-
In this lecture, you can learn about tenses. You will have an overview
of verb tenses: the simple tenses, the
progressive tenses, the perfect
tenses,
the perfect progressive tenses, and spelling of
–ing and –
ed
forms.
- These tenses will be studied in more detail in the next chapters/
lectures.
The Simple Tenses: Simple Present, Simple
Past, Simple Future
Simple Present
Form:
Subject + V
1
+ Rest of the sentence
-
Remember to
add a final –s when the subject of a sentence is the 3rd
person- he, she, it, or a singular noun.
Compare:
I
like apricots, but she
like
s
oranges.
How to add the final –s
- Be careful with some verbs when using the 3rd person singular.
1.
verbs ending in (sh – ch – s – z – x – o )
Add -es to V
1
.
Examples:
I watch → he watches
I pass → he passes
I go → he goes
I do → he does
2. Verbs ending in –y
Mind the letter that stands before -y.
1. Vowel before -y: Add -s.
Examples:
I play → he plays
2. Consonant before -y: Change -y to -i. Then add -es.
Examples:
I hurry → he hurries
I cry → he cries
Use
- In general, the simple present expresses events
or situations that exit
always, usually, habitually; they exist now,
have existed in the past,
and probably will exist in the future.
Examples:
It snows in Alaska.
Tom watches TV every day.
What do you do every morning?
The nerd studies every day.
The Sun rises in the east.
My friend does not study.
