英语动词时态

A. 关于英语各种时态的动词

英语共有16种时态，时态测试重点主要有：完成时态——现在完成时、过去完成时、将来完成时；进行时态——现在进行时、过去进行时、将来进行时、完成进行时；一般时态。

一、一般时态

1、一般现在时

(1)一般现在时表示没有时限的持久存在的动作或状态或现阶段反复发生的动作或状态，常和副词usually，often，always sometimes， regularly，near，occasionally，every year, every week等连用。例如：

1)The moon moves round the earth..

2)Mr. Smith travels to work by bus every day.

(2)在由after，until，before，once，when，even if，in case，as long as，as soon as，the moment以及if，unless等引导的时间状语从句或条件状语从句中，通常用一般现在时代替将来时。例如：

1)I will tell him the news as soon as I see him.

2)I will not go to countryside if it rains tomorrow.

(3)某些表示起始的动词，可用一般现在时表示按规定、计划或安排要发生的动作，这类动词有：be，go，come，start，depart，arrive，begin，leave等。例如：

1)The plane leaves at three sharp.

2)The new teachers arrive tomorrow.

(4)在由why，what，where，whoever，who，that，as等引导的从句中，也常用一般现在时代替将来时。例如：

1)Free tickets will be given to whoever comes first.

2)You’ll probably be in the same train as I am tomorrow.

2.一般过去时

(1)表示过去某一特定时间所发生的、可完成的动作或状态，常与表示确切过去时间的词、短语或从句连用。例如：

We went to the pictures last night and saw a very interesting film.

(2)表示过去习惯性动作。例如：

1)He always went to class last.

2)I used to do my homework in the library.

(注意与be used to doing短语的区别)

3.一般将来时

1)表示将来打算进行或期待发生的动作或状态。例如：

I shall graate next year.

2)几种替代形式：

1)be going to +v在口语中广泛使用，表示准备做或将发生的事情。例如：

I’m going to buy a house when we’ve saved enough money.

2)be to +v表示计划安排要做的事，具有“必要”的强制性意义。例如：

I am to play tennis this afternoon.

3)be about to +v表示即将发生的事情。例如：

He was about to start.

4)be e to +v表示预先确定了的事，必定发生的事。例如：

The train is e to depart in ten minutes.

5)be on the point/verge of +v – ing强调即将发生的某种事态。例如：

The baby was on the point of crying when her mother finally came home.

二、进行时态

1.现在进行时

(1)表示现在正在进行的动作，常与now，right now，at the mother，for the time being，for the present等连用。例如：

Don’t disturb her. She is reading a newspaper now.

(2)表示现阶段经常发生的动作，常与always，continually，forever，constantly等连用。例如：

My father is forever criticizing me.

(3)表示根据计划或安排在最近要进行的事情。具有这种语法功能的动词仅限于过渡性动词。即表示从一个状态或位置转移到另一个状态或位置上去的动词。常用的有：go，come，leave，start，arrive，return等。例如：

They are leaving for Hong Kong next month.

(4)有些动词不能用进行时，这是一类表示“感觉，感情，存在，从属”等的动词。如：see，hear，smell，taste，feel，notice，look，appear，(表示感觉的词)；hate，love，fear，like，want，wish，prefer，refuse，forgive(表示感情的动词)；be，exist，remain，stay，obtain(表示存在状态的动词)；have，possess，own，contain，belong，consist of，form(表示占有与从属的动词)；understand，know，believe，think，doubt，forget，remember(表示思考理解的动词)。但是如果它们词义改变，便也可用进行时态。例如：

1)Tom looks pale. What’s wrong with him?

(look在此为联系动词，意为“显得，看上去”)

2)Tom is looking for his books.

(look在此为实义动词，意为“寻找”)

2.过去进行时

过去进行时表示一个过去的动作发生时或发生后，另一个过去的动作正在进行，或表示过去反复的习惯，常与always，continually，constantly等动词连用。例如：

1)We were discussing the matter when the headmaster entered.

2)Whenever I visited him, he was always writing at the desk.

