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Past Participle: The verb conjugated in the “ed” form – studied, danced, worked...
When the past participle is used without a helping verb (studied) it denotes
an action in the past that has been completed, but if the past participle is
partnered with a helping verb (has studied) it does not denote the simple past,
but one of the trickier tenses.
There are 6 verb tenses you need to know for the SAT. Let’s tackle the easy ones first: present, past, and future.
#1: Present Tense
Present tense is used when an action occurs in THE PRESENT time.
There are two types of present tenses ETS will test: simple present and present progressive.
Simple Present: Indicates actions that are habitual or always true.
- John studies at the library everyday.
- I like ice cream.
- Susie goes to church.
Simple present can also be used to refer to actions that are to occur at a specific time in the future.
- Bob works at 9 am.
Simple present is typically formed with the infinitive without
the “to” combined with an “s” on the end for 3rd person singular.
Example: I run
He runs
She runs
They run
We run
Present Progressive: Indicates actions that are temporary and are occurring now.
- Ryan is wondering what he scored on the test.
- Luke is taking a break from college this semester.
- She is working at a café right now.
Present Progressive can also be used to specify an action that will occur in the near future.
- She is getting married on Saturday.
- I am going to the grocery store in the morning.