Verb Tenses
Verb tenses tell the reader when the verb’s action or state of being takes place. There are twelve active verb tenses: three simple tenses, three perfect tenses, and six progressive tenses.
The simple tenses express basic time relationships. For these tenses, the writer/speaker views the action of the sentence from the point in time when s/he writes the sentence.
The Simple Tenses Simple Past
Simple past tense shows an action or state of being that took place one time in the past. Add -ed or -d to the end of regular verbs or use the irregular form.
Simple Present
Simple present tense shows an action or state of being that occurs in the present moment or habitually or eternally.
Simple Future
Simple future tense shows an action or state of being that will occur sometime in the future. It is often formed with the wordwill, followed by the infinitive of the verb.
COMMON ERRORS WITH SIMPLE TENSES: • Dropped –ed endings o Error:
We will study together this weekend. Janet will work overtime next Tuesday. David will be late tomorrow.
We studied for three hours last night. Janet worked overtime last weekend. David was late to work this morning.
We study for three hours every day. Janet works overtime every Saturday. David is late again.
Yesterday, we walk through the park for an hour.
• Inconsistent tenses o Error: Lacey combs her hair before she brushed her teeth. o Correction(s):
• Non-standard verb forms o Error:
She be messy.
• Subject-verb agreement errors with the singular third person o Error:
o Correction: She is messy. Darrell love to eat pizza. o Correction: Darrell loves to eat pizza. o Correction: Yesterday, we walked through the park for an hour.
Lacey combed her hair before she brushed her teeth. Lacey combs her hair before she brushes her teeth.
91
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104
