Verb Tenses

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Active Tenses

Simple Present

Present Progressive

Simple Past

Past Progressive

Future

Present Perfect

Present Perfect Progressive

Past Perfect

Future Perfect

 

Passive Tenses

Simple Present

Present Progressive

Simple Past

Past Progressive

Future

Present Perfect

Past Perfect

Future Perfect

Modals



Active Tenses

Simple Present

Present Action or Condition

General Truths

Non-action; Habitual Action

Future Time

  • I hear you.

  • Here comes the bus.

  • There are thirty days in September.

  • I like music.

  • I run on Tuesdays and Sundays.

  • The train leaves at 4:00 p.m.



Present Progressive

Activity in Progress

Verbs of Perception

  • I am playing soccer now

  • He is feeling sad



Simple Past

Completed Action

Completed Condition

  • We visted the museum yesterday.

  • The weather was rainy last week.



Past Progressive

Past Action that took place over a period of time

Past Action interrupted by another

  • They were climbing for twenty-seven days.

  • We were eating dinner when she told me.



Future

With will/won't -- Activity or event that will or won't exist or happen in the future

With going to -- future in relation to circumstances in the present

  • I'll get up late tomorrow.

  • I won't get up early.

  • I'm hungry.

  • I'm going to get something to eat.



Present Perfect

With verbs of state that begin in the past and lead up to and include the present

To express habitual or continued action

With events occuring at an indefinited or unspecified time in the past -- with ever, never, before

  • He has lived here for many years.

  • He has worn glasses all his life.

  • Have you ever been to Tokyo before?



Present Perfect Progressive

To express duration of an acton that began in the past, has continued into the present, and may continue into the future

  • David has been working for two hours, and he hasn't finished yet.



Past Perfect


to describe a past event or condition completed before another event in the past

In reported speech

  • When I arrived home, he had already called.

  • Jane said that she had gone to the movies.



Future perfect

to express action that will be completed by or before a specified time in the future

  • By next month we will have finished this job.

  • He won't have finished his work until 2:00.


THE PASSIVE TENSES


Simple present

active:

passive:

  • The company ships the computers to many foreign countries.

  • Computers are shipped to many foreign countries.



Present Progressive

active:

passive:

  • The chef is preparing the food.

  • The food is being prepared.



Simple Past

active:

passive:

  • The delivery man delivered the package yesterday.

  • The package was delivered yesterday.



Past Progressive

active:

passive:

  • The producer was making an announcement.

  • An announcement was being made.



Future

active:

passive:

  • Our representative will pick up the computer.

  • The computer will be picked up.



Present Perfect

active:

passive:

  • Someone has made the arrangements for us.

  • The arrangements have been made for us.


 

Past Perfect

active:

passive:

  • They had given us visas for three months.

  • We had been given visas for three months.


Future perfect
active:

passive:
  • By next month we will have finished this job.

  • By next month this job will have been finished.



Modals

active:

passive:

  • You can use the computer.

  • The computer can be used.



Revised by Michelle Hansard, December 2001.

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