Verb Tenses

Present Progressive

Formed by combining the verb "to be" with the present participle. Present progressive can be used to describe what is happening now, or what will happen in the future.

Future Perfect Progressive

Formed with the model "will" plus the model "have" plus "been" plus the present participle of the verb ending in ing.

Past

Forms the past tense, varies depending on whether the verb is regular or irregular.

Past Participal

Forms the perfect tenses, and uses a helping verb + past.

Present

Forms the present tense. The form of the verb listed in the dictionary.

Present Participal

Forms the progressive tenses, uses a helping verb + a verb ending in -ing.

Present Perfect Progressive

Indicates a continuous action that has been finished at some point in the past or that was indicated in the past and continues to happen. The action usually of limited duration and has some current relevance.

Past Perfect Progressive

Indicates a continuous action that was completed at some point in the past. This tense is formed with "had" plus "been", plus the present participle of the verb.

Past Progressive

Indicates continuing action, something that was happening, going on, at some point in the past. This tense is formed with the helping "to be" verb, in the past tense, plus the present participle of the verb.

Future Progressive

Indicates continuing action, something that will be happening, going on, at some point in the future. This tense is formed with "will" plus "be", plus the present participle of the verb.

Present Perfect

Names an action that happened previously for an indefinite amount of time --OR-- that started in the past and continued to the present.

Past Tense

Names an action that happened previously. Built with the past principal part.

Future Tense

Names an action that hasn't happened yet. Built with the present principal part.

Present Tense

Names an action that is happening right now or happens regularly. Built with the present principal part.

Four Principal Verb Parts

Present, present participle, past, past participle. They show whether the verb is regular or irregular.

Progressive Tenses

Shows an action still in process. Verbs can appear in any one of three progressive tenses: present progressive, past progressive, and future progressive. The verbs in the progressive form use a form of "to be" + the present participle. Progressive tenses describe actions that are on going.

Verb Tense

Tense shows the time an action/ state of being occurs. There are six tenses in the English language: Present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. Each tense has a basic form--the one used most commonly--and a progressive form.

Perfect Tenses

The three perfect tenses in English are the three verb tenses which show action already completed.

Past Perfect

They are built with past participle verb part. Indicates that an action was completed.

Passive Voice

A verb in the passive voice when the subject of the sentence is acted on by the verb.

Verb Voice

When the subject is the agent or doer of the action, the verb is in the active voice. When the subject is the patient, target or undergoer of the action, the verb is said to be in the passive voice.

Active Voice

When the verb of a sentence is in the active voice, the subject is doing the acting.

Subject

a person or thing that is being discussed, described, or dealt with in a sentence.

Future Perfect

indicates an action that will have been completed at some point in the future. This tense is formed with "will" plus "have" plus the past participle of the verb.