Verb Tense

 Verb tense indicates the time of an action, condition, or event.

 

Verb tense

From A New English Grammar for Schools, by Thomas Harvey: 

I. There are three divisions of time:

past, present, future

II. Each division of time has two tenses:

absolute, relative

A. The absolute tenses (past, present, future) show indefinite or incomplete action

1. Past tense indicates what took place completely in the past.

I wrote. (unclear when the action finished)
The army was sailing. (unclear when the action finished)

a. The past indicative, like the present, denotes what was habitual.

We walked five miles every morning.

It may denote an act in past time, but not completed:

He was driving furiously when I saw him.

b. The past potential denotes

i. a duty or obligation, without reference to time.

Judges should be merciful.

ii. a habit or custom.

He would be absent a week at a time.

iii. ability possessed in past time.

He could walk yesterday.

iv. present possibility or power.

I could write [now] if I would.

v. a future possibility.

If I should write to you [hereafter], you must answer immediately.

2. Present tense indicates present time.

I walk. (unclear when the action finishes)
The army is marching. (unclear when the action finishes)

a. The present tense is used in expressing a general truth, or what is habitual.

Perseverance conquers all things.

The mail arrives at six p.m.

b. If composed of a being verb and the present participle of the principal verb, the present tense expresses what is now occurring.

The train is moving.

c. The historical present is the present used for the past to describe more vividly what took place in past time.

Tacitus describes the manners and customs of the ancient Germans.

Ulysses wakes, not knowing where he was. — Pope

Matthew traces the descent of Joseph; Luke traces that of Mary.

The present of the speaker or hearer is what is meant by present time. The present of the reader may not be the same as that of the writer.

d. When preceded by a relative pronoun, or by conjunctive adverbs of time, the present tense is sometimes future in its reference.

He will please all who meet him.

The flowers will bloom when spring comes.

3. Future tense expresses what will take place in future time.

I shall return soon. (unclear when the action will finish)

The lion shall eat straw like the ox.
(unclear when the action will finish)

a. Shall and will are the signs of the future tense.

i. Shall expresses the action or event

•  as a duty commanded.

He shall pay you.

Thou shalt not steal.

• as a prediction.

I shall make a million dollars.

• as future.

I shall leave at noon.

ii. Will expresses the action or event

• as something determined upon.

I will go; no power on earth can prevent me.

The cause will raise up armies.

• as future.

You will feel better tomorrow.

b. Shall, in the first person, and will, in the second and third, are usually used to show future.

We shall arrive there by noon.

You will be glad to see us.

He will be with us.

c. Will is used, in the first person, to denote determination; and shall, in the second and third, to denote necessity.

I will write to you.

I will not do it, come what may.

Neither he nor you shall go without me.

B. The relative tenses are the present perfect, the past perfect, and the future perfect. The action is shown as completed (or perfected).

1. Past perfect tense represents an act as ended or completed at or before a certain past time.

She had finished her task before three o’clock. (action 'perfected' -- clearly finished)

The cars had started before we reached the depot.
(action 'perfected' -- clearly finished)

a. The past is frequently used instead of the past perfect to denote the completion of an act at or before a certain past time mentioned.

The boat left before midnight.

b. The past perfect subjunctive and past perfect potential deny the action or event.

If I had started sooner, I would have overtaken you.

2. Present perfect tense represents an action or event as past, but connected with present time.

I have learned my lesson.
(action 'perfected' -- clearly finished)

a. “Have”, the sign of the present perfect tense, originally denoted possession. It retains this meaning when used as a principal verb. As an auxiliary (helping verb), it denotes completion.

The hunters have killed a wolf.

A man has fallen from the bridge.

b. When preceded by a subordinate connective of time, the present perfect tense sometimes denotes future time.

He will forward the goods as soon as he has received them.

3. Future perfect tense represents an action as finished or ended at or before a certain future time.

I shall have finished my task at three o’clock.
(action 'perfected' -- clearly finished)

We shall have dined before you arrive.
(action 'perfected' -- clearly finished)

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Verbs have moods

Mood is the manner in which a verb is expressed.

Verbs have moods

From A Practical English Grammar, by Judson Perry Welsh:

Also called mode, mood determines what form of the verb is used. Consider the sentences below in which the verb to swim is used to express action in different moods (or modes)

I. The indicative mood indicates fact.

The dog swims.

