Tenses

Tenses adalah sebuah kategori tata bahasa (grammar) yang menekankan pada penggunaan kata kerja
(verb) yang dikaitkan dengan waktu penggunaannya. Dengan kata lain, tenses adalah pembedaan
bentuk kata kerja untuk menyatakan perbedaan waktu dan durasi suatu perbuatan atau kejadian.

Tabel 16 Tenses Bahasa Inggris

Event
Time Simple Continuous Perfect Perfect Continuous
Simple Present Present Present Perfect Present Perfect
Present Tense Continuous Tense Tense Continuous Tense
Past Continuous Past Perfect
Past Simple Past Tense Tense Past Perfect Tense Continuous Tense
Simple Future Future Continuous Future Perfect Future Perfect
Future Tense Tense Tense Continuous Tense
Past Future Past Future Perfect Past Future Perfect
Past Future Past Future Tense Continuous Tense Tense Continuous Tense
Tenses dalam Bentuk “Present”
1. Simple Present Tense
Digunakan untuk menunjukkan fakta, kebiasaan, dan keadaan umum yang terjadi pada saat ini.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + Verb / Verb-s/es
+ Complement
Atau a. I work hard for this company.
Subject + am/are/is + b. He works hard for this company.
Complement c. You are beautiful.
Positif d. She is beautiful.
Sunbect + do/does not +
Verb1 + Complement a. I do not work hard for this company.
Atau b. He does not work hard for this
Subject + am/are/is + not + company.
complement c. You are not beautiful.
Negatif d. She is not beautiful.
Do/does + Subject + Verb1
+ Complement?
Atau a. Do I work hard for this company?
Am/are/is + Subject + b. Does he work hard for this company?
Complement? c. Are you beautiful?
Interogatif d. Is she beautiful?
Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah: usually, always, every, sometimes, normally, dan seldom,
dll.

2. Present Continuous Tense

Digunakan untuk membicarakan aksi yang sedang berlangsung. Yang paling utama dari tense ini
adalah adanya durasi waktu untuk kata kerjanya.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + am/are/is + Verb-
ing + Complement

Positif We are studying English.

Subject + am/are/is + Not +
Negatif Complement We are not studying English.
 Am/are/is + Subject +
Interogatif Verb-ing + Complement? Are we studying English?
Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah now, at the time, at this present, at this moment, dll.

3. Present Perfect Tense

Digunakan untuk menunjukkan suatu aksi atau kejadian sudah selesai dan menekankan
pada hasilnya.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + has/have + Verb3
+ Complement
a. I have finished my homework.
Positif b. She has finished her homework.
Subject + has/have + not +
Verb3 + Complement
a. I have not finished my homework.
Negatif b. She has not finished her homework.
Has/have + Subject + a. Have I finished my homework?
Interogatif Verb3 + Complement? b. Has she finished her homework?
Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, dll.

3. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Digunakan untuk menunjukkan aksi yang dimulai pada masa lampau dan terus berlanjut sampai
saat ini. Biasanya aksi yang menggunakan tense ini mempunyai durasi waktu tentu dan mempunyai
relevansi dengan kondisi sekarang.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + has/have + been a. You have been working here since
+ Verb-ing + Complement 2015.
b. She has been speaking for the last 3
Positif hours.
Subject + has/have + not +
been + Verb-ing + a. You have not been working here since
Complement 2015.
b. She has not been speaking for the last
Negatif 3 hours.
a. Have you been working here since
2015?
Has/have + Subject + been b. Has she been speaking for the last 3
Interogatif + Verb-ing + Complement? hours?
Tenses dalam Bentuk “Past”
Kata sinyal untuk tense ini adalah since, for the past …, the whole week, dll.

5. Simple Past Tense

Digunakan untuk menunjukkan suatu kejadian di masa lampau.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + Verb2 +
Complement
Atau a. I worked hard for that company.
Subject + was/were + b. He worked hard for that company.
Complement c. You were beautiful.
Positif d. She was beautiful.
Subject + did not + Verb1 a. I did not work hard for that company.
+ Complement b. He did not work hard for that
Negatif Atau company.
 Subject + was/were + not + c. You were not beautiful.
Complement d. She was not beautiful.

Did + Subject + Verb1 +

Complement?
Atau a. Did I work hard for that company?
Was/were + Subject + b. Did he work hard for that company?
Complement? c. Were you beautiful?
Interogatif d. Was she beautiful?
Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah last year, last month, yesterday, in 1996, last Sunday, dll.