3.将来进行时

将来进行时主要表示将来某一时刻正在进行的动作，或表示要在将来某一时刻开始，并继续下去的动作。常用来表示礼貌的询问、请求等。例如：

1)This time next day they will be sitting in the cinema.

2)What will you be doing at six tomorrow evening?

4.完成进行时

(现在、过去、将来)完成进行时是(现在、过去、将来)完成时的强调形式，将放在完成时态部分讲述。

三、完成时态

完成时态通常表示已完成或从事的动作。它可分为：

1.现在完成时

(1)现在完成时用来表示对目前状况仍有影响的，刚刚完成的动作(常与yet，already，just连用)，或者过去某一时刻发生的，持续到现在的情况(常与for，since连用)。例如：

1)I have just finished my homework.

2)Mary has been ill for three days.

(2)常与现在完成时连用的时间状语有：since, for, ring, over等引导出的短语；副词already, yet, just, ever, now, before, often, lately, recently等；状语词组this week (morning, month, year), so far, up to now, many times, up to the present等。例如：

1)I haven’t been there for five years.

2)So far, she hasn’t enjoyed the summer vacation.

3)There have been a lot of changes since 1978.

(3)完成时态可用在下列结构中：

This (That, It) is (was) the first (second…) time +定语从句；This (That, It) is (was) the only (last) + n +定语从句；This (That, It) is (was) +形容词最高级+ n +定语从句。如果主句的谓语动词是一般现在时，从句的谓语动词通常用现在完成时；如果主句谓语动词是一般过去时，从句谓语动词通常用过去完成时。例如：

(1)This is one of the rarest questions that have ever been raised at such a meeting.

(2)There was a knock at the door. It was the second time someone had interrupted me that evening.

2.过去完成时

(1)表示过去某时间前已经发生的动作或情况，这个过去的时间可以用by，before等介词短语或一个时间状语从句来表示；或者表示一个动作在另一个过去动作之前已经完成。例如：

1)We had just had our breakfast when Tom came in.

2)By the end of last year they had turned out 5, 000 bicycles.

(2)动词expect, hope, mean, intend, plan, suppose, wish, want, desire等用过去完成时，表示过去的希望、预期、意图或愿望等没有实现。例如：

I had meant to take a good holiday this year, but I wasn’t able to get away.

另外两种表示“过去想做而未做的事”的表达方式是：

1)was / were + to have done sth,例如：

We were to have come yesterday, but we couldn’t.

2)intended (expected, hope, meant, planned, supposed, wished, wanted, desired) + to have done sth,例如：

I meant to have told you about it, but I forgot to do so.

(3)过去完成时常用于以下固定句型：

1)hardly, scarcely, barely + 过去完成时+ when + 过去时。例如：

Hardly had I got on the bus when it started to move.

2)no sooner +过去完成时+ than +过去时。例如：

No sooner had I gone out than he came to see me.

3)by (the end of ) +过去时间，主句中谓语动词用过去完成时。例如：

The experiment had been finished by 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon.

3.将来完成时

将来完成时表示在将来某一时刻将完成或在另一个未来的动作发生之前已经完成的动作；也可以用来表示一种猜测。常与将来完成时连用的时间状语有：by (the time / the end of ) +表示将来时间的短语和句子；before (the end of ) +表示将来时间的词语或句子；when, after等加上表示将来动作的句子等。例如：

1)By this time tomorrow you will have arrived in Shanghai.

2)I shall have finished this composition before 9 o’clock.

3)When we get on the railway station, the train will probably have left.

4.完成进行时

完成进行时是完成时的强调形式，有现在完成进行时，过去完成进行时，将来完成进行时。

(1)现在完成进行时表示过去某一时刻之前开始的动作或状态一直延续到过去某一时刻。例如：

I have been looking for my lost book for three days, but I still haven’t found it.

(2)过去完成进行时表示过去某一时刻之前开始的动作或状态一直延续到过去某一时刻。例如：

It had been raining cats and dogs for over a week and the downpour had caused landslides in many places.

