Tenses closely related with actions (verbs) and time.

When an action takes place, the tense

will indicate when the action actually happens.

There are three main tenses, namely:

a) Present
b) Past
c) Future

Each major tense have their four different components:

a) Present b) Past c) Future
Simple Present Simple Past Simple Future
Present Continuous Past Continuous Future Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous Future Perfect Continuous

a) SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

 It discuss about whether the verb has to put ‘s’/’es’ or not.
 Add ‘s’/’es’ to the verb if the subject is singular.
 Do not add ‘s’/’es’ if the subject is plural.

USAGE
1. To show general truth or statement of fact.
- Sun rises from the east and sets in the west.
- Iphone is a product from Apple.
- Water freezes at 0°C.
- People sleep at night.

2. To show habitual or regular actions.

- Ariana walks to school every day.
- Mr. Hakim teaches form 5 every year. He tries to help students understand the
subject well.
- Mother finishes up the works and prepares our uniforms before she goes to sleep.

3. To tell what happen in a movie, book or concert as in a review.

- In the film, Paul Walker stars with Van Diesel and plays the role of an undercover
cop to expose the drug cartel in his area.
- The article states that an adult should at least exercise for 150 minutes for a week.

4. To describe an event such as a ceremony or sport in a live commentary.

- David Beckham passes the ball to Paul Scholes across the field and he shoots to
the goal. However, the goalkeeper punches out the ball and a defender clears
the ball out of the penalty box.
 Sturucture Example

POSITIVE
1. Mother finishes up the works and prepares our
1. Action Verb uniforms before she goes to sleep.
- Singular subject + (verb + ‘s’/’es’/’ies’) 2. The children watch the show every day.
- Plural subject + (root verb) 3. The chef fries the meat nugget for the dish.

2. Verb to-be
- Subject + Verb to-be

Subject Verb to-be Example

- He is a pilot. [a profession(noun)]
He/ She/ It - The car is yellow. [a colour (adjective)]
Singular is
Ali/ Lina/ Car/ Lion - Lina is busy. [a state (adjective)]
- The lion is in the cage. [a place (noun)]
- They are pilots. [a profession(noun)]
They/ Students/ Men/ - The cars are yellow. [a colour (adjective)]
Plural
Lions - Lina and Ain are busy. [a state (adjective)]
are - The lions are in the cage. [a place (noun)]
- You are a pilot. [a profession(noun)]
You - You are busy. [a state (adjective)]
- You are in the cage. [a place (noun)]
Special
- I am a pilot. [a profession (noun)]
I am - I am busy. [a state (adjective)]
- I am in the cage. [a place (noun)]

NEGATIVE

1. Action Verb
- Subject + [do/does] + not + root verb

Root
Subject Do/Does Not Example
Verb
- Lina does not eat durian.
Singular He/ Lina/ Lion does
Root - Lion does not hunt at night.
not
Verb - The students do not complete the task.
Plural They/ Students do
- They do not have transport.
2. Verb to-be
- Subject + Verb to-be + Not

Verb
Noun/
Subject to- Not
Adjective
be
Singular He/ Lina/ Lion is - He is not a student.
Plural They/ dishes Noun/ - The dishes are not suitable for the ceremony.
are not
You Adjective - You are not a criminal.
Special
I am - I am not stupid.
 Sturucture Example

INTERROGATIVE 1. Does mother prepare our uniforms before

she goes to sleep?
A. Action Verb 2. Do the children watch the show every day?
- [Do/Does] + Subject + (root verb) + ……? 3. Does the chef fry the nugget for the dish?

