Terms & Definitions
This tense expresses an ongoing action.
Progressive Tense
Identify the verb phrase in this sentence: My grandma will make us spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.
will make
Produce the verb phrase, given a verb and a tense. If it can have multiple helping verbs, you must include them.
go (past tense)
True/False: Some perfect tense verbs don't end in -ed.
True
This tense expresses an action that has already been or will be completed at an indefinite time.
Perfect Tense
Identify the tense of the verb phrase in this sentence: Mike will remember you from last time.
(simple) future
Produce the verb phrase, given a verb and a tense. If it can have multiple helping verbs, you must include them.
lead (future progressive)
Which sentence has a verb phrase in the past progressive tense?
A. They have thrown a party for her.
B. They are throwing her a party soon.
C. They will throw her a party next week.
D. They were throwing her a party last week.
D. They were throwing her a party last week.
This tense expresses an action that is, was, or will be continually happening but is, was, or will be completed later
Perfect-Progressive Tense
Identify the tense of the verb phrase in this sentence: She brought some flowers to her friend.
(simple) past
Produce the verb phrase, given a verb and a tense. If it can have multiple helping verbs, you must include them.
speak (past perfect)
had spoken
Which sentence has a verb phrase in the (simple) past tense?
A. Will you find out about his cat, please?
B. Have you learned about his cat?
C. I heard the news about your cat.
D. She knows nothing about his cat.
C. I heard the news about your cat.
Watch out for these when trying to find the verb phrase! They like to sneak their way in to modify the main verb. (Ex: The had already taken the test).
Adverbs
Identify the tense of the verb phrase in the sentence: Pete was hearing the news for the first time.
past progressive
Produce the verb phrase, given a verb and a tense. If it can have multiple helping verbs, you must include them.
write (present perfect)
has/have written
Which sentence has a verb phrase in the future progressive tense?
A. They will get their supplies at the store.
B. They will have gotten supplies by morning.
C. They will be getting new supplies next week.
D. They are getting new supplies soon.
C. They will be getting new supplies next week.
These types of verbs do not follow normal verb rules (ex: thought instead of thinked)
Irregular Verbs
Identify the verb phrase in this sentence: I haven't seen that movie before.
have seen
Produce the verb phrase, given a verb and a tense. If it can have multiple helping verbs, you must include them.
pay (present perfect-progressive)
has/have been paying
Which sentence has a verb phrase in the present perfect tense?
A. Taylor and Isabel have made a deal.
B. I am buying Christmas presents at the art fair.
C. He had taken the dose of medicine before school.
D. Clearly, she knows way too much.
A. Taylor and Isabel have made a deal.
These two tenses will always have -ing endings.
Progressive and Perfect-Progressive Tenses
Identify the verb phrase AND the verb tense in the sentence: I am never going there again!
VP: am going
VT: present progressive
Produce the verb phrase, given a verb and a tense. If it can have multiple helping verbs, you must include them.
swim (present perfect)
have/has swum
Which TWO sentences have their verb phrases in the past perfect-progressive tense?
A. Eric has been taking piano lessons since first grade.
B. Bill had been learning two-step equations in class.
C. They had been to the beach recently.
D. She had been screening calls to avoid scammers.
B. Bill had been learning two-step equations in class.
D. She had been screening calls to avoid scammers.
Irregular verbs only show up in these 4 specific tenses (out of the 12 tenses).
Simple past, past perfect, present perfect, future perfect
Identify the tense of the verb phrase in the sentence AND tell the verb tense: Have they been waiting long for the movie?
VP: have been waiting
VT: present perfect-progressive
Produce the verb phrase, given a verb and a tense. If it can have multiple helping verbs, you must include them.
do (future perfect)
will have done
Which TWO sentences have their verb phrases in the present perfect-progressive tense?
A. The girls have been waiting for the bus.
B. The flowers had been blooming in the garden.
C. My nephew has been learning lots of new words.
D. My niece has been on an evil streak lately.
A. The girls have been waiting for the bus.
C. My nephew has been learning lots of new words.