Basic Guide And 12 Types Of Verb Tenses
Verb Tenses
The word verb tenses give an explanatory sentence on something, either present, past, or future.
Verb tenses come in three different ways: As we said above, it deals with the present, past, and future. Furthermore, the past is utilized to describe things that have already happened today, yesterday, two weeks ago, or two years ago.
While the present Tense is also used to narrate things happening right now, the future Tense relates to things that are yet to occur, for instance: later, tomorrow, following two weeks, next year, one year.
However, nouns and verbs can be express numbers, but the only difference is that verbs can express tense, or when the sentence’s action is performed.
Tenses
Tenses play a vital role in English from the onset. It donates time an action takes place, whether in the past, in the present, or will take some time in the future.
There are various types of verb tenses, as the basic tenses are past, present, and future. We referred to these as simple verb tenses.
What is Simple Verb Tense?
The simple verb tense can be group into three: past, present, and future.
- Present Tense: She writes a letter today.
- Past Tense: I wrote a letter yesterday.
- Future Tense: She will write a letter tomorrow morning.
While some action word tenses, like present tense and past Tense, can be communicated by just changing the type of the verb itself, different verbs need the assistance of a helper action word to show tense, particularly future Tense.
In the example above, the current tense verb composes looked just marginally changed in the past tense, composed. Notwithstanding, this equivalent verb tenses need the assistant verb, “will” got together with the current state type of the action word, write to make future Tense.
How is Simple Verb Tense Differ from Perfect Verb Tense?
The difference between the two is clear, as simple verb tense can express an action that did happen, is happening right now, or will happen, while the perfect verb tense indicates an action already completed or perfected.
More so, the perfect verb tense does appear with the auxiliary verb have or had.
For instance:
- Simple present: I ate my dinner.
- Present perfect: I have eaten my dinner.
- Simple past: I walked to church yesterday.
- Past perfect: I had walked to church yesterday.
- Simple future: I will complete my assignment tomorrow.
- Future perfect: I will have completed my assignment by tomorrow.
How is Simple Verb Tense Differ from Progressive Verb Tense?
Another excellent example from this aspect is that simple verb tense narrates an action that occurred or will happen, and perfect verb tense describes an activity that has been completed. In contrast, progressive verb tense expresses an ongoing effort. Then progressive verb tense always uses a form of the “to-be” verb and an -ing verb.
For instance:
- Simple present: I ate my breakfast.
- Present progressive: I am eating my breakfast.
- Simple past: I walked to the playing ground yesterday.
- Past progressive: I was walking to the playing ground yesterday.
- Simple future: I will finish my house chores tomorrow.
- Future progressive: I will be finishing my house chores by tomorrow.
Types of Verb Tenses
Before listing out the 12 types of verb tenses, let’s see the illustrations about the proper use of verb tenses:
Simple Present
- I study nearly every day.
Simple Past
- Last night, I reviewed an entire novel.
Simple Future
- I will learn as much as possible this year.
Present Continuous
- I am studying Shakespeare at the moment.
Past Continuous
- I was studying Edgar Allan Poe last night.
Future Continuous
- I will be studying Nathaniel Hawthorne soon.
Present Perfect
- I have studied so many books I can’t keep count.
Past Perfect
- I had study at least 80 books by the time I was twelve.
Future Perfect
- I will have to learn at least 300 books by the end of the year.
Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been studying since I was four years old.
Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been studying for at least a year before my sister learned to read.
Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been studying for at least three hours before dinner tonight.
PAST TENSE
1) Simple Past Tense
2) Past Perfect Tense
3) Past Continuous Tense
4) Past Perfect Continuous Tense
PRESENT TENSE
1) Simple Present Tense
2) Present Perfect Tense
3) Present Continuous Tense
4) Present Perfect Continuous Tense
FUTURE TENSE
1) Simple Future Tense
2) Future Perfect Tense
3) Future Continuous Tense
4) Future Perfect Continuous Tense
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