(3)将来完成进行时表示在将来某一时刻之前开始的一个动作或状态一直延续到将来某一时刻。例如：

By the time you arrive tonight, she will have been typing for hours.

四：时态一致

时态一致是英语四、六级考试的一个重要内容。通常应由主句谓语的时态决定从句的谓语时态。一般原则是：

1、当主句谓语使用现在时或将来时，从句的谓语根据具体情况使用任何时态

He says that he lives in Wuhan.

We hope that there will be many people at your party today.

“Did you hear that Bill finally sold the house?” “Yes, but I don’t know who bought it.”

“There’s a lot of excitement on the street.”

“There certainly is. Do you suppose the astronauts have returned?”

2、当主句谓语使用过去时的时候，从句的谓语必须使用过去范围的时态

He said he was writing a novel.

The teacher wanted to know when we would finish the experiment.

He said his father had been an engineer.

3、当从句是表示没有时间概念的真理时，从句的谓语应使用一般现在时。例如：

The teacher told them since light travels faster than sound, lightning appears to go before thunder.

注：在此种情况下，即使主句谓语用了过去式的各种时态，从句谓语也应用一般现在时。

4、从句谓语只能用虚拟语气的情况

利用时态一致原则确定从句动词时态时，还应注意，若主语动词是表示命令、请求、要求、建议、劝告等的动词，从句谓语只能用虚拟语气，不能遵循时态一致原则。例如：

We insisted that we do it ourselves.

动词的语态

语态也是动词的一种形式，英语有两种语态：主动语态和被动语态。主动语态表示主语是动作的执行者，而被动语态表示主语是动作的承受者。

1)We use electricity to run machines. (主动语态)

2)Electricity is used to run machines. (被动语态)

1.不能用于被动语态的动词和短语

(1)在英语中，不及物动词不能用于被动语态，但有些不及物动词(包括短语)容易引起误用。如：appear, belong, belong, die, escape, fall, happen, last, remain, succeed, occur, come true, take place, consist of。

(2)某些表示状态或特征的及物动词，如：become, contain, cost, fit, have, resemble, suit也没有被动语态。

2.被动语态的时态形式

常用的被动语态有表1所列的几种时态形式。

表1

时?SPAN lang=EN-US> 一般时 进行时 完成时

现在 am asked am being asked

is asked is being asked

are asked are being asked

过去

was be asked was being asked

were be asked were being asked

将来 shall be asked shall have been asked

will be asked will have been asked

过去 should be asked should have been asked

将来 would be asked would have been asked

3.短语动词的被动语态

短语动词转换为被动语态时，通常被看作是一个动词，后面的介词或副词不能拆开或省略。例如：

1)So far no correct conclusion has arrived at.

2)All the rubbish should be got rid of.

4.“get + -ed分词”的被动语态

“get + -ed分词”结构强调动作的结果，而非动作本身，常用来表示突发性的，出乎意料的偶然事件。例如：

The boy got hurt on his way home from work.

另外，“get + -ed分词”还可用于谈论为自己做的事，是主动的行为而不是被动的行为。例如：

get dressed(穿衣服) get divorced(离婚)

get engaged(订婚) get confused(迷惑不解)

get lost(迷路) get washed(洗脸)

get married(结婚)

5.能带两个宾语和复合宾语的动词改为被动语态

(1)能带两个宾语的动词改为被动语态时，一次只能由一个宾语作主语，另一个宾语被保留下来。例如：

1)We showed the visitors our new procts.(主动语态)

2)The visitors were shown our new procts.(被动语态)

3)Our new procts were shown to the visitors.(被动语态)

(2)能带复合宾语的动词改为被动语态时，原来的宾语补足语变为主语补足语。例如：

1)The teacher appointed him League secretary.(主动语态)

2)He was appointed League secretary.(被动语态)

6.被动语态与系表结构的区别

(1)The novel was well written.(系表结构)

(2)The novel was written by Diskens.(被动语态)

7.少数动词的主动语态有时有被动的意思

例1：The book is selling remarkably well.

