevent,
value

10. The business was___in 1881.

11.The court has___the precedent set in the 1972 case.
12. The magistrate____a fine of $150.
13. The gang had___six robberies before they were caught.
14. They have changed the locks on the building to____the
former managing director from going in.
15. This agreement does not____further agreements between
these parties in the future.
Key
1.Disclaimed 2. offering 3. appeal 4.
embezzling 5 manipulating 6. value 7.
advised 8. legislated 9. disclose 10.
established 11. followed 12. imposed 13.
committed 14. prevent 15. preclude
 PRACTICE SENTENCES
• 1. Rosetta has ____ her juggling act at our talent show. (do)

• Done

• 2. After she had _____ them, she juggled. (throw)

• Thrown

• 3. She is ______ right now. (speak)

• Speaking

• 4. Laughter was _____ throughout the audience. (ring)

• ringing
 Diagram--time on a line

Present Progressive Tense

The Future Tense is Used:
• To indicate that an activity or event will
take place at a time in the future
 The Future
Will and be + going + to are often used to
describe future actions.

Thomas will graduate in June.

Maria is going to go to Mexico next week.
 The Future
The simple present and present progressive
are also used to express future time. These
are often used used in connection with
schedules.

She is meeting a new client at eleven o’clock.

The train leaves at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.
 The Future Progressive
This tense is used to describe an event or
action that will occur over a period of time at a
specific point in the future.
at 10 a.m. tomorrow
by the time you arrive

I will be teaching ESL 40 at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

They will be moving their furniture out of the house
by the time you arrive tomorrow.
 The Future Perfect
This tense is used to describe an event or
action that will be completed before another
event or time in the future.

will have finished the exam class ends

We will have finished the exam by the time class

ends tomorrow.
 FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
 This tense is used to describe an event or action that will be
completed before another event or time in the future.
 Uses will have with the main verb ending in –ed if it is a regular
verb.
 Irregular verb also uses will have +the main verb from column
labeled perfect tense.
 Ex: I will have studied for the test before the circus comes to
town.
 Ex: (irregular verb) I will have gone to the store before you get
home.
Future Perfect Progressive
This tense describes an action that has
been in progress for a duration of time before
another event or time in the future.

finishes law school

will have been living in the U.S. for

eight years

By the time he finishes law school, we will have

been living in the U.S. for eight years.
Future Perfect
• The future perfect expresses the idea that an
activity will occur before some future time.
• Example: She will have finished dinner before
the game starts.
• Form: will + have + past participle
Future Progressive Tense
• This tense is used to refer to activities that
will be continuously in progress around
some future time.
• Example: We will be flying over New York at
noon tomorrow.
• Form: will + be + verbing
Future Perfect Progressive
• This tense is used to refer to activities that
will be continuously in progress before a
future time.
• Example: He will have been working for 3
hours before you arrive.
• Form: will + have + been + verbing
Examples
• When I’m retired, I’m going to travel.
• Next week, we will work on punctuation.
• He is going to get his car fixed tomorrow.
• Our plane departs at noon next Friday.

Future
Indicators
Tomorrow

Next Saturday, week, month, year, etc.

Future
Form 1
I will stay I'll stay
You will stay You'll stay
S/he/it will stay S/he/it'll stay
We will stay We'll stay
They will stay They'll stay

Future
Form 2
I am going to stay I'm going to stay
You are going to stay You're going to stay
S/he/it is going to stay S/he/it's going to stay
We are going to stay We're going to stay
They are going to They're going to stay
stay
Future
Form 3
Sometimes the simple present tense or the
present progressive tense are used to express a
future meaning. Usually these tenses are used
when scheduled events are being discussed.
I arrive I am arriving
You arrive You are arriving
S/he/it arrives S/he/it is arriving
We arrive We are arriving
They arrive They are arriving
Future Tense
 Diagram--Time on a Line

Future
 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.
The English language has twelve different
tenses. In this lesson, we will review the
meaning of each verb tense.
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 Minnesota.

Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
The Present Progressive
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 Progressive
The present progressive can also be used to
describe an action that is occurring in the
present, but is temporary.

John is living in Modesto, but he might move

soon.
 The Simple Past
We use the simple past to indicate exactly
when an action or event took place in the past.

I visited my sister yesterday.

We went out to dinner last night.
 The Simple Past
The simple past is used to describe actions
and/or events that are now completed and no
longer true in the present.

I attended MJC in 1998. (I no longer attend MJC.)

I saw a movie every weekend when I was a
teenager. (I don’t see movies very much
anymore.)
 The Past Progressive
The past progressive is used to talk about
an activity that was in progress at a specific
point of time in the past. The emphasis is on
the duration of the activity in the past.

