UNIT 3

SENTENCE WRITING:
PREDICATE – TENSES

Objectives:
By the end of the unit, you are expected to be able to:
1. identify different types of present tenses;
2. put the verbs in the correct present tenses;
3. identify different types of past tenses;
4. put the verbs in the correct past tenses;
5. identify simple future tense.

In this unit, we will focus on the predicate, i.e. the verb. One of the factors that
influences a verb is the tense. This unit will focus on the present tenses. However,
before we discuss the present tenses in more detail, let’s have a look at an
overview of what a tense is.

TENSE
Tense is a verb form that is affected by time and aspect. Based on time, there are
basically three time dimensions – Past, Present, and Future. Tense is also affected
by aspect – whether the focus is on a single event, progress, a
result/duration/length, or a stretch of time-lapse. Thus, there are twelve tenses
in English as illustrated in the following table.
Past Present Future
Simple S+V2 S + V1(+s/es) S + will + V1
Continuous S+was/were+Ving S + am/is/are + Ving S + will + be + Ving
Perfect S+had+V3 S + has/have + V3 S+will+have+V3
Perfect S+had+been+Ving S+has/have+been+Ving S+will+have+been+Ving
Cont.

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1) Simple Present Tense
Usage:
➢ To express facts – true in the past, present and future.
➢ To express habitual events or situation (always, usually, habitually): they
exist now, have existed in the past, and will probably exist in the future.
➢ To express certain verbs which are not used in the continuous tenses.

Examples:
(a) Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.
(b) Most animals kill only for food.
(c) Ann studies for two hours every night.
(d) Bob’s classes begin at eight every morning.
(e) Cindy always eats a sandwich for lunch.
(f) Damian only has a dollar right now.
(g) I don’t recognize that man.
(h) Eva needs a pen right now.
(i) The farmer in this village raises vegetables.
(j) The sun rises in the east.
(k) I usually sit in the front row.
(l) It snows in Alaska.
(m) We watch movies every weekend.

Common markers: every… , each… , on + day +s,

always, usually, often/frequently, sometimes,
seldom/rarely, never

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 Exercise 1
Complete the following sentences using the words in brackets. Use the simple present
tense. Pay attention to singular and plural and to spelling.
1) The students (ask, often) _______________ questions in class.
2) One of the landmark books of the 20 th century, Silent Spring still (speak) to
us today.
3) Jane (bite) _______________ her fingernails when she is nervous.
4) Sometimes we (worry) _______________ about our grades at the university.
5) Ms. Jones (teach) _______________ Math at the local high school.
6) Birds (fly) _______________. They (have) _______________ wings.
7) A mechanic (fix) _______________ cars.
8) Mary (pay, always) _______________ attention in class.
9) Betty and Tom (pay, always) _______________ their bills on time.
10) My neighbors (try, often) _______________ to make a delicious new recipe.

2) Present Continuous Tense

Usage:
➢ To express an activity that is in progress at the moment of speaking.
➢ To express an activity that is generally in progress this week, this month,
this year.

Examples:
(a) John is sleeping right now.
(b) I need an umbrella because it is raining.
(c) John and Mary are talking on the phone.
(d) I am taking five courses this semester.
(e) John is trying to improve his work habits.
(f) She is writing another book this year.
(g) I am laying the book on the desk.

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(h) He is lying on his bed.

Common markers: now, right now, at the moment, at present,

Verbs not normally used in any of the continuous tenses
VERB Example Other Uses
Be (a) I am hungry.
Senses
hear (b) I hear a noise. You will be hearing from me.
taste (c) This food tastes good. (= I will write or phone you)
smell (d) I smell gas. The doctor is seeing a patient.
see (e) I see a butterfly. (= The doctor is meeting with
a patient)
Mental
Activity
know (f) I know his phone
number.
believe (g) I believe his story.
(h) I think he is a kind man. I am thinking about this
think (think = believe) grammar.
(= Certain thoughts are going
understand (i) I understand your
through my mind right now)
problem now.
recognize (j) I don’t recognize him.
remember (k) I remember my first
teacher.
forget (l) I forget his name.
I have been meaning to call
(m) I mean this book, not
mean you.
that one.
(meaning = intending)
Possession
possess (n) He possesses many fine
qualities.
own (o) She owns a house.
I am having trouble.
(p) He has a car.
have He is having a good time.
(has = possesses)
(having = experiencing)
belong (q) That belongs to me.

