I’ve been working with my son on verb tenses and I realized how confusing it could get, so I decided to do a post on verb tense.
Verb Tense
Verb tenses give a hint to the reader when your story took place (i.e. past, present, future. Futurue will probably only take place in dialogue. I can’t imagine writing an entire story in future tense. :D)
Most stories are written in past tense, but some recent stories have been written in present tense (my latest for example. Hunger Games trilogy for a better example.) It’s important to learn tenses because you must stick to the same tense for the entire story. The only exceptions are: internal thoughts and dialogue are written in present tense, even if you’re in past. And flashbacks are allowed to be in past tense during a present tense story (though it can pull your reader out if you don’t have a good transition.)
- Present Tense
- Present Continous Tense
- Past Tense
- Past Participle Tense
- Future Tense
Present tense shows an action is taking place now (i.e. the present), but does not say when the action(s) will end.
| Examples: | | We go to the store. |
| | | They study at the university. |
You usually use present tense to discuss a book, poem, or an essay for review, even if written in past tense.
| Example: | | Bella is not happy when she moves from Arizona to Washington state in Twilight. |
Present continuous tense shows something is happening in the present, but will have a definite end.
| Examples: | | We are going to the store now. |
| | | They are studying at the university. |
The past tense shows that something was completed in the past.
| Examples: | | We went to the store yesterday. |
| | | They studied at the university in 1980. |
Past participle tense shows something was done in the past before another action takes place. Usually, past participle and past tense are used in the same sentence.
| Examples: | We had gone to the store when she arrived. |
| | They had studied at the university before they found jobs. |
The future tense shows something will happen in the future. (Usually only used in dialogue, but I mention it, because it’s important to remain consistent in your tenses, even in dialogue.)
| Examples: | We will go to the store later today. |
| They will study at the university in the coming September. |
