The PRESENT TENSE uses the verb's base form (write, work), or, for third-person singular subjects,

the base form plus an -s ending (he writes, she works). The PRESENT TENSE indicates that an action is present, now, relative to the speaker or writer. Generally, it is used to describe actions that are factual or habitual -- things that occur in the present but that are not necessarily happening right now: "It rains a lot in Portland" is a kind of timeless statement. Compare that to the present progressive -- "It is raining in Portland" -- which means that something is, in fact, going on right now. "I use my bike to get around town." is in the present, but I'm not actually on my bike right now. An instantaneous sense of the present can be conveyed with either the simple present or the progressive: "Watch him now: he holds [is holding] down the control key at the same time that he presses [is pressing] the letter d." The present tense is used to describe events that are scheduled (by nature or by people): "High tide is at 3:15 p.m. The Super Bowl starts at 6:15 p.m." The present tense can be used to suggest the past with what is sometimes called the fictional (or historic) present: "We were watching the back door when, all of a sudden, in walks Dierdre." With verbs of communicating, the present tense can also suggest a past action: "Dierdre tells me that she took her brother to the dentist." Most oddly, the present tense can convey a sense of the future, especially with verbs such as arrive, come, and leave that suggest a kind of plan or schedule: "The train from Boston arrives this afternoon at two o'clock." Authority for this section: A University Grammar of English by Randolph Quirk and Sidney Greenbaum. Longman Group: Essex, England. 1993. Used with permission. Present tense habitual activities are frequently signaled by time expressions such as the following: all the time always every class every day every holiday every hour every month every semester every week every year most of the time never often rarely sometimes usually

I walk to work every day. The Chicago Bulls sometimes practice in this gymnasium. Dr. Espinoza operates according to her own schedule. Coach Calhoun recruits from countries outside the U.S.A. Tashonda tells me she has committed to UConn. We work really hard to make this a success, and then look what happens. Every time that kid finishes a sandcastle, the waves come in and wash it away. The shipment arrives tomorrow at 2 p.m.

The PAST TENSE indicates that an action is in the past relative to the speaker or writer. when the time period has finished: "We went to Chicago last Christmas." when the time period is definite: "We visited Mom last week." with for, when the action is finished: "I worked with the FBI for two months." Regular verbs use the verb's base form (scream, work) plus the -ed ending (screamed, worked). Irregular verbs alter their form in some other way (slept, drank, drove). Students for whom English is a second language sometimes (quite understandably) have trouble distinguishing between the Simple Past and the Present Perfect tenses. There is more information about the difference between these two tenses available under the Present Perfect description. When I was a girl, I walked five miles to school every day. Carmelita slept through the entire class.

We worked really hard to make this a success, but then Chuck ruined it with his carelessness. Every time I finished a sandcastle, the waves came in and washed it away. Tarzan dove into the swamp and swam toward the alligator.

The FUTURE TENSE indicates that an action is in the future relative to the speaker or writer. There are no inflected forms for the future in English (nothing like those -ed or -s endings in the other tenses). Instead, the future tense employs the helping verbs will or shall with the base form of the verb: She will leave soon. We shall overcome.

The future is also formed with the use of a form of "go" plus the infinitive of the verb: He is going to faint.

English can even use the present to suggest the future tense: I am leaving later today."

Note that the auxiliary will can be combined with "be" and a progressive form of the main verb to create a sense of the future that does not harbor any hint of insistence (which is possible with the auxiliary alone). For instance, if stress is placed on the word will in "When will you arrive?", the sentence can sound impatient, insistent. In "When will you be arriving?" there is less of that emotional overtone. The construction form of to be + infinitive is used to convey a sense of planning for the future, command, or contingency. There is to be an investigation into the mayor's business affairs. You are to be back on the base by midnight. If he is to pass this exam, he'll have to study harder.

To create a sense of imminent fulfillment, the word about can be combined with the infinitive. He is about to die.

Other adverbs can be used in similar constructions with various effects: He is liable to get in trouble. She is certain to do well in college. We will be victorious! We shall overcome. We are going to win this race. The bus arrives at three this afternoon. The boss is announcing his retirement at today's meeting. Present Simple Tense I sing How do we make the Present Simple Tense?

subject + auxiliary verb + main verb do base There are three important exceptions: 1. 2. 3. For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary. For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions and negatives.

