Simple Tenses

Lesson 4.6

Here’s the Idea

A tense is a verb form that shows the time of an action or condition.

Verbs have three simple tenses: the present, the past, and the future.

Understanding Simple Tenses

• One biker pedals faster than anyone else.• The present tense shows an action or

condition that occurs now.• She sped past the pack 50 feet ago.• The past tense shows an action or

condition that was completed in the past.• Soon she will cross the finish line alone.• The future tense shows an action or

condition that will occur in the future.

A progressive form of a tense expresses an action or condition in progress.• The crowd is cheering.

• Present Progressive

• The winner’s parents were holding their breath.

• Past progressive

• They will be celebrating later.

• Future Progressive

Forming Simple Tenses

• The present tense of a verb is the present principle part.

• The past tense is the past principle part.

• To form the future tense, add will to the present principle part.

Forming Simple Tenses

Present

(present principle part)

Past

(present part + ed/d)

Future

(will + present part)

I skate

you skate

he, she, it skates

I skated

you skated

he, she , it skated

I will skate

you will skate

he, she , it will skate

we skate

you skate

they skate

we skated

you skated

they skated

we will skate

you will skate

they will skate

Singular Plural

• To make the progressive form of one of the tenses, add the present, past, or future form of be to the present participle.

• Present Progressive: I am skating.

• Past Progressive: I was skating.

• Future Progressive: I will be skating.

Practice TimeIdentify the tense of each underlined verb by labeling it Present, Past, or

Future.

• Long ago, people walked everywhere.• They covered three of four miles an hour on foot.• Later, people rode horses.• They traveled up to thirty miles in an hour.• Now, most adults drive everywhere.• Many other adults as well as most kids bike around

town.• In the future, will people travel on high-speed monorails?• An early monorail carried people in Lyons, France, in

1872.• In either case, we will find other ways for faster, more

efficient travel.

past

past

past

present

future

present

future

past

past