Appropriate Verb In A Sentence

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15.2 Choosing Appropriate Verb Tenses

Learning Objectives

Empathise the elementary verb tenses: past, present, and futurity.
Recognize the progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive verb tenses.
Correctly use the different verb tenses.

The tenseThe aspect of a verb that gives a sense of time (past, nowadays, or future). of a verb commonly gives readers a sense of time. In other words, verb tense explains if the activity in the sentence took place previously (past tense), is taking place right now (present tense), or will take place some time in the future (future tense). Tense also tin can indicate continual or recurring activity (progressiveContinual or recurring action. ), action that has completely taken place as of a certain time (perfectAction that took place as of a sure time. ), and action that began in the past but continues or recurs through the nowadays fourth dimension (perfect progressiveAction that began in the past just continues or recurs in the present. ).

Verbs also have different forms for the unlike pronouns and numbersWhether a discussion is singular or plural. . In other words, get-go personWriting or speaking in which the speakers or writers refer to themselves using words such equally "I," "we," and "us." (I, nosotros) might require a different verb form from 2nd personWriting or speaking in which the reader is beingness spoken to using the word "you." (atypical y'all, plural you) and third personWriting or speaking that references someone or something that is talked about using words such as "him," "her," "they," "Sara," and "canis familiaris." (he, she, it, they), and whether the pronoun is singular (I, you, he, she, it) or plural (we, yous, they) tin as well brand a difference in the verb form used.

Table 15.1 Verb Tenses for the Regular Verb "Look" and the Irregular Verb "Eat"

Tense	Number and Person	Past	Present	Future
Simple Past: main verb + - ed or irregular variations Present: main verb Future: will or shall + main verb	First-person singular	I looked.	I expect.	I will look.
	First-person singular	I ate.	I consume.	I will swallow.
	Start-person plural	We looked.	We look.	We will expect.
	Start-person plural	We ate.	We consume.	We will eat.
	Second-person singular	You looked.	Y'all look.	Yous will look.
	Second-person singular	You ate.	You eat.	You will eat.
	Second-person plural	You lot looked.	You expect.	You volition look.
	Second-person plural	You lot ate.	You lot eat.	You will swallow.
	3rd-person singular	He looked.	He looks.	He will look.
	3rd-person singular	She ate.	She eats.	She will swallow.
	Tertiary-person plural	They looked.	They look.	They will expect.
	Tertiary-person plural	They ate.	They consume.	They will consume.
Progressive Verb + - ing and a form of the verb "to be" Past: was, were Nowadays: am, is, are Futurity: will be	Commencement-person singular	I was looking.	I am looking.	I will be looking.
	Commencement-person singular	I was eating.	I am eating.	I will exist eating.
	Beginning-person plural	Nosotros were looking.	Nosotros are looking.	We will be looking.
	Beginning-person plural	We were eating.	We are eating.	Nosotros volition be eating.
	Second-person singular	You were looking.	You are looking.	You lot will be eating.
	Second-person singular	You were eating.	Y'all are eating.	You will be looking.
	2d-person plural	Yous were eating.	Yous are eating.	You will be eating.
	2d-person plural	You were looking.	You are looking.	Y'all volition be looking.
	Third-person singular	He was looking.	He is looking.	He will be looking.
	Third-person singular	She was eating.	She is eating.	She volition be eating.
	Third-person plural	They were looking.	They are looking.	They will be looking.
	Third-person plural	They were eating.	They are eating.	They will be eating.
Perfect Past participle and a form of the verb "to exist" By: had Nowadays: has, have Future: will take	First-person singular	I had looked.	I have looked.	I will have looked.
	First-person singular	I had eaten.	I have eaten.	I will have eaten.
	Showtime-person plural	We had looked.	Nosotros accept looked.	We will have looked.
	Showtime-person plural	We had eaten.	We accept eaten.	We will take eaten.
	Second-person singular	You had looked.	You lot take looked.	You will have looked.
	Second-person singular	Yous had eaten.	You lot accept eaten.	You will have eaten.
	Second-person plural	Y'all had looked.	You have looked.	You will have looked.
	Second-person plural	You had eaten.	You accept eaten.	You will have eaten.
	Third-person singular	He had looked.	He has looked.	He volition have looked.
	Third-person singular	She had eaten.	She has eaten.	She will have eaten.
	Third-person plural	They had looked.	They have looked.	They will have looked.
	Third-person plural	They had eaten.	They have eaten.	They volition accept eaten.
Perfect progressive Verb + - ing and a class of the verb "to exist" By: had been Present: has been, have been Time to come: volition have been	First-person singular	I had been looking.	I take been looking.	I will have been looking.
	First-person singular	I had been eating.	I take been eating.	I will have been eating.
	Get-go-person plural	We had been looking.	Nosotros have been looking.	We volition accept been looking.
	Get-go-person plural	We had been eating.	We accept been eating.	We will have been eating.
	Second-person singular	You had been looking.	You have been looking.	You lot will have been looking.
	Second-person singular	Yous had been eating.	You have been eating.	You will have been eating.
	Second-person plural	You had been looking.	You have been looking.	You will take been looking.
	Second-person plural	Yous had been eating.	You accept been eating.	You will take been eating.
	Third-person singular	He had been looking.	He has been looking.	He will take been looking.
	Third-person singular	She had been eating.	She has been eating.	She will have been eating.
	Third-person plural	They had been looking.	They have been looking.	They will have been looking.
	Third-person plural	They had been eating.	They have been eating.	They will have been eating.

Fundamental Takeaways

The elementary verb tenses are by, present, and future.
Progressive tenses use a form of the verb "to be" forth with the -ing form of the verb to indicate continual or recurring action.
Perfect tenses utilize a form of the verb "to be" along with the by participle form of the verb to indicate action that took place earlier a certain time.
Perfect progressive tenses use a form of the verb "to exist" along with the -ing form of the verb to indicate activeness that began in the by and continues or recurs through the present fourth dimension.

Exercises

Identify the verb tense used in each of the following sentences:
1. I accept heard that saying before.
2. Joey seemed uncomfortable when he was at my house yesterday.
3. Yous will exist running in the second estrus this afternoon.
4. Lois is writing a letter to the editor.
5. Past ten o'clock tonight, we will have been walking for twenty hours.
Write 3 sentences using simple tense, 3 using progressive tense, iii using perfect tense, and three using perfect progressive tense. Make sure to include each of the following variations at to the lowest degree once: past, present, future, commencement person, second person, tertiary person, singular, and plural.