Tenses of Verbs – Usage and Distinctions

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lesson on English verb tenses, their uses, and related grammatical ideas.

Verb Tense

A grammatical form that locates an action or state in time—past, present, or future.

Aspect

The way a tense views the flow of time; in this lesson: simple (complete/regular) and progressive (ongoing).

Simple Present Tense

Base verb (+-s/-es); expresses facts, habits/routines, general truths, and scheduled near-future events.

Present Progressive Tense

am/is/are + present participle; shows an action happening now or a long continuing action that may end soon.

Adverbial Clues – Simple Present

always, often, frequently, sometimes, seldom, rarely, never—signal habitual or general actions.

Adverbial Clues – Present Progressive

at the moment, right now, now, nowadays—signal temporary actions in progress.

Stative Verb

Verb of state (e.g., know, love, belong) normally used only in simple forms, not progressive.

Simple Past Tense

Past form of the verb; indicates completed past actions, past habits/facts, or short past duration.

Past Progressive Tense

was/were + present participle; describes a continuing past action, often interrupted by another action.

Interrupting Action

Pattern using past progressive (ongoing) + simple past (interruption), e.g., "I was reading when he called."

Second Conditional

if + simple past, would + base verb; expresses an unlikely or unreal present/future situation.

Simple Future Tense

will/shall + base verb; states a future action or condition.

Future Progressive Tense

will be + present participle; denotes an action that will be ongoing at a specific future time.

Will (modal)

Signals voluntary action, promise, plan, request, or prediction.

Shall (modal)

Conveys obligation, determination, or polite question; less common than will.

Present Progressive for Future

am/is/are + present participle used to express a planned future event ("I am leaving later").

Consistency of Tenses

Keeping the same tense sequence within a piece of writing unless a time shift is intended.

Time vs. Aspect

Choosing a verb form requires both when the action occurs (time) and whether it is completed or ongoing (aspect).

Scheduled Event (Simple Present for Future)

Simple present can refer to fixed future timetables, e.g., "The class starts at 8:00 am."

Past Habit (Simple Past)

Simple past can indicate habitual past actions, akin to 'used to,' e.g., "I solved Math problems daily."

Long Continuing Action

A situation begun recently that is still happening; expressed with the present progressive.