The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. (from Psychologist Herbert Gerjuoy quoted by Alvin Toffler, writer)
The
tense of a verb indicates the time of the action or state of being
that is expressed by the verb. Each of the six tenses has a basic
form. All basic forms are derived from the principal parts: present
(base), present participle (be
verb plus –ing),
past (‐ed),
and past participle (‐ed
plus have,
had,
has).
Using the correct tense of verbs when you speak and write is
essential to understand in what time
period actions took
place.
There
are four categories of verb tenses: simple, perfect, progressive, and
perfect progressive, with
a version of the present, past, and future in each category. Each
tense has its own meaning. When
the actions take place (completed, ongoing, continuing into the
future, has yet to occur) determines which tense to use.
Simple
Forms
Let’s
start with the simple tenses. Present
First
is the present tense, which indicates actions or conditions occurring
now. Present tense is often used to state general information as well
as thoughts and opinions. Ex.
Water freezes at
32 degrees Fahrenheit. Ex. They are
angry about the
decision. Past
Next
is the past tense, which indicates actions or conditions that have
occurred already and do not extend into the present. Ex.
She felt better
after her test. Ex. Germany invaded
Poland on September
1, 1939. Future
The
last one of the simple tenses is the future that indicates actions
that have yet to begin. To form the future tense, you will use will
plus the base or the
present principal part of the verb. Ex.
I will graduate the
year after next. Ex.
The exhibition will
come to Houston in
September. Exercise
1 Let’s
test your knowledge of the information above before moving on. In
each blank below, write the tense of the verb in parenthesis. 1.
She ____________ around the living room. (run‐present) 2.
We ____________ our plans for the weekend. (discuss, past) 3.
The boat ______________ as soon as the cargo of machinery is loaded.
(sail, future) 4.
Natasha __________ listening to music. (enjoy, past) 5.
He ____________ musical comedies. (like‐present)
6.
I __________ you my new leather jacket. (lend, future) 7.
These arguments _________ you that I am right. (convince, future) 8.
Although the car is old, it __________ well. (run‐present)
9.
The shopper ____________ to see the manager. (ask, past) 10.
The man in the corner ___________ lead guitar in the band. (play,
present)
Exercise
2 Identify
the tense of the underlined verb in each sentence. 1.
She will attend a conference in Washington. 2.
Barbara and Marie refused to sign the petition. 3.
The dancers rehearse everyday. 4.
Storytelling existed before written history. 5.
Blue jays have many unusual habits. 6.
A squirrel drops its nuts when it gets frightened. 7.
A good story will have action and drama. 8.
We spotted a bird with red wings and tail. 9.
The animals’ unpleasant shrieks warn other animals of danger. 10.
We will practice our math skills this year.
Perfect
Forms
The
next tenses to consider are the perfect tenses, which give
information about the time frame of an action’s completion. The
perfect tenses indicate the action of the verb has been completed by
a specific point in the past, present, or future.
Present
Perfect The
present perfect tense describes an event that has already been
completed in the present. It is formed using have
or has
plus the past
participle form of
the verb (‐ed,
‐en).
Ex.
I have walked to
school for five years. Ex. Dad has
written many stories
of his childhood. Past
Perfect The
next tense is the past perfect, where the action was completed before
a specified time in the past. To form the past perfect tense, you
will use had plus
the past participle
form of the verb. Ex.
We had considered
several alternative
plans. Ex. Bill had
finished packing
before the taxi arrived. Future
Perfect The
last one of the perfect tenses is future perfect, which states that
the action will have been completed by a specified time in the
future. To form the future perfect tense, you need to use will
have or shall
have plus the past
participle form of
the verb. Ex.
In ten years the original investment will
have doubled. Ex. The
students will have
used all their paper
by December. Exercise
3 Again,
let’s test your knowledge before we move on. Underline the verb in
each of the following sentences. Then identify the tense of each
verb. 1.
They had notified us of their arrival. 2.
Our dogs have bitten no one. 3.
The family will have finished dinner by seven. 4.
We have seen that movie twice. 5.
Tom will have departed before Brain’s arrival. 6.
