This document discusses verb tenses in English. It explains that tense denotes the time of the verb action and identifies 6 main tenses: present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. For each tense, it provides examples of usage and prompts the reader to write example sentences. It also distinguishes between regular and irregular verb forms. Regular verbs form their past tense by adding "-ed" while irregular verbs have varying forms. The document concludes by explaining verb conjugation, or how the verb form changes based on person, number, and tense.

1. VERB TENSE
Tense denotes the time of the action indicated by a verb.
The time is not always the same as that indicated by the
name of the tense.

2. 6 Types of Verb Tenses
Verb Tenses
Present Past Future
Future
Perfect
Past
Perfect
Present
Perfect

3. Present Tense
 Present tense may express action which is
going on at the present time or which occurs
always, repeatedly, or habitually.
 Examples: He sees the train. He eats cereal
for breakfast every day.
 Your Turn: Write a present tense sentence
about your morning routine.

4. Past Tense
 Past tense expresses action completed at a
definite time in the past.
 Examples: He wrote the letter yesterday. She
lived to be 90 years old.
 Your turn: Write a past tense sentence about
Superbowl Sunday.

5. Future Tense
 Future tense expresses action which will take
place in the future.
 It uses the helping verbs will or shall* and the
present tense form of the verb).
 Examples: He will send the letter tomorrow. I
shall wait here until you return.
• Traditionally, shall is used for 1st person and
will for 2nd and 3rd persons.
I shall be late.
We will be late.

6. Your Turn
 Write two future tense sentences about your
plans for Spring Break.
*Try to use shall (personal) and will (plural)

7. Present Perfect Tense
 Present perfect tense expresses action completed at the
present time (perfect means complete) or begun in the
past and continuing into the present.
 This tense uses the helping verbs has and have and the
past participle of the verb.
 Examples:
 He has written a letter to his uncle. (completed
action)
 The Waltons have lived here for seven years.
(started in past, BUT still continuing)

8. Your turn
 Write three (3) present perfect sentences
selecting from any of the following irregular
verb forms.
Forbidden Set
Fallen Brought
Swum Taken
Sprung Meant

9. Past Perfect Tense
 Past perfect tense expresses action completed
before certain time in the past. (This is the
before-past tense.)
 It uses the helping verb had and the past
participle of the verb.
 Example: Sheryl had sent the email before her
manager returned from the meeting.

10. Your turn
 Write a past perfect tense sentence about
something you are skilled at doing (i.e. you
could do it blind-folded and asleep without
messing up).

11. Future Perfect Tense
 Future perfect tense expresses action which
will be completed before a certain time in the
future. (This is the before-future tense)
 It uses the helping verbs will have or shall
have and the past participle of the verb.
 Example: He will have finished the paper
before next Friday.
 Your turn: Write a future perfect tense
sentence about an upcoming class
assignment (any course).

12. Verb Forms
Verb Forms
Regular Irregular

13. Regular Verbs
 Regular verbs form their past tense and past
participle by adding –ed or –d to their present
tense form.
 More than 95% of all English verbs are regular.
 Regular verbs cause few problems in speaking
and writing.

14. Regular verbs and their
Principal Parts
Principal
Parts:
Verb:
Present
Tense
Present
Participle
Past
Tense
Past
Participle
To call call,
calls
calling called (have)
called
To dust dust,
dusts
dusting dusted (have)
dusted

15. Irregular Verbs
 Irregular verbs can form their past tense and
past participle forms in various way.
 These forms cause even native speakers
innumerable problems.
 The most irregular verb of all is the verb to be.
 Another irregular verb that is important for its
use with other verbs is the verb to have.

16. Four Principal/Main
Parts
Principal
Parts:
Verb:
Present
Tense
Present
Participle
Past
Tense
Past
Participle
To Be be, am,
are, is
being was,
were
(have)
been
To Have have,
has
having had (have)
had

17. Other Common Irregular
Verbs and their Principal
Parts
Principal
Part
Verb
Present
Tense
Present
Participle
Past Tense Past
Participle
To see see,
sees
seeing saw (have)
seen
To do do, does doing did (have)
done
To fly fly, flies flying flew (have)
flown
To run run, runs running ran (have)
run

18. Conjugation
 A conjugation of a verb is the correct
arrangement of its form through its tenses,
persons, and numbers.
 Person means the speaker, the person
spoken to, and the person or thing spoken of.
 Number means singular or plural.

19. Conjugation of the verb: to
be
Tense Singular Plural
Present I am
You are
He, she, it is
We are
You are
They are
Past I was
You were
He was
We were
You were
They were
Future I shall be
You will be
He will be
We shall be
You will be
They will be
Present
Perfect
I have been
You have been
He has been
We have been
You have been
They have been
Past Perfect I had been
You had been
He had been
We had been
You had been
They had been
Future Perfect I shall have been
You will have been
He will have been
We shall have
been
You will have been
They will have

20. Your Turn: conjugate each verb
Tense Singular Plural
Present
1) Saunter
2) Facilitate
3) Deal*
4) Discriminate
5) Drink *
Past
Future
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future Perfect

21. Answers
Ve rbs
1) Saunter
2) Facilitate
3) Deal*
4) Discriminate
5) Drink *
Singular Plural
Past
Future
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future Perfect