6. Past Continuous Tense

Digunakan untuk menunjukkan suatu kejadian yang sedang terjadi pada masa lampau. Biasanya,
ada 2 kejadian terjadi di masa lampau, dan kejadian yang diinterupsi tersebut yang menggunakan
tense ini.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + was/were +
Verb-ing + Complement

Positif I was studying English when he called.

Subject + was/were + Not
Negatif + Verb-ing + Complement I was not studying English when he called.
Was/were + Subject +
Interogatif Verb-ing + Complement? Was I studying English when he called?

Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah when, while, as long as, at this time yesterday, dll.

7. Past Perfect Tense

Digunakan untuk menunjukkan kejadian yang terjadi sebelum waktu tertentu di masa lampau,
dan lebih menekankan pada hasil dari pada durasinya kejadiannya. Biasanya digunakan untuk
menunjukkan kejadian mana yang terlebih terjadi dahulu di antara 2 kejadian yang terjadi di masa
lampau.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + had + Verb3 +
Complement
I had finished my homework before I met up
Positif with my friends yesterday.
Subject + had + not +
Verb3 + Complement
I had not finished my homework before I
Negatif met up with my friends yesterday.
Had + Subject + Verb3 + Had I finished my homework before I met up
Interogatif Complement? with my friends yesterday?
Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah before yesterday, till three days ago, already, until that day,
dll.
8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Digunakan untuk menunjukkan aksi yang terjadi di masa lalu dan sudah selesai pada waktu
tertentu di masa lalu juga. Tense ini menekankan pada durasi kejadiannya. Tense ini juga
digunakan pada Reported Speech
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + had + been +
Verb-ing + Complement

Positif You had been crying for an hour.

Subject + had + not + been
+ Verb-ing + Complement

Negatif You had not been crying for an hour.

Had + Subject + been +
Interogatif Verb-ing + Complement? Had you been crying for an hour?
Tenses dalam Bentuk “Future”
Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah for, since, the whole day, all day, dll.

9. Simple Future Tense

Digunakan untuk menunjukkan aksi atau suatu keadaan di masa depan.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
a. I will work hard for this company.
Subject + will/be going to b. I am going to work hard for this
Positif + Verb1 + Complement company.
Subject + will not / be not a. I will not work hard for this company.
going to + Verb1 + b. I am not going to work hard for this
Negatif Complement company.
Will + Subject + Verb1 +
Complement?
Atau
Be + Subject + going to + a. Will I work hard for this company?
Verb1 + Complement? b. Am I going to work hard for this
Subject company?

Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah next…, tomorrow, five days later, dll.

10. Future Continuous Tense

Digunakan untuk menunjukkan suatu aksi atau keadaan yang akan terjadi di suatu waktu tertentu
di masa yang akan datang.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + will / be going
to+ be + Verb-ing +
Complement
a. I will be studying English.
Positif b. You are going be studying English.
Subject + will not / be not
going to + be + Verb-ing +
Complement a. I will not be studying English.
b. You are not going to be
Negatif studying English.
Am/are/is + Subject + a. Will I be studying English?
Interogatif Verb-ing + Complement? b. Are you going to be studying English?
Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah tomorrow morning, in ten years, dll.

11. Future Perfect Tense

Digunakan untuk menunjukkan aksi yang akan berakhir di masa depan.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + will have +
Verb3 + Complement

Positif I will have finished my homework.

Subject + will not have +
Verb3 + Complement

Negatif I will not have finished my homework.

Will + Subject + have
Interogatif Verb3 + Complement? Will I have finished my homework?
Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah next…, in a week, dll.

12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Digunakan untuk menunjukkan aksi yang akan terus terjadi di masa depan. Tense
ini menekankan pada hasil.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + will + have +
been + Verb-ing +
Complement
In 2020, she will have been working here for
Positif 2 years.
Subject + will + not + have
+ been + Verb-ing +
Complement
In 2020, she will not have been
Negatif working here for 2 years.
Will + Subject + have +
been + Verb-ing + In 2020, will she have been working here for
Interogatif Complement? 2 years?
Tenses dalam Bentuk “Past Future”
Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah for the last…, all day long, dll.

13. Past Future Tense

Digunakan untuk menunjukkan aksi yang akan dilakukan di masa lalu namun gagal (rencana yang
gagal).