Here the action of swimming is indicated as a fact. Therefore the verb “swims” is said to be in the indicative mood.

The indicative mood may be used in interrogative and exclamatory sentences, and also in subordinate clauses, to show what is real or is what is assumed to be real:

Is the dog swimming? (interrogative)

The dog swam across the river! (exclamatory)

I learned that the dog had swum down the river. (subordinate clause)

II. The imperative mood commands.

Swim, dog!

Here the action of swimming is represented as a command. The word “imperative” means commanding, so the word “swim” in this sentence is said to be in the imperative mood.

The imperative mood often has an implied subject “you,” and may also express an exhortation, an entreaty, or a permission, as in,

(You) Be encouraged. (exhortation)
(You) Lead us not into temptation. (entreaty)
Do (you) come see us. (permission)

III. The potential mood indicates power, liberty, possibility, or necessity.

A. Power

The dog can swim.

Here the verb conveys the power the dog has to perform the action of swimming. The word “potential” means having power. Therefore, the verb “can swim” is said to be in the potential mood.

B. Liberty and possibility

The dog may swim.

Here the verb expresses the potential liberty and the possibility of swimming.

C. Necessity

The dog must swim.

Here the verb expresses the potential necessity of swimming. 

IV. The subjunctive mood expresses a condition, supposition, or wish.

A verb in the subjunctive mood will appear only in a subordinate clause. It is subjoined to the verb of the main clause with a subordinate connective such as “if,” “though,” “except,” “lest,” “that,” “unless,” and some others. These connectives are called the signs of the subjunctive.

The sign of the subjunctive is often omitted, in which case the helping or being verb precedes the subject. For instance,

Had I time..., rather than If I had time...
Were I king..., rather than If I were king...

A. Future contingency

 If the dog swim fast enough, he can seize the floating stick.

Here in a subordinate clause the action of swimming is subjoined as a condition on which another action--that of seizing in the main clause--may be performed.

B. Uncertainty

Though the dog swim toward shore, he may be swept out to sea.

In this sentence the uncertainty of the dog making it to shore is expressed.

C. Supposition or wish

O would that the dog swim safely to shore!

Here a wish is expressed; the speaker hopes that the dog will swim safely to shore.

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Infinite infinitives

Verbs that assert action about a subject are called finite verbs. Finite means limited, and a finite verb is one that is so limited that it cannot be used unless it has a subject.

Verbs not finite are not limited in their use,

that is, they express action in a general way, without a subject, and therefore without the limitations of person or number.

Such verbs without limits are called
infinitives.
(in = not + finite)

Infinite Infinitives

From A Practical English Grammar, by Judson Perry Welsh: 

I. A verb may have two infinitive forms, both of which are usually (not always) introduced by the preposition to. 

a. Present infinitive

The present infinitive is the simple form of the verb:

(to) run, (to) see, (to) have, (to) hold

b. Perfect infinitive

The perfect infinitive is the past participle of the verb preceded by the word have.

(to) have run, (to) have seen, (to) have had, (to) have held

 

II. Uses of the infinitive

Because infinitives are verbs not limited by a subject, they can be used in many ways.

a. The infinitive phrase used as a subject

To teach idle pupils is a difficult task.

To read good books promotes knowledge.

b. The infinitive phrase used as an object complement

He tries to learn.

Alexander wanted to conquer more worlds.

c. The infinitive phrase used as a subject complement

He appeared to be very studious.

To hesitate in a crisis is to fail.

d. The infinitive phrase used as an objective complement

A fool always finds a greater fool to admire him.

They compelled Galileo to recant.

(partial diagram)

e. The infinitive phrase used as an adjective modifier

There is a time to laugh and a time to cry.

A desire to read good books is an evidence of noble character.

(partial diagram)

f. The infinitive phrase used as an adverb modifier

The farmer fertilizes his field to ensure a bountiful harvest.

Some people are always ready to find fault.

g. The infinitive phrase used in a prepositional phrase

There was nothing to do but to acquiesce.

John Hartman is about to sell his farm.

(partial diagram)

h. The infinitive used with an assumed subject after the preposition for

For an American citizen to stay away from the polls on election day is irresponsible.

For him to consent to such a bargain is disgraceful.

(partial diagram)

i. The infinitive phrase used in apposition

It is impossible to please everybody.

This privilege, to vote for the officers of government, belongs to every American citizen.