例2：The song sounds very beautiful.

能这样用的动词还有read(读起来)，clean(擦起来)，wash(洗起来)，write(写起来)。

例3：My watch needs cleaning. (= My watch needs to be cleaned).

能像need这样用的动词还有：want, require, deserve, do, owe, bind等。

例4：The meat is cooking.

例5：The book written by the professor is printing.

B. 英语动词的时态

英语动词的时态

时态和时间是两个不同的概念。时间是一种客观存在的形式，它不依赖于任何一种特定的语言，为所有的文化共有。时态是一种语言的手段，依语言的不同而有所区别，它是属于动词的语法范畴。英语动词时态是以动词形式变化来表示句子中谈到的动作、状态的时间关系和说话的时间。因此我们可以看到时态和时间两者间虽然有关系，但不可以混淆。

The plane leaves tomorrow morning. 飞机明晨起飞。
此句中的时态为一般现在时，但是它所表示的时间却为将来（明晨）

英语动词的常用时态总共有十六种：
一般现在时 现在进行时 一般过去时 过去进行时
一般将来时 将来进行时 现在完成时 过去完成时
将来完成时 现在完成进行时 过去完成进行时

1． 一般现在时
一般现在时的形式
是以动词的原形表示的，当主语为第三人称单数时，做谓语的动词原形后要加上词尾-s or –es, 其构成方式列表如下：
情况 构成 例词
一般情况 词尾加-s Reads, writes
以ch,sh,s,x,o结尾的词 词尾加-es Teaches,washes,guesses, fixes, goes
以辅音字母+Y 结尾的词 变Y为I，再加-es Tries, carries

但是，动词to be 和to have 的一般现在时的形式特殊如下：
一般动词的词形变化 To be 的词形变化 To have 的词形变化
I know it I am a student I have a pen.
You know it. You are a student You have a pen
He (she) knows it. He (she) is a student. He (she)has a pen.
We (you,they) know it. We (you,they) are students. We (you,they) have pens.

一般现在时的功用

1. 表示一直发生的事情，经常发生的动作：
Nurses look after patients in hospitals.
Excuse me, do you speak English?
I get up at 8 o’clock every morning.
It often rains in summer in Beijing.
2. 表示客观事实或者真理：
Birds fly.
The earth goes around the sun.

3. 谈论时间表、旅程表等，如：
What time does the film begin?
The football match starts at 8 o’clock.
Tomorrow is Thursday.

4. 谈论籍贯、国籍等，如：
Where do you come from?
I come from China. 你是哪国人？我是中国人。

Where do you come from?
I come from Guangzhou. 你是哪里人？我是广州人。

5. 询问或者引用书籍、通知或新近接到的信笺内容，如：
What does that notice say?
What does Ann say in her letter?
She says she’s coming to Beijing next week.
Shakespears says, “Neither a borrower or a lender be.”
莎士比亚说：“既不要向人借钱，也不要借钱给别人。”

一般过去时

一般过去时是表示在说话时间以前发生的动作或者状态的动词时态，它是英语时态体系中最重要的时态之一。
1) 一般过去时规则动词的构成形式：
规则动词在其原形后面加-ed:
to work-worked
以字母e结尾的规则动词，只加-d:
to love---loved
对所有人称均无词形变化。
否定式均由did not + 动词原形构成
I / you / he / she / they / we did not work.
疑问式均由 did + 主语 + 动词原形 构成
拼写注意：
情况 变化 例词
动词为单音节，以一个元音字母和一个辅音字母结尾 辅音字母双写，再加-ed Stop-stoppedAdmit—admitted
以y结尾的动词，在y 前为辅音字母时 Y 变为 I ,加 – ed Carry –carriedHurry –hurried
以y 结尾的动词，在y 前为元音字母时 加—ed Obey—obeyedEnjoy---enjoyed

