Tense is the change which takes place in the structure (i.e form) of the verb to show time.
- The Simple present tense: It is used to show an action that occurs always or an occupation. Examples:
- I eat beans everyday
- He sells bread
- They work hard
- My father is a trader
- The sun shines during the day
- The simple past: This is used for an action that took place in the past. Example:
- Yesterday I ate rice
- Last year, Badmus spent his holiday in Jos
- They worked hard
- She sold bread a week ago.
- The future tense: it is used to show an event that will take place in the future. Example:
- I shall write letter to my father
- They will attend the meeting
- She will sell bread in the evening
- She will meet principal in his office
- They will work hard next week
Assignment
Progressive English page 71. No 1 – 10. State the tense used in each of the following sentences (Exercise 3D)
See also
Transitive an intransitive verbs