Tense is an essential aspect of English grammar that tells us when an action or event took place. There are three primary tenses in English: present, past, and future. In this lesson, we will cover the three primary tenses and their usage.
Present Tense
The present tense describes an action or event that is currently happening, is always true or exists.
There are four types of present tense:
Simple Present: This tense is used to describe actions that are always true or repeated regularly.
For example:
- I eat breakfast every morning.
- He always plays football on weekends.
Present Continuous: This tense is used to describe actions that are happening right now or in progress.
For example:
- I am writing a letter right now.
- She is studying for her exam at the moment.
Present Perfect: This tense is used to describe actions that have happened in the past, but the time is not specified or is still ongoing.
For example:
- I have read that book before.
- He has visited Paris many times.
Present Perfect Continuous: This tense is used to describe actions that started in the past and are still continuing in the present.
For example:
- She has been studying for two hours.
- We have been playing tennis since morning.
Past Tense: The past tense describes an action or event that has already happened. There are four types of past tense:
Simple Past: This tense is used to describe actions that happened in the past and are completed.
For example:
- I visited London last year.
- They watched a movie yesterday.
Past Continuous: This tense is used to describe actions that were happening at a specific time in the past.
For example:
- I was eating dinner at 7 pm yesterday.
- She was studying when the phone rang.
Future tense
Future tense is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. There are four types of future tenses:
Simple future tense
The simple future tense is formed by adding ‘will’ or ‘shall’ before the base form of the verb.
Examples:
- I will go to the store tomorrow.
- She shall call you later.
Future continuous tense
The future continuous tense is formed by using ‘will’ or ‘shall’ with ‘be’ and the present participle (-ing form) of the verb. This tense is used to describe an action that will be in progress at a particular time in the future.
Examples:
- They will be eating dinner at 7 pm tonight.
- He shall be waiting for you at the airport.
Future perfect tense
The future perfect tense is formed by using ‘will’ or ‘shall’ with ‘have’ and the past participle of the verb. This tense is used to describe an action that will be completed before a particular time in the future.
Examples:
- I will have finished my homework by the time you arrive.
- They shall have left for vacation by next week.
Future perfect continuous tense
The future perfect continuous tense is formed by using ‘will’ or ‘shall’ with ‘have been’ and the present participle (-ing form) of the verb. This tense is used to describe an action that will have been in progress for a certain amount of time before a particular time in the future.
Examples:
- By next month, I will have been studying French for two years.
- They shall have been waiting for the train for over an hour.
Present perfect tense
Present perfect tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still ongoing or has just been completed. This tense is formed by using ‘have’ or ‘has’ with the past participle of the verb. Examples:
- She has lived in New York City for five years.
- They have finished their project.
Past perfect tense
Past perfect tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another action in the past. This tense is formed by using ‘had’ with the past participle of the verb. Examples:
- She had finished her homework before she went to bed.
- They had already left by the time we arrived.
Teaching tenses:
- Start with simple tenses Begin by teaching the simple tenses, including present simple, past simple, and future simple, as they are the most commonly used tenses in English.
- Use real-life examples Use real-life examples to help students understand how to use tenses correctly. For example, ask them to describe what they did over the weekend using past tense.
- Provide plenty of practice Provide plenty of practice exercises, including fill-in-the-blank exercises, verb conjugation drills, and writing prompts.
- Use visual aids Visual aids such as charts and timelines can help students understand the relationship between tenses.
- Incorporate technology Use technology to engage students in learning tenses, such as interactive games and quizzes.
- Encourage speaking and writing Encourage students to use tenses in speaking and writing exercises to reinforce their understanding of how to use them correctly.
- Provide feedback Provide feedback to students on their use of tenses, highlighting any errors and offering guidance on how to correct them.