Understanding Verbs: Verb Tenses Each verb tense is composed of a time frame past, present, future and an aspect simple, progressive, perfect, perfect progressive. I study accounting at the University of Houston-Victoria. I am studying accounting at the University of Houston-Victoria. I have studied accounting at the University of Houston-Victoria.
I have been studying accounting at the University of Houston-Victoria. I studied accounting at the University of Houston-Victoria. I was studying accounting at the University of Houston-Victoria. I had been studying accounting at the University of Houston-Victoria. I will study accounting at the University of Houston-Victoria. I will be studying accounting at the University of Houston-Victoria. I will have studied accounting at the University of Houston-Victoria.
I will have been studying accounting at the University of Houston-Victoria. The three indefinite or simple tenses describe an action but do not state whether the action is finished: simple past I went simple present I go simple future I will go The indefinite aspects are used when the beginning or ending of the action, event or condition is unknown or unimportant to the meaning of the sentence.
The three complete or perfect tenses describe a finished action: past perfect I had gone present perfect I have gone future perfect I will have gone The complete aspect indicates that the end of the action, event or condition is known and emphasizes the fact that the action is complete.
The three incomplete or progressive tenses describe an unfinished action: past progressive I was going present progressive I am going future progressive I will be going The progressive aspect indicates that the action, event or condition is ongoing in the present, the past or the future. It is also possible to combine a complete or perfect tense with an incomplete tense to describe an action which was in progress and then finished: past perfect progressive I had been going present perfect progressive I have been going future perfect progressive I will have been going The Function of Verb Tenses The simple present tense The simple present tense describes actions, events or conditions happening in the present, at the moment of speaking or writing.
Each sentence describes an action taking place in the present: Joe waits patiently while Bridget books the tickets. The shelf holds three books and a vase of flowers. The crowd moves across the field in an attempt to see the rock star. The Stephens sisters are both very talented; Virginia writes and Vanessa paints. Bridget annoys Walter by turning corners too quickly. The simple present expresses general truths such as scientific facts, as in the following sentences: Rectangles have four sides.
The moon circles the earth once every 28 days. Calcium is important to the formation of strong bones. The simple present indicates a habitual action, event or condition, as in the following sentences: Leonard goes to The Jumping Horse Pub every Thursday evening. My grandmother sends me jigsaw puzzles each spring. It seems that bad things happen in threes. We never finish jigsaw puzzles because the cat always eats some of the pieces. The Lady of Shallot weaves a tapestry while watching the passers-by in her mirror.
Lear rages against Cordelia and only belatedly realizes that she, not her sisters, loves him. The play ends with an epilogue spoken by the fool.
The simple present refers to a future event when used with an adverb or adverbial phrase , as in the following sentences: The doors open in 10 minutes. The premier arrives on Tuesday. My French classes end next week. The publisher distributes the galley proofs next Wednesday. The lunar eclipse begins in exactly 43 minutes. The present progressive tense While the simple present and the present progressive are sometimes used interchangeably, the present progressive tense emphasizes the continuing nature of actions, events or conditions.
Joe is dusting all the shelves on the second floor of the shop. The strikers are pacing up and down in front of the factory. CBC is broadcasting the hits of the 70s this evening. The present progressive occasionally refers to a future event when used with an adverb or adverbial phrase, as in the following sentences: The doors are opening in 10 minutes. The premier is arriving on Tuesday. My French classes are ending next week. The publisher is distributing the galley proofs next Wednesday.
The present perfect tense The present perfect tense describes actions that began in the past and continue into the present or that have just been completed at the moment of speaking or writing. The highlighted compound verbs in the following examples are in the present perfect tense: Example Explanation They have not delivered the documents we need.
This sentence suggests that the documents were not delivered in the past and that they are still undelivered. The health department has decided that all children should be immunized against meningitis. The present perfect tense suggests that the decision made in the past is still of importance in the present.
The government has cut university budgets; consequently, the dean has increased the size of most classes. Here both actions took place sometime in the past and continue to influence the present.
The heat wave has lasted three weeks. The present perfect tense indicates that a condition the heat wave began in the past and continues to affect the present. Donna has dreamt about frogs sitting in trees every night this week. Here the action of dreaming began in the past and continues into the present. The present perfect progressive tense Like the present perfect, the present perfect progressive tense describes actions, events or conditions that began in the past and continue in the present.
Past Perfect Simple indicates which of 2 past events took place earlier. All progressive tenses except Present Progressive indicate that the described actions took a longer time than ones described by Simple tenses. Which verb tense indicates continuing action: Future, Progressive, Present, or Past perfect? English Grammar Tenses Past.
Daniel L. Aug 22, All Progressive Continuous tenses. Future perfect tense describes an action that will occur in the future before some other action. This tense is formed by using will have with the past participle of the verb. Present perfect progressive tense describes an action that began in the past, continues in the present, and may continue into the future.
Past perfect progressive tense describes a past, ongoing action that was completed before some other past action.
This tense is formed by using had been and the present perfect of the verb the verb form ending in -ing. Future perfect progressive tense describes a future, ongoing action that will occur before some specified future time. This tense is formed by using will have been and the present participle of the verb the verb form ending in -ing.
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