Tense

                  

Tenses are changes in the form of verbs based on the description of time and the nature of activities or events. Tenses are divided into 4 types, namely present, past, future, and past future. These four groups are further divided into 16 tenses.

1. Simple Present Tense

Simple present tense is a tense that is used to express an event that takes place repeatedly. Examples include habits, hobbies, daily activities, or something that often happens. In addition, this tense is also used when talking about a fact.

Formula: S + V1 (+ s/es)

Example:

•My brother lives in Manado.

•The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

•The train arrives at 7.00

•Open the door!

•Do you like London?

 

2. Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous tense is used to express an activity that is taking place right now or around the time of the conversation. Apart from that, you can use these tenses for activities that will occur and adverbs that are mandatory to mention.

Formula: S + to be (is, am, are) + V-ing

Example:

•Fini is drinking coffee now.

•I am leaving for Jakarta tomorrow.

•I am seeing the movie tonight.

•You are always complaining.

•We are constantly fighting.

3. Present Perfect Tense

Present Perfect tense functions to express something that has happened or has been completed at the time of speaking. Usually these tenses use time information such as since, for, already, just, yet, all the day, ever, and never.

Formula: S + have/has + V3

Example:

•Anna has already read the entire book.

•He has just watered the flowers.

•I have known her for many years.

•They have been here for two weeks.

 

4. Simple Past Tense

When talking about the simple past tense, of course this tense functions to express something that happened at a certain moment in the past and a habit that is now no longer practiced.

Formula: S + V2

Example:

•Lily went to Spain last year.

•George bought a new bicycle yesterday.

•Jessica cooked dinner for her family Saturday night.

•She always walked in the morning to get fresh air when she was alive.

•Ali usually went to a cinema every Monday twelve years ago.

 

5. Past Continuous Tense

If this one tense can be used when you want to express something that was happening in the past when another event occurred.

Formula: S + to be (was, were) + V-ing

Example:

•She was watching an American tv show at 9 p.m. last night.

•Josh was studying Mathematics when his sister came.

•While they were making dinner, I was listening to some old songs.

•The sun was shining every day that summer.

•I was reading a novel when she arrived.

 

6. Simple Future Tense

When talking about something that will happen in the future, you can use the simple future tense. Time descriptions that can be used are tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, next...., this coming, and others.

Formula: S + will/shall + V1

Example:

•I will finish my work tomorrow.

•The weather will be hot in August.

•We shall come to the party.

•Apart from that, you can also use to be (is, am, are) + going to as a substitute for capital to express future forms. This form expresses future events that have been planned before or have a definite possibility of happening.

Example:

•I am going to continue my study at Diponegoro University.

•I am going to buy some clothes for the orphans.

•I am going to cook soup.

 

7. Simple Past Future Tense

When you want to state something that will happen in the past and talk about events that will occur if the conditions are met, then use the simple past future tense.

Formula: S + would/should + V1

Example:

•Alice came when I would go to the supermarket yesterday.

•He said that he would help me the next day.

•If I had a lot of money, I would send it to my family.