Summary tenses

English Verb Tenses:
An informal but extensive reference
for ESL students, the good folks who teach them,
the idly curious, and the linguistically perplexed




by
Kent Uchiyama
copyright 2006

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Contents
How to Use (and Not to Use) This Guide...............................................................5
The Tenses and Their Main Meanings: A Quick Overview..................................11
Which Verb Tense Should I Use? A Very Rough Guide.......................................15

Simple Present
The Basics...................................................................................................20
More That You Should know.....................................................................23
Extra Stuff...................................................................................................27

Present Progressive
The Basics...................................................................................................32
More That You Should Know.....................................................................34
Extra Stuff......................................... .........................................................39

Simple Past
The Basics...................................................................................................53
More That You Should Know....................................................................55

Past Progressive
The Basics....................................................................................................57
More That You Should Know.....................................................................59
Extra Stuff....................................................................................................62

Future
The Basics.....................................................................................................67
More That You Should Know......................................................................70
Extra Stuff......................................................................................................75

Future Progressive
The Basics......................................................................................................83
More That You Should Know........................................................................86
Extra Stuff.......................................................................................................87

Present Perfect
Introduction....................................................................................................88
A Brief Survival Guide...................................................................................90

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Present Perfect
Meaning #1
The Basics........................................................................................................97
More That You Should Know.........................................................................98
Extra Stuff.......................................................................................................102
Meaning #1b
The Basics.......................................................................................................109
More That You Should Know........................................................................110
Extra Stuff.......................................................................................................112
Meaning #2
The Basics.......................................................................................................115
More That You Should Know........................................................................116
Extra Stuff.......................................................................................................121
Meaning #3
The Basics.....................................................................................................129
More That You Should Know......................................................................130
Some Final Points about the Present Perfect............................................................132

Present Perfect Progressive
The Basics.....................................................................................................135
More That You Should Know.......................................................................137

Past Perfect
The Basics.....................................................................................................141
More That You Should Know......................................................................143
Extra Stuff.....................................................................................................145

Past Perfect Progressive
The Basics.....................................................................................................147
More That You Should Know......................................................................150
Extra Stuff.....................................................................................................151

Future Perfect
The Basics......................................................................................................155
More That You Should Know.......................................................................157

Future Perfect Progressive
The Basics......................................................................................................159
More That You Should Know........................................................................162
Extra Stuff.......................................................................................................164

Appendix I: Questions about the Subject....................................................................167

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Appendix II: Books and Websites You Might Find Useful...................................... ..171

A few thank-you’s..........................................................................................................174