Janet has refused any credit for the team’s success. 7.
By this evening, I will have cleaned the whole downstairs. 8.
We had avoided each other for 20 years. 9.
We had considered several alternate plans. 10.
I have memorized two poems by Walt Whitman.
Exercise
4 Write
the basic form of the verb as directed in parenthesis. 1.
The Johnsons ________________ three times in the past year.
(move‐present perfect) 2. They _______ everything they wanted to by the end of their
vacation. (see‐past
perfect) 3. By the end of their tour, the group ___________ in eleven
cities. (perform‐future
perfect) 4. Sharon __________ to her counselor earlier in the day.
(talk‐past perfect) 5.
We ________ very fond of our new neighbors. (grow‐present
perfect) 6. Margie ____________ before the spring semester.
(graduate‐future
perfect) 7. We _______ three times this week. (exercise=present
perfect) 8. The manager ___________ to the pitcher twice by that
time. (talk‐past
perfect) 9. I ________ the whole kitchen by the time Mom returns.
(clean‐future perfect) 10. The rescuers _____________ the area for the past three hours.
(search‐present
perfect)
Progressive
Forms
The
next set of tenses is known as the progressive forms, which means the
action or conditions are unfinished (ongoing, continuing). Present
Progressive Present
progressive indicates actions are ongoing even as we speak. It is
formed with the present
participle with –ing
plus is,
am,
or are.
Ex.
The kids are playing
outside. Ex. Sam is
attending church. Past
Progressive With
the past progressive, the action was going on during a past period
being discussed. It is formed with –ing
(the present
participle) plus was
and were.
Ex.
By the 1970s, many Americans were
buying smaller cars.
Ex. I was writing to
you when you telephoned me. Future
Progressive The
last one of the progressive tenses is future progressive, which
indicates that the action will be ongoing during some future time
frame. To form the future progressive, you will use will
be or shall
be plus the present
participle form of the verb (‐ing).
Ex.
A team of observers will
be monitoring the
elections. Ex. Clarissa will
be studying music at
a special camp this summer. Exercise
5 Supply
the progressive form of the verb as directed in parenthesis. 1.
Despite her height, Kate _________ to make the basketball team.
(hope‐present
progressive) 2.
The rain ______________ all of our plans. (ruin‐present
progressive) 3.
The last ferry _______________ soon. (leave‐future
progressive) 4.
The workers _______________ the building. (repair‐future
progressive) 5.
The architect _______________ his plans. (explain‐present
progressive) 6.
They _________________ important political issues. (discuss‐present
progressive)
Perfect
Progressive Forms
There
are also perfect progressive tenses that use a combination of perfect
and progressive forms. Perfect progressive emphasizes the duration or
the continuousness of the action. To write in the perfect progressive
tense, you will use a form of have
(perfect) followed by
a be verb
and –ing
(progressive).
Present
Perfect Progressive The
present perfect progressive describes something that began in the
past, continues into the present, and may continue into the future.
It is formed with has
or have
plus been
and –ing
form of the verb. Ex.
Kim has been writing a
novel since she left high school. Ex. The Smiths have
been breeding dogs
since 2000. Past
Perfect Progressive The
past perfect progressive tense describes something that began in the
past, continued in the past, and concluded in the past. It is formed
with had and
been plus
the –ing form
of the verb. Ex.
I had been riding the
bus until I got my license. Ex. Frank had
been leaving get well
notes to his uncle. Future
Perfect Progressive The
future perfect progressive describes something that begins in the
present and continues into the future. It is formed with will
have and been
plus the –ing
form of the verb. Ex.
By the time the class ends, the students will
have been working for
10 minutes without a break. Ex. Hannah will
have been playing the
piano for five years this June. Exercise
6 Write
the correct form of the verb as stated in parenthesis. 1.
She _________________ all afternoon. (study‐past
perfect progressive) 2.
Susan ______________ for two hours by 9 a.m. (work‐future
perfect progressive) 3.
Diane ________________ us a folk tale. (tell‐present
perfect progressive) 4.
Reggie ___________________ a heavy course load this year.