在英语当中有一部分动词的过去式变化形式是不规则的，这类动词被称为不规则动词。总数大概不过200多个，但是使用频率很高。主要分成三类：

1》 第一类不规则动词的三种形式同形，如：
cost cost cost
cut cut cut
hurt hurt hurt
shut shut shut
set set set
注意，有些动词的过去式与过去分词有两中形式，如：
bet bet / betted bet / betted
wed wed / wedded wed / wedded
wet wet / wetted wet / wetted
2》 第二类不规则动词的过去式和过去分词同形，如：
bend bent bent
bring brought brought
catch caught caught
hide hid hid / hidden
get got got/ gotten(AmE)
lead led led
3》 第三类不规则动词的原形、过去式和过去分词都不相同，如：
原形 过去式 过去分词
begin began begun
break broke broken
forbid forbade forbidden
grow grew grown
ring rang rung
wake woke / waked woken / waked
此外还有少数不规则动词的过去分词与原形相同，如：
come came come
become became become
run ran run

一般过去时的功用
1） 表示一个没指明具体时间的过去的行动，如：
He worked in that bank for four years. (没说明起始时间，但是现在不在那里工作了)。
They once saw Deng Xiaopin.
Did you ever hear BackStreet Boy sing?

2) 表示在过去特定的时间结束的行动，如：
When did you meet him?
I met him yesterday.

When we lived in Phoenix, we studied at Arizona State University.

Where have you been?
I’ve been to the opera.
Did you enjoy it?

3) 表示过去的习惯
He always carried an umbrella.
They never drank wine.

现在完成时的形式
现在完成时由to have 的现在时+过去分词构成：
肯定式 否定式 疑问式 否定疑问式
I have worked I have not worked Have I worked? Have I not worked?
You have worked You havenot worked Have you worked? Have you not worked?
He (she)has worked. He(she)has not worked. Has he(she) worked? Has he(she) not worked?
We(you / they) have worked. We (you / they) have not worked. Have we (you / they) worked? Have we (you / they) not worked?

紧缩形式

现在完成时的功用
现在完成时可以说成是兼有现在与过去意义的一种复合时态。它与现在有密切联系，如：
------Oh,dear, I’ve forgotten her name.
和现在的联系就是 I don’t remember her name now.
------Fort has gone to Canada.
和现在的联系就是 He is not here. He is in Canada now.

1) 表示延续到现在的动作 （有时是总计做了多少次等）。
How many times have you been to the United States?
She really loves that film. She has seen it eight times.
Tom has lived in Now York all his life.

2) 表示开始与过去而在说话时刻结束的行动，如：
I haven’t seen you for ages. 我好久没见到你了。（说话时刻已经见到了）
This room hasn’t been cleaned for months. (也许从说话开始时刻就要打扫它了)

3) 表示过去的动作对现在造成的影响，如：
The window has broken.

4) 和最高级连用，表示到现在为止是最……的
What a boring film! It’s the most boring film I’ve ever seen.
Is it a thick book?------Yes, it is the thickest book I’ve ever read.

5) 和句型 This is the first time…, It’s the first time 连用，如：
This is the first time he has driven a car.
(相当于 he has never driven a car before.)

Is this the first time you’ve been in hospital?
Professor Johnson has lost his passport again. It’s the second time he has lost it.

6) 和ever, never, yet, just, already 等副词连用，如：
Have you ever eaten French cheese?
We have never had a private car.
Has it stopped raining yet? (yet 表示期待雨停止)

Would you like something to eat?
No, thanks. I’ve just had lunch.

Don’t forget to mail the letter, will you?
I’ve already mailed it. (already 表示比预料的要快)

7）与since 连用，since 表示与某一时刻或从句连用，表示“从那一刻到说话时为止”，它总是与完成时连用，如：
She has been here since 6 o’clock.
He hasn’t been himself since the accident. （那次事故后，他从未完全康复）
Since I was a child I have lived in England.

一般过去时与现在完成时的比较

1） 过去时仅仅表示过去，现在完成时还表示与现在的关系，如：
He has lost his key.
He lost his key.

2) 与现在无关的或者过去很久的历史事件不能用现在完成时
The Chinese invented printing.
Shakespear wrote Hamlet.

