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Glossary
Tenses are forms of a verb that show the time, continuance or completion of an action or a state that is expressed in connection with the moment at which a statement is made about it.
Three main tenses
The present , the past , and the future
- The� present tense is used to refer to something that happens or exists now. The present tense is also called the� present simple or� simple present .
- The� past tense is used to refer to something that happened or existed in the past. The past tense is also called the� past simple or� simple past.
- The� future tense refers to something that hasn’t happened at the time of speaking. The future tense makes use of the words� will and shall .
Four main aspects
For each of the tenses, there are four aspects: simple , continuous or progressive , perfect, and perfect continuous or perfect progressive.
- The present aspect tells us the action takes place in the present and expresses general facts and habits.
- The� continuous aspect indicates an unfinished action or state of being at the time being referred to. It is formed using the relevant tense of the auxiliary verb� to be and the present participle of the main verb.
- The � perfect aspect refers to a completed action in the present, past or future. It is� formed using the combination of the relevant tense of the auxiliary verb� have and the� past participle of the main verb.
- The� perfect continuous aspect combines both aspects of� continuous and� perfect . It� refers to an action that has continued up to the present, up to a time in the past, or up to a time in the future.
The three verb tenses and four verb aspects make possible the twelve combinations of tense and aspect, as follows: �
| Present Tenses |
|---|
| Simple Present Tense |
| Present Continuous Tense |
| Present Perfect Tense |
| Present Perfect Continuous Tense |
| Past Tenses |
|---|
| Simple Past Tense |
| Past Continuous Tense |
| Past Perfect Tense |
| Past Perfect Continuous Tense |
| Future Tenses |
|---|
| Simple Future Tense |
| Future Continuous Tense |
| Future Perfect Tense |
| Future Perfect Continuous Tense |
