THE SIMPLE TENSES
- · Simple Present
In general, the simple
present expresses event or situations that exist
always, usually, habitually; they exist now, have existed in the past, and
probably will exist in the future.
Example:
§ It snows in Alaska.
§ I watch television every
day.
- · Simple Past
At one particular time in the past, this
happened. It began and ended in the past.
Example:
§ It snowed yesterday.
§ I watched television last
night.
- · Simple Future
At one particular time in the future,
this will happen.
Example:
§ It will snow tomorrow.
§ I will watch television
tonight.
THE PROGRESSIVE TENSES
Form : be + -ing (present participle)
Meaning :
the progressive tenses give the idea that an action is in progress during a
particular time. The tenses say that an action begins before, is in progress during, and continues after another time or action. The progressive tenses are
also called the continuous tenses: present continuous,
past continuous, and future
continuous.
- · Present Progressive
Example:
§ He is sleeping right now.
He went to sleep at 10:00 tonight. It is now 11:00 and
he is still asleep. His sleep began in the past, is in progress at the present time, and probably will continue.
§ John and Mary are talking
on the phone.
- · Past Progressive
Example:
§ He was sleeping when I arrived.
He went to asleep at 10:00 last night. I arrived at
11:00. He was still asleep. His sleep began before and was in progress at a particular time in the past. It probably
continued.
§ John and Mary were talking
on the phone yesterday.
- · Future Progressive
Example:
§ He will be sleeping when
we arrive.
He will go to sleep at 10:00 tomorrow night. We will
arrive at 11:00. The action of sleeping will
begin before we arrive and it will be in progress at a particular time in the
future. Probably his sleep will continue.
§ I will be studying when
you come.
THE PERFECT TENSES
Form : have + past participle
Meaning :
the perfect tenses all give the idea than one thing happens before another time or event.
- · Present Perfect
Example:
§ I have already eaten.
I finished eating sometime
before now. The exact time is not
important.
§ I have already studied Chapter One.
- · Past Perfect
Example:
§ I had already eaten when they arrived.
First I finished eating. Later they arrived. My eating
was completely finished before another
time in the past.
§ I had already studied Chapter One before I began to
study Chapter Two.
- · Future Perfect
Example:
§ I will already have eaten when they arrive.
First I will finish eating. Later they will arrive. My eating
will be completely finished before
another time in the future.
§ I will already have studied Chapter Four before I study
Chapter Five.
THE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES
Form : have + been + - ing ( present participle)
Meaning :
the perfect progressive tenses give the idea that one event is in progress immediately before, up to, until
another time or event. The tenses are used to express the duration of the
first even.
- · Present Perfect Progressive
Example:
§ I have been studying for
two hours.
Event in progress: studying.
When? Before now,
up to now.
How long? For two hours.
§ I have been sitting here
since seven o’clock.
- · Past Perfect Progressive
Example:
§ I had been studying for
two hours before my friend came.
Event in progress: studying.
When? Before another
event in the past.
How long? For two hours.
§ The police had been looking
for the criminal for two years before they caught him.
- · Future Perfect Progressive
Example:
§ I will have been studying
for two hours by the time you arrive.
Event in progress: studying.
When? Before another
event in the future.
How long? For two hours.
§ When Professor Jones retires next month, he will have been teaching for 45 years.
REFERENCE:
Azar, B.S. (2002). Understanding and Using
English Grammar Second Edition Edisi Inggris-Indonesia, Jakarta Barat: Binarupa
Aksara.
