Tenses

To report an event rightly in English we have to know

that verb in English always changes in accordance
with the time in which the event happens. The change
of verb is called tenses.
Tense indicators/aspect
Chart 1

TenseIndicatorUse 1. PastVerb 2Past events2. PresentVerb 1Present

events3. FutureWill + Verb infinitiveNext time events4. ContinuousTo be +
Verb - ingContinuing events5. Perfect Has/have + Verb 3Past events related to
present time
Chart 2

Time
Aspect
Simple
Continuous
Perfect
Perfect continuous

Past

Present

Future

example

example

example

Studied
Was/were being
Had studied
Had been studied

Study/studies
Am/is/are studying
Has/have studied
Has/have been studying

Will study
Will be studying
Will have studied
Will have been studying

From the time aspect we can generate the following tenses

Present tense
Simple Present tense
Present continuous
Present perfect
Present perfect continuous
Past tense
Simple past tense
Past continuous
Past perfect
Past perfect continuous

Study/studies
Am/is/are studying
Has/have studied
Has/have been studying

Studied
Was/were studying
Had studied
Had been studying

Future tense
Simple future tense
Future continuous
Future perfect
Future perfect continuous

Will study
Will be studying
Will have studied
Will have been studying

Dont be panic! Some English sentence constructions are the same as

Indonesian construction, especially in simple present and future. Look at
the following examples:
Saya makan nasi
Saya akan makan nasi
Saya pergi ke kampus
Saya pergi ke kampus setiap hari

I eat rice
I will eat rice
I go to campus
I go to campus everyday

In the examples above all Indonesian words can be exactly translated into
English. It is simple, isnt it?
The use of tense.
The following diagram may be able to help you understand the use of tense
in more detail:
Habits

She types everyday

Fact

water boils at 100 Celsius degrees.

A. Simple present

Temporary

He is typing letters because his

secretary is on leave.

In progress

The water is boiling. Can you turn

the stove off?

B. Present Continuous

C. Present perfect simple

Result

He has typed three letters so

far this morning.

In progress

She has been typing letters all

morning

D. Present perfect Continuous

yRecently
stopped

he has been writing three letters

this morning so he is tired now.

Present simple Vs Present Continuous

Simple present
Present continuous
Habits
Facts
Temporary In progress
She types everyday

Water boils at 100

Celsius degrees.

He is typing letters
because his secretary
is on leave

The water is boiling. Can

you the stove off?

Habits

He goes to work everyday

Fact

Iron is solid

E. Simple present

Temporary

He is typing letters because his secretary is

on leave

In progress

The water is boiling. Can you turn

off the stove?

F. Present Continuous

Think
Believe
e doesnt understand English
Suppose
Realize
Remember
think
he is
a good student
Mental
state
Forget
Know
Understand

Senses

Stative verbs

Possession

See
Hear
Taste
Feel
Smell
Belong
Have
Own
Possess

Wants

Want
Need
Prefer

Emotion

Like
Love
Hate

1.

H
(not: he is understanding English)

2.

I
(think means believe)
But
I am thinking about him
(think describes an ongoing action or process)
The soup tastes delicious.
(not: the soup is tasting delicious)

1. The car belongs to me

(not: The car is belonging to me)
2. Do you have a car?

( not: Are you having a car?)

I need a car
(not; I am needing a car)
Do you like pizza?
(not: Are you liking pizza?)

Present Perfect Simple Vs Present Perfect Continuous

1. Present perfect simple
Have/has + V3

Result

She has typed three letters so far

this morning.

Three letters
have been written

In progress

she has been typing letter all

morning

2. Present perfect
Continuous
Has/have + Ving
Recently
stopped

He has been typing letters all

morning so he needs to get rest by
reading newspaper.

Past tense overview

Started and finish
in the past

She typed a letter last night

One thing happened

after another

When I came, she typed the

letter

Interrupted past

When I came she was typing

a letter.

A. Simple past
Verb ed/irregular

B. Past Continuous

Was/were + Ving

C. Pas perfect

Had + V3

Past perfect continuous

Had been + V ing

Two actions in
progress at the
same time in the
past

An even happened
earlier than a past
event

Recently had
stopped before a
past event

When I was swimming she

was typing letters

When I came e had typed

three letters.

She had been typing for two

hours when I came.

Future tense overview

Will and to be going to

Will + V0

Predictio
n
Spontaneity

It will rain tomorrow

Ill get it

A. Simple
Future
Evidence

Its going to rain

Decision

He is going to
paint his house

To be going to + Vo