Uses of Tense in the Present Time • The preset and the present progressive show present actions and conditions as well as various continuing actions or conditions. FORMS EXPRESSING PRESENT TIME
Present He walks.
Present Progressive He is walking.
USES OF THE PRESENT Present Action: There he goes.
Present Condition: The apples are rotten.
Regularly occurring My sister chews her nails.
action: Regularly occurring They are never ready. condition: Constant action: The sun radiates energy.
Constant condition: Human blood is red.
USES OF PRESENT PROGRESSIVE Continuing Action: He is working on a novel.
Continuing Condition: The baby is being very
difficult this week. Exercise A: Identifying the Uses of Tense in Present Time. 1. I leave for school at 7:30 each morning. 2. Gasoline is flammable liquid. 3. My friends and I race home from school every afternoon. 4. The entire meal is delicious. 5. I hear a television in the other room. Exercise A: Identifying the Uses of Tense in Present Time. 6. My brother is doing his homework now. 7. Gravity pulls all objects forward. 8. My father is building a stereo cabinet. 9. He reads mostly biographies. 10. My sister Judy generally travels to work on the train. Uses of Tense in the Past Time • The six forms that express past time show actions and conditions beginning in the past. FORMS EXPRESSING PAST TIME Past He walked. Present Perfect He has walked. Past Perfect He had walked. Past Progressive He was walking. Present Perfect Progressive He has been walking. Past Perfect Progressive He had been walking. USES OF THE PAST PERFECT Action completed I had left before she did. before another: Completed Condition Ken had been healthy before (indefinite time): he caught pneumonia. Uses of the Progressive Forms that Express Past Time Continuous completed action: Past Progressive He was working on a ranch that summer. Continuous completed condition: Mimi was being agreeable last week. Present Perfect Progressive Louisa has been reading mysteries for a month now.
Past Perfect Progressive I had been sleeping when you
called. Exercise B: Using Past, Present Perfect and Past Perfect 1. Father (grew, has grown) tomatoes last year. 2. I (called, have called) her three times on Tuesday. 3. Carol (has waited, had waited) an hour before she left. 4. We (postponed, have postponed) our trip yesterday. 5. Ken (rode, has ridden) the bus to work since he moved. Exercise B: Using Past, Present Perfect and Past Perfect 6. Sue (visited, had visited) her sister at college last week. 7. I (was, have been) terribly sleepy lately. 8. My sister (has arrived, had arrived) before I did. 9. I (finished, have finished) my report at three o’ clock. 10.He (has swum, had swum) across the river before I started. Forms Expressing Future Time Future He will walk.
Future Perfect He will have walked.
Future Progressive He will be walking.
Future Perfect He will have been walking.
Progressive Exercise C: Using Tenses in Future Time 1. My aunt (travel- future progressive) in Brazil for a month. 2. The department store (open- future) in an hour. 3. By tomorrow, we (receive- future perfect) our grades. 4. I (leave- future) for Toronto at noon. 5. When I return from Puerto Rico in August, I (speak- future perfect progressive) Spanish for two months. Exercise C: Using Tenses in Future Time 6. Max (open- future progressive) a new store in Phoenix sometime next year. 7. Before I leave, I (practice- future perfect) for an hour. 8. They (polish- future perfect progressive) their act for six months by the time they appear on stage. 9. She (recover- future perfect) by the time we are able to visit her next week. 10.I probably (see- future) you later tonight.