Tenses

TENSES

1. THE SIMPLE TENSES

TENSES	EXAMPLES
SIMPLE  PRESENT	a.      It snows in America. b.      Ali watches television every day.	In general, the simple present expresses events or situations that exist always, usually, habitually; they exist now, have existed in the past, and will probably exist in the future.
SIMPLE  PAST	c.       It snowed yesterday. d.     Ali watched TV last night.	At one particular time in the past, this happened. It began and ended in the past.
SIMPLE  FUTURE	e.      It will snow tomorrow.         It is going to snow tomorrow. f.        Ali will watch TV tonight. g.      Ali is going to watch TV tonight.	At one particular time in the future, this will happen.

EXERCISE 1

Directions:

Answer the questions!

1.         Can you think of a “general truth”? What are some other general truths?

2.         What are some of the things you do every day or almost every day? Name three activities.

3.         What did you do yesterday? Name three separate activities.

4.         What are you going to do tomorrow?

2. THE PROGRESSIVE TENSES

Form: be + -ing (present participle) Meaning: the progressive tenses* give the idea that an action is in progress during a particular time. The tenses say that an action begins before, is in progress during, and continues after another time or action.
TENSES	EXAMPLES
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE	a.   Ali is sleeping right now.	It is now 11:00. Ali went to sleep 10:00 tonight, and he is still asleep. His sleep began in the past, is in progress at the present time, and probably will continue.
PAST PROGRESSIVE	b.   Ali was sleeping when I arrived.	Ali went to sleep at 10:00 last night. I arrived at 11:00. He was still asleep. His sleep began before and was in progress in a particular time in the past. It continued after I arrived.
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE	c.    Ali will be sleeping when we arrive.	Ali will go to sleep at 10:00 Aliorrow night. We will arrive at 11:00. The action of sleeping will begin before we arrive, and it will be in progress at a particular time in the future. Probably his sleep will continue.

EXERCISE 2

Direction:

Answer the questions!

1.         What are you doing right now? What are your classmates doing right now? What is happening outside the classroom right now?

2.         Where were at two o’clock this morning? What were you doing?

3.         Where will you be at two o’clock tomorrow morning what will you be doing?

3. THE PERFECT TENSES

Form: have + past participle Meaning: the perfect tenses all give the idea that one thing happens before another time or event.
PRESENT PERFECT	a.      Ahmad has already eaten.	Ahmad finished eating sometime before now. The exact time is not important.
PAST PERFECT	b.     Ahmad had already eaten when his friend arrived.	First Ahmad finished eating. Later his friend arrived. Ahmad’s eating was completely finished before another time in the past.
FUTURE PERFECT	c.      Ahmad will already have eaten when his friend arrives.	First Ahmad will finish eating. Later his friend will arrive. Ahmad’s eating will be completely finished before another time in the future.

EXERCISE 3

Directions:

Answer the questions!

1.            Have you eaten today? When did you eat?

2.            Had you eaten before you went to bed last night?

3.            Will you have eaten by the time you go to bed tonight?

4. THE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES

Form: have + been + -ing (present participle) Meaning: the perfect progressive tenses give the idea that one event is in progress immediately before, up to, until another time or event. The tenses are used to express the duration of the first event.
PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE	a.      Rani has been studying for two hours.	Event in progress: studying. When? Before now, up to now. How long? For two hours.
PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE	b.     Rani had been studying for two hours before his friend came.	Event in progress: studying. When? Before another event in the past. How long? For two hours.
FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE	c.      Rani will have been studying for two hours by the time his friend arrives.	Event in progress: studying. When? Before another event in the future. How long? For two hours.

EXERCISE 3

Directions: Answer the question.

1.         What are you doing right now? How long have you been (doing that)?

2.         What were you doing last night at nine o’clock? What time did you stop doing that? Why did you stop doing that? How long had you been doing that before you stopped?

3.         What are you going to be doing at nine o’clock tomorrow night? What time are you going to stop doing that? Why? How long will you have been doing that before you stp?

sumber : 

using and Understanding English Grammar 3rd edition by betty Schrampfer Azar

digunakan dalam mata kuliah B.ing. dosen Dr. Kurnia

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