Look at these examples with the main verb like: subject + I, you, we, they He, she, it I, you, we, they He, she, it ? Do Does do does I, you, we, they he, she, it not not auxiliary verb main verb like likes like like like like coffee. coffee. coffee. coffee. coffee? coffee?

Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is no auxiliary: subject + I You, we, they He, she, it I You, we, they He, she, it ? Am Are Is main verb am are is am are is I you, we, they he, she, it not not not French. French. French. old. old. old. late? late? late?

How do we use the Present Simple Tense? We use the present simple tense when: the action is general the action happens all the time, or habitually, in the past, present and future the action is not only happening now

the statement is always true John drives a taxi. past present future

It is John's job to drive a taxi. He does it every day. Past, present and future. Look at these examples: I live in New York. The Moon goes round the Earth. John drives a taxi. He does not drive a bus. We meet every Thursday. We do not work at night. Do you play football?

Note that with the verb to be, we can also use the present simple tense for situations that are not general. We can use the present simple tense to talk about now. Look at these examples of the verb "to be" in the present simple tense - some of them are general, some of them are now: Am I right? Tara is not at home. You are happy. past present future

The situation is now.

I am not fat. Why are you so beautiful? Ram is tall. past present future

The situation is general. Past, present and future.

V1 base regular verb work explode like

V2 past worked exploded liked

V3 past participle worked exploded liked The past form for all regular verbs ends in -ed.

irregular verb

go see sing

went saw sang

gone seen sung You do not need the past participle form to make the past simple tense. It is shown here for completeness only.

The past form for irregular verbs is variable. You need to learn it by heart.

To make the past simple tense, we use: past form only or auxiliary did + base form

Here you can see examples of the past form and base form for irregular verbs and regular verbs: The structure for positive sentences in the past simple tense is: subject + main verb past The structure for negative sentences in the past simple tense is: subject + auxiliary verb + not + main verb did base The structure for question sentences in the past simple tense is: auxiliary verb + subject + main verb did base The auxiliary verb did is not conjugated. It is the same for all persons (I did, you did, he did etc). And the base form and past form do not change. Look at these examples with the main verbs go andwork: subject + I You She We ? Did Did did did you they not not auxiliary verb main verb went worked go work go work to school. very hard. with me. yesterday. to London? at home?

Exception! The verb to be is different. We conjugate the verb to be (I was, you were, he/she/it was, we were, they were); and we do not use an auxiliary for negative and question sentences. To make a question, we exchange the subject and verb. Look at these examples: subject main verb

I, he/she/it You, we, they

was were was were I, he/she/it you, we, they not not

here. in London. there. happy. right? late?

I, he/she/it You, we, they

Was Were

Future Simple Tense I will sing

The future simple tense is often called will, because we make the future simple tense with the modal auxiliary will. How do we make the Future Simple Tense? The structure of the future simple tense is: subject + auxiliary verb WILL + main verb

invariable

base

will

V1

For negative sentences in the future simple tense, we insert not between the auxiliary verb and main verb. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and auxiliary verb. Look at these example sentences with the future simple tense: subject auxiliary verb main verb

will

open

the door.

You

will

finish

before me.

She

will

not

be

at school tomorrow.

We

will

not

leave

yet.

Will

you

arrive

on time?

Will

they

want

dinner?

When we use the future simple tense in speaking, we often contract the subject and auxiliary verb: I will I'll

you will

you'll

he will she will it will

he'll she'll it'll

we will

we'll

they will

they'll

For negative sentences in the future simple tense, we contract with won't, like this: I will not I won't

you will not

you won't

he will not she will not it will not

he won't she won't it won't

we will not

we won't

they will not

they won't

How do we use the Future Simple Tense? No Plan We use the future simple tense when there is no plan or decision to do something before we speak. We make the decision spontaneously at the time of speaking. Look at these examples: Hold on. I'll get a pen. We will see what we can do to help you. Maybe we'll stay in and watch television tonight.

In these examples, we had no firm plan before speaking. The decision is made at the time of speaking.

We often use the future simple tense with the verb to think before it: I think I'll go to the gym tomorrow. I think I will have a holiday next year. I don't think I'll buy that car.

Prediction We often use the future simple tense to make a prediction about the future. Again, there is no firm plan. We are saying what we think will happen. Here are some examples: Be When the main verb is be, we can use the future simple tense even if we have a firm plan or decision before speaking. Examples: I'll be in London tomorrow. I'm going shopping. I won't be very long. Will you be at work tomorrow? It will rain tomorrow. People won't go to Jupiter before the 22nd century. Who do you think will get the job?