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Verb tenses result from time concepts used in a culture. Tenses in another language
are difficult to acquire because time is a cultural concept. Following are common
interpretations for verb tenses in English. There are MANY exceptions, but you can deal
with exceptions after you know the basic rules of usage. Don't confuse the issue early
for students. Let them learn the common interpretation and, later, deal with more subtle
verb tense applications.

There are three basic classifications of tenses in English: Simple, Continuous, and
Perfect. Each of these has a present, a past and a future. And that's just the beginning!


 

Imagine that the horizontal line below represents time. The vertical line represents the
present moment (now). To the right of that vertical line, you have the future, to the left,
the past.

Simple Present

The simple present is formed by using the BASE form of the verb, adding an "S" to the
3rd person singular expression (I work, but he/she/it workS.) The final "S" in English
words is pronounced as /z/ if the sound preceding it is voiced, and /s/ if the sound
preceding it is unvoiced. Compare the final sounds in "goes" and "meets."

The simple present is
an event in progress at the time the person is speaking, as
most people immediately respond. Rather, it typically refers to something (1) that
happens habitually or (2) that is always true. (Sometimes, the present form is even used
to express the future, but we won't go there right now. It messes up the graphic.)

Habitual event

= We usually get up early.

= Donna never eats sugar.

An event that is always true

 = The sun rises in the
East.
= The earth nurtures our
needs.

Frequency adverbs are

common with the simple
present: usually, never, often,
always.

The Simple Past

The m
mSimple Past is formed by adding "ED" to the base form of the verb. (Base:
walk + ED = walked)
The mm
m Simple Past is left up to the irregular verb to decide. Irregular verbs must
be memorized and used until they are learned. There are many lists of irregular verbs in
English. Students can learn a few every week until they know the most common.
Irregular verbs also have irregular past participles, discussed later. Paired work can be
a lot of fun as students learn the past a past participles of irregular verbs. One student
give the base, the other responds with the past, and the first provides the past participle,
the other makes a sentence with the past participle, the first ends with a sentence in the
past. Five to ten minutes a day reinforces these forms.

Example:

= go -- went
= speak -- spoke
= give -- gave

Many people have great difficulty pronouncing the /ed/ at the end of regular verbs in the
past.

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There are three pronunciations for the regular past tense ending "ED."

(unvoiced) - if the base form ends in an unvoiced sound. Example:

"work" (/k/ is unvoiced) becomes "worked," pronounced "work /t/."

(voiced) - if the base form ends in a voiced sound. Example: "name"

(/m/ is a voiced sound) becomes "named," pronounced "name /d/."

 (syllable) - if the base from ends in /t/ or /d/. Example: "rate" (/t/)
becomes "rated," pronounced "rat /id;" "mend" (/d/) becomes "mended,"
pronounced "mend /id/."

The simple past tense refers to something that took place at a specific time in the past.

An event that occurs at a

specific time in the past. The
time is either understood or
specifically mentioned in the
sentence.

= Sara went to the movies

last night.
= I came to Cortez two
years ago.
= We walked around the
park and fed the ducks.
= I got the right answer,
but I didn't show the
process.

Common time expressions

with Simple past: ago, last ...

Simple Future Tense

The simple future tense is formed by preceding the BASE form with the modal auxiliary
"WILL." The auxiliary is often contracted in informal conversation.

= They will call before coming. (They'll)

= I will never accept defeat! (I'll)

The simple future tense is used to express something that is expected to take place in
the future.

An event that is expected to

occur in the future.

= We will always visit you

 at Christmas.
= I will never stop loving
chocolate!
= Fabio will be there!

NOTE: We also use other tenses to express future expectation. For example, we say,
"Dora is going to pass her GED in June." In other words, we use "going to" as a
substitute for "will" in certain circumstances. However, "going to" is an expression used
for the future; it is not recognized as the future tense structure.

If you want more information about the future tense and how it is used in English, go to
http://www.u-aizu.ac.jp/~tripp/fut.html

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A note "right off the bat:" The verb TO BE is an exception to everything! We'll talk about
this overused verb later.

Sentences in English use three aspects of verbs: the affirmative, the negative and the
interrogative. We have discussed the affirmative forms above.

Negative Sentences

Simple Present: Use the SUBJECT + DO/DOES + NOT + BASE

Simple Past: Use the SUBJECT + DID + NOT + BASE

Simple Future: Use SUBJECT + WILL + NOT + BASE

SUBJECT AUXILIARY NOT BASE OTHER

do not stop for little
Trucks
cars.
Frozen bread does not rise.
Education did not help her
marriage.
Credit cards will not solve your
problems.
Interrogative Sentences

Simple Present: Use QUESTION WORD (optional for info questions)+ DO/DOES (NOT)
+ SUBJECT + BASE

Simple Past: Use QUESTION WORD (optional for info questions)+ DID (NOT) +
SUBJECT + BASE

Simple Future: Use QUESTION WORD (optional for info questions)+ WILL (NOT) +
SUBJECT + BASE

Note: If the question is about the subject: WHO/WHAT + VERB IN PRESENT TENSE
(Who makes the decisions? What smells like perfume?)

QUESTION WORD AUXILIARY SUBJECT BASE OTHER

Why do birds sing?

the
Don't forests balance
environment?
the Ice
When did end?
Age
Didn't Lincoln eliminate slavery?
(ever)
Won't we
learn?
the
Where will land?
spaceship





The verb "BE" breaks all of the rules.

Affirmative

The present tense of "BE" : am, are,is

The past tense of "BE": was, were
The future tense of "BE" follow the rule: will be

Negative

Present: SUBJECT + AM/ARE/IS + NOT (Whales are not fish.)

Past: SUBJECT + WAS/WERE + NOT (Dinosaurs were not mammals.)
Future: SUBJECT + WILL + NOT + BE (This winter will not be very wet.)
The verb "BE" is also used as an auxiliary verb in continuous tenses and in the passive
voice.

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