I was studying for an exam while my mother was

cooking dinner.
We were walking in the park around 7 p.m. last
night.
 The Past Progressive
The past progressive is often used with the
simple past to show that one action was in
progress when another action occurred.

I was taking a bath when the doorbell rang.

They were eating dinner when the neighbors
stopped by for a visit.
 The Present Perfect
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
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 Progressive
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 Progressive
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.
 The Past Perfect
This tense describes completed events that
took place in the past before another past
event.

had received it hit

had eaten my friend stopped by

The Titanic had received many warnings before it

hit the iceberg.
I had already eaten when my friend stopped by to
visit.
 Past Perfect Progressive
This tense is used to emphasize the
duration of an action that was completed
before another action or event in the past.

had been driving

she found the right office

She had been driving around the city for three

hours before she finally found the right office.
Simple present tense is used:
• When you are referring to habitual actions--actions
that you always or never do
• When you are referring to unchanging truths
• When you are making general statements of fact
Examples
• (habit) He always comes late to class.
• (unchanging truth) The sun rises in the east.
• (general statement of fact) They are friendly.

simple present tense

Indicators
Always Whenever Everyday

Usually Often Frequently

Sometimes Rarely Occasionally

never

simple present tense

Form
I study I wait
You study You wait
S/he/it studies s/he/it waits
We study we wait
They study they wait

simple present tense

 Diagram--time on a line

simple present tense

The Simple Past Tense is Used:
• When an activity or situation began and ended at a particular time in the past--
in other words, when an activity or situation is completed in the past

• To refer to past habits

Examples
• (Completed action in the past) He was late to class yesterday.

• (Completed action in the past) We arrived three weeks ago.

• (Past habit) She always wrote a letter to her mother on Sunday night.

Simple Past Tense

Indicators
Last night, week, year, month, Saturday,
semester, etc.
Yesterday

ago

Simple Past Tense

Form
I studied I waited
You studied You waited
S/he/it studied S/he/it waited
We studied We waited
They studied They waited

Simple Past Tense

 Diagram--time on a line

Simple Past Tense

The Present Perfect is Used:
• When an activity happened at an unspecified time in the
past (before the present)
• When an activity has been repeated several times before
now
• When an activity was very recently completed before
now
• When an activity is not completed in the past
Examples
• (unspecified time before now) They have already
seen that movie.
• (repeated activity before now) We have visited
New York City many times.
• (an action has recently been completed before
now) I have just eaten.
• (action not completed in the past) I have studied
Spanish for many years.
Present Perfect Tense
Indicators
Before Ever Never

So far Already Yet

Just Recently For

since

Present Perfect Tense

Form 1
have or has + past participle
I have studied . . . I have seen . . .
You have studied . . . You have seen . . .
S/he/it has studied . . S/he/it has seen . . .
We have studied . . . We have seen . . .
They have studied . . . They have seen . . .

Present Perfect Tense

Form 2
I've walked . . .
You've walked . . .
S/he/it's walked . . .
We've walked . . .
They've walked . . .
Present Perfect Tense
I've grown . . .
You've grown . . .
S/he/it's grown . . .
We've grown . . .
They've grown . . .
 Diagram 1--time on a line

Present Perfect Tense

 Diagram 2--time on a line

Present Perfect Tense

The Present Progressive Tense is Used:
• When an activity is in progress now at the moment of
speaking
• When an activity began before now and continues into
the future without stopping.
• When an activity is temporary.
• When an activity is developing and changing.
Examples
• I’m explaining something to the class right
now.
• He’s taking 16 credits this semester.
• She is understanding English more and
more because she moved into the dorm.

Present Progressive Tense

Indicators
Right now, at this Still
moment

This year, week, As we speak

month, etc.

Present Progressive Tense

Form
I am studying I'm studying
You are studying You're studying
S/he/it is studying S/he/it's studying
We are studying We're studying
They are studying They're studying

Present Progressive Tense

Past Perfect
• This tense is not used a lot. It can often be used interchangeably with the simple
past because these tenses do not differ much in meaning. The past perfect tense
refers to activities that happened before a specific time in the past.

• Example, He had visited her many times before she died.

• Form: had + past participle

Past Progressive
• This tense is used to refer to activities continuously in progress around a time in
the past.

• Example: They were eating when the taxi arrived.

• Form: was or were + verbing

Past Perfect Progressive
• This tense is used when an activity was continuously in progress before a
specific time in the past.

• Example: I had been thinking about her before she called.

• Form: had + been + verbing

Present Perfect Progressive
• This tense is used to describe actions that have been continuously in progress
before now. These actions are not completed.

• Example: I have been waiting here for the last two hours.

