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4.5 Verb Tenses
Learning Objectives
- Identify simple verb tenses.
- Recognize to be, to have, and to do verbs.
- Use perfect verb tenses.
- Apply progressive verb tenses.
- Define gerunds and infinitives.
You must always use a verb in every sentence you write. Verbs are parts of speech that
indicate actions or states of being. The most basic sentence structure is a subject
followed by a verb.
Simple Verb Tenses
Verb tenses tell the reader when the action takes place. The action could be in the past,
present, or future.
Past ← Present → Future
Yesterday I jumped. Today I jump. Tomorrow I will jump.Simple present verbs are used in the following situations:
- When the action takes place now
I drink the water greedily.- When the action is something that happens regularly
I always cross my fingers for good luck.- When describing things that are generally true
College tuition is very costly.