(carry‐present perfect
progressive) 5.
I was very relieved because I ____________ a much lower grade.
(expect‐past perfect
progressive) 6.
He __________________ for two hours by noon. (swim‐future
perfect progressive) 7.
Nick ________________ second thoughts about the concert.
(have‐present perfect
progressive) 8.
We ____________ the dancer carefully all evening (watch‐past
perfect progressive) Verb
Tense Final Review Review
1 Identify
the tense of each of the following verbs. 1.
will be going 2.
ride 3.
was bringing 4.
had kept 5.
had been leaving 6.
wrote 7.
will have written 8.
has given 9. will
ride 10.
will have been crying Review
2 Conjugate
the following regular and irregular verb using the given pronouns as
the subject. visit
(with he)
Ex. He visits Present:
Past: Future: Present Perfect: Past Perfect: Future Perfect: Present
Progressive: Past Progressive: Future Progressive: Present Perfect
Progressive: Past Perfect Progressive: Future Perfect Progressive: begin
(with they)
Present:
Past: Future: Present Perfect: Past Perfect: Future Perfect: Present
Progressive: Past Progressive: Future Progressive: Present Perfect
Progressive: Past Perfect Progressive: Future Perfect Progressive: Review
3 Some
of the verbs in this paragraph are in the wrong tense. Decide which
verbs must be changed, then rewrite those sentences, correcting those
verbs. 1)
Last year for my birthday, my parents took me to New York City. 2)
We visit the Empire State Building and take a boat to the Statue of
Liberty and Ellis Island. 3)I
will like best the boat ride through the harbor to the Statue and
Ellis Island. 4)It
made me think of the boat ride my great‐grandfather
took to come to Ellis Island as an immigrant. 5)My
father says he remembers his grandfather telling him the story of the
ocean voyage. 6)When
my great‐grandfather
arrives in New York, he sees the statue. 7)I
am sure that I had always remembered that story too.
This position commonly calls for a gerund. While an infinitive is
also possible, it is very formal and not common.
Shopping is my favourite hobby.
Working out has really improved my health.
following a preposition (Prep + Ger)
Here is another common gerund position. This rule applies to all
prepositions, including ones that are part of phrasal verbs.
She thought about calling him, but decided she wouldn’t.
They are planning on going to the party tonight.
as the object of a verb (V + Ger)
This is the one position where both gerunds and infinitives are
commonly used. The choice of which to use all depends on the verb.
Some common ones are: advise, avoid, enjoy, finish, practise, quit,
and suggest.
He enjoyed learning about gerunds.
My teacher suggested studying for the upcoming quiz.
*Don’t forget that some verbs take either a gerund or an
infinitive with no change in meaning. While students don’t have to
worry about these verbs, they should still be pointed out. Some
common verbs are: like, love, and hate.
I love eating pasta.
I love to eat pasta.
INFINITIVES
following an adjective (Adj + Inf)
Though it is possible in some cases to use a gerund after an
adjective, it is more common to use an infinitive, making it the
better choice for students.
It is nice to meet you.
She mentioned that it was dangerous to stand near that machine.
following a noun or pronoun (N + Inf)
If the verb has an object that is a noun or a pronoun, it is
almost always followed by an infinitive. This makes it easy for
students to choose the correct form.
You asked me to call you.
The doctor advised Mark to eat more vegetables.
(Note that the
verb “advise” normally takes a gerund, as in “The doctor
advised eating more vegetables.” But because there is a noun object
in this sentence, we must use the infinitive. The noun rule
supersedes the verb rule, which is great news for students.)
as the object of a verb (V + Inf)
This is the one position where both gerunds and infinitives are
commonly used. It all depends on the verb. Some common ones are: ask,
choose, decide, get, need, plan, promise, and want.
They want to get their tests back as soon as possible.
The students are planning to have a party this Friday.
