A verb indicates the time of an action, event or condition by changing its form according to its tense - present, past or future tenses. By Arundathie Abeysinghe Lecturer in English International Aviation Academy (IAA) SriLankan Airlines

1. Verb tensesVerb tenses
By Arundathie AbeysingheBy Arundathie Abeysinghe
Lecturer in EnglishLecturer in English
International Aviation AcademyInternational Aviation Academy
SriLankan AirlinesSriLankan Airlines
11Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe

2. Verb tenses…Verb tenses…
 Events that can happen in theEvents that can happen in the
PastPast
PresentPresent
FutureFuture
Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe 22

3. Present SimplePresent Simple
 Where do we use Present Simple Tense?Where do we use Present Simple Tense?
 To describeTo describe a habita habit
 e.g. She gets up at 6.00 a.m.e.g. She gets up at 6.00 a.m.
 To describeTo describe a fact which is always truea fact which is always true
 e.g. He comes from Australia.e.g. He comes from Australia.
 To describeTo describe a fact which is true for a long timea fact which is true for a long time
 e.g. I live in Boston.e.g. I live in Boston.
 He works in a hospitalHe works in a hospital
33Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe

4. Present ProgressivePresent Progressive
 Where do we use the present continuous form?Where do we use the present continuous form?
 To describeTo describe an activity happening nowan activity happening now
 e.g. She is swimming in the hotel pool.e.g. She is swimming in the hotel pool.
 To describeTo describe an activity happening around nowan activity happening around now, but, but
perhapsperhaps not at the moment of speakingnot at the moment of speaking
 e.g. Aditya is studying engineering at universitye.g. Aditya is studying engineering at university
 To describeTo describe a planned future arrangementa planned future arrangement
 e.g. I am meeting Mr. and Mrs. Smith this eveninge.g. I am meeting Mr. and Mrs. Smith this evening
44Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe

5. Present perfect….Present perfect….
 There are three uses of the present perfect tense:There are three uses of the present perfect tense:
 ExperienceExperience
 e.g. They have lived in Sydney.e.g. They have lived in Sydney.
 He has never eaten pizza.He has never eaten pizza.
 Change or new informationChange or new information
 e.g. I have bought a computer. (Last month I didn’t have ae.g. I have bought a computer. (Last month I didn’t have a
computer)computer)
 Continuing situationContinuing situation
 e.g. She has lived here since January.e.g. She has lived here since January.
Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe 55

6. Past simplePast simple
 Where do we use past simple?Where do we use past simple?
 To describeTo describe a past action that has finisheda past action that has finished
 e.g. She visited her parents last week.e.g. She visited her parents last week.
 She worked in France from 2009 to 2009.She worked in France from 2009 to 2009.
66Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe

7. Time expressions - pastTime expressions - past
simplesimple
 There are time expressions used with the pastThere are time expressions used with the past
simplesimple
 She did it last weekShe did it last week
 last monthlast month
 last weeklast week
 ten years agoten years ago
 in 2009in 2009
77
Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe

8. Past continuousPast continuous
 Where do we use the past continuous?Where do we use the past continuous?
 To describeTo describe a past activity that has durationa past activity that has duration
 e.g. She met her husband while she was studying ine.g. She met her husband while she was studying in
Australia.Australia.
 To describeTo describe an activity that began before the actionan activity that began before the action
expressed by the past simpleexpressed by the past simple
 e.g. He was watching TV when we arrived.e.g. He was watching TV when we arrived.
 To describeTo describe an activity in progress before or afteran activity in progress before or after
 e.g. When she woke up this morning, it was raining.e.g. When she woke up this morning, it was raining.
 Was she studying at 8.oo a.m.?Was she studying at 8.oo a.m.?
88Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe

9. Past perfectPast perfect
 DescribesDescribes an action in thean action in the pastpast beforebefore
another action in the pastanother action in the past
 e.g.e.g. The planeThe plane leftleft at 6.30 a.m. Iat 6.30 a.m. I arrivedarrived atat
6.45a.m. When I arrived, the plane6.45a.m. When I arrived, the plane had lefthad left..
Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe 99

10. Future SimpleFuture Simple
 Where do we use future tense?Where do we use future tense?
 PredictionsPredictions
 IntentionsIntentions
1010Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe

11.  PredictionsPredictions
 Auxiliary verbAuxiliary verb willwill is used in makingis used in making
predictions or simple statements of fact aboutpredictions or simple statements of fact about
the futurethe future
 e.g. Will it rain tomorrow?e.g. Will it rain tomorrow?
 Do you think he will pass the exam?Do you think he will pass the exam?
Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe 1111

12. IntentionsIntentions
 Auxiliary verbAuxiliary verb going togoing to is used in talking aboutis used in talking about
intentionsintentions
 e.g. I am going to watch TV when I havee.g. I am going to watch TV when I have
finished my homeworkfinished my homework
 What are you going to have for dinner today?What are you going to have for dinner today?
Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe 1212

13. Future progressiveFuture progressive
 To describeTo describe an on-going action that willan on-going action that will
occur in the futureoccur in the future
e.g. She will be working at SriLankan Airlinese.g. She will be working at SriLankan Airlines
from next month.from next month.
Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe 1313

14. Future PerfectFuture Perfect
 Describes an action in the futureDescribes an action in the future beforebefore
another action in the future -another action in the future - about theabout the past inpast in
the futurethe future
 e.g. The planee.g. The plane will leavewill leave the airport at 6.30the airport at 6.30
a.m. Youa.m. You will arrivewill arrive at the airport at 6.45a.m.at the airport at 6.45a.m.
When you arrive at the airport, the planeWhen you arrive at the airport, the plane willwill
have lefthave left..
1414Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe

15. Thank you!Thank you!
1515Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe