16 TensesBy Victoria Trinita

Present Simpe TenseUse: To talk about habitual action.

Forms:

Statement: S + base verb (-s/-es) + obj./compl.

Negative: S + do/does + not + base verb + obj./compl.

Interrogative: do/does + S + base verb + obj./compl ?

Negative Interrogative: don’t/doesn’t + S + base verb + obj./compl. ?

ExamplesI like hamburger.I don’t Iike hamburger.Do I like hamburger?Don’t I like hamburger?

Present Continuous TenseUse: To talk about something which is going on at the

moment of speaking.

Forms:

Statement: S + am/is/are + present participle + obj./compl.

Negative: S + am/is/are + not + present participle + obj./compl.

Interrogative: am/is/are + S + present participle + obj./compl ?

Negative Interrogative: am/is/are + S + not + present participle ?

ExamplesI am eating hamburger.I am not eating hamburger.Am I eating hamburger?Am I not eating hamburger?

Present Perfect TenseUse: To talk about experiences.

Forms:

Statement: S + has/have + past participle + obj./compl.

Negative: S + has/have + not + past participle + obj./compl.

Interrogative: has/have+ S + past participle + obj./compl ?

Negative Interrogative: has/have + not + S + past participle ?

ExamplesI have eaten hamburger.I haven’t eaten hamburger.Have I eaten hamburger?Haven’t I eaten hamburger?

Present Perfect ContinuousUse: To talk about unexpected/unwanted result which can be seen

in present time.

Forms:

Statement: S + has/have + been + present participle + obj./compl.

Negative: S + has/have + not + been + present participle + obj./compl.

Interrogative: has/have+ S + been + present participle + obj./compl ?

Negative Interrogative: has/have + not + S + been + present participle ?

ExamplesI have been eating hamburger.I have not been eating hamburger.Have I been eating hamburger?Haven’t I been eating hamburger?

Past Simple TenseUse: To talk about the past.

Forms:

Statement: S + past verb + obj./compl.

Negative: S +did + not + base verb + obj./compl.

Interrogative: did + S + base verb + obj./compl. ?

Negative Interrogative: didn’t + S + base verb + obj./compl. ?

ExamplesI ate hamburger.I didn’t eat hamburger.Did I eat hamburger?Didn’t I eat hamburger?

Past Continuous TenseUse: To talk about something that was going on at a specific

time in the past.

Forms:

Statement: S + was/were + present participle+ obj./compl.

Negative: S + was/were + not + present participle+ obj./compl.

Interrogative: was/were + S + present participle+ obj./compl. ?

Negative Interrogative: wasn’t/weren’t + S + present participle + obj./compl. ?

ExamplesI was eating hamburger yesterday.I wasn’t eating hamburger yesterday.Was I eating hamburger yesterday?Wasn’t I eating hamburger yesterday?

Past Perfect TenseUse: To talk about action which had completed before

another action started.

Forms:

Statement: S + had + past participle + obj./compl.

ExamplesI had locked the doors before I left.I had unlocked the doors before I

came in.I had eaten hamburger before I threw

up.I had eaten sandwich before I went to

school.

Past Perfect ContinuousUse: To explain how long an action had been happening

before another action happened.

Forms:

Statement: S + had + been + present participle + obj./compl.

ExamplesI was out of breath when I came in

because I had been jogging.I had stayed there for a month before I

moved here.My eyes were puffy because I had

been crying.

Future Simple TenseUse: To talk about predictions.

Forms:

Statement: S + will + base verb + obj./compl.

Negative: S + will + not + base verb + obj./compl.

Interrogative: will+ S + base verb + obj./compl. ?

Negative Interrogative: will + S + not + base verb + obj./compl. ?

ExamplesI will eat hamburger.I won’t eat hamburger.Will I eat hamburger?Won’t I eat hamburger?

Future Continuous TenseUse: To talk about unfinished action that will be in progress

later.

Forms:

Statement: S + will + be + present participle + obj./compl.

Negative: S + will + not + be + present participle + obj./compl.

Interrogative: will + S + be + present participle + obj./compl. ?

Negative Interrogative: will +S + not + be + present participle + obj./compl.

ExamplesI will be eating hamburger.I won’t be eating hamburger.Will I be eating hamburger?Won’t I be eating hamburger?

Future Perfect TenseUse: To talk about an action that will already be completed in

a certain time in the future.

Forms:

Statement: S + will have + past participle + obj./compl.

Negative: S + will not have + past participle + obj./compl.

Interrogative: will + S + have + past participle + obj./compl. ?

Negative Interrogative: won’t +S + have + past participle + obj./compl. ?

ExamplesI will have eaten hamburger tomorrow

afternoon.I won’t have eaten hamburger

tomorrow afternoon.Will I have eaten hamburger tomorrow

afternoon?Won’t I have eaten hamburger

tomorrow afternoon?

Future Perfect ContinuousUse: To talk about duration of an activity that will be in

progress before another time event in the future.

Forms:

Statement: S + will have + been + present participle + obj./compl.

Negative: S + won’t have + been + present participle + obj./compl.

Interrogative: will + S + have + been + present participle + obj./compl. ?

Negative Interrogative: won’t +S + have +been + present participle + obj./compl. ?

ExamplesI will have been eating hamburger.I won’t have been eating hamburger.Will I have been eating hamburger?Won’t I have been eating hamburger?

Past Future SimpleForms:

Statement: S + should/would + be + obj./compl.

Negative: S + should/would + not + be + obj./compl.

Interrogative: should/would + S + be + obj. /compl. ?

Negative Interrogative: shouldn’t/wouldn’t + S + be + obj. /compl. ?

ExamplesI should be in Jakarta next month.I shouldn’t be in Jakarta next month.Should I be in Jakarta next month?Shouldn’t I be in Jakarta next month?

Past Future Continuous TenseForms:

Statement: S + would + be + present participle + obj./compl.

Negative: S + would + not + be + present participle + obj./compl.

Interrogative: would + S + be + present participle + obj. /compl. ?

Negative Interrogative: wouldn’t + S + be + present participle + obj. /compl. ?

ExamplesI would be eating hamburger.I wouldn’t be eating hamburger.Would I be eating hamburger?Wouldn’t I be eating hamburger?

Past Future Perfect TenseForms:

Statement: S + would + have + past participle + obj./compl.

Negative: S + would + not + have + past participle + obj./compl.

Interrogative: would + S + have + past participle + obj. /compl. ?

Negative Interrogative: wouldn’t + S + have + past participle + obj. /compl. ?

ExamplesI would have eaten hamburger last

week.I wouldn’t have eaten hamburger last

week.Would I have eaten hamburger last

week?Wouldn’t I have eaten hamburger last

week?

Past Future Perfect Continuous TenseForms:

Statement: S + would + have + been + present participle + obj./compl.

Negative: S + would + have + not + been + present participle + obj./compl.

Interrogative: would + S + have + been + present participle + obj./compl. ?

Negative Interrogative: wouldn’t + S + have + been + present participle + obj. /compl. ?

ExamplesI would have been eating hamburger.I wouldn’t have been eating

hamburger.Would I have been eating hamburger?Wouldn’t I have been eating

hamburger?