Six Verb Tenses

Six Verb Tenses

by Liam Egan

​Understanding the six tenses that are possible in English grammar will permit you to not only choose the correct tense, but also to accurately and correctly depict time within your writing.

The six basic tenses are:

​

​Simple present

1. Present perfect

2. Simple past

3. Past perfect

4. Future

5. Future perfect

​Simple Verb Tenses

​Simple verb tenses describe an action occurring in the chosen time frame.

• Simple present: describes an action happening now, in the present.

  • e.g. they speak

• Simple past: describes an action that occurred and finished in the past.

  • e.g. they spoke

• Simple future: describes an action that will occur in the future

  • e.g. they will speak

​Perfect Verb Tenses

​Perfect verb tenses describe an action that started in the past and either still continues or the effect of the action still continues.

• Present perfect: describes an action that started in the past and is still continuing

  • e.g., they have spoken for 2 hours

• Past perfect: describes an action that started in the past and was complete when another action started; includes "had" and the past participle.

  • e.g., they had spoken before they made a decision

• Future perfect: describes an action will be complete by a certain point in time

  • e.g., they will have spoken by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Multiple Choice

I can't leave now. I......... for an important telephone call.

• wait

• am waiting

• had been waiting

• was waiting

Multiple Choice

What does she do? – She.............  the piano in a local orchestra.

• plays

• played

• has played

• is playing 

Multiple Choice

He must be very hungry. He ..........anything in three days.

• didn't eat

• hasn't eaten

• hadn't eaten

• wasn't eating

Multiple Choice

First he .........as a salesman, then as a night clerk, and after that he quit his job and became a writer.

• worked

• has worked

• had been working

• had worked

Multiple Choice

I usually ....... to work by bus. It takes me about forty minutes to get to work by bus.

• am going

• went

• go

• have been going

Fill in the Blanks

Tomorrow, after he eats dinner, John's going to go to a movie. In other words, he (eat) ... dinner by the time he goes to the movies.

Fill in the Blanks

Yesterday, Julia ate breakfast at 8:00. She (have) ... breakfast when she left for class at 8:45.

Fill in the Blanks

Don't try to call Dylan at 11:30 tomorrow morning because he (attend) ... class at that time.

Fill in the Blanks

Yesterday Marian took a nap from 1 to 2 pm. I arrived at 1:45. She (sleep) ... for 45 minutes when I got there.

Fill in the Blanks

Since the beginning of the semester, I (read) ... four books.

Fill in the Blanks

I don't understand how those runners do it! The race began more than an hour ago. By the time they reach the finish line, they (run) ... steadily for more than two hours!

Fill in the Blanks

By the time he (come) ..., we will have already left.

Fill in the Blanks

I had never seen any of Picasso's paintings before I (visit) ... the art museum.

​Writing Coach - Chapter 17

​Page 46