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Attitudes
want (r) I want to leave now.
prefer (s) He prefers to stay here.
need (t) I need some help.

appreciate (u) I appreciate your help.

love (v) I love my family.
like (w) I like this book.
hate (x) She hates dishonesty.
dislike (y) I dislike this book.
seem (z) He seems to be a nice
person.
(aa) She looks cold. I am looking out the window.
look (looks = seems to be) (looking = using my eyes to
see)
(bb) He appears to be
The actor is appearing on the
appear asleep.
stage.
(appears = seems to be)

Exercise 2
Put the verbs in brackets either in Simple Present Tense or Present Continuous Tense.
1) Kathy (usually sit) in the front row during class, but today she (sit) in the
last row.
2) Diane cannot come to the phone because she (wash) her hair.
3) Please be quiet. I (try) to concentrate.
4) (you, always, lock) the door to your apartment when you leave?
5) Something (smell) very good.
6) We (eat) dinner at seven o’clock every evening.
7) He (practice) the piano at the moment.
8) Look. It (begin) to rain. Unfortunately, I (not, have) my umbrella with me.
9) I don’t want to go to the zoo because it (rain).
10) I (not, know) the woman over there. I (not, recognize) her.

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3) Present Perfect Tense

Usage:
➢ To express the idea that something happened (or never happened) before
now, at an unspecified time in the past. The exact time it happened is not
important. The important thing is that the RESULT of the activity is valid at
the present time.
➢ To express the repetition of an activity before now. The exact time of each
repetition is not important.

Examples:
(a) The students have got the schedule for this semester.
(b) The class has met twice so far.

Common marker: quantity + so far

Exercise 3
Complete the dialogue by putting the verbs into the present perfect tense.
A: Good afternoon. Mr Jackson here. How is my car? Is it ready now?
B: Nearly. We 1) (already/do) most of the work on it. We 2) (not find) any
major problems.
A: 3) (you/check) the headlights? I think they need adjusting.
B: Yes, we 4) (already/fix) them. I think you need two new tires, but I
5)(not/order) them yet because the prices 6) (go up).

A: That’s fine. Just order them for me, please.

B: Are you coming soon to get the car?
A: No, I 7) (not/finish) work yet. I’ll be there around 6 p.m.

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4) Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Usage:
➢ To indicate the duration of an activity that began in the past and continues
to the present. When the tense has this meaning, it is used with time words
such as for, since, all morning, all day, all week.
➢ To express a general activity in progress recently, lately, without any
specific mention of time.

Examples:
It is 9 o’clock now. We have been sitting in this room for one hour.
(→ The class started at 8 a.m.)
or We have been studying in this room since 8 a.m.

Exercise 4
Use the present perfect or the present perfect continuous tense.
1. It (snow) all day. I wonder when it will stop.
2. We (have) three major snowstorms so far this winter. I wonder how
many more we will have.
3. It’s ten p.m. I (study) for two hours and probably won’t finish until
midnight.
4. I (write) them three times, but I still haven’t received a reply.
5. I (live) here since last March.
6. The telephone (ring) four times in the last hour, and each time it has been
for my roommate.
7. The telephone (ring) for almost a minute. Why don’t you answer it?
8. The little boy is dirty from head to foot because he (play) in the mud.
9. What’s the matter? Your eyes are red and puffy. (you, cry)?
10. Dr. Jones (teach) at the university since 1986.

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5) Simple Past Tense

Usage:
➢ To express activities that existed or occurred in the past.
➢ To describe repeated, habitual actions for a period in the past.

Examples:
(a) They left an hour ago.
(b) I received two emails from a friend last Monday.
(c) We recognized his face, but we didn’t remember his name.

Common markers: last … , … ago

Exercise 5
Put the verbs in brackets into the appropriate simple past tense.

Before modern farming methods, farmers 1) (lose) many crops to dry

weather. Sometimes dry periods 2) (last) for many years. In those days, a long
dry period, or drought, often 3) (turn) the land to dust. Then, winds 4) (come)
along and 5) (blow) the good land away. This 6) (happen) year after year.
Farmers 7) (not understand) how to plant, so they 8) (make) the situation
worse. Each year they 9) (plant) the same crops. They never 10) (give) the land a
rest. The land 11) (become) poor with too much use. They always 12) (plant) in
long, straight rows. They 13) (break) the land into fine dust. They never 14)
(plant) trees to break the strength of the wind.

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6) Past Continuous Tense

Usage:
To express activities which were in progress at the time of another activity in
the past.