3)如果说明动作有特定的过去时间，就不能用现在完成时，如：
Did you see the film on television last night?
Tom lost his key yesterday.
询问某事发生的具体时间或者地点时（when , what time, where）, when , what time, where）, 用一般过去时，如：
What time did they arrive?
When and where were you born?

比较：

Have you see Ann this moring? ( 说话时仍为上午)
Did you see Ann this morning? ( 说话时为下午)

Jack has lived in London for six years. 还在伦敦住
Jack lived in London for six years. 先不住伦敦了

I have never played golf in my life.
I didn’t play golf when I was on holiday last summer.

现在进行时

现在进行时是由助动词to be 的现在时 + 现在分词构成：
肯定式 否定式 疑问式
I am working.You are working.He (she) is working.We (you,they) are working. I am not working.You are not working.He (she) is not working.We (you,they) are not working. Am I working?Are you working?Is he (she) working?Are we (you,they) working?

现在分词的构成，是在动词原形上加—ing, 但是应该注意：
情况 变化 例词
动词以单个e 结尾 去掉e, 加 ing Love _lovingArgue _ arguing
动词以 —ee结尾 直接加 ing Agree_ agreeingSee _ seeing
动词为单音节：以单一元音字母 + 单一辅音字母结尾 辅音字母双写，再加 ing Hit _ hittingRun _runningStop _ stopping
动词为双音节或者多音节：最后一个音节为重读音节，以单一元音字母 + 单一辅音字母结尾 辅音字母双写，再加 ing Be’gin be’ginningAd’mit ad’mitting
以 y 结尾的动词 直接加 ing Carry carryingEnjoy enjoying

现在进行时的功用
1） 表示说话时正在发生或者进行的动作
Please don’t make so much noise, I’m studying.
Let’s get out. It isn’t raining any more.

2) 表示在现在相对较长一段时间内正在进行的动作，但是说话一刻不一定在做的动作
Have you heard about Tom? He is building his own house.
David is teaching English and learning Chinese in Beijing.
这些动作，在说话时并不一定在发生或进行，而是在包括说话的一刹那在内的一段时间内发生、进行的。
3）表示最近的确定的安排
Ann is coming tomorrow.
Oh, is she? What time is she arriving?
At 10:15.
Are you meeting her at the station?
I can’t. I’m working tomorrow morning.
以上句子也可以用be going to (do) 的形式来表示。但是谈论已确定的安排时候，用现在进行时态显得更加自然，除非受到动词的功能的限制。在此，切不可用will, 如：
Alex is getting married next month. 不能用 will get married.

4) 和always 连用表示某种情绪，可能是厌烦也可能是赞扬，如：
Tom is always going away for weekends.
My husband is always doing homework.

有些动词是表示一种状态而不是动作，一般不用于进行时。例如，我们一般不说 I am knowing, 而说 I know. 常见的这类动词有：
want like hate know see hear believe understand seem
think(相信) suppose remember need love realize mean forget prefer have （拥有）belong

To understand is to accept. 理解就是接受
Do you like Beijing?
Do you see the rainbow?
I remember him very well.
I think I understand what he wants.

一般现在时和现在进行时的比较

一般现在时表示的是一般、重复的动作或者事情
现在进行时表示说话时或说话前后正在发生的动作或事情，如：
Tom plays tennis every Sunday.
Where’s Tom? -------He is playing tennis.

What do you do? 你是干什么工作的？
What are you doing here? 你在这里干什么？

一般现在时是表示经久的情况，而现在进行时表示的是暂时的，如：
My parents live in Shanghai. They have been there for 50 years.
She’s living with some friends until she can find an apartment.

过去进行时
过去进行时的构成形式为：
I / he /she was
We / they / you were + 动词的现在分词

过去进行时的功用
1） 表示在过去某个时间后者某段时间正在进行的动作，如：
When I rang him up, he was having dinner.
This time last year I was living in Shanghai.
What were you doing at 10 o’clock last night?

2) 过去进行时和一般过去时连用，表示在一个动作发生的过程中，发生了另一个动作，如：
It was raining when I got up.
I fell asleep when I was watching television.

