2. Tense Concept
• What is Tense?
– a form of a verb used to indicate the time, and
sometimes the continuation or completeness, of an
action in relation to the time of speaking.
– a method that is used in English to refer to time -
past, present and future.
• Many languages use tenses to talk about time.
• Other languages have no tenses, but of course they can still
talk about time, using different methods
– Three time scheme in English, different time has
different form of verbs
3. The Basic of Tense
Past Present Future
Simple Tense Simple Past Simple Present Simple Future
Complex Tense Past Perfect Present Perfect Future Perfect
Past continuous Present Continuous Future Continuous
Past Perfect
Continuous
Present Perfect
Continuous
Future Perfect
Continuous
- I went home at 9 pm last night
- I go home at 5 pm everyday
- I have been waiting for since 08.00.
- I will go home at 10 pm tomorrow
4. Tense Scheme
• Main aspects forming or the English tense
– Aspect of general time
– Aspect of action
– Aspect of fact
• Aspect of general time
– English has three main time divisions expressed by the
simple tenses :
• PAST
• PRESENT
• FUTURE
– Each time block might be divided into other aspects within
its general time
– Simple present tense is also used to express eternal truths
i.e. The sun rises in the east
Man is mortal
5. Tense Scheme
• Aspect of Action
– In this scheme, the concern is about an act at the time of its
occurrence
– The simple tenses are used to express such an action, completed in
the past, present or future
– The time may be more or less precise according to the time adverb
– The continuous forms also describe the very act, and do so while in
progress, it is not interested in its beginning or end. So by using
continuous form as a time background, the simple tenses actions
become more precise
– i.e
He took my photo while I was having dinner
I had my dinner while he was taking my photo.
6. Tense Scheme
• Aspect of Facts
– In this scheme, the concern is not in the action, but in the completed
facts and its relationship to a given general time aspect
– It is expressed in the perfect tense, either in the present, past or
future
– Perhaps the names Before-past, Before-present and Before-future
might be more reasonable names than perfect, as other European
language
– It is important to be noted that the Present Perfect tense is belongs to
Present time, not in the past.
– i.e.
I go to the office
I am going to the bank
I went to shopping mall last night
I have been to Singapore more than 10 times
I shall go to Bandung tomorrow
7. Tense Scheme
• Simple Present
– Telling the activities that is always done
– Telling the general truth
– i.e.
I go to the office every morning
Birds sing every morning
Dad always sweep the garden every evening
Sue likes coffee morning in the bar
Sun sets on the west
Sun shine every day
• Present Continuous
– Telling that the activity is in progress
– i.e. :
I am teaching English right now
You are listening to me at the moment
8. Tense Scheme
• Simple Past
– Telling the activities that is happened in the past
– Telling that the activities completed
– i.e.
I went to the bank yesterday
The Pilot decided to have emergency landing this morning
The sugar price declined last week
I didn’t eat any banana this morning
John bought a new car last month
Rudy won the badminton competition last year
• Past continuous
– Telling that the activity is in progress in the past
– i.e. :
I was teaching English when someone knocked the door
You were making love when a Security came
9. Tense Scheme
• Simple Future
– Telling the activities that will happen in the future
– Telling that the activities has not been conducted or completed yet
– i.e.
I shall (will) go to Bandung next week
The teacher is going to take vacation tomorrow
The President will conduct a press conference the day after tomorrow
My boss will increase my salary next month
Danielle will marry Tom on next year end
I won’t take any vacation this year
• Future Continuous
– Telling the activities that will be being happened in the future
– i.e
I am on the way to the office when you will leave at 7.00 am tomorrow
10. Tense Scheme
• Present perfect
– Express the completion of an action by now
– Not focus on when the action took place, but focus on the state that
the action has completed
– i.e.
Susan has lived in Jakarta for 5 years
I have finished my homework
Mr. John has taught English since 2005
Julie has got 8 super grade since she joined to STMIK
I haven’t dropped my suits to a laundry services
She has written down all these questions
• Present perfect continuous
– Express the progress of action that start some time in the past and until now
has not finished yet. i.e
I have been writing letters all the morning ( and I am still writing now)