2. I don’t mind ___ every day out on your corner in the pouring rain. (stand)
3. I want __ free, I want __ free, I want __ free from your lies, you’re so self-satisfied, I don’t need you. (break / break / break)
4. Today I don’t feel like __ anything, I just want to stay in my bed. (do)
5. I hate __ up out of the blue uninvited but I couldn’t stay away, I couldn’t hide it, I had hoped you’d see my face and be reminded that for me it isn’t over. (turn)
6. So I cross my heart and I hope __ that I’ll only stay with you one more night. (die)
7. I don’t need __ to control you, look into my eyes and I’ll own you with them moves like Jagger. (try)
8. Stop __, stop __, I don’t want to think anymore. I left my head and my heart on the dance floor. (call / call)
9. Hey Jude, don’t let me down, you have found her, now go and get her. Remember __ her into your heart, then you can start __ it better. (let / make)
1. A gerund is a noun made from a verb by adding "-ing."
The gerund form of the verb "read" is "reading."
You can use a gerund as the subject, the complement, or the object of a sentence.
Examples:
Reading helps you learn English. subject of sentence
Her favorite hobby is reading. complement of sentence
I enjoy reading. object of sentence
Gerunds can be made negative by adding "not."
Examples:
He enjoys not working.
The best thing for your health is not smoking.
2. Infinitives are the "to" form of the verb. The infinitive form of "learn" is "to learn." You can also use an infinitive as the subject, the complement, or the object of a sentence.
Examples:
To learn is important. subject of sentence
The most important thing is to learn. complement of sentence
He wants to learn. object of sentence
Infinitives can be made negative by adding "not."
Examples:
I decided not to go.
The most important thing is not to give up.
3. Both gerunds and infinitives can be used as the subject or the complement of a sentence. However, as subjects or complements, gerunds usually sound more like normal, spoken English, whereas infinitives sound more abstract. In the following sentences, gerunds sound more natural and would be more common in everyday English. Infinitives emphasize the possibility or potential for something and sound more philosophical. If this sounds confusing, just remember that 90% of the time, you will use a gerund as the subject or complement of a sentence.
Examples:
Learning is important. normal subject
To learn is important. abstract subject - less common
The most important thing is learning. normal complement
The most important thing is to learn. abstract complement - less common
4. As the object of a sentence, it is more difficult to choose between a gerund or an infinitive. In such situations, gerunds and infinitives are not normally interchangeable. Usually, the main verb in the sentence determines whether you use a gerund or an infinitive.
Exercises Based on Part 1 of the Gerunds and Infinitives Tutorial
Gerunds and Infinitives Part 2
7. Gerunds can often be modified with possessive forms such as his, her, its, your, their, our, John's, Mary's, the machine's, and so on. This makes it clearer who or what is performing the action.
Examples:
I enjoyedtheir singing. They were singing.
She understoodhis saying no to the offer. He said no.
Sam resentedDebbie's coming late to the dinner. Debbie came late to the dinner.
We discussedthe machine's being broken. The machine is broken.
The police orderedthe manto stop. noun is required
She askedto leave. noun is optional
She askedhimto leave. noun is optional
9. Some verbs are usually followed by a gerund, BUT they can also be followed by a noun plus infinitive. Using a noun plus infinitive will usually change who is performing the action. List of Verbs followed by a Gerund OR a Noun + Infinitive
Examples:
I advisedtaking the train. in general
I advisedhimto take the train. He will take the train.
10. There are many "go + gerund" expressions used for adventure sports and individual recreational activities. List of Go + Gerund Combinations
Examples:
I go swimming every weekend.
Would you ever go skydiving?
11. Gerunds are used after prepositions. Most commonly, these are "verb + preposition" combinations. For reference, see the Verb + Preposition Dictionary and the Phrasal Verb Dictionary. You don't have to memorize these resources, you just need to remember that gerunds are used after prepositions!
it should be 2-3-4 for 3rd ESO
4-5-6 for 1st BAT
Don't forget to choose it before the 4th Oct. otherwise I'll decide what you are going to read. Up 2 U!
After having given your speech to the class in order to complete the task you can/should/have to/might write the speech, check with the teacher if it is correct, memorize it (go here for a better pronunciation), record it and send it to the teacher, or even better, upload it and publish it on your fb, blog, ... and give the link or embed to the rest of your classmates so that they enjoy it!!!
