A Guide to Verb Tenses
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Verb tenses can be challenging for students and adults! In an effort to reinforce correct verb tense usage, why not play a little game? Let’s get started with a quick review of verb tenses.
Tense means time. So, that means that the verb in the sentence actually lets the reader know the time of the action.
There are three basic verb tenses that show when an action takes place: present, past, and future tense. Simple…right? Yes! In fact, these are known as the simple verb tenses.
Simple Tense
Simple Present:
Verbs end in –s or –es if there is a singular subject.
Verbs do not end in –s or –es if there is a plural subject.
Simple Past:
Most verbs end in –ed, -d, -t, or have a middle vowel change.
They are the same for singular or plural subjects.
Simple Future:
Future tense verbs use the helping verb will or shall before the main verb.
They are the same for singular or plural subjects.
After students learn to understand the simple verb tenses, they will be ready to learn about the perfect tense verbs. Perfect tense verbs indicate an action completed or perfected either in the present, past, or future. We would label these verb tenses as: present perfect, past perfect, or future perfect. Simply perfect…right? Let’s take a look at the perfect tense.
Perfect Tense
Present perfect:
Verbs that show the action has begun in the past but is continuing or completed in the present. Verbs are only identified by the helping verbs has (singular) or have(plural). Use has or have with the main verb.
Past perfect:
These verbs tell that the action was completed before another past action. They are only identified by the helping verb had.
Future perfect:
These verbs tell that the action will be completed by a definite time in the future or before another event in the future occurs. They are only identified by the helping verb will have or shall have.
Follow these guidelines for identifying simple and perfect verb tenses:
If there is only one verb in a sentence, the tense is either simple present or simple past.
If there is a will or shall helping verb with a main verb, the tense is simple future.
If there is a has, have, or had helping verb with a main verb, the tense is either present perfect or past perfect.
If there is a will or shall plus the helping verb have with a main verb, the tense is future perfect tense.
* For verb phrases, it is the helping verb, not the main verb, which determines the tense. If you have a present perfect tense helping verb, your writing will be in present perfect tense even though a main verb has an –ed ending.
Activity Time:
Now, it’s time to have a little fun and try a reinforcement activity! Play this Verb-Tense Game with your class to make this challenging concept a bit more simple and fun:
