2. USES OF TENSE AND ASPECT
Present
A. Simple Present (form in 3rd person
singular; base form for all else). It is
used:
1. For general statements of fact.
Ex. The sun rises in the East and sets
in the West.
3. ANOTHER EXAMPLES
London is the capital city of Germany.
The elephant doesn’t fly.
The earth goes around the sun.
4. 2. To express habitual or everyday
activity.
Ex.
Most offices start operation at 8:00
a.m.
The heart pumps through the body
Some birds sleep by day and hunt
by night.
5. B. Present progressive (am/is/are +
present participle). It is used to express
an action that is taking place at the time
of speaking.
Ex. It is raining very hard.
We are having lunch
Jane is reading the book “War and
Peace”
6. C. Present Perfect (have/has + past
participle). It is used.
1. To show actions that started at an
unspecified time the past.
Ex. Rodel has dreamed to be a
popular singing star.
7. ANOTHER EXAMPLES
I have been to TOKYO.
They have never eaten there before.
You have changed so much.
8. D. Present Perfect Progressive
(have/has + been + present participle).
It is used to indicate continuous past
actions still occurring or happening until
recently.
Ex. Rafael has been thinking about
his business expansion plan.
9. ANOTHER EXAMPLES
She has been sneezing since she
got here.
He has a stomach ache because he
has been eating too much.
The cat has been hiding under the
couch for over an hour now.
10. II. Past
A. Simple Past (past form of verb). It is
used:
1. To indicate that an action began and
ended at a particular time in the past.
Ex. When we lost Papa, Mama was
terribly depressed.
11. ANOTHER EXAMPLES
I sometimes walked home at lunch
time.
I often brought my lunch to school.
We saw a good film last week.
12. B. Past Progressive (was/were +
present participle). It is used to express
past actions that are in progress.
Ex. Ricky was showing his latest
Toyota edition to everyone.
13. ANOTHER EXAMPLES
She were taking his examination
seriously.
Alvin was making a card for his
mother.
Lorie was looking at a beautiful
landscape.
14. C. Past Perfect (had + past participle).
It is used to show a past action that
happened before another past action.
Ex. I had eaten when they brought in
my favourite dish.
15. ANOTHER EXAMPLES
She had fed her dog before she
went out.
Sheila had walked home from
school.
His teacher had taught him to be a
better person.
16. D. Past Perfect Progressive (had +
been + present participle). It is used to
indicate a continuing past action when
another past action occurred.
Ex. Sheila had been writing her
dissertation before her adviser told
her to stop.
17. ANOTHER EXAMPLES
He had been painting the door
before the dog scratched it.
The jury had been considering its
verdict for several hours when the
judge effectively ordered them to
find Jones guilty.
18. III. FUTURE
A. Simple future (will/shall + based
form). It is used to indicate future
time.
Ex. Will you come here on Monday?
19. ANOTHER EXAMPLES
It will rain tomorrow.
I won’t leave until I’ve seen the
manager.
Shall we go to the cinema tonight?
20. B. Future Progressive (will be/shall be
+ present participle). It is used to
indicate an action that will be happening
at a time in the future.
Ex. My sisters will be arriving next
month.
21. ANOTHER EXAMPLES
They will be dancing all day long.
We will be working quiet closely.
Tomorrow at three o’clock Josh will
be cooking.
22. C. Future Perfect (will/shall + have +
past participle). It is used to express an
action that will be completed before
another event or time inn the future.
Ex. Eric will have finished building
his new house by next year.
23. ANOTHER EXAMPLES
Jack will have finished his
homework by the time his mother
gets home.
She will have gotten ready by the
time they leave the house.
Laura will have cleaned out the
apartment before she gives back
the key.
24. D. Future Perfect Progressive
(will/shall + have + been + present
participle). It is used to emphasize the
duration of an action that will be taking
place before another time or event in the
future.
Ex. The wife have been sleeping
soundly by the time her husband
gets home from work.
25. ANOTHER EXAMPLES
At 10pm I will have been swimming
for a six hours.
They will have been talking for two
hours by then.
