Words in Transition

Form the Prefect Tenses Correctly

The perfect tenses of a verb are created by combining a form of have with the past participle of the main verb. (Read about the present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect tenses)

Present Prefect

Luis has grown fast this year.

Past Prefect

We already had started dinner when the Smiths arrived.

Future Prefect

Wang will have finished her speech by 8 p.m.

When you use the perfect tenses, remember these two points about the helping verb and the main verb.

1. Make sure the present tense of the helping verb have agrees with its subject.
   • Richard have been a member of the Young Liberals Club for ten years. [has]
   • They has elected her president three times. [have]
2. Use the past participle, not the past tense, to form the perfect tenses.
   • Review the list of the principal parts of verbs.
   • Marie has broke several world records for speed skating. [broken]
   • When I met Harold, he had already began growing bald. [begun]

Form and Use the Progressive Tenses Correctly

The progressive tenses consist of a form of the helping verb be (am, is, are, was, were, being, be, or been) plus the present participle of the main verb.

Present Progressive

Haroon is building a new house.

Past Progressive

Sheila was washing her hair at midnight.

Future Progressive

We will be traveling to Alberta soon.

Some verbs, such as linking verbs, are typically not used in the progressive. The following four points will help you form the progressive tenses correctly and identify verbs not used in the progressive.

1. Use a form of be with the progressive.
   • Kate _^ working in the lab all afternoon today. [is]
   • Several of us _^ working on the same project. [are]
2. Make sure the helping verb be agrees with its subject.
   • The librarians was helping Teresa find books for her report. [were]
   • The number of work-study scholarships are increasing. [is]
   • (Review subject-verb agreement in EDIT 1.)
3. Use the helping verb have in the present perfect progressive.
   • Ari _^ been cooking all day for the party. [has]
   • Elliot and Craig _^ been restoring an old Chevy on weekends. [have]
4. Learn which verbs are usually not used in the progressive.
   • Certain verbs are typically not used in the progressive tenses. These verbs fall into the following categories:
   • Linking Verbs and Verbs that indicate qualities or states of being [appear, be, become, have, seem]
     • Cheng was seeming sick all morning. [seemed]
   • Verbs that show intellectual states, emotional or attitudes [believe, disagree, dislike, hate, imagine, intend, know, like, pity, prefer, realize, suppose, think, understand, want, wish, wonder]
     • I am knowing those formulas perfectly. [know]
   • Verbs that show sense perceptions [feel, hear, see, smell, taste]
     • The milk is smelling sour. [smells]