Verb Tenses (Identifying Uses)
Look at the clouds. It's going to rain.
- "Is going to rain" is a promise.
- "Is going to rain" is a prediction.
- "Is going to rain" is an invitaiton.
I left my umbrella at home.
- "Left" is an ongoing action.
- "Left" is an action that was completed before a second past point in time.
- "Left" is a completed past action.
It's been raining almost every day this week.
- "Has been raining" expresses a completed action.
- "Has been raining" expresses a past action with an effect on the present.
- "Has been raining" expresses an action that began in the past and continues to now.
It will be getting dark around 5:00.
- "Will be getting" expresses an invitation.
- "Will be getting" refers to an action that will be in progress at a future point in time.
- "Will be getting" refers to an action happening at the time of speaking.
I've been to this studio before.
- "Have been" expresses an action that took place at an unspecified point in the past.
- "Have been" expresses a completed past action at a specific past point in time.
- "Have been" refers to an ongoing action in the past.
My guitar case is getting wet in this rain.
- "Is getting" refers to an action in progress at the present moment.
- "Is getting" is a prediction.
- "Is getting" expresses an action that took place in the past and may repeat again in the future.
The case will keep your guitar dry.
- "Will keep" expresses a present fact.
- "Will keep" expresses an action that took place in the past and may repeat again in the future.
- "Will keep" refers to a future action or event.
I talk too much when I'm nervous.
- "Talk" refers to an ongoing action in the present.
- "Talk" expresses a habitual action.
- "Talk" refers to future actions.
They'll have recorded several songs by the end of the day.
- "Will have recorded" expresses an action that will be in progress at a future point in time.
- "Will have recorded" is a prediction not based on evidence.
- "Will have recorded" expresses that an action will be completed by a certain future point.
They had been walking in the rain.
- "Had been walking" refers to an action in progress before a second past point in time.
- "Had been walking" refers to a completed past action.
- "Had been walking" expresses a past action that has an effect on the present.
The manager had given the musicians the address of the studio and the starting time.
- "Had given" refers to an action in progress at a specific past point in time.
- "Had given" refers to an action completed before a second past point in time.
- "Had given" refers to an action that likely took place a number of times in the past.
We were getting ready to go home.
- "Were getting" refers to an action in progress at a past point in time.
- "Were getting" refers to a completed past action.
- "Were getting" refers to an action that took place before a second past point in time.
