Tense Overview: Present and Past Tense

Tense

Present Tense

• Definition: Indicates actions happening currently or habitual actions.

• Types:

  1. Simple Present:

     • Structure: Subject + base form of the verb (add ‘s’ or ‘es’ for third person)
     • Example: "She walks to school."

  2. Present Continuous (Progressive):

     • Structure: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
     • Example: "They are studying for exams."

  3. Present Perfect:

     • Structure: Subject + has/have + past participle
     • Example: "I have finished my homework."

  4. Present Perfect Continuous:

     • Structure: Subject + has/have been + verb-ing
     • Example: "He has been working here for five years."

Past Tense

• Definition: Indicates actions that have already occurred.

• Types:

  1. Simple Past:

     • Structure: Subject + past form of the verb
     • Example: "She visited Paris last year."

  2. Past Continuous (Progressive):

     • Structure: Subject + was/were + verb-ing
     • Example: "They were watching a movie."

  3. Past Perfect:

     • Structure: Subject + had + past participle
     • Example: "I had already eaten when she arrived."

  4. Past Perfect Continuous:

     • Structure: Subject + had been + verb-ing
     • Example: "He had been sleeping for two hours before the alarm rang."

Present Tense

• Defines actions occurring currently or regular behaviors.

• Simple Present: Uses the base verb form; add ‘s’ or ‘es’ for third-person singular.

  • Example: "She walks to school."

• Present Continuous (Progressive): Formed with am/is/are + verb-ing to indicate ongoing actions.

  • Example: "They are studying for exams."

• Present Perfect: Constructed with has/have + past participle, denoting actions completed at some point before now.

  • Example: "I have finished my homework."

• Present Perfect Continuous: Uses has/have been + verb-ing to express ongoing actions that started in the past and continue to present.

  • Example: "He has been working here for five years."

Past Tense

• Indicates actions that have already taken place.

• Simple Past: Form uses the past form of the verb to show completed actions.

  • Example: "She visited Paris last year."

• Past Continuous (Progressive): Formed with was/were + verb-ing to illustrate actions that were ongoing in the past.

  • Example: "They were watching a movie."

• Past Perfect: Requires had + past participle, indicating actions that occurred before another past action.

  • Example: "I had already eaten when she arrived."

• Past Perfect Continuous: Constructed with had been + verb-ing, emphasizing the duration of an action before another past event.

  • Example: "He had been sleeping for two hours before the alarm rang."