TCC Writing Center: Verb Tenses with Mode and Aspect

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Writing Center

Verb Tenses with Mode and Aspect

Verb phrases express three things about the action they name in relation to time in the real world: tense (when the

action occurred), mode (mood such as possibility, certainty, obligation or necessity), and aspect (whether the action

is complete or continuing).

In a verb phrase only the verb with its ending indicating tense are considered the main verb. Parts of the verb phrase

that express modality and aspect are called helping verbs or auxiliary verbs.

Ex.: She could have helped me.

In the previous sentence” helped” is the main verb, “could” expresses mode and “have” before “helped” expresses

aspect.

Tense

A verb or verb phrase must always indicate tense, or when the action being named is occurring. Actions occur either

in the past or present. Tense is indicated by adding an ending for regular verbs (+ed, +s) or changing the spelling

(eat/ate) of irregular verbs. Refer to the table below entitled “Irregular Verbs” for a list of irregular verbs and their

conjugations. When no tense is indicated by the verb’s ending, the verb is in its infinitive form that is expressed with

the word “to”. Infinitives do not function as a verbs in sentences but have other functions.

Examples of infinitives: to go, to eat, to drive

I need to go to the store today.

In the previous sentence the infinitive “to go” is the object of the verb “need”—I need what? To go. The infinitive

“to go” does not name the action of the subject “I”; that action is “need”. The infinitive names the “need”.

Aspect

Aspect of a verb phrase indicates whether the action of the verb is completed or continuous. A verb (action) is

described as “perfect” if it is completed; “progressive” if continuous. To form either the perfect or progressive case

of a verb, helping verbs (the conjugated forms of” have” or “be”) must be added to form a verb phrase.

The following explanations describe when to use a particular form of a verb and how to construct that form. A table

containing examples of each form follows these explanations.

Simple Tenses

Present (Simple Present): Formed with the basic form of the verb and expresses the present customary, habitual,

or ongoing actions and general truths. Note that for subject-verb agreement, when the subject is third person

singular, the present tense verb ends with s or es.

Signal words: often, seldom, never, always, sometimes, usually.

I work at a bookstore. (habitual action)

Chris works at a restaurant. (habitual action)

The earth is round. (general truth)

Past (Simple Past): Formed with the addition of d or ed to regular verbs or according to the principal part chart for

irregular verbs, the past tense shows completion before the present—a single past occurrence or a definite past time.

Copyright for this document is held by the Writing Center and Grammar Hotline of Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach

Campus. It has been written, revised, and/or edited by staff paid to perform that work for the college; therefore, the rights are

retained by the college.

Signal words: yesterday, last year, a month ago, when, before.

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Fax: 757-427-0327

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I walked to school when I lived in Alabama.

I worked at a bookstore last summer.

Future (Simple Future): Formed with will + the present (base) form of the main verb. Future tense indicates

anticipated action, action that is expected to take place after the present.

Signal words: tomorrow, later, next week, next year, soon.

John will work at a bookstore next summer.

Margaret will sing at the concert on Friday.

Irregular Verbs

The first column is the present tense form, the second column is the past tense form, and the third column is the past

participle form.

Copyright for this document is held by the Writing Center and Grammar Hotline of Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach

Campus. It has been written, revised, and/or edited by staff paid to perform that work for the college; therefore, the rights are

retained by the college.

Present

Past Past Part.

Present

Past Past Part.

Present

Past Past Part.