All expressions in apposition with the pronoun it used as a subject stand at the end of the sentence instead of immediately after the word it; but in the diagram, they are placed, like all appositives, next to the word explained.

(partial diagram)

j. The infinitive phrase used independently

To make a long story short, Rip Van Winkle slept twenty years.

To tell the truth, I began to grow weary.

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Participles: Part verb, part noun or adjective

 A participle is a verb used as a noun or an adjective.

 Skating is good exercise. (noun)
Rolling stones gather no moss. (adjective)

Participles are part verb, part noun or adjective

From A New English Grammar for Schools, by Thomas Harvey: 

I. Participles have verb attributes.

a. The verb attribute of a participle shows continuance  or completion  of action, being, or state.

b.  The verb attribute is relative to the time denoted by the principal verb of the sentence in which the participle is found.

Mary is studying her lesson.

“Studying” shows continuance relative to the principal verb “is.”

II. Participles have noun or adjective attributes.

a. Noun

I am fond of reading. 

1. “Reading,” in this sentence, is a participial noun, because it is the object of the preposition “of.”

2. As a noun, it may have the modifications of a verb; as, 

Describing a past event as present has a fine effect in language.

In this sentence, the participial noun “describing” is modified by “event,” which is an objective element.

3. Participial nouns may also be modified by adverbs; as,

I am fond of running rapidly.

 Here, “running,” though it is a participial noun, is modified by “rapidly,” which is an adverbial element.

b. Adjective

Twinkling stars lit the night sky.

1. “Twinkling,” in this sentence, is a participial adjective, because it modifies“stars.”

2. A participial adjective may show comparison; as,

My husband is a most loving companion.

III. There are three kinds of participles.

a. Present participle

I am loving my vacation. 

1. The present participle denotes the continuance of action, being, or state; as, loving, being loved.

2. The present participle always ends in -ing.

3. The present participle may be used as an adjective or as a noun.

b. Past participle

He died, loved by all.

1. The past participle denotes the completion of action, being, or state.

2. The past participle generally ends in d, ed, t, n, or en.

3. The past participle is frequently used as an adjective, but never as a noun.

4. The past participle is usually, but not always, found in compound forms of the verb:

I have written a letter.

You should have known better.

That house was built in 1780.

c. Perfect participle

Having written the letter, he mailed it.

1. The perfect participle denotes the completion of action, being, or state, at or before the time represented by the principal verb.

2. The perfect participle is formed by placing having or having been before the present participle or before the past participle.

Having bought the horse, he went home.
The lessons having been completed, the school was dismissed.

3. The perfect participle may be used as a noun.

I am accused of having plotted treason. (part of the object of the preposition “of.”)

He is charged with having been engaged in illegal activities.
(part of the object of the preposition “with.”)

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Verbs have voice: Active vs. passive

A transitive verb requires  an object to complete its meaning.

That girl studies algebra.

The verb “studies” is transitive, because its meaning is completed by the object “algebra.”

Transitive verbs have voice

From A New English Grammar for Schools, by Thomas Harvey: 

I. Voice is an attribute of a transitive verb.

a. Voice shows whether the subject acts, as

The hunter killed a bear,

b.  OR is acted upon: 

The bear was killed by a hunter.

II. Transitive verbs have two voices.

a. Active voice

The active voice represents the subject as acting upon an object.

John struck a match.
The boy was studying a lesson.
The cat caught the mouse.

b. Passive voice

1. The passive voice represents the subject as being acted upon. The direct object of a verb in the active voice becomes its subject in the passive.

The match was struck by John.
The lesson was studied. (by him)
The mouse was caught. (by the cat)
 

2. The passive voice is formed by putting some form of the verb to be in front of a transitive verb.

The boy shut the door. (active)
The door was shut by the boy. (passive)
He saw the comet. (active)The comet was seen by him. (passive)

c. Certain verbs are sometimes used with passive meaning in the active voice.

This stick splits easily.

(i.e. The girl split the stick easily.)

Butter sells for forty cents.

(i.e. The merchant sells butter for forty cents.)

This ground plows well.

(i.e. This ground is easy for me to plow.)

The stone breaks readily.

(i.e. The stone is easy for the mason to break.)

d. A few verbs sometimes assume the passive form, but are used in an active sense.

The melancholy days are come.

(i.e. have come)

Babylon is fallen.

(i.e. has fallen.)

She is gone.

(i.e. has gone.)

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