Understanding Verb Tenses: Present, Past, and Future, Assignments of Computer Science

Download Understanding Verb Tenses: Present, Past, and Future and more Assignments Computer Science in PDF only on Docsity! Communications for Computer Scientists CSCE 996 Section 02 March 31, 2003 Verb Tenses (Handout #17) This quote is from: The Elements of Technical Writing by Gary Blake and Robert W. Bly 1993, Longman, New York (pg. 69). Use the past tense to describe your experimental work and results. Research reports are written in the past tense because they describe work completed in the past. Example: The Department of Sanitation measured the flow rate for each of the three pipe lines. In most other writing, use present tense. Hypotheses, principle theories, facts, and other general truths are expressed in the present tense. Avoid using the conditional (could or would) and invoking the future tense needlessly, because these uses add an unnecessary sense of indefiniteness to a definite statement. Examples: * Crystals would form from fusion if the temperature or pressure was high. REWRITE: Crystals form from fusion at a high temperature or high pressure. * The rocket will usually burn eight times its weight in liquid oxygen. REWRITE: The rocket usually burns eight times its weight in liquid oxygen. ____________________________________________________________________________________ The Write Place, St. Cloud State University In English, there are three basic tenses: present, past, and future. Each has a perfect form, indicating completed action; each has a progressive form indicating ongoing action; and each has a perfect progressive form, indicating ongoing action that will be completed at some definite time. Here is a list of examples of these tenses and their definitions: Simple Forms Progressive Forms Perfect Forms Perfect Progressive Forms Present take/s am/is/are taking have/has taken have/has been taking Past took was/were taking had taken had been taking Future will/shall take will be taking will have taken will have been taking Simple Forms of Present Tense Present tense expresses an unchanging, repeated, or reoccurring action or situation that exists only now. It can also represent a widespread truth. Example Meaning The mountains are tall and white. Unchanging action Every year, the school council elects new members. Recurring action Pb is the chemical symbol for lead. Widespread truth Past Tense Past tense expresses an action or situation that was started and finished in the past. Most past tense verbs end in -ed. The irregular verbs have special past tense forms which must be memorized. Example Form W.W.II ended in 1945. Regular -ed past Ernest Hemmingway wrote "The Old Man and the Sea." Irregular form Future Tense Future tense expresses an action or situation that will occur in the future. This tense is formed by using will/shall with the simple form of the verb. * The speaker of the House will finish her term in May of 1998. The future tense can also be expressed by using am, is, or are with going to. * The surgeon is going to perform the first bypass in Minnesota. We can also use the present tense form with an adverb or adverbial phrase to show future time. * The president speaks tomorrow. (Tomorrow is a future time adverb.) Progressive Forms Present Progressive Tense Present progressive tense describes an ongoing action that is happening at the same time the statement is written. This tense is formed by using am/is/are with the verb form ending in -ing. * The sociologist is examining the effects that racial discrimination has on society. Past Progressive Tense Past progressive tense describes a past action which was happening when another action occurred. This tense is formed by using was/were with the verb form ending in -ing. * The explorer was explaining the latest discovery in Egypt when protests began on the streets. Future Progressive Tense Future progressive tense describes an ongoing or continuous action that will take place in the future. This tense is formed by using will be or shall be with the verb form ending in -ing. Dr. Jones will be presenting ongoing research on sexist language next week. Perfect Forms Present Perfect Tense Present perfect tense describes an action that happened at an indefinite time in the past or that began in the past and continues in the present. This tense is formed by using has/have with the past participle of the verb. Most past participles end in -ed. Irregular verbs have special past participles that must be memorized. Example Meaning The researchers have traveled to many countries in order to collect more significant data. At an indefinite time Women have voted in presidential elections since 1921. Continues in the present