SAT Tenses
Simple tenses: They convey straightforward information about completed actions in the past, ongoing habits in the present, or future events.
Past: The simple past tense is used for actions that started and finished at a specific point in the past.
Example: They visited Paris last year.
Present: The present tense is used for actions happening now, as well as for habitual actions, general truths, and scheduled future events. The simple present is used to convey facts
Example: The Arctic woolly bear caterpillar adapts to extreme cold temperatures by producing specialized proteins that act as natural antifreeze.
Future: The future tense is used for actions that will occur after the present moment. It's most commonly formed with "will" or "be going to."
Example: She will arrive soon.
Perfect tense: emphasizes the completion of actions in relation to other events, indicating whether an action occurred before or after another point in time
Past perfect tense: The past perfect tense describes an action that was completed before another action in the past. It shows a sequence of events in the past. It's formed with had + past participle
Example: She had completed her assignment before the deadline.
She finished the assignment before the deadline
Present perfect tense: The present perfect tense describes an action that started in the past and continues up to the present or has an effect on the present. It is used for actions with present consequences, ongoing situations, or life experiences. It's formed with has/have + past participle.
Example: She has worked as a teacher since 2010. (Started in 2010 and is still working as a teacher.)
Present future tense: Used to indicate that an action will be completed before a specific time in the future. Subject + will have + Past Participle
Example: "By tomorrow, I will have finished the report." The report will be finished before tomorrow.
Progressive Tenses: highlight the duration or continuity of an action, whether it was in progress at a specific moment in the past, is ongoing around the present, or will be occurring at a particular time in the future.
Present progressive: Actions happening right now or ongoing in the present or a general period of your life. Formula: [to be (am/is/are)] + [verb-ing]
Example: I am writing a message
Past Progressive: Actions that were happening continuously at a specific moment in the past. (Often, these get interrupted by another sudden action. Formula: [to be (was/were)] + [verb-ing]
Example: She was studying when the lights went out. They were playing bss when the doorbell rang
Future progressive: Actions that will be ongoing during a specific time in the future. Formula: [will be] + [verb-ing]
Example: We will be traveling to New York tomorrow.
Perfect Progressive Tense: combines aspects of both perfect and progressive tenses, emphasizing the ongoing nature of an action leading up to a specific point in time and highlighting its completion at that moment.
Past Perfect Progressive: An ongoing action that was happening in the past but finished before another specific event or time in the past. Had been + verb-ing
Example: She had been studying for an hour before the lights went out. (The ongoing studying happened first, then the power cut it off).
Present Perfect progressive: An action that started in the past and is continuing right now, or just finished but has immediate relevance. (We almost always use this with "for" or "since" to show time. [have been/has been] + [verb-ing]
Example: Sensei Samad has been studying grammar for two hours. (Started in the past, still doing it now).
Future perfect progressive: An ongoing action that will continue up until a specific milestone date or time in the future. [will have been] + [verb-ing]
Example: By next year, he will have been attending high school for four years.