Verb Tense 1: Simple Verb Tenses

The English language uses “verb tense” to indicate the time of action, experience, and the completion of certain action. The three verb tenses are simple, progressive, and perfect. We will be practicing simple verb tense in Part 1.


1.1 Simple Present
Simple present is used to state general facts or habits. It describes a stable, not easily changed situation.
>>Word Clue: always, usually, every (day, week, month, etc.), often, seldom, never…

The sun rises from the east.
I am a student.
He walks to school every morning.
She usually prepares breakfast for her family.
Vince never complains.

1.2 Simple Past
Simple past is used to describe action or event that happened and ended in the past.
>>Word Clue: yesterday, before, last (week, month, etc.), ago…

Mandy took the train to the country last night.
His grandfather passed away 10 years ago.
I slept in this morning.
Your brother finished homework on time.
Agnes visited Japan last month.

>>Note: People often use simple past when in diary, biography, or memoir.

1.3 Simple Future
Simple future is used to state general facts or habits. It describes describe future events and prediction.
>> Word Clue: tomorrow, in a few minutes (days, weeks, etc.), next Monday…

The bus will arrive in 10 minutes.
I will graduate from Yale this summer.
He will accompany me to the meeting next month.
She will fax you the data next Monday morning.
You will hear a lovely voice in a few seconds.



Practice:

Choose the correct verb form.
1. David ____ to his family every month.
a. write b. writes c. wrote d. will write
2. I ____ the room in a few minutes.
a. clean b. cleans c. cleaned d. will clean
3. She ____ her homework three days ago.
a. finish b. finishes c. finished d. will finish
4. Mother ____ a bag of apples from the supermarket last night.
a. buy b. buys c. bought d. will buy
5. You never ____ listening to your boss’s verbose speech.
a. enjoy b. enjoys c. enjoyed d. will enjoy
6. Lisa ____ to the United States to attend her best friend’s wedding. (Choose 2 answers)
a. fly b. flies c. flied d. will fly
7. Those students usually ____ to class on time.
a. come b. comes c. came d. will come
8. My family and I always ____ New Year’s Eve together.
a. celebrate b. celebrates c. celebrated d. will celebrate
9. Pitt seldom ____ to night clubs. He ____ once with his colleagues.
a. go… will go b. goes…. went c. go… went d. will go… goes
10. We ____ at the airport at 7:00 p.m. next Monday.
a. meet b. meets c. met d. will meet

Translate the following sentence into English.

11. 我天天在家吃早餐。
12. 你明天去學校接孩子。
13. 她在晨間會議表現很好。
14. 我們後天就要搬家了。
15. 台灣的夏天很濕熱。








Answers:

1-5 BDCCA
6 CD
7-10 AABD

11. I have/eat breakfast at home every day.
12. You will pick up the kids/children from school tomorrow.
13. She did well in the morning briefing.
14. We will move the day after tomorrow.
15. Summer is humid in Taiwan. / In Taiwan, summer is humid.