B. Verb to-be 4. Am I supposed to attend the class today?

- Verb to-be + Subject + ……? 5. Are you sure this is the right way to the hall?
Subject Verb to-be Example
- He is a pilot. [a profession(noun)]
He/ She/ It
- The car is yellow. [a colour (adjective)]
Singular Ali/ Lina/ Car/ is
- Lina is busy. [a state (adjective)]
Lion
- The lion is in the cage. [a place (noun)]
- They are pilots. [a profession(noun)]
They/ Students/ - The cars are yellow. [a colour (adjective)]
Plural
Men/ Lions - Lina and Ain are busy. [a state (adjective)]
are - The lions are in the cage. [a place (noun)]
- You are a pilot. [a profession(noun)]
You - You are busy. [a state (adjective)]
- You are in the cage. [a place (noun)]
Special
- I am a pilot. [a profession (noun)]
I am - I am busy. [a state (adjective)]
- I am in the cage. [a place (noun)]

NEGATIVE

1. Action Verb
- Subject + [do/does] + not + root verb

Root
Subject Do/Does Not Example
Verb
Root - Lina does not eat durian.
Singular He/ Lina/ Lion does
Verb - Lion does not hunt at night.
not
They/ - The students do not complete the task.
Plural do
Students - They do not have transport.
2. Verb to-be
- Subject + Verb to-be + Not

Verb Noun/
Subject Not
to-be Adjective
Singular He/ Lina/ Lion is - He is not a student.
- The dishes are not suitable for the
Plural They/ dishes Noun/
are not ceremony.
Adjective
You - You are not a criminal.
Special
I am - I am not stupid.
 b) PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

 General form for continuous tense is (verb + ing).

 Pay attention:-
o to time expressions (time stamps)to determine present or past.
o to the number of subject to determine the verb to-be (is/are/am)

USAGE
1. To show an action which is happening now and not ended at the time of speaking.
- Kamal is presenting his slides in the class.
- They are organising a career fair in KLCC.
- Who are you calling now?
- People are sleeping at night.

2. To show about changes, progress, developments and trends.

- Kamal’s presentation skill is improving.
- We are planning for an event for the students and alumni.
- Unemployment rate is increasing by 0.1% this year.

3. To indicate a situation is or may be temporary.

- Only one air conditioner is functioning in our office.
- Ahmad is staying in Dubai this week.
- I am working as part-time cashier for time being.

4. To describe repeated actions or activities.

- I am hearing a lot of bad reports about your work recently.
- You are sleeping too much these days. Are you okay?
- Farid and Syafiq are constantly quarrelling even in the class.

Sturucture Example

INTERROGATIVE 6. Does mother prepare our uniforms before

she goes to sleep?
C. Action Verb 7. Do the children watch the show every day?
- [Do/Does] + Subject + (root verb) + ……? 8. Does the chef fry the nugget for the dish?

D. Verb to-be 9. Am I supposed to attend the class today?

- Verb to-be + Subject + ……? 10. Are you sure this is the right way to the hall?
Subject Verb to-be Example
- He is a pilot. [a profession(noun)]
He/ She/ It
- The car is yellow. [a colour (adjective)]
Singular Ali/ Lina/ Car/ is
- Lina is busy. [a state (adjective)]
Lion
- The lion is in the cage. [a place (noun)]
- They are pilots. [a profession(noun)]
They/ Students/ - The cars are yellow. [a colour (adjective)]
Plural
Men/ Lions are - Lina and Ain are busy. [a state (adjective)]
- The lions are in the cage. [a place (noun)]
Special You - You are a pilot. [a profession(noun)]
 - You are busy. [a state (adjective)]
- You are in the cage. [a place (noun)]
- I am a pilot. [a profession (noun)]
I am - I am busy. [a state (adjective)]
- I am in the cage. [a place (noun)]

NEGATIVE

3. Action Verb
- Subject + [do/does] + not + root verb

Root
Subject Do/Does Not Example
Verb
Root - Lina does not eat durian.
Singular He/ Lina/ Lion does
Verb - Lion does not hunt at night.
not
They/ - The students do not complete the task.
Plural do
Students - They do not have transport.
4. Verb to-be
- Subject + Verb to-be + Not

Verb Noun/
Subject Not
to-be Adjective
Singular He/ Lina/ Lion is - He is not a student.
- The dishes are not suitable for the
Plural They/ dishes Noun/
are not ceremony.
Adjective
You - You are not a criminal.
Special
I am - I am not stupid.