MODULE 2 Lesson 1TENSES OF VERBS

ABOUT THE LESSON:

The Tenses are the most important part of English Language. If you wish to write a
correct sentence or wish to say anything to anyone, you need to express the idea in the right
form of Tenses. English language has three main time divisions- Past, Present and Future
expressed by the tenses. Chronology, or events and dates set in order of their happening, is
expressed by English speakers through verb tenses

LEARNING OBJECTIVES (Brainstorm)

At the end of these weeks, students should be able to:

1. Familiarize themselves about the different tenses of verbs

2. Conjugate the given verbs according to tenses
3. Use them in sentences

LEARNING OUTPUTS/REQUIREMENTS

Performance Task :

LESSON TIME ALLOTMENT: 3 hours

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

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To fully understand the different tenses in English, it is important to first understand what tense
is. Simply put, in verbs and verb phrases, it is the form that indicates the time or when action
occurs. It is based on the grammatical structure of verbs.

In the English Language, there are three basic tenses, past, present and future. And under
each basic tense are four different aspects: simple, progressive, prefect and perfect
progressive.

What are Simple Tenses?

A simple tense indicates that the action occurs at a precise moment in time, and the sentence
doesn't ask or refer to any other time. This tense is the easiest to conjugate and is used more
often than in its progressive form.

What are Progressive Tenses?

A progressive tense indicates that an action is in progress in the moment of speaking or that it
occurred before. It is conjugated by adding the present participle (-ing) to the base form of a
verb.

What are Perfect Tenses?

A perfect tense indicates that an action has been completed before another time in the past. It is
conjugated by adding the auxiliary verb "have" or "has" to the base form of a verb.

What are Perfect progressive Tenses?

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A perfect progressive tense indicates that an action is in progress before another time in the
past. It is conjugated by adding the auxiliary verb "have" or "has been" to the base form of a
verb and the present participle (-ing).

Why is it important to Learn the Different English Tenses?

1. There’s more Clarity

In fact, a lot of times, a clear distinction is made, for example, between actions that are ongoing
or actions that are completed.

2. It makes the Grammar Easier to Understand

It’s easier to understand and read articles written in the present progressive tense when you’re
aware of them. The same goes for perfect progressive tense. When you know that perfect
progressive tense is used to talk about an action that has been in progress for some time before
another time in the past, it becomes easier to understand.

3. It enhances your Writing Skills

When you're able to understand the different verb tenses and their different aspects, you'll
become more aware of how words are used in different places, situations, and times. This, in
turn, will help enhance your writing skills

Simple Tenses

We’ll start with the simple tenses. These are probably the first tenses you learned in English.
Simple tenses usually refer to a single action. In general, simple tenses express facts and
situations that existed in the past, exist in the present, or will exist in the future.

Simple present: I drive home every day.

Simple past: I drove home yesterday.

Simple future: I will drive home later.

Progressive (Continuous) Tenses

Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
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Let’s go on to the progressive tenses. We use progressive tenses to talk about unfinished
events. Progressive tenses are also called continuous tenses.

Past progressive: I was driving when you called.

Present progressive: I am driving now.

Future progressive: I will be driving when you call.

Perfect Tenses

Now let’s look at the perfect tenses. Perfect tenses cause the most confusion. To put it simply,
they express the idea that one event happens before another event.

There are many tricky exceptions with the perfect tenses, which we will discuss in a future
episode. The adverbs never, yet and already are common in perfect tenses.

Present perfect: I have driven that road.

Past perfect: I had already driven that road in the past.

Future perfect: I will have driven 200 miles by tomorrow.

Perfect Progressive Tenses

Finally, let’s look at the perfect progressive tenses. Generally, perfect progressive tenses
express duration, or how long? Perfect progressive tenses usually include the
adverbs for or since.

Present perfect progressive: I have been driving since this morning.

Past perfect progressive: I had been driving for three hours before I stopped to get gas.

Future perfect progressive: I will have been driving for five hours by the time I arrive.

Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
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 VERB TENSES past present future

Simple It snowed yesterday. It snows every winter. It is going to snow

tonight.
Simple past verb Simple present verb
It will snow this winter.

Will / be going to +
simple present

Progressive It was snowing when I It is snowing. It will be snowing by the

drove to work. time I get home.
Am/is/are+-ing verb
Was/were + -ing verb Will be + -ing verb

Perfect It had already snowed I have driven in snow It will have snowed 6
before I left. many times. inches by the end of the
day.
Had + past participle Have/has + past
verb participle verb Will have + past
participle verb

Perfect progressive It had been snowing for It has been snowing all It will have been

Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
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 two days before it month long. snowing for three days
stopped. by the time it stops.
Has/have + -ing verb +
Had been + -ing verb for/since Will have been + -ing
+ for/since verb + for/since

Using the four aspects of tenses of verbs: simple, progressive, perfect and perfect progressive,
conjugate the following verbs:

Use a short bond paper using a matrix. Same as with given example.

Submit in the LMS discussion room. Please see the time frame given.

1. Write
2. Take
3. decide

Be prepared for a graded recitation

Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
Website: www.ub.edu.ph
References:

Nelson, Gerald, Routlegde. English: an essential grammar. 2019

Lester,Mark , Mc Graw Hill Education, English Grammar Drills 2nd ed. 2018
http://oxforddictionaries.com/page/howmanywords
Lee, C., (2017) Manusya: Journal of Humanities New York: Routledge.

Aleksander Xhuvani University Elbasan Albania. European journal of language & Literature
Studies. 2015

Address: Governor Feliciano Leviste Road, Lipa City 4217, Batangas, Philippines
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 757 5277
Website: www.ub.edu.ph