ALF Guide - Tenses

What are verbs and verb tenses?

A verb is the part of speech that signals an action or state of existence. The ‘tense’ of a verb signals the time the action took place and how the action was taken. Verbs have important roles in every sentence. The incorrect choice of a verb tense may interfere with the intended message and make it unclear.

subject	verb in a tense	detail
The students	will work	on their next assignment together.
The students	are working	on the assignment together this week.
The students	worked	on their last assignment together.

Using tenses correctly

There are more than 20 English tenses to choose from when we use verbs in our speech and writing. The next two slides provide a summary grid outlining the main rules of tense use in simple sentences. In order to understand the grid, please study the legend below:

V (verb)	go smile start stop	Ving	going smiling starting stopping
V2	went	Ved	smiled started stopped
V3	gone	Vs	goes smiles starts stops

Active tense use		Past		Present		Future
Facts Universal truths Historical events Repetitive actions	Simple (indefinite) V	did Ved		do does V or Vs		will
	Simple (indefinite) V	Indicators: yesterday last (last week, last month, last year) ago (3 days ago, 2 weeks ago, etc.) exact date (in 1990, etc.) when (when I was a child, etc.) Example: Students submitted their assignments last Friday.		Indicators: Never Rarely / seldom Sometimes Often Usually Always Example: Students usually submit their assignments on-line.		Indicators: in ... months/years (distant future) promises spontaneous decisions Example: Students will submit their assignments on-line in 2025.
Unfinished processes Temporary situations Plans	Continuous (Progressive) be + Ving	was were	+ Ving	am is are	+ Ving	will be + Ving
Unfinished processes Temporary situations Plans	Continuous (Progressive) be + Ving	Indicators: at ... o’clock yesterday at this time last week while from ... till ... last night, etc. Example: Students were submitting their assignments when the system crashed.		Indicators: now = at the moment this week, month, etc. plans (I’m meeting my friends next Monday.) Example: Students are submitting their assignments this Friday.		Indicators: at this time tomorrow/next Monday/etc. from ... till ... tomorrow morning Example: Students will be submitting their assignments at this time next Monday.
Actions completed by a particular moment Focus on the result Connects two tenses	Perfect have + Ved or V3	had + Ved or V3		have has	+ Ved or V3	will have + Ved or V3
	Perfect have + Ved or V3	Indicators by + a particular moment in the past (by the time he came home, by 3 pm, etc.) before/after for Example: Students had submitted their assignments by the deadline.		Indicators: already, yet, since, ever, never, for, so far, by now, recently, lately, just, before/after Example: Students haven’t submitted their assignments yet.		Indicators: by + a particular moment in the future (by the end of this month, by 5 pm next Monday, etc.) Example: Students will have submitted their assignments by the end of next month.
Focus on the length of the process	Perfect Continuous have + been + Ving	had been + Ving		have has	been Ving
Focus on the length of the process	Perfect Continuous have + been + Ving	Indicators: how long ... ? for Example: Students had been submitting their assignments on-line before the system crashed.		Indicators: how long ... ? for Example: Students have been submitting their assignments on-line for more than a year.

Legend:

V (verb)	go smile start stop	Ving	going smiling starting stopping
V2	went	Ved	smiled started stopped
V3	gone	Vs	goes smiles starts stops

Passive tense use		Past		Present		Future
The same use as in active voice. Facts Universal truths Historical events Repetitive actions	Simple (indefinite) be + V3	was were	+ Ved or V3	am is are	+ Ved or V3	will be + Ved or V3
	Simple (indefinite) be + V3	Indicators: yesterday last (last week, last month, last year) ago (3 days ago, 2 weeks ago, etc.) exact date (in 1990, etc.) when (when I was a child, etc.) Example: Assignments were submitted in person five years ago.		Indicators: Never Rarely / seldom Sometimes Often Usually Always Example: Assignments are usually submitted on-line.		Indicators: in ... months/years (distant future) promises spontaneous decisions Example: All assignments will be submitted on-line in 2025.
Unfinished processes Temporary situations Plans	Continuous (Progressive) be + being + V3	was were	+ being + Ved or V3	am is are	+ being + Ved or V3	will be + being + Ved or V3
Unfinished processes Temporary situations Plans	Continuous (Progressive) be + being + V3	Indicators: at ... o’clock yesterday at this time last week while from ... till ... last night, etc. Example: The assignments were being submitted at this time last Monday.		Indicators: now = at the moment this week, month, etc. plans (I’m meeting my friends next Monday.) Example: All assignments for this unit are being submitted this week.		Indicators: at this time tomorrow/next Monday/etc. from ... till ... tomorrow morning Example: Assignments will be being submitted at this time next Monday.
Actions completed by a particular moment Focus on the result Connects two tenses	Perfect have + been + V3	had + been + Ved or V3		have has	been + Ved or V3	will have been + Ved or V3
	Perfect have + been + V3	Indicators: by + a particular moment in the past (by the time he came home, by 3 pm, etc.) Example: All assignments had been submitted by the deadline.		Indicators already, yet, since, ever, never, for, so far, by now, recently, lately, just, before/after Example: Assignments have been already submitted on-line.		Indicators: by + a particular moment in the future (by the end of this month, by 5 pm next Monday, etc.) Example: Assignments will have been submitted by the end of next week.

Legend:

V (verb)	go smile start stop	Ving	going smiling starting stopping
V2	went	Ved	smiled started stopped
V3	gone	Vs	goes smiles starts stops

When we use verbs, we have to make two very important decisions very quickly:

Choice: Which tense or verb form do we need to choose – when and how did things happen/are happening/will happen?
Accuracy: What is the accurate way to say or write the tense or form we have chosen?

