Meaning and Use of the Simple TensesVerbs are like bridges: they span the past, present, and future and take you there.
| Meaning and Use of the Simple Tenses Verbs are like bridges: they span the past, present, and future and take you there. |
| The Simple Tenses: Their meaning and use, example sentences, and types of adverbials commonly used with each tense. |
| Simple Tenses | Meaning/Use | Example Sentences | Types of adverbials often used with each tense (the writer's choice). |
| Present | present action/habitual action | Jane's brothers fight constantly. | Adverbs of frequency, manner, place |
| Non-action Verbs: present state, condition, perception, or feeling | She has to live with them. She can hear them fighting now. She hates it. It always gives her a headache. It drives her crazy. | time, frequency, place | |
| facts | The current temperature in Chicago is zero degrees. | time, place | |
| general truth statements | Chicago is generally very cold during the winter. | in general, generally, or frequency words. | |
| opinion | It is difficult to live in Chicago during the winter. | time, place, frequency | |
| reporting verbs (Present, Past, and Future Use) | The chief of police reports that the two brothers of Mayor Jane Harris have been arrested on charges of disorderly conduct. The chief of police reported an hour ago that... The chief of police will soon report that... | With a present reporting verb, usually no adverb is used. Adverbs of time are used with past and future. | |
| Past | completed actions | The police arrested the brothers of the mayor two hours ago. | Any adverb signaling specific past time (ago, yesterday, last night; adverbs of place or manner |
| Non-action Verbs: past state, condition, perception, or feeling | Their arrest immensely embarrassed and deeply depressed the mayor, who heard the news during a press conference. | adverbs of degree, manner, time | |
| Future | to make a promise (will) | The mayor has promised her brothers that she will get a lawyer for them. | time, place, probability or degree of certainty (as in certainly, definitely) |
| to express voluntary action (will) | Jane is exhausted and humiliated. She will avoid the press for a while. | time, manner, degree | |
| to make a prediction (will or be going to) | The brothers probably won't spend much time in jail. Many people think the mayor is going to bail them out. | probably, most likely, perhaps, maybe (Adverbs showing possibility or probability) | |
| to express a plan (be going to) | The mayor is most likely going to get psychological counseling for her brothers. | time, probability, place |