Fungsi Rumus Contoh

Subject + would/should +
Positif Verb1 + Complement I would come to your party if you invited me.
Subject + would/should not I would not come to your party if you did not
Negatif + Verb1 + Complement invite me.
Would/should + Subject + Would I come to your party if you invited
Subject Verb1 + Complement? me?
Kata sinyal waktu untuk tense ini adalah yesterday, the day before, last week, dll.
14. Past Future Continuous Tense
Digunakan untuk menunjukkan suatu aksi yang akan dilakukan di masa lampau dan
akan berlangsung hingga waktu tertentu di masa lampau. Tense ini menekankan pada durasi
aksinya.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + would/should +
be + Verb-ing + I would be studying if you did not disturb
Positif Complement me yesterday.
Subject + would/should not
+ be + Verb-ing + I would not be studying if you did not
Negatif Complement disturb me yesterday.
Would/should + Subject +
be + Verb-ing + Would I be studying if you did not disturb
Subject Complement? me yesterday?
15. Past Future Perfect Tense
Digunakan untuk menunjukkan suatu aksi yang akan sudah dilakukan di masa lampau namun
ternyata tidak dilakukan (rencana yang gagal). Tense ini menekankan pada hasil.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + would/should
+ have + Verb3 + I would have bought a new car if I had
Positif Complement enough money.
Subject + would/should not
+ have + Verb3 + I would not have bought a new car if I had
Negatif Complement enough money.
Would/should + Subject + Would I have bought a new car if I had
Subject be + Verb3 + Complement? enough money?
16. Past Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Digunakan untuk menunjukkan aksi yang akan sudah dan masih sedang dilakukan di masa
lampau, namun sebenarnya tidak terjadi. Tense ini menekankan pada durasi dan hasilnya.
Fungsi Rumus Contoh
Subject + would/should
+ have + been + Verb-ing She would have been waiting for me for 3
Positif + Complement hours yesterday but she had gone at 9.00 PM.
Subject + would/should not She would not have been waiting for me for
+ have + been + Verb-ing 3 hours yesterday but she had gone at 9.00
Negatif + Complement PM.
Would/should + Subject +
have + been + Verb-ing + Would she have been waiting for me for 3
Subject Complement? hours yesterday?
Kata sinyal untuk tense ini adalah for, but, unfortunately, dll.
 12 Jenis Teks Dalam Bahasa Inggris

1) PROCEDURE
Social function Procedure: To help us do a task or make something. They can be a set of
instructions or directions.
Text organization:
1. Goals ( the final purpose of doing the instruction)
2. Materials ( ingredients, utensils, equipment to do the instructions)
3. Steps ( a set of instruction to achieve the final purpose)
Language features :
 Use of imperative ( Cut…….., Don’t mix……..)
 Use of action verbs (turn, put)
 Use of connectives(first, then, finally)

2) RECOUNT
Social function recount: To tell the readers what happened in the past through a sequence
of events.
Generic Structure of Recount:
1. Orientation ( who were involved, when and where was it happened)
2. Events ( tell what happened in a chronological order)
3. Re-orientation ( optional – closure of events)
Language features Recount:
 Use of pronouns and nouns ( David, he, she)
 Use of action verbs in past (went, studied)
 Use of past tense ( We went for a trip to the zoo)
 Use of adverbial phrases
 Use of adjectives

3) NARRATIVE
Social function narrative: To amuse or entertain the readers with actual or imaginary
experience in different ways. Narrative always deals with some problems which lead to the
climax and then turn into a solution to the problem.
Generic Structure Narrative:
1. Orientation ( who was involved, when and where was it happened)
2. Complication ( a problem arises and followed by other problems)
3. Resolution ( provide solution to the problem)
Language features Narrative:
 Use of noun phrases ( a beautiful princess, a huge temple)
 Use of adverbial phrases of time and place ( in the garden, two days ago)
 Use of simple past tense ( He walked away from the village)
 Use of action verbs ( walked, slept)
 Use of adjectives phrases ( long black hair)
 4) DESCRIPTION
Social Function descriptive: To describe a particular person, place or thing.
Generic Structure descriptive:
1. Identification (identify phenomenon to be described)
2. Description (describe parts, qualities, characteristics)
Language features descriptive:
 Focus on specific participants
 Use of attributive and identifying processes
 Frequent use classifiers in nominal groups.
 Use of the Simple Present Tense