For instance, when describing our past learning experiences, we would mostly use one or more past tenses (to describe facts and processes from some time ago) and perhaps the Present Perfect tense (to describe events that are still relevant or have results in the present time). For past and perfect tenses, we need to know regular and irregular patterns of using verbs.

Example:
I have always been a keen reader. When I was very young, I loved listening to stories. When I grew older, I went to the library every week to find books to read. I was very disappointed if the books on my list had been borrowed by someone else.

Tenses in reported speech

We often have to report someone else’s words in our everyday life or in academic writing. The choice of a tense in the reported part depends on the tense of the reporting verb. Please note the change of the word order, where required*.

If the reporting verb is in the present tense, no changes are made to the tense of the reported part. For example:

Direct speech	Reported speech
Our lecturer always asks, “Why are you so happy?”	Our lecturer always asks why we are so happy.
“I forgot to submit my assignment.”	He says he forgot to submit his assignment.

* For more information about the word order changes in reported questions, please go to the “Word Order” module.

Tenses in reported speech

The tense grid becomes very useful when we have to report someone else’s words and the reporting verb is in the past tense. Changes need to be made to the tense and time indicators in the reported part. The present tenses ‘move’ to the past and future tenses start using ‘would’ instead of ‘will’. For example:

Direct speech	Reported speech
Our lecturer asked, “Why are you so happy today?”	Our lecturer asked why we were so happy that day.
“My classmates didn’t help me!” complained my friend.	My friend complained that his classmates had not helped him.
“Will you come to our party?” they asked me.	I was asked whether I would go to their party.
“I will submit my assignment tonight,” promised he.	He promised he would submit his assignment that night.

If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the following changes are required to the present tense and time indicators in the reported clause:

Tenses	Past	Present
Simple	He said he submitted his assignments on time.	“I submit my assignments on time.”
Continuous	He said he was submitting his assignment at that time.	“I am submitting my assignment now.”
Perfect	He said he had submitted all assignments.	“I have submitted all assignments.”
Perfect continuous	He said he had been working on his assignment.	“I have been working on my assignment.”

If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the following changes are required to the past tense and time indicators in the reported clause:

Tenses
Simple	“I submitted my assignments.”
Continuous		“I was working on my assignment.”
Perfect	He said he had submitted his assignments.
Perfect continuous		He said he had been working on his assignment.

Please note that time indicators also change if you report a past situation. Here are some examples:

Direct speech	After a reporting verb in the past tense
now	then
tonight	that night
yesterday	the day before

As advanced users of English, we often need to discuss events that have not yet taken place or may happen in the future. Modal verbs are usually used when we want to express the following:

Ability (can, be able to)
Polite requests (can, could, would)
Necessity (must, have to)
Advisability or suggestions (should, ought to, had better)
Obligation (be supposed to)
Degrees of certainty:

	might	may, could	can	should	must

0%	30%	40%	50%	80%	95%	100%

As all other verbs, modals have tenses but the tenses are formed differently. Look at some examples below:

Some uses and meanings of ‘could’	Use of ‘could’ in the present or future	Use of ‘could’ in the past
past ability		I could speak 3 languages when I was a child.
about 40% certainty	Mary isn’t here today. She could be sick.	Mary wasn’t here last week. She could have been sick.
polite request	Could you please explain the assignment requirements to me?
suggestion	You could ask your tutor about the assignment.	You could have asked your tutor about the assignment.

For more on tenses and modal verbs, please study this resource:
Azar, B. S. & Hagen, S.A. (2009). Understanding and using English grammar (4th ed.). USA: Pearson Longman.

Conditionals

There are several tenses and verb forms which we use to talk about conditions and results of these conditions. Sometimes we use mixed forms but mostly the three patterns below are followed:

1st conditional	True in the Present or Future, strong possibility If Present Simple, ... will + simple form Example: If you show me this assignment, I will help you with the next one.
2nd conditional	Untrue in the Present or Future, very slight possibility If Past Simple, ... would + simple form Example: If I taught this unit, I would do it differently.
3rd conditional	Untrue in the Past and impossible to change If Past Perfect, ... would have V3 (Past participle) Example: If they had studied harder, they would have received higher grades.

Apply what you have learnt in this module and click on the correct option(s) below

Amber thought she submitted her assignment.

In 2003 McLeod has been suggested the students needed help with digital literacy.

They would have been upset if the teacher had not reassured them.

Try again

The past perfect tense (had submitted) should be used when the verb in the main clause is in the past tense.

After the subject (McLeod), active past simple tense should be used (McLeod (2003) suggested...).

Correct

Quick Tip 1

Ask yourself “Past? Present? Or Future?” and then ‘Fact? Process? Or Result?” when choosing verb tenses to use in speech and writing.

Quick Tip 2

Double-check that you used correct verb forms for your chosen tense.

Quick Tip 3

Study tenses and verb forms in advanced grammar books. Pay attention to tenses and verb forms around you: on TV, in university and other readings, and in conversations with proficient users of English.

Download This Module

Copyright © Monash University (2017). All rights reserved. Except as provided in the Copyright Act 1968, this work may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of English Connect web administrator. Material created by Dr Anna Podorova, Ms Julia Ghazarian and Dr Amber McLeod.

The ALF Guide

Example from a student assignment – read through this paragraph looking for mistakes with tenses

For explanation, click on the underlined text

Suggested revision