My Advanced English Class
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Tenses in writing
Verb tenses tell readers when events or actions occured in time—in the past, present, or future. Your verb choices can also indicate aspect, which expresses the completeness or effects of an action.
Verb Tenses
The present tense is used to express anything that is happening now or occurring in the present moment. The present also communicates actions that are ongoing, constant, or habitual. For example:
I'm working on an essay for my English class.
Brevity is the soul of wit.
John loves music.
I run four miles every morning.
Use the past tense to indicate past events, prior conditions, or completed processes. For example:
I voted last week.
Ancient Romans believed basil was poisonous.
The fortress crumbled to ruin during the last century.
The future tense indicates actions or events that will happen in the future. For example:
I will write my paper this weekend.
Aspect allows you to be more precise in your selection of verbs. Aspect falls into two categories: continuous and perfect. To indicate the continuous aspect, add a form of the verb "to be" and a present participle to your main verb. The perfect aspect is created with a form of the verb "to have" and a past participle.
The following chart shows twelve forms of the verb "to write" that result from combining time with aspect. | past | present | future | simple | He wrote | He writes | He will write | continuous | He was writing | He is writing | He will be writing | perfect | He had written | He has written | He will have written | perfect continuous | He had been writing | He has been writing | He will have been writing | simple (or indefinite) the verb does not show whether an event or condition is complete or incomplete continuous (or progressive or imperfect ) the event or condition is in progress or not yet complete perfect (or complete) past — an event or condition that began and ended in the past
Tenses in writing
Verb tenses tell readers when events or actions occured in time—in the past, present, or future. Your verb choices can also indicate aspect, which expresses the completeness or effects of an action.
Verb Tenses
The present tense is used to express anything that is happening now or occurring in the present moment. The present also communicates actions that are ongoing, constant, or habitual. For example:
I'm working on an essay for my English class.
Brevity is the soul of wit.
John loves music.
I run four miles every morning.
Use the past tense to indicate past events, prior conditions, or completed processes. For example:
I voted last week.
Ancient Romans believed basil was poisonous.
The fortress crumbled to ruin during the last century.
The future tense indicates actions or events that will happen in the future. For example:
I will write my paper this weekend.
Aspect allows you to be more precise in your selection of verbs. Aspect falls into two categories: continuous and perfect. To indicate the continuous aspect, add a form of the verb "to be" and a present participle to your main verb. The perfect aspect is created with a form of the verb "to have" and a past participle.
The following chart shows twelve forms of the verb "to write" that result from combining time with aspect. | past | present | future | simple | He wrote | He writes | He will write | continuous | He was writing | He is writing | He will be writing | perfect | He had written | He has written | He will have written | perfect continuous | He had been writing | He has been writing | He will have been writing | simple (or indefinite) the verb does not show whether an event or condition is complete or incomplete continuous (or progressive or imperfect ) the event or condition is in progress or not yet complete perfect (or complete) past — an event or condition that began and ended in the past