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of the verb in each sentence being finally determined by other elements in the construction. It is customary to distinguish sixteen tenses in English. The sixteen
tenses are:
1. Present Tense Subject
Predicate Complement
That man
works
at the Bank. You and I
enjoy enjoy the dishes.
2. Present Continuous Tense Subject
Predicate Complement
Those students are listening to the radio.
The deligent student is writing
the exercises.
3. Present Perfect Tense
Subject Predicate
Complement That boy’s brother
has gone to the market.
All the students
have done
the tasks.
4. Future Tense
Subject Predicate
Complement We
will study abroad
The new students are going to buy
the new books.
5. Future Continuous Tense
Subject Predicate
Complement The president, Obama
will be giving
his speech by 10 a.m. next Monday. That boy’s mother
will be preparing
dinner this evening
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6. Future Perfect Tense Subject
Predicate Complement
We
will have finished
the works tomorrow afternoon. They
will have arrived here tomorrow morning.
7. Past Tense Subject
Predicate Complement
The English teacher Taught
us English last week. The postmen
Delivered the letters.
8. Past Continuous Tense Subject
Predicate Complement
The young docter wasexamining his patient.
Those mechanics wasfixing the broken cars.
9. Past Perfect Tense Subject
Predicate Complement
The journalist had told
us the news. That father
had sent
the children to the school.
10. Past Future Perfect Tense Subject
Predicate Complement
Budi and Amin would have sent
the new book to the teacher. The dog
would have run after the cat.
11. Past Future Perfect Continuous Tense Subject
Predicate Complement
The new patient would have been being operated
by the experienced docters. The proposal
would have been being sent by the secretary.
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12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense Subject
Predicate Complement
The pharmacists
will have been working
in the laboratory by nine o’clock tomorrow morning.
The senior teachers will have been teaching
the students in that classroom this afternoon.
13. Present Perfect Continuous Tense Subject