Simple Verb Tenses | Open Textbooks for Hong Kong

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Verb tenses tell the reader when the action takes place. The action could be in the past, present, or future.

Table 5.7
Past	←Present→	Future
Yesterday I jumped.	Today I jump.	Tomorrow I will jump.

Simple present verbs are used in the following situations:

When the action takes place now

I drink the water greedily.

When the action is something that happens regularly

I always cross my fingers for good luck.

When describing things that are generally true

College tuition is very costly.

Table 5.8 Regular Simple Present Tense Verbs
Verb	I	He/She/It	You	We	They
ask	ask	asks	ask	ask	ask
bake	bake	bakes	bake	bake	bake
cook	cook	cooks	cook	cook	cook
cough	cough	coughs	cough	cough	cough
clap	clap	claps	clap	clap	clap
dance	dance	dances	dance	dance	dance
erase	erase	erases	erase	erase	erase
kiss	kiss	kisses	kiss	kiss	kiss
push	push	pushes	push	push	push
wash	wash	washes	wash	wash	wash

When it is he, she, or it doing the present tense action, remember to add -s, or -es to the end of the verb or to change the y to -ies.

Simple past verbs are used when the action has already taken place and is now finished:

I washed my uniform last night.
I asked for more pie.
I coughed loudly last night.

Table 5.9 Regular Simple Past Tense Verbs
Verb	I	He/She/It	You	We	They
ask	asked	asked	asked	asked	asked
bake	baked	baked	baked	baked	baked
cook	cooked	cooked	cooked	cooked	cooked
cough	coughed	coughed	coughed	coughed	coughed
clap	clapped	clapped	clapped	clapped	clapped
dance	danced	danced	danced	danced	danced
erase	erased	erased	erased	erased	erased
kiss	kissed	kissed	kissed	kissed	kissed
push	pushed	pushed	pushed	pushed	pushed
wash	washed	washed	washed	washed	washed

When he, she, or it is doing the action in the past tense, remember to add -d or -ed to the end of regular verbs.

Simple future verbs are used when the action has not yet taken place:

I will work late tomorrow.
I will kiss my boyfriend when I see him.
I will erase the board after class.

Table 5.10 Regular Simple Future Tense Verbs
Verb	I	He/She/It	You	We	They
ask	will ask	will ask	will ask	will ask	will ask
bake	will bake	will bake	will bake	will bake	will bake
cook	will cook	will cook	will cook	will cook	will cook
cough	will cough	will cough	will cough	will cough	will cough
clap	will clap	will clap	will clap	will clap	will clap
dance	will dance	will dance	will dance	will dance	will dance
erase	will erase	will erase	will erase	will erase	will erase
kiss	will kiss	will kiss	will kiss	will kiss	will kiss
push	will push	will push	will push	will push	will push
wash	will wash	will wash	will wash	will wash	will wash

Going to can also be added to the main verb to make it future tense:

I am going to go to work tomorrow.

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