Tenses

Tenses is a form of the verb in the grammar that shows the occurrence of an act or event and the stage of completion.

1.      Simple Present Tense

Simple present tense is used to state routine activity or habit.

ʘ    Positive ( + )

S + V1 ( s/es ) + . . . . .

Example :

a.    My father goes to the office at 7 o’clock

b.    We work five days in a week

c.     They plays football in Glora Bungkarno stadium every weekend

ʘ    Negative (  - )

S + Do / does + not + V1 + . . . . .

Example :

a.    My father don’t go to the office at 7 o’clock

b.    We don’t work five days in a week

c.     They don’t play football in Glora Bungkarno stadium every weekend

ʘ    Interrogative ( ? )

Do / does + S + V1 + . . . . . ?

Example :

a.    Do my father go to the office at 6 o’clock?

No, he don’t

b.    Do we work five days in a week?

Yes, you do

c.     Do they play football in Glora Bungkarno stadium every day?

No, they don’t

ʘ    Questions :

a.    What time my father go to the office?

Answer : at 7 o’clock

b.    How many days we work in a week?

Answer : five days

c.     Where they play football every weekend?

Answer : in Glora Bungkarno

2.     Present Continuous Tense

Present continuous tense is used to express or event that are happening.

ʘ    Positive ( + )

S + tobe + V1 (ing) + . . . . .

Example :

a.       They are talking about Ferda

b.       Daru is watching TV now

c.        Ifah is studying English at present

ʘ    Negative ( - )

S + tobe + not + V1 (ing) + . . . . .

Example :

a.       They are not talking about Ferda

b.       Daru is not watching TV now

c.        Ifah is not studying English at present

ʘ    Interrogative ( ? )

Tobe + S + V1 (ing) + . . . . . ?

Example :

a.       Are they talking about Ferda?

Yes, they are

b.       Is Daru reading book now?

No, he is not

c.        Is Ifah studying English at present?

Yes, she is

ʘ    Questions :

a.       Who are they talking about?

Answer : Ferda

b.       What is daru doing now?

Answer : Watching TV

c.        What subject Ifah learned?

Answer : English subject

3.     Present Perfect Tense

Present perfect tense is used to an act or event has been completed at a time when current.

ʘ    Positive ( + )

S + has / have + V3 + . . . . .

Example :

a.       Fian has drunk his beer.

b.       Rafiana has eaten Fian’s bread

c.        Alfin has gone to Korea since Monday

ʘ    Negative ( - )

S + has / have + not + V3 + . . . . .

Example :

a.       Fian has not drunk his beer

b.       Rafiana has not eaten Fian’s bread

c.        Alfin has not gone to Korea since Monday

ʘ    Interrogative ( ? )

Has / have + S + V3 + . . . . . ?

Example :

a.       Has Fian drunk his beer?

Yes, he has

b.       Has Rafiana eaten her bread?

No, she has not

c.        Has Alfin gone to Korea since Friday?

No, he has not

ʘ    Questions :

a.       What is Fian has drunk?

Answer : his beer

b.       Who is eaten Fian’ bread?

Answer : Rafiana

c.        Where did Alfin gone since Monday?

Answer : to Korea

4.    Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Present perfect continuous tense is used to an act or an occupation that began in the past and still continues to this day.

ʘ    Positive ( + )

S + have / has + been + V1 (ing) + . . . . .

Example :

a.       Yona has been waiting here since 2 o’clock

b.       Lifah has been swimming since January

c.        Dewa has been studying biology for 2 years

ʘ    Negative ( - )

S + have / has + not + been + V1 (ing) + . . . . .

Example :

a.       Yona has not been waiting here since 2 o’clock

b.       Lifah has not been swimming since January

c.        Dewa has not been studying biology for 2 years

ʘ    Interrogative ( ? )

Have / has + S + been + V1 (ing) + . . . . . ?

Example :

a.       Has yona been waiting here since 2 o’clock?

Yes, she has

b.       Has lifah been swimming since January?

Yes, she has

c.        Has dewa been studying biology for 2 years?

Yes, he has

ʘ    Questiona :

a.       What time Yona has been waiting here?

Answer : 2 o’clock

b.       When Lifah has been swimming?

Answer : January

c.        How long Dewa has been studying English?

Answer : 2 years.

5.     Simple Past Tense

Simple past tense is to event past activity.

ʘ    Positive ( + )

S + V2 + . . . . .

Example :

a.       Andar went to Yogyakarta last night

b.       Daru wrote a letter to Ferda yesterday

c.        Octo studied biology an hour ago

ʘ    Negative ( - )

S + did + not + V1 + . . . . .

Example :

a.       Andar didn’t go to Yogyakarta last night

b.       Daru didn’t write a letter to Ferda yesterday

c.        Octo didn’t study biology an hour ago

ʘ    Interrogative ( ? )

Did + S + V1 + . . . . . ?

Example :

a.       Did Andar go to Yogyakarta last night?

Yes, he did

b.       Did Daru write a letter to Ferda yesterday?

Yes, he did

c.        Did Octo study biology an hour ago?

Yes, he did

ʘ    Questions :

a.       When Andar go to Yogyakarta?

Answer : last night

b.       Who is write a letter to Ferda yesterday?

Answer : Daru

c.        What time Octo study biology?

Answer : an hour ago

6.    Past Continuous Tense

Past continuous tense is used to an ongoing event in the past when other events occur.

ʘ    Positive ( + )

S + tobe ( was/were ) + V1 (ing) + . . . . .

Example :

a.       We were going out all afternoon last Sunday

b.       Alif was sleeping when Taru phoned him

c.        They were studying English all afternoon last Friday

ʘ    Negative ( - )

S + tobe ( was/were ) + not + V1 (ing) + . . . . .

Example :

a.       We were not going out all afternoon last Sunday

b.       Alif was not sleeping when Taru phoned him

c.        They were not studying English all afternoon last Friday

ʘ    Interrogative ( ? )

Tobe ( was/were ) + S + V 1 (ing) + . . . . . ?

Example :

a.       Were we going out all afternoon last night?

No, you were not

b.       Was Alif watching TV when Taru phoned him?

No, he was not

c.        Were they studying biology all afternoon last Friday?

No, they were not

ʘ    Questions :

a.       When we were going out all afternoon?

Answer : last Sunday

b.       What is done Alif when Taru phoned him?

Answer : sleeping

c.        When they studying English all afternoon?

Answer : Last Friday

7.     Future Tense

Future tense is used to event activity in the future.

ʘ    Positive ( + )

S + shall / will + V1 + . . . . .

Example :

a.       Ina shall goto Palembang tomorrow

b.       Lifah will go to grandmother today

c.        We shall go to the theatre next week

ʘ    Negative ( - )

S + shall / will + not + V1 + . . . . .

Example :

a.       Ina shall not go to Palembang tomorrow

b.       Lifah will not go to grandmother today

c.        We shall not go to the theatre next week

ʘ    Interrogative ( ? )

Shall / will + S + V1 + . . . . . ?

Example :

a.       Will Ina go to Palembang tomorrow?

Yes, she will

b.       Will Lifah go to grandmother today?

Yes, she will

c.        Shall we go to the theatre next Sunday?

No, you shall not.

ʘ    Questions :

a.       When Ina will go to Palembang?

Answer : tomorrow

b.       Who is will go to grandmother today?

Answer : Lifah

c.        What is do shall we next week?

Answer : go to the theatre