• Form: have or has + been + verbing

Overview of the English Verb Tense/Aspect System
Simple Perfect Progress- Perfect
(HAVE + ive Progress-
verb+en) (BE +
verb+ing) ive (HAVE
+ BEEN +
verb+ing)
Present * * *

Past *

Future *
Which tense is this sentence written in?

I watched
Coronation
Street last
night on TV.
 I watched Coronation Street last
night on TV.
The sentence is written in the PAST tense.
We know this because the ‘ED’ is added
on to ‘WATCH’.
Which tense is this sentence written in?
I am going to the
cinema at the
weekend with my
friends to watch a
film.
I am going to the cinema at the weekend with my friends to watch a film.

This sentence is written in the FUTURE tense. We

know this because the verb ‘GOING’ is used – the
action of the verb (going) shows the topic of the
sentence hasn’t happened yet.
Which tense is this sentence written in?

On a Sunday, I get up
at 10.30 am and
make myself a cup
of tea in my
favourite cup.
On a Sunday, I get up at 10.30 am and make myself a cup of
tea in my favourite cup.

This sentence is written in the PRESENT tense. If we

were to change the sentence to PAST, then the verbs
would be changed – get becomes got, make becomes
made. What would the verbs be if the sentence was
written in the future tense?
If we change the sentence to future
tense…
On Sunday, I will get up at 10.30 am and I will make myself a
cup of tea in my favourite cup.

• The action of the verb has changed. Instead

of ‘I get up’ as in present tense, and ‘I got up’
in past tense, in future – ‘I will get up’.
What period of time is this picture from?

Past, Present
or Future?
What period of time is this picture from?

Past, Present or
Future?
What period of time is this picture from?

Past, Present or
Future?
Which tense is this sentence written in?
The correct answer is – the PRESENT tense.

On a morning, I listen to Radio 1 whilst I have

my breakfast.
What tense are these sentences written
in?
The correct answer is – the PAST tense.

Michelle went to the town on Saturday and bought

some lovely red boots from Debenhams. Then she
met up with her friend Laura for coffee, chocolate
cake and a chat.
What tense are these sentences written
in?
The correct answer is – the FUTURE tense.

I am going on holiday in two weeks’ time with my friends Kirsty and

Caroline. We are going to go camping in the Lake District. We are
hoping to go on lots of walks with Kirsty’s two dogs, Jasper and
Poppy.
Arrange, blackmail, convict, corroborate, exonerate, find, forfeit,
infringe, overturn,prohibit, promise, recover, refrain, sentence, sue

• 1. He was asked to give an undertaking to___from political

activity.
• 2. My client intends to appeal and I am sure that a higher
court will___this sentence.
• 3. I can___Mr Waterman’s alibi. At the time of the theft I
saw him in Brighton.
• 4. The judge ___him to three years’imprisonment.
Arrange, blackmail, convict, corroborate, exonerate, find, forfeit,
infringe, overturn,prohibit, promise, recover, refrain, sentence, sue

• 5. After the accident he___the company for

$50,000 in damages.
• 6. She was____of manslaughter and sent to prison
for eight years.
• 7. If you decide not to buy you will___your 25%
deposit.
• 8. The court has____him guilty on all charges.
Arrange, blackmail, convict, corroborate, exonerate, find, forfeit,
infringe, overturn,prohibit, promise, recover, refrain, sentence, sue

• 9. We believe that this production____our copyright as

detailed below.
• 10. The company went out of business and the original
investment was never___.
• 11. We discovered that his secretary was___him with
certain details about his private life.
• 12. You___to pay by August and it’s now September.
What’s your explanation?
Arrange, blackmail, convict, corroborate, exonerate, find, forfeit,
infringe, overturn,prohibit, promise, recover, refrain, sentence, sue

• 13. The law ___the sale of alcohol to minors.

• 14. All the files are___in alphabetical order,
so it’s very easy to find.
• 15. The judge____the driver from all
responsibility for the accident.
Key
• 1. refrain 2. overturn 3. corroborate, 4. sentenced, 5. sued, 6. convicted 7 forfeit
8. found 9. infringes 10. recovered 11. blackmailing 12. promised 13. prohibits
14. arranged 15. exonerated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1_0Gz4uRKo
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/grammar/parts-of-speech-
the-verb/the-tenses/v/present-tense-verbs-the-parts-of-speech
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXP2aK0fab4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXqsVMC3tmo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5Cv8yMbasQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUOZEHv1xoQhttps://study.com/
academy/lesson/how-when-to-use-perfect-tense-in-english.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRsLVhuidXo
https://english-the-easy-way.com/English_ESL/Wishes.htm