Verb Tenses

Tense means time. Verbs tell us not only what action is occurring but also when it is occurring. The form of a verb, or the verb tense, changes in order to show when the action takes place. There are three simple verb tenses and three perfect verb tenses.

Simple Tenses

The three simple verb tenses are present, past, and future.

Present Tense

The present verb tense refers to action that is happening now. We add an s when the subject is singular, except when the pronoun is I or you.

When a verb ends in s, x, z, ch, or sh, we add es when the subject is singular.

When a verb ends in a consonant and a y, we change the y to i and add es for the singular form.

Past Tense

Another of the simple verb tenses, the past tense, shows action that has already occurred. To form the past tense of regular verbs, we add ed.

talk—talked
bark—barked

When a one-syllable verb ends in a single consonant, we double the consonant and add ed.

chip—chipped
bat—batted

When a verb ends in e, we drop the e and add ed.

rake—raked
live—lived

When the verb ends in y, we change the y to i and add ed.

try—tried
supply—supplied

Errors to Avoid

Use verb tenses correctly. Do not use the present tense form for the past tense.

• NO: Yesterday, Ben calls me twice.
• YES: Yesterday, Ben called me twice.

Do not shift from past to present in the same phrase.

• NO: She looked everywhere but discovers nothing. 
• YES: She looked everywhere but discovered nothing.

Future Tense

Another of the simple verb tenses, the future tense, refers to action that has not yet occurred. The future tense is usually formed with the helping verbs shall or will. With the pronouns I and we, the use of shall is preferable in formal writing.

In informal writing, the helping verb shall is sometimes used with pronouns other than I and we in order to show strong emotion or to imply a threat or command.

• You shall visit the doctor today.
• He shall pay back every cent!

Errors to Avoid

Do not use the present for the future tense.

• NO: Tomorrow I rake the leaves. 
• YES: Tomorrow I shall rake the leaves.

Examples 1

Identify verb tenses. Write the verb phrase in each sentence and label it present, past, or future tense.

1. Each House keeps record of its day-to-day activities in the Congressional Record.
2. Last year, neither House adjourned for more than three days.
3. Will you investigate the privileges of Congress members?

Solutions

1. keeps—present tense
2. adjourned—past tense
3. Will investigate—future tense

Examples 2

Show your mastery of simple verb tenses. Write the correct form of the verb.

1. The orchestra (future of perform) tonight.
2. Babies often (present of fill) their mouths too full.
3. A miner (past of search) for gold.
4. My dog (present of bury) his bones.
5. The captain (past of watch) his crew.

Solutions

1. The orchestra will perform tonight.
2. Babies often fill their mouths too full.
3. A miner searched for gold.
4. My dog buries his bones.
5. The captain watched his crew.

Perfect Tenses

There are three perfect verb tenses—present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. The perfect tenses show that an action has been completed or "perfected." To form these tenses, we add a form of the helping verb have to the past participle.

Present Perfect

The present perfect tense describes an action that occurred in the past and is complete or continuing in the present. We add the present forms of the verb have to the past participle. 

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE = HAVE OR HAS + PAST PARTICIPLE

• Jamie has walked to the store many times.
• Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of one of the oldest towns in the world near the modern city of Jericho.

Past Perfect

The past perfect tense describes past action completed before another past action. We use the helping verb had before the past participle.

PAST PERFECT TENSE = HAD + PAST PARTICIPLE

• Jamie had walked to the store before she went to school.
• Today's Iraq had been the ancient Greek's "Mesopotamia."

Future Tense

The future perfect tense describes future action to be completed before another future action. We add the future form of the helping verb have to the past participle.

FUTURE PERFECT TENSE = WILL HAVE OR SHALL HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

• Jamie will have walked to the store and back twice by noon.
• I shall have washed three loads of clothes by this evening.

Examples 3

In sentences 1-4, tell whether each perfect tense verb phrase is present, past, or future.

1. Father had walked five miles to get help for the stranded motorist.
2. The class will have gathered two barrels of trash for their community service project.
3. Have you curled your hair yet?
4. Priscilla has joined the Daughters of the American Revolution organization.

Solutions

1. We notice the past tense (had) form of the helping verb have, so we know that the perfect tense is past perfect.
2. We see the future tense form of have (will have), so we know that the perfect tense is future perfect.
3. The present tense form of have is used, so we know that the perfect tense is present perfect.
4. The helping verb have is in present tense, so we know that the perfect tense is present perfect.

Examples 4

For sentences 1-5, write the verb phrase, and tell whether it is present perfect, past perfect, or future perfect.

1. Sumerians had used a counting system based on units of sixty.
2. Before long, these Sumerian boys will have completed an education in reading, writing, and arithmetic.
3. Has the professor explained the Sumerians' cylinder seals?
4. Before Thanksgiving vacation, we shall have studied the invention of writing.
5. Had the Speaker of the House accepted the Congressperson's contemptuous comments?

Solutions

1. had used—We notice the past tense form of the helping verb have (had), so we know that the tense is past perfect.
2. will have completed—We see the future tense form of have (will have), so we know that the tense is future perfect.
3. Has explained—The present tense form of have (has) is used, so the know that the tense is present perfect.
4. shall have studied—The helping verb have is in future tense (shall have), so we know that the tense is future perfect.
5. Had accepted—We notice the past tense (had) form of the helping verb have, so we know that the tense is past perfect.