What Are Simple Tenses?
A tense is the form of a verb that is used to show when the verb happened. In English there are 3 main tenses:-
- simple past
- simple present
- simple future
In this article we will look at the simple forms, past, present and future.
Simple present tense
The simple present tense (or present simple) is the easiest to understand. It is for things that happen in the present. (but aren’t currently happening). It is used to express things such as habits and things done on a regular basis.
I work in a factory.
I like chocolate.
We see each other every day.
When we use a third person singular (he, she, it etc) the ending to the verb changes and we add an ‘s‘:-
He works in a factory.
She likes chocolate.
Tom sees them every day.
Simple Future Tense
The simple future tense (or future simple) is used to describe events that will happen in the future. The verb has the same form as the simple present tense but we have to add the word ‘will’ before it:-
I will go to work later.
She will eat chocolate.
They will travel to America.
Simple Past Tense
The simple past tense (or past simple) is used to describe things that have already happened in the past. For a lot of verbs (called regular verbs) the way to make the form is by adding ‘ed’ to the end.
I worked yesterday.
They called a taxi.
He kicked the ball.
The simple past form of irregular verbs is a little more difficult. Some stay the same:
I cut wood on Thursdays. I cut the wood yesterday.
Some of these irregular verbs are spelled differently altogether:
I see them sometimes. I saw them yesterday.
Here is a list of some of the most common irregular verbs in English:
| Simple present tense | Simple past tense | |
| is are become begin break bring build buy choose come do draw drink drive eat fall feed feel fight find fly forget get go have hear know lose make pay run say see sell sleep speak swim take teach tell think understand write | → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → → | was were became began broke brought built bought chose came did drew drank drove ate fell fed felt fought found flew forgot got went had heard knew lost made paid ran said saw sold slept spoke swam took taught told thought understood wrote |
Simple Tense Practice Exercise
Fill in the blanks using the correct form of the (verb):-
- He ___ off his bike. (fall)
- She ___ to the post office next week. (go)
- They ___ to go to the cinema but it was closed. (want)
- He ___ the class tomorrow. (teach)
- Jim ___ football on Tuesdays. (play)
- I ___ that tv show… until it got bad. (like)
- I ___ them arguing, it didn’t sound nice. (hear)
- We ___ a lot tomorrow, it’s my birthday! (drink)
- It’s true, she ___ me herself. (tell)
- She ___ to work by bus everyday. (travel)