3) 过去一般时所说明的动作是已经完成的，而过去进行时不表示正在进行的动作一定会完成，如：
Tom was cooking the dinner.
Tom cooked the dinner.

现在完成进行时
其构成形式如下：
I / we / they have
He / she / it has been + 动词的现在分词
功用如下：
1） 表示一个在过去开始而在最近刚刚结束的行动，如：
Ann is very tired. She has been working hard.
Why are you clothes so dirty? What have you been doing?

2) 表示一个从过去开始但仍在进行的行动，如：
It has been raining for two hours. (现在还在下)
Jack hasn’t been feeling very well recently.

3) 表示一个从过去开始延续到现在，可以包括现在在内的一个阶段内，重复发生的行动，如：
She has been playing tennis since she was eight.

4) 现在完成时强调动作行为的结果、影响，而现在完成进行时只强调动作行为本身，如：
Tom’s hands are very dirty. He has been repairing the car.
The car is going again now. Tom has repaired it.

C. 英语动词时态

said 是过去时态 ，因此后面宾语从句中也用过去时态，因此may keep,like用其过去时态形式might keep, liked,
when后用come，代替将来时态will come，因为在带状语从句的句子中，主句从句都表示将来，从句则用一般式代替将来时态形式，am sleeping 表示正在睡觉，是进行时态
will表示将来可能性比较大， have taken 仍旧是现在时态代替将来时态，代替will have taken，表示将来已经服药

D. 英语动词时态是什么

英语中不同时间和方式发生的动作或状态要用谓语动词的不同形式来表示，这种表示动作或状态发生时间和方式的动词形式称作动词时态。时间主要有四个主要部分，即现在、过去、将来和过去将来。动作方面也有四种，即一般、完成、进行和完成进行。把这些时间和动作方面结合在一起就构成16种动词时态。（以play为例）具体表述如下：1、一般现在时（We
play)；2、一般过去时(We
palyed)；3、一般将来时(We
will
play)；4、一般过去将来时(We
would
play)；5、现在进行时(We
are
playing)；6、过去进行时(We
were
playing)；7、将来进行时(We
will
be
playing)；8、过去将来进行时(We
would
be
playing)；9、现在完成时(We
have
played)；10、过去完成时(We
had
played)；11、将来完成时(We
will
have
played)；12、过去将来完成时(We
would
have
played)；13、现在完成进行时(We
have
been
playing)；14、过去完成进行时(We
had
been
playing)；15、将来完成进行时(We
will
have
been
playing)；16、过去将来完成进行时(We
would
have
been
playing)。
其实是英语动词的时和体.时有现在,过去,将来和过去将来;体有一般,完成,进行和完成进行.而态有2种,即主动和被动.

E. 关于英语动词时态

一、一般现在时：表示现在经常反复发生的动作、状态、或习惯性的动作的状态。 一般的形式由be动词（am\is\are)或实义动词引导。 如：I am a student.我是一个学生。(am在句中为be动词) He swims in the pool.他在池里游泳。(swims在句中为实义动词)

二、现在进行时：表示现在正在进行的动作的时态。由be动词(am\is\are)+现在分词（动词加ing形式）构成。 如：I am working.我正在工作。 She is studying.她正在学习。

三、一般过去时：表示过去经常或偶然发生的动作，或存在的状态的时态。一般的形式和一般现在时差不多，由be动词的过去时（was\were)或实义动词的过去时引导。 如：I was a student.我以前是一个学生。（过去是学生） He swam(swim的过去时）in the pool. 他之前在池里游泳。

四、一般将来时：表示将来发生的动作或存在的状态的时态。 由will\shall + 动词原形或be动词原形构成。 如：I will be a student.我将成为一名学生。 He will swim in the pool.他将要到池里去游泳。

五、现在完成时：表示在过去发生但与现在情况有联系的动作或状态的时态。 由 have\has + 过去分词 构成。 如：I have talked.(talked 为talk的过去分词）我已经讲过话了。