Tenses : Present, Past, and Future Simples
(Recap for ESL and ESL Learners)
The word tense comes from the Latin word tempus, which
means a portion of time. Tense is a type of verb which refers
to the time of an action performing by the first , second or third person
either in the present , past, or future.
For example,
I go to school (present tense).
I went to school (past tense).
I will go to school (future tense).
According to the Oxford
Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, tense is “any of the forms of a verb that may be
used to show the time of the action or state expressed by the verb”. “A verb
form that shows the time of an action, event or state”, Swan, M. 2016, p. 25).
So, tense is a system of a verb, which gives us the information about the time
of an action.
The tenses are basically
divided into three types, such as:
1. The present simple or present indefinite tense
2. The past simple or past indefinite tense
3. The future simple or future indefinite tense
1. The present simple tense
The tense which is the base
form of the verb and refers to an event, action or a condition
that happens all the time, or exists in the present time.
For example,
I live in
Freiburg. He likes apple.
In the above-mentioned
sentences, the verbs live and likes are
the base form of the verb and indicate the action of the sentence, which takes
place in the present and is not an event or an action of the past or future.
Thus, we call the tense of the two sentences are present.
The Verb to be in the present simple tense
The present simple tense is also used with the to be verbs.
( e.g. am, is are). For the subject of the third person singular number, we
use is, and for the first person singular we use am,
and for the third person and the first person plural number we
use are.
For example,
He is a doctor. (Subject is the third person singular: He)
I am a teacher. (Subject is the first person
singular: I)
We are good friends. (Subject is the first person plural: We)
They are good friends. (Subject is the third person plural: They)
Note:
The rules of using to be verbs are
applicable the same way, which are applied for do/ does/ do not/
does not.
How to form the present simple
tense?
1. Structure: Sub. + base form of the main verb + object.
For example,
I+ play + football.
2. i. If the subject is the third person singular, we add an s with
the main verb. If the main verbs end in the o, ch, sh, th, ss, gh, x or z,
we add es instead of s.
For example,
I play
football.
He plays football.
He goes to school.
He teaches us English.
2.ii. If the main verb ends in a consonant plus (+) y,
we change y to i and add es instead
of s.
For example,
He studies at the university. (study: studies)
3. If the sentence is a negative statement, we use do not/
does not after the subject. If the subject is the third person
singular, we use does not instead of do not.
For example,
I do not play
football.
He does not play
football.
4. For asking a question with the present simple tense, we use do/
does before the subject. If the subject is the third person
singular, we use does instead of do.
For example,
Do I play football?
Does he play football?
How to use the simple present
tense?
1. Regular
and habitual events
We use the
present simple tense to talk about habits, likes and dislikes, and some other
things that basically happen regularly. (e.g. always, often, usually,
sometimes, never etc).
For example,
I brush my
teeth every night before I go to bed.
I don’t take sugar
in my tea.
I
always have dinner at 8:30 pm.
He
usually goes for a walk in the afternoon.
2.
Instruction and direction
We use the
present simple tense to give instruction and direction usingthe ordering words,
such as, and , first and then.
For example ,
You take the
tram into the city and then you take a
number four bus. (direction)
You read the
questions first and then you write down
the answers in the box below. (instruction)
3. Immediate reaction
We use the present simple tense to talk about feelings and immediate
reaction of our speaking.
For example,
Do you think the chicken curry is ok to eat? It does
not smell very good.
4. Timetable and plan
We use the present simple tense to talk about event that is a part of
future timetable or plan.
For example,
The class does not start until next Monday.
Lunch is at 12:00. Do not be late.
5. After when, before, if, whether etc.
We use the present simple tense in subordinate clause for future reference
after subordinate conjunction.
For example,
I will call you back when I get home.
Do not forget to turn the light off before you pop out.
6. Newspaper headlines
We see the present simple tense very often in newspaper headlines to report
past events.
For example,
The police rescue child from kidnapper.
7. Speech act verb
We use the present simple tense with the speech act verbs, such as,
promise, swear, agree, forbid, invite etc.
For example,
I will call you, I promise, when I get home.
I do not agree with everything you say.
8. General truths and facts
We use the present simple tense to talk about general truth and fact that
are permanent and always true.
For example,
I love my job and family.
Time passes very quickly when we get older.
2. The past simple tense
The past simple tense is the
past form of the main verb and expresses an action, which begins and ends in
the past. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the past simple tense is “the
form of a verb used to describe an action that happened before the present time
and is no longer happening”. So, the simple past tense indicates an action or
an event , which is finished or completed in the past.
For example,
I lived in
Freiburg. He liked apple.
Here, in the above sentences,
the verbs lived and liked are
the past form of the main verbs live and like.
How to form the past simple
tense?
1. i. Structure: Subject + past form of the main verb+ object.
For example,
I + played + football.
1.ii. If the sentence is a
negative statement, we use did not after the subject.
For example,
I did not play
football.
1.iii. If the sentence is an
interrogative, we use did before the subject.
For example,
Did you play football?
3. The future simple tense
The future simple tense
indicates a time later than now and it is used to express an event and
state or an action to occur in the future.
For example,
I shall meet him
outside the library.
She will learn a
new language.
In the above-mentioned
sentences, the two verbs meet and learn are
the base form of the main verbs and the actions simply describe in the future.
How to form the future simple
tense?
1. Structure: Subject + shall/will + base form of the main verb + object.
For example,
I + shall + play football.
He will play football.
Note: In general, if the
subject is the second (you), and the third person (e.g. he, she, it, they), we
use will , and if the subject is the first person (I,
we), we use shall.
For example,
I + shall + play + chess.
He + will + play chess.For a pdf click here →Download:
Tenses: Present, Past, and Future Simples.PDF
References
ALEXANDER, L. G. (1992). Longman English Grammar Practice: for intermediate
students. Harlow, Longman.
Murphy, R., & Hashemi, L. (2019). English grammar in use. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Present simple. (n.d.).
Retrieved from https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/present-simple
Swan, M. (2016). Practical English usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Tense_2 noun - Definition,
pictures, pronunciation and usage notes: Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/tense_2#tense_inflg_1
Vorderman, C. (2013). Help
your kids with English: a unique step-by-step visual guide. London: Dorling Kindersley.
