English Verb Review

The foundation for English sentences.

By AJ Brown

There are three verb tenses you learned about in Level E.

• The simple tensesSimple present tense (He walks to school.)

Simple past tense (He walked to school.) • The progressive tensesPresent progressive (He is walking to school.)

Past progressive (He was walking to school.)• The future tenses

Future will (He will walk to school.)Future going to (He is going to walk to

school.)

There are two simple tenses:

1. Simple present = the tense of facts

• Used to describe what usually happensAJ works in the IELP.

• Used to talk about scientific factsWater boils at 212°F (100°C).

• Used with adverbs of frequencyAJ usually arrives early to PSU.

• Used with non-action verbsRight now, AJ wants a donut!

2. Simple past = the tense of finished facts

• Used to describe things that are finished.AJ worked in New York.

• Used with the past progressive to talk about one action interrupted by another (complex sentences)

She was reading when the police arrived.

• Used when the focus of the action is on its completion

AJ worked as a fire fighter.

Pay Attention!A complex sentence with both verbs in the simple

past has a different meaning from one with a verb in the simple past and the other in the past

progressive.

• Both past = the 2 actions were at different times.When she saw the storm clouds, she drove home.

• One past and one progressive = one action was in progress when the other action occurred

When she saw the storm clouds, she was driving home.

1st 2nd

2nd1st

Remember…

• The affirmative simple tenses are just one verbThey are eat breakfast every morning.They did ate breakfast every morning.

• The negative simple tenses use the helping DO + notI not hear the music.I not heard the music.

• Simple tense questions also use the helping DOHe has a dog?He had a dog?

eat

ate

do not heardid not hear

Does he haveDid he have

Simple tense clues…

Simple present • Adverbs of frequency (AJ always drinks tea.)• Every + noun (AJ teaches every day.)• [scientific fact or truth] (Water boils at 100°)

Simple past • Yesterday (AJ fell down yesterday.)• Last + noun (Last week, AJ saw her sister.)• Amount + ago (17 years ago, Peter was born.)• In + time (In 1993, Peter was born.)

You also learned about the progressive tenses in Level E

1. Present progressive = the tense of NOW

• Used to describe what is happening right nowAJ is talking to us.

• Used to describe something happening in the extended present time

You are taking Grammar/Writing 2.

• Used to show that the action is temporaryI’m taking IELP classes before I take regular

university classes.

2. Past progressive = the tense of duration

• Used to describe an action in progress at a time in the past

AJ was living in Spain in 1990.

• Used with the simple past to talk about one action interrupted by another (complex sentences)

She was reading when the police arrived.

• Used with while to show 2 actions at the same time in the past

I was studying while Peter was making dinner.

Remember…

• The affirmative progressive tenses are two verbsThey are eat breakfast right now.

They did ate breakfast at 7 am yesterday.• The negative progressive tenses just add not after BE

I am listening to the music.I was listening to the music.

• Progressive tense Y/N questions just move helping BEHe is walking his dog?

He was walking his dog?

are eating

were eating

am not listening to

was not listening to

Is he walking

Was he walking

Progressive tense clues…

Present progressive • (right) now (AJ is drinking drink her tea right now.)• While (While AJ is teaching, her son is in school, too.)• [extended present time] (AJ’s students are living in Portland.)

Past progressive • Time clause sentences (Before AJ moved here, she was living in NY.)

• While (AJ saw her sister while she was visiting.)• In progress in past (Last week, Peter was walking to school.) (Eighteen years ago, AJ was living in Japan.)

Finally, you learned about the future tenses in Level E

1. Future will = the tense of the future

• Used to talk about the futureWe will have a party next week.

• Used to talk about future intentions or plans, especially when decided at the moment of speaking

I will bring the cookies and plates.

2. Future be going to = the tense of the future

• Used to talk about the futureWe are going to have a party next week.

• Used to talk about predictions or guesses, especially when something in the present helps you predict the future

Look at those clouds! It is going to rain soon.

3. Future present progressive = the tense of the arranged future

• Used to talk about future plans that are already arranged

We are having a party in May.I’m visiting my sister in San Francisco next

month.

4. Future simple present= the tense of the scheduled future

• Used to talk about scheduled future events, especially timetables, programs, and schedules

My plane leaves next Friday at noon.Summer school starts in mid-June.

Comma rules for simple sentences

• Usually they don’t require a comma - I live in southwest Portland.

The man behind the case of flowers is my father.There are four Saudis and six Koreans in my class.

• Do not write a comma between two words or

phrasesI like ice cream and candy.

The ball went behind the sofa and under the desk.She is the top student and my best friend.

Comma rules for compound sentences

• Always write a comma before the conjunctionI live in Portland, and I work in Beaverton.

He is sleeping right now, but he’ll call you later.I lost my purse, so I called the police.

• Do not write a comma between two words or phrases

I like ice cream and candy.The ball went behind the sofa and under the desk.

She is the top student and my best friend.

Comma rules for complex sentences

• YES! write a comma if the dependent clause is 1st.Although I live in Portland, I work in Beaverton.

Because he is sleeping right now, he’ll call you later.Since I lost my purse, I called the police.

• NO! do not write a comma if the dependent clause is 2nd.I work in Beaverton although I live in Portland.

He’ll call you later because he is sleeping right now.I called the police since I lost my purse.

No comma when in the middle of the sentence!

No comma when in the middle of the sentence!