English Verb Tenses in Under 13 Minutes! | English with Jennifer

Hi everyone. I'm Jennifer from English with  Jennifer. How about a quick review of verb tenses  

in English? Actually, that could be a really  short lesson because there are only two tenses:  

present and past. We use the simple present for  things that are true now or true all the time.  

The Earth is round. The Earth goes  around the sun. I speak American English.

We also use the simple present for present  habits or regular actions. I share videos  

on social media. The simple past is for things  that existed or happened in the past. The simple  

past can refer to finished actions. The Golden  Gate Bridge in San Francisco opened in 1937.

The simple past can refer to a closed period  of time. Many girls dressed like Madonna in  

the 1980s. So, we have two tenses: present and  past. Then we have something called aspect.  

Simple is one. Another is progressive.  Progressive verb forms show continuation.  

Progressive verb forms show that an  action is, was, or will be in progress.  

The present progressive uses am, is, or are  + the present participle (that -ing form).  

For example, I'm wearing a microphone right now  so that you can hear well. But when we use the  

present progressive, the present action may not  be taking place at the moment of speaking. It may  

simply be unfinished. For example, I'm reading a  new book now. I'm about a third of the way done.

Also, the present progressive can be used  for a temporary situation. Maybe you're  

taking the train to work this week  because your car is being repaired.

The past progressive uses was or were +  the present participle (the -ing form).  

I was doing housework when you called. The past  progressive might also suggest repetition in the  

past, like a past habit. My grandmother was always  baking something. Her kitchen always smelled good.  

I can use an adverb of frequency to emphasize  that the action took place frequently.

One. Can you keep it down? I'm trying to write an  email. Sorry. I'm hungry. I'm using the blender  

to make a smoothie. Two. What are you holding  in that photo? Are those drumsticks? I didn't  

know you play. I was holding them because  my friend asked me to just for a second.

So, we've covered simple and progressive  verb forms. Another aspect is perfect,  

and yes, we can have perfect progressive  forms as well. The present perfect uses  

have or has + the past participle (the -ed  form, that third form of an irregular verb).  

The present perfect often shows a connection  between the past and the present. There's some  

sort of result or effect that's present. I've  studied some Japanese, so I know a few words.  

We can use the present perfect to refer to  general past experience, past actions without  

naming a specific point in time. I've visited  New York City several times. Have you been there?  

Finally, the present perfect can suggest  that a past action will repeat again at  

some point in the future. I visited Canada  a few times. I'd love to go back. The past  

perfect uses had + the past participle (the -ed  form or that third form of an irregular verb).  

The past perfect isn't used as much as the simple  past in American English, but we can use the past  

perfect to clarify that one action took place  before another action in the past, so the past  

perfect refers to the first of two past actions. I  had never tried mussels before I visited Belgium.  

Both the present perfect and the past  perfect have progressive verb forms.  

We often use the present perfect progressive and  the past perfect progressive to measure time.  

I've been drinking a green smoothie  every day since the start of the year.  

So, it began in the past and it continues to  now. For how long? Since the start of the year.

I had been working on a steamboat for a few months  before I decided to apply to graduate school.  

What happened first? Working. Then I applied  to graduate school. I'm saying how long this  

first action took place. I had been working  for a few months, and then I decided to  

apply to graduate school. How long had it been  taking place up to that second point in time.

One. My friend has lived in  Massachusetts all her life.

Two. I feel great I've been sleeping better  ever since I made a health plan for the year.

Three. On the weekend, I went bowling  with friends. No one explained the  

rules because they assumed we had played before.

So, what about the future? Sometimes for  convenience, we say "future tenses." I've  

done that, but technically there isn't a future  tense. We just have verb forms that allow us  

to talk about the future. "Will" is a helping  verb. A modal verb. WILL + the base verb allows  

us to refer to future actions and events.  The next Olympic Games will be in Paris.  

WILL can be used for intentions, predictions, and  promises. I will continue to exercise every day.  

What else can we use for the future? BE GOING  TO: am, is, or are + going to do something.  

I'm going to learn basic Spanish. I promised  myself. In addition, we can use the present  

progressive to talk about the immediate future,  including intentions and plans. I'm going to the  

theater with my friend this weekend. We bought  tickets to a musical. The simple present also  

allows us to refer to the future. We can use the  simple present for scheduled events in the future.  

We're going to a theater in Boston  this Sunday. The show starts at 6:30.  

You may be curious about other future verb forms.  We can talk about the future progressive and the  

future perfect, but these verb forms are a  little less common. The future progressive  

refers to an action in progress at a future  point in time. There are two possible forms:  

WILL BE + the present participle (the -ing form.)  

We won't eat before the show. They'll be  serving light refreshments at the theater.

Or BE GOING TO BE. They're going to be  serving light refreshments at the theater.

The future perfect refers to an action that  will take place before a future point in time.  

This form uses WILL HAVE + the past  participle. Don't send the package to  

that address. It won't get there in time. He  will have moved by then to his new apartment.

The future perfect progressive allows us to talk  about how long an action will be in progress up  

to a future point in time. We use WILL HAVE  BEEN + the present participle. My friend came  

to the U.S. in 2000. By the end of this year,  she will have been living here for 23 years.

One.  

What time does your plan take off?

Two. I can give you a ride. I'll meet you at  the airport. When you land, give me a call.

Three My cousins will be staying with me next  weekend. Come over and I'll introduce you.

[Music]  

That was a lot to cover in a short amount of  time. I hope you found the review helpful.  

Please remember to like and share the  video. Remember you can go beyond my  

videos as a channel member. I'd like to thank  all the members of my channel here on YouTube  

as well as all the Kind-Hearted Patrons  on Patreon. I invite advanced Learners to  

join me as Lifelong Learners on Patreon. All  links are in the video description. As always,  

I thank you everyone for watching,  and I wish you happy studies!

[Music]

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter,  

and Patreon. And don't forget to subscribe  here on YouTube. Turn on those notifications.

[Music]