Verb Tenses and Verb-Tense Sequencing

1. ESL Short Subject Verb Tenses and Verb-Tense Sequencing Intensive Course in Research Writing Texas A&M University July 11-15, 2011 Susan E. Aiello, DVM, ELS susan@words-world.net WordsWorld Consulting www.words-world.net

2. Verb Tense • Refers to the time that a verb expresses • Also relates to aspect, which refers to some characteristic of an event or action beyond its time (eg, habitual vs temporary action, past action that occurred some time ago vs past action that occurred close to the present time)

3. English Verb Tenses • Present • Past • Future Four tenses in each category (for a total of 12).

4. Present Tense • Simple present base form of verb • Present progressive am/is/are + present participle • Present perfect has/have + past participle • Present perfect progressive has/have + been + present participle

5. Past Tense • Simple past base form + -ed • Past progressive was/were + present participle • Past perfect had + past participle • Past perfect progressive had + been + present participle

6. Future Tense • Future will + base form • Future progressive will + be + present participle • Future perfect will + have + past participle • Future perfect progressive will + have + been + present participle

7. Present Tense • Simple present(base form of verb)

8. Present Tense • Present progressive(am/is/are + present participle)

9. Present Tense • Present perfect (has/have + past participle) Note: Many past participle forms are irregular (eg, known, written, met).

10. Present Tense • Present perfect (has/have + past participle)

11. Present Tense • Present perfect progressive (has/have + been + present participle)

12. Past Tense • Simple past(base form + -ed) Note: Many English verbs have irregular past-tense forms. Common irregular past tense-forms include took, ate, and came.

13. Past Tense • Past progressive(was/were + present participle)

14. Past Tense • Past perfect(had + past participle) Note: Many past participle forms are irregular (eg, known, written, met).

15. Past Tense • Past perfect progressive (had + been + present participle)

16. Future Tense • Future (will + base form) Future time can also be expressed in the following ways:

17. Future Tense When the future is expressed in a sentence that is in past time, will becomes would.

18. Future Tense • Future progressive (will + be + present participle)

19. Future Tense • Future perfect (will + have + past participle)

20. Future Tense • Future perfect progressive (will + have + been + present participle)

21. Verb-Tense Sequencing • Refers to the way a writer can move from one verb tense to another • Key to using verb tenses correctly

22. Verb-Tense Sequencing • General statements that are true in the present require the simple present tense. • Writers often have a choice of verb tenses that are similar but not exactly the same in meaning. • Note differences in time reference! • Verb-tense shift is often signaled by a time-reference word or phrase (eg, yesterday, tomorrow, etc)

23. Verb-Tense Sequencing • We decided to go to the movies. (simple past) • We have decided to go to the movies. (present perfect) • It rained yesterday. (simple past) • It was raining yesterday. (past progressive)

24. Verb-Tense Sequencing • We had eaten when you came over to visit. (past perfect) • We ate when you came over to visit. (past) • We had eaten before you came over to visit. (past perfect) • We ate before you came over to visit. (past)

25. Verb-Tense Sequencing • I am studying in the library. (present progressive) • I study in the library. (simple present)