arise arose arisen go went gone sing sang sung

awake awoke awaken grind ground ground sink sank sunk

bear bore born grow grew grown sit sat sat

beat beat beaten hang hung hung sleep slept slept

become became become have had had slide slid slid

begin began begun hear heard heard slit slit slit

bend bent bent hide hid hidden speak spoke spoken

bet bet bet hit hit hit speed sped sped

bind bound bound hold held held spend spent spent

bite bit bitten hurt hurt hurt spin spun spun

bleed bled bled keep kept kept split split split

blow blew blown know knew known spread spread spread

bring brought brought lay laid laid spring sprang sprung

build built built lead led led stand stood stood

burst burst burst leave left left steal stole stolen

cast cast cast lend lent lent stick stuck stuck

catch caught caught let let let sting stung stung

choose chose chosen lie lay lain strike struck struck

cling clung clung light lit lit string strung strung

come came come lose lost lost swear swore sworn

cost cost cost make made made sweep swept swept

creep crept crept mean meant meant swim swam swum

cut cut cut meet met met swing swung swung

dare dared dared owe owed owed take took taken

deal dealt dealt pay paid paid teach taught taught

dig dug dug quit quit quit tear tore torn

do did done read read read tell told told

draw drew drawn ride rode ridden think thought thought

drink drank drunk ring rang rung wear wore worn

drive drove driven rise rose risen wake woke woke

eat ate eaten run ran run weave wove woven

fall fell fell see saw seen wed wed wed

feed fed fed shave shaved shaved weep wept wept

feel felt felt shine shone shone wet wet wet

fight fought fought shoot shot shot win won won

find found found show showed shown wind wound wound

fling flung flung shrink shrank shrunk wring wrung wrung

fly flew flown shut shut shut write wrote written

forgive forgave forgiven freeze froze frozen give gave given

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Phone: 757-822-7170

Fax: 757-427-0327

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Progressive Tenses

Present Progressive (Continuous): Formed with am, is, are (present tense conjugated forms of be)+ present

participle (-ing form of verb) to describe actions occurring at the present time, now, immediately.

Signal words: now, for the time being, at present, at the moment, temporarily.

I am wearing my new raincoat.

We are hoping that the rain will stop soon.

Past Progressive (Continuous): Formed with was or were (past tense conjugated forms of be) + present participle

(-ing form of verb) to describe a past action interrupted by another past action.

Signal words: while, as, when.

I was jogging in the park when the rain began.

Jane and Roy were painting the living room when the phone rang.

Future Progressive (Continuous): Formed with will +present participle (-ing form of the verb) to describe an

action that will be in progress in the future.

Signal words: this time next year, by the time that.

Kelly will be wearing a new red hat at the concert.

Perfect Tenses

Present Perfect: Formed with the present tense of have (choose either have or, if the subject is third person

singular, has) plus the past participle of the main verb. The present tense is used in several circumstances as

described below.

Signal words: since, several times, every, just, recent.

1. Action that began in the past and continues to the present with the sense that it will continue in the future.

John has worked at the bookstore since last summer.

2. Action that occurred more than once or repeatedly in the past.

Margaret has sung at every Friday concert held at the school.

3. Action that happened at an unknown past time.

Our friends have traveled to Paris.

4. A recent occurrence given extra emphasis.

The boys have just found the coins.

5. A completed action given extra emphasis.

Yes, we have studied for the test.

Past Perfect: Formed with had plus the past participle of the main verb. The past perfect tense emphasizes the

earlier of two past actions. Use the simple past when two past actions are presented in normal chronological (time)

order.

1. Use the past perfect when two past actions are presented out of time order, as in the examples below.

Signal words: by the time, after, before, already

Chronological (normal time)order. The children picked a quart of strawberries and ate them for dessert. Note

that these two actions appear in normal chronological order in the sentence; therefore, both verbs are in the

simple past tense.

Non-chronological order: For dessert the children ate the quart of strawberries they had picked. Note that the

actions are presented here out of chronological order, the action that happened earlier comes later in the

sentence. Therefore, the earlier action is emphasized by the past perfect tense.

We painted the house blue after we had scrubbed the dirt off.

Copyright for this document is held by the Writing Center and Grammar Hotline of Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach

Campus. It has been written, revised, and/or edited by staff paid to perform that work for the college; therefore, the rights are

retained by the college.

After he had stepped on the nail, his foot began to hurt.

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2. Use the past perfect when two actions appear in normal chronological order with special emphasis on the

first action’s having been being completed before the beginning of the second action.

Signal words: after, before, by the time

No emphasis on completion: The secretary typed the letter, and the boss signed it.

Emphasis on completion: After the secretary had typed the letter, the boss signed it.

Future Perfect: Formed with will have plus the past participle of the main verb. The future perfect shows an action

that is expected to occur before another future action or before a specific future time.

The Smiths will have painted their house before you arrive.

John will have worked at the bookstore for a year by May.

Mode

Mode indicates possibility, certainty, obligation and necessity. Modality is expressed by words such as may, shall,

can and must. Determining the appropriate modal for a verb phrase is based on context rather than rule. Most modals

are used to express several conditions. Modals also express tense. See the list below for examples of present and past

tense modals.