Examples:
(a) I was studying when he called.
(b) We had a flat tire while we were crossing the bridge.
(c) He was having a good time when we saw him at the party.
(d) The idea came to me while I was driving to work.

Common markers: …when… , …while…

Exercise 6
Put the verbs in brackets into the simple past or the past continuous tense.

1. He (drive) at over 100 kilometers an hour when the accident (happen).

2. The thieves (break in) while we (sleep).
3. Someone (run off) with my clothes while I (swim).
4. I (shop) in the supermarket when I (lose) my purse.
5. He (play) tennis and he (break) his leg.
6. I first (meet) my wife when we (work) in London.

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7) Past Perfect Tense

Usage:

➢ To express an activity that was completed before another activity or time in

the past.
➢ If either before or after is used in the sentence, the past perfect tense is
OPTIONAL because the time relationship is already clear. The simple past
may be used.

Examples:
(a) My parents had already eaten by the time I got home.
(b) The thief simply walked in. Someone had forgotten to lock the door.

Common marker: by the time, before, after

Exercise 7
Put the verbs in brackets in the present perfect or past perfect tense.
e.g. It isn’t raining now. It has stopped at last.
We had no car at that time. We had sold our old one.
1. The park looked awful. People (leave) litter everywhere.

2. You can have that newspaper. I (finish) with it.

3. There’s no more cheese. We (eat) it all, I’m afraid.

4. There was no sign of a taxi, although I (order) one half and an hour before.

5. This bill isn’t right. They (make) a mistake.

6. I spoke to Melanie at lunch time. Someone (tell) her the news earlier.

7. I was really tired last night. I (have) a hard day.

8. Don’t you want to see this program? It (start).

9. It will soon get warm in here. I (turn) the heating on.

10. At last, the committee were ready. They (make) up their minds.

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Exercise 8
Put the verbs in brackets in the simple past tense or past perfect tense.
1. He (be) a newspaper reporter before he (become) a businessman.
2. I (feel) a little better after I (take) the medicine.
3. I was late. The teacher (give, already) a quiz when I (get) to class.
4. The anthropologist (leave) the village when she (collect) enough data.
5. It was raining hard, but by the time class (be) over, the rain (stop).
6. Millions of years ago, dinosaurs (roam) the earth, but they (become)
extinct by the time humankind first (appear).
7. Class (already, begin) by the time I (get) there, so I (take) a seat quietly
in the back.
8. I (never, see) any of Picasso’s paintings before I (visit) the art museum.
9. I almost missed my plane. All of the other passengers (already, board)
by the time I (get) there.
10. Yesterday at a restaurant, I (see) Pam Donnelly, an old friend of mine. I
(not, see) her in years. At first, I (not, recognize) her because she (lose)
at least fifty pounds.

8) Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Usage:
To emphasize the duration of an activity that was in progress before another
activity or time in the past.

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 Examples:
We had been corresponding regularly for many years before his death.
He finally came at six o’clock. I had been waiting for him since four-thirty.

Exercise 9
Use either the present perfect continuous or the past perfect continuous tense.
1. It is midnight. I (study) for five straight hours. No wonder I’m getting tired.

2. It was midnight. I (study) for five straight hours. No wonder I was getting
tired.

3. Jack suddenly realized that the teacher was asking him a question. He
couldn’t answer because he (daydream) for the last ten minutes.

4. Wake up! You (sleep) long enough. It’s time to get up.

5. At least two hundred people were waiting in line to buy tickets to the game.
Some of them (stand) in line for more than four hours. We decided not to try
to get tickets for ourselves.

9) Simple Future Tense

Usage:

To express future time. However, a future tense is NOT used in a time

clause.

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 Examples:
Bob will come soon. When Bob comes, we will discuss the assignment. I will go to
bed after I finish my homework.

Exercise 10
Use either the simple present tense or the simple future tense.

1. I’m going to leave in half an hour. I (finish) all of my work before I (leave).

2. I’m going to eat lunch at 12:30. After I (eat) lunch, I (take) a nap.

3. I’ll get home around six. When I (get) home, I (call) Sharon.

4. I’m going to watch a TV program at nine. Before I (watch) that program at

nine, I (write) a letter to my parents.

5. Gary will come soon. I (wait) here until he (come).

6. It will stop raining soon. As soon as the rain (stop), I (walk) to the drugstore
to get some film.

7. The seasons are predictable. For example, when spring (come) the weather
(get) warmer. This happens every year.

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