Verb tense tells you when the action happens. There are three main verb tenses: present, past, and future. Each main tense is divided into simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive tenses.
Present
Past
Future
Simple
finish
finished
will finish
Progressive
am/is/are finishing
was/were finishing
will be finishing
Perfect
have/has finished
had finished
will have finished
Perfect Progressive
have/has been finishing
had been finishing
will have been finishing
Things to remember about simple tense:
a. Present tense is the original verb form.
b. Past tense has a few patterns.
c. Future tense needs will (shall) + verb.
run
I run a marathon twice a year. (present)
I ran a marathon last year. (past)
I will run a marathon next year. (future)
eat
I eat lunch in my office.
I ate lunch an hour ago.
I will eat lunch in one hour.
see
I see a movie once a week.
I saw a movie yesterday.
I will see a movie tomorrow.
know
I know it.
I knew it the day before yesterday.
I will know it by tomorrow.
learn
I learn English.
I learned English the last two years.
I will learn English next year.
cook
I cook my supper every night.
I cooked our dinner already.
I will cook breakfast tomorrow.
[Quiz 10.1]
Fill in the blanks with appropriate verb forms.
1) I a song at the concert yesterday.
2) He a letter to his girlfriend tomorrow.
3) I to the library to borrow some books this weekend.
