2.7: Verb Tenses

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Choosing Appropriate Verb Tenses

Learning Objectives

Understand the simple verb tenses: past, present, and future
Recognize the progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive verb tenses
Correctly use the different verb tenses

The tense of a verb usually gives readers a sense of time. In other words, verb tense explains if the action in the sentence took place previously (past tense), is taking place right now (present tense), or will take place some time in the future (future tense). Tense also can indicate continual or recurring action (progressive), action that has completely taken place as of a certain time (perfect), and action that began in the past but continues or recurs through the present time (perfect progressive).

When writing an academic essay with sources, you may have noticed that simple present tense is the standard for reporting verbs. This is also a convention of MLA style, so you should avoid shifting from present to past tense, especially with reporting verbs.

EXERCISE 1

The quote below is from The Best We Could Do, a graphic novel by Thi Bui. Read the two examples and decide which one is correct. Give a reason for your choice.

Thi Bui wrote, “Family is something I have created — and not just something I was born into”(21).
Thi Bui writes, “Family is something I have created — and not just something I was born into” (21).

Verbs also have different forms for the different pronouns and numbers. In other words, first person (I, we) might require a different verb form from second person (singular you, plural you) and third person (he, she, it, they), and whether the pronoun is singular (I, you, he, she, it) or plural (we, you, they) can also make a difference in the verb form used.

Verb Tenses for the Regular Verb “Look” and the Irregular Verb “Eat”

>Past: main verb + –edor irregular variations

>Present: main verb

>Future: will or shall + main verb

>Verb + –ingand a form of the verb “to be”

>Past: was, were

>Present: am, is, are

>Future: will be

>Past participle and a form of the verb “to be”

>Past: had

>Present: has, have

>Future: will have

>Verb + –ingand a form of the verb “to be”

>Past: had been

>Present: has been, have been

>Future: will have been

Tense	Number and Person	Past	Present	Future
Simple
	First-person singular	I looked.	I look.	I will look.
	First-person singular	I ate.	I eat.	I will eat.
	First-person plural	We looked.	We look.	We will look.
	First-person plural	We ate.	We eat.	We will eat.
	Second-person singular	You looked.	You look.	You will look.
	Second-person singular	You ate.	You eat.	You will eat.
	Second-person plural	You looked.	You look.	You will look.
	Second-person plural	You ate.	You eat.	You will eat.
	Third-person singular	He looked.	He looks.	He will look.
	Third-person singular	She ate.	She eats.	She will eat.
	Third-person plural	They looked.	They look.	They will look.
They ate.	Third-person plural	They eat.	They will eat.
Progressive
	First-person singular	I was looking.	I am looking.	I will be looking.
	First-person singular	I was eating.	I am eating.	I will be eating.
	First-person plural	We were looking.	We are looking.	We will be looking.
	First-person plural	We were eating.	We are eating.	We will be eating.
	Second-person singular	You were looking.	You are looking.	You will be eating.
	Second-person singular	You were eating.	You are eating.	You will be looking.
	Second-person plural	You were eating.	You are eating.	You will be eating.
	Second-person plural	You were looking.	You are looking.	You will be looking.
	Third-person singular	He was looking.	He is looking.	He will be looking.
	Third-person singular	She was eating.	She is eating.	She will be eating.
	Third-person plural	They were looking.	They are looking.	They will be looking.
They were eating.	Third-person plural	They are eating.	They will be eating.
Perfect
	First-person singular	I had looked.	I have looked.	I will have looked.
	First-person singular	I had eaten.	I have eaten.	I will have eaten.
	First-person plural	We had looked.	We have looked.	We will have looked.
	First-person plural	We had eaten.	We have eaten.	We will have eaten.
	Second-person singular	You had looked.	You have looked.	You will have looked.
	Second-person singular	You had eaten.	You have eaten.	You will have eaten.
	Second-person plural	You had looked.	You have looked.	You will have looked.
	Second-person plural	You had eaten.	You have eaten.	You will have eaten.
	Third-person singular	He had looked.	He has looked.	He will have looked.
	Third-person singular	She had eaten.	She has eaten.	She will have eaten.
	Third-person plural	They had looked.	They have looked.	They will have looked.
They had eaten.	Third-person plural	They have eaten.	They will have eaten.
Perfect progressive
	First-person singular	I had been looking.	I have been looking.	I will have been looking.
	First-person singular	I had been eating.	I have been eating.	I will have been eating.
	First-person plural	We had been looking.	We have been looking.	We will have been looking.
	First-person plural	We had been eating.	We have been eating.	We will have been eating.
	Second-person singular	You had been looking.	You have been looking.	You will have been looking.
	Second-person singular	You had been eating.	You have been eating.	You will have been eating.
	Second-person plural	You had been looking.	You have been looking.	You will have been looking.
	Second-person plural	You had been eating.	You have been eating.	You will have been eating.
	Third-person singular	He had been looking.	He has been looking.	He will have been looking.
	Third-person singular	She had been eating.	She has been eating.	She will have been eating.
	Third-person plural	They had been looking.	They have been looking.	They will have been looking.
They had been eating.	Third-person plural	They have been eating.	They will have been eating.

Key Takeaways

The simple verb tenses are past, present, and future.
Progressive tenses use a form of the verb “to be” along with the –ing form of the verb to indicate continual or recurring action.
Perfect tenses use a form of the verb “to be” along with the past participle form of the verb to indicate action that took place before a certain time.
Perfect progressive tenses use a form of the verb “to be” along with the –ing form of the verb to indicate action that began in the past and continues or recurs through the present time.

EXERCISE 2

Identify the verb tense used in each of the following sentences:

1. I have heard that saying before.
2. Joey seemed uncomfortable when he was at my house yesterday.
3. You will be running in the second heat this afternoon.
4. Lois is writing a letter to the editor.
5. By ten o’clock tonight, we will have been walking for twenty hours.

Write three sentences using simple tense, three using progressive tense, three using perfect tense, and three using perfect progressive tense. Make sure to include each of the following variations at least once: past, present, future, first person, second person, third person, singular, and plural.