Present Tense Modals Past Tense Modals Other Words Used as Modals

can could ought to

shall should used to

may might need to

will would happen to

must must seem to

Verb Tense Overview with Examples

(Adapted from www.englishpage.com)

Simple Present Simple Past Simple Future

Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural

I study

You study

He/She/It studies

The class studies

We study

You study

They study

The classes

study

I studied

You studied

He/She/It studied

The class studied

We studied

You studied

They studied

The classes

studied

I will study/am going

to study

You will study/are

going to study

He/She/It will study/is

going to study

The class will study/is

going to study

We will

study/are going

to study

You will study/

are going to

study

They will study/

are going to

study

The classes will

study/are going

to study

I study English everyday. I studied English last year. I am going to study English next year.

I will study English in New York.

Copyright for this document is held by the Writing Center and Grammar Hotline of Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach

Campus. It has been written, revised, and/or edited by staff paid to perform that work for the college; therefore, the rights are

retained by the college.

Tidewater Community College

Phone: 757-822-7170

Fax: 757-427-0327

E-mail: [email protected]

http://www.tcc.edu/writing

Present Progressive Past Progressive Future Progressive

Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural

I am studying

You are studying

He/She/It is

studying

The class is

studying

We are

studying

You are

studying

They are

studying

The classes

are studying

I was studying

You were

studying

He/She/It was

studying

The class was

studying

We were

studying

You were

studying

They were

studying

The classes were

studying

I will be studying /am

going to be studying

You will be studying

/are going to be

studying

He/She/It will be

studying/is going to be

studying

The class will be

studying/is going to be

studying

We will be

studying/are

going to be

studying

You will be

studying/are

going to be

studying

They will be

studying/are

going to be

studying

The classes will

be studying /are

going to be

studying

I am studying English now. I was studying English last night. I will be studying English tonight.

I am going to be studying English tonight.

Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Perfect

Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural

I have studied

You have

studied

He/She/It has

studied

The class has

studied

We have

studied

You have

studied

They have

studied

The classes

have studied

I had studied

You had

studied

He/She/It had

studied

The class had

studied

We had studied

You had studied

They had studied

The classes had

studied

I will have studied /am

going to have studied

You will have studied

/are going to have

studied

He/She/It will have

studied /is going to

have studied

The class will have

studied /is going to

have studied

We will have

studied/are

going to have

studied

You will have

studied/are

going to have

studied

They will have

studied/are

going to have

studied

The classes will

have studied/are

going to have

studied

I have studied English for

several years.

I had studied English before I

moved to the U.S.

I will have studied English for ten years

after this semester.

I am going to have studied every English

verb tense by the end of this semester.

Copyright for this document is held by the Writing Center and Grammar Hotline of Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach

Campus. It has been written, revised, and/or edited by staff paid to perform that work for the college; therefore, the rights are

retained by the college.

Tidewater Community College

Phone: 757-822-7170

Fax: 757-427-0327

E-mail: [email protected]

http://www.tcc.edu/writing

Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive Future perfect Progressive

Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural

I have been

studying

You have

been studying

He/She/It has

been studying

The class has

been studying

We have been

studying

You have been

studying

They have

been studying

The classes

have been

studying

I had been

studying

You had been

studying

He/She/It had

been studying

The class had

been studying

We had been

studying

You had been

studying

They had been

studying

The classes had

been studying

I will have been

studying/am going to

have been studying

You will have been

studying/are going to

have been studying

He/She/It will have

been studying

/is going to have been

studying

The class will have

been studying

/is going to have been

studying

We will have been

studying

/are going to have

been studying

You will have

been studying

/are going to have

been studying

They will have

been studying

/are going to have

been studying

The classes will

have been

studying

/are going to have

been studying

I have been studying English

everyday for ten years.

I had been studying English to

prepare for college.

I will have been studying English for ten

years after this semester.

I am going to have been studying English

for ten years by the end of this semester.

Copyright for this document is held by the Writing Center and Grammar Hotline of Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach

Campus. It has been written, revised, and/or edited by staff paid to perform that work for the college; therefore, the rights are

retained by the college.

For more information on the study of English visit www.englishpage.com.