Tense Menu Comments

Consistent Tense

Use Consistent Tense - Use consistent verb tense throughout this passage.

Present Tense

Use Present Tense - Use present tense.

Present Perfect (have or has) - Use a helping verb (e.g., have) with a past participle to show that something began in the past and affects the present (present perfect tense).

Present Progressive - Use present progressive tense (indicates that an action is happening now or for a period of time) here. It is associated with words like now or currently and phrases like 'this moment', 'this week', 'this month', or 'this year'.

Do Not Use (on a regular basis) - Present progressive tense is intended for use when an action is ongoing. Do not use it for situations where something occurs on a regular basis. Use present tense.

Endings

Add -ing for Present Participles - Add an -ing to the base form of the word to form the present participle.

end in -e - If the regular verb ends in -e remove the -e and add -ing to from the present participle (e.g., fry-frying).

vowel-cons-vowel - If the regular verb ends in consonant-vowel-consonant combination double the last consonant and add -ing to form the present participle (e.g., run-running).

ends in -ie - If the regular verb ends in -ie remove the -ie and add -ying to from the present participle (e.g., die-dying).

vowel-cons-vowel (stressed) - If the regular verb of two or more syllables ends in a stressed consonant-vowel-consonant combination double the last consonant and add -ing to form the present participle (e.g., refer-referring).

vowel-cons-vowel (unstressed) - If the regular verb of two or more syllables ends in an unstressed consonant-vowel-consonant combination add -ing to form the present participle (e.g., refer-referring). 

Present Tense

Present Perfect Progressive - Use present perfect progressive tense to indicate that an action has been in progress and continues to continue at present (e.g., has been riding).

Present or Possible Future - If your if clause (conditional clause) verb form is in the present tense then your dependent clause must be in the present or future tense.

Unlikely Present - If the present conditional phrase is unlikely (e.g., If I could fly…) you should use would (to express a condition) or could (to express a possibility) preceding the dependent clause verb.

Past Tense Endings

Use Past Tense - Use past tense.

Add -ed -  For simple past tense all verbs only have a single form. Add -ed to the end of the verb.

was -  For the singular simple past tense form of be use 'was.'

were - For the plural simple past tense form of be use 'were.'

Questions - Use 'did' before the subject and change the verb to its base form to create a past tense question.

Past Tense

Past Perfect Tense -  For past perfect tense use the standard verb with an ending of -ed preceded by the word 'had.' The subject and verb of a sentence must agree in number (i.e., singular or plural).

Impossible Past - In order to use impossible past conditional verb form use past perfect tense (e.g., If you had asked me . . .) in the if clause use a past participle preceded by would have in the dependent clause.

Past Progressive - Use past progressive tense to indicate that an action was taken at a time in the past (e.g., was riding).

Helping Verbs

Need Helping Verb - The verb form in use (i.e., past participle) needs a helping verb (e.g., have).

Modal Verb Forms Past - Use a modal helping verb (indicates ability (e.g., could), obligation (e.g., had to), possibility (e.g., might have), or advice (e.g., should have) here.

Future Tense

Use Future Tense - Use future tense.

Future Tense - The subject and verb of a sentence must agree in number (i.e., singular or plural). For future tense use the standard verb form preceded by the word 'will.'

Future Progressive - Use future progressive tense to indicate that an action will be in progress in the future (e.g., will be riding).