The verb. General characteristics. Classifications of english verbs. Categories of tense, aspect, mood, voice, person, and number. Method: discussion. Reja: Introduction to Verbs: Tense, Aspect, and Mood

Past Progressive

The past progressive expresses a continuous action in the past:

• 
  She was giving a presentation when the microphone broke.
  
• 
  The computer was downloading the file for 20 minutes.
  
• 
  During their first year, the puppies were growing at an alarming rate.
  

In the past progressive tense, the primary action verbs (in this case giving, downloading, and growing) are paired with the past tense of the verb to be (was/were) to show that the action occurred continually in the past.

Past Perfect

The past perfect expresses a completed action from the past.

• 
  I had already seen him that morning.
  
• 
  As soon as my car had been repaired, I continued my trip.
  
• 
  The power had gone out by then.
  

This verb tense uses had, paired with a verb, to show that the verb is a completed action.

Past Perfect Progressive

The past perfect progressive expresses a continuous, completed action that had taken place in the past.

• 
  I had been listening to the radio when she dropped in.
  
• 
  The car had been running smoothly until the exhaust pipe fell off.
  
• 
  She realized she had been standing on his foot when he gently shoved her.
  

The past perfect progressive tense combines have/has with been and the past tense of the verb (listening, running, standing) to show that the action occurred continually in the past until the action was completed.

Future Tenses

The future tense is used to express circumstances that will occur in the future. The future tense is different from the present and past tenses in that there is not usually a type of verb conjugation that shows the future tense. Instead, future verbs are formed by combining them with words like will or shall, or the phrase going to. The different future tenses are simple future, future progressive, future perfect, and future perfect progressive.

Simple Future

The simple future expresses an action that will take place in the future.

• 
  Next week, her uncle will be in town.
  
• 
  Will you carry this bag for me?
  

To show that these actions take place in the future, the verbs are paired with will.

Future Progressive

The future progressive expresses a continuous action which will take place in the future.

• 
  He will be conducting a meeting between noon and one o’clock every day this week.
  
• 
  Next summer, Jake will be traveling through South America.
  

To show that the action is continuous and in the future, the verbs are paired with will be, and to show that they are progressive, the main verb ends in -ing.

Future Perfect

The future perfect expresses a completed action that will have taken place in the future.

• 
  We will have finished cooking by the time you arrive.
  
• 
  Margaret will have dropped off her niece at the airport before meeting Joe.
  

In these examples, will and have are paired with the main verb to show readers that these actions will take place in the future, but will have already occurred.

Future Perfect Progressive

Lastly, the future perfect progressive tense expresses a continuous, completed action that will have taken place in the future.

• 
  I will have been exercising for hours by the time you wake up tomorrow.
  
• 
  When they arrive, they will have been traveling for 12 hours straight.
  

The veb has will to show that it takes place in the future, have been to show that it is completed, and an -ing verb to show that it is progressive or continuous.