5) NEWS ITEM
Social function news item: To inform readers or listeners about events of the day which are
considered newsworthy or important.
Generic structure news item:
1. News worthy event ( tells the event in a summary form)
2. Background events ( elaborate what happened, tell what caused the incident)
3. Sources ( comments by participants, witnesses, authorities and experts involved in the
event)
Language features news item:
 Information on the use of head lines.
 Use of action verbs( hit, attack)
 Use of saying verbs( said, added, claimed)
 Use of passive sentences ( Aceh was hit by Tsunami in 2004)
 Use of adverbs in passive sentences (The victims were badly injured)

6) REPORT
Social function report: To describe the way things are (for example: a man -made thing,
animals, plants). The things must be a representative of their class.
Text organization report:
1. General classification (introduces the topic of the report/tells what phenomenon under
discussion is.)
2. Description (tell the details of topic such as physical appearance, parts, qualities,
habits/behaviour).
Language features report:
 Use of general nouns ( Whales, Kangaroo, Computer)
 Use of present tense(Komodo dragons usually weigh more than 160 kg)
 Use of behavioural verbs (Snakes often sunbathe in the sun)
 Use of technical terms ( Water contains oxygen and hydrogen)
 Use of relating verbs (is, are, has)
 7) ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION
Social function analytical exposition: To persuade the readers or the listeners that
something in the case, to analyze or to explain.
Generic Structure analytical exposition:
1. Thesis (usually includes a preview argument. It introduces topics and indicates the writer’s
position)
2. Arguments (consists of a point and elaboration sequence. The number of points may vary,
but each must be supported by discussion and evidence)
3. Reiteration (restates the position more forcefully in the light of the arguments presented)
Language features analytical exposition:
 Emotive words such as : alarmed, worried.
 Words that qualify statements such as: usual probably
 Words that link arguments such as: firstly, however, on the other hand, therefore.
 Usually present tense
 Compound and complex sentences

8) SPOOF
Social function spoof: To tell an event with a humorous twist.
Generic structure spoof text:
1. Orientation (who were involved, when and where was happened)
2. Events ( tell what happened in a chronological order)
3. Twist (provide the funniest part of the story)
Language features spoof:
 Use of connectives (first, then, finally)
 Use of adverbial phrases of time and place (in the garden, two days ago)
 Use of simple past tense (he walked away from the village)

9) HORTATORY EXPOSITION
Social function hortatory exposition: To persuade the readers or the listeners that
something should or should not be the case.
Generic structure hortatory exposition:
1. Thesis ( stating an issue of concern)
2. Arguments ( giving reasons for concern, leading recommendation)
3. Recommendation (stating what ought or ought not to happen)
Language features hortatory exposition:
 Emotive words: alarmed, worried
 Words that qualify statements: usual probably
 Words that link arguments: firstly, however, on the other hand, therefore
 Usually present tense
 Compound and complex sentences
 Modal auxiliary: can, may, should, must

10) EXPLANATION
Social function explanation: To explain the process involved in the formation or working
of natural or socio cultural phenomena
Generic structure explanation:
1. A general statement to position the reader
2. A sequenced explanation of why or how something occurs
3. Closing
 Language features explanation:
 Focus on generic, non-human participants.
 Use mainly of general and abstract nouns, action verbs, simple present tense, passive voice,
conjunction of time and cause, noun phrases, complex sentences, and technical language.

11) DISCUSSION
Social function discussion: To present information and opinions about more than one side
of an issue (“for” points “against” points)
Generic structure discussion:
1. Opening statement presenting the issue
2. Arguments or evidence for different points of view ( pros and cons)
3. Concluding recommendation
Language features discussion:
 Use of general nouns: alcohol, abortion, smoking, etc.
 Use of relating verbs: is, are, etc.
 Use of thinking verbs: think, feel, hope believe, etc.
 Use of additive connectives: addition, furthermore, besides, etc.
 Use of contrastive connectives: although, even, if, nevertheless, etc.
 Use of causal connectives: because, because of, etc.
 Use of modal auxiliary: must, should, etc.
 Use of adverbial manner: hopefully.

12) REVIEW
Social function review: To critique an art work or event for a public audience
Generic structure review:
1. Orientation ( background information on the text)
2. Evaluation ( concluding statement : judgment, opinion, or recommendation. It can consist of
more than one.
3. Interpretative Recount ( summary of an art works including characters and plot).
4. Evaluative summation: the last opinion consisting the appraisal or the punch line of the ar t
works being criticized.
Language features review:
 Focus on specific participants
 Use of adjectives
 Use of long and complex clauses
 Use of metaphor
 Reviews are used to summarize, analyze and respond to art works. They may include:
movie, TV shows, books, plays, concerts, etc.