Hi people I would like to check the teachers opinion on this stuff. Thanks for your time.

English Tenses Symbols

All in one. Not a bad idea. Here is a simple table of English Verb Tenses. I call it Tense Badge. The table has all major 12 Tenses in it displayed by symbols accompanied with numbers.

Tense Badge 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

If you still do not have any idea whether the Past Indefinite Tense is at the top or at the bottom of the extreme left column, here is a graphic hint showing the escalation of the Tense Patterns I call tension of Tenses.

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1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

Given this clue now you can easily determine that the Past Indefinite is at the left bottom of the table. No, no, Im sorry! Its at the left top of the table. Am sorry. Ok? Not ok? I dont care.

Past Progressive (Past Continuous) is the second down the column. Past Perfect is the third, and Past Perfect Progressive (Past Perfect Continuous) is correspondingly the fourth down the column. Now you may get a big question like where in this lousy low budget production where are the Future Tenses located in this table? Dont kid me now. You know where they are. They are extreme right. And Present Tenses are located at the middle of Tense Badge. Now you are an English language teacher doing your classes and its time to talk about verb Tenses and what they are and how many Tenses are there in English language itself.

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You just point at any character (symbol + number) inside of Tense Badge and then just give a questioning look to one of your favorite (or not favorite) students. There is no need for words to be spoken. And you are not going to reveal the definition of a particular tense you are pointing at as well. You are just waiting for the answer. Theres no answer? All right. Lets show your students an alternative. 15 26 33 42 16 25 34 42 14 23 34 41

Now there we have all Tenses with their features and all the features have been suggested by the upper case numbers. The Simple Past tense (Past Indefinite) has five major features (at least, in this article lets just assume this particular number. Ok? Thank you.) The major features of the Past Indefinite tense are 1 general description or a system 2 frequent, constant, continuous actions in past (along with used to) 3 sequence, succession, chronology 4 stating fact in the past (along with Past Perfect 3 also known as Pluperfect, and with Present
Perfect 3 if you state your experience, or a fact associated with past or even with a very remote past) 5 call off, fail to do something (We were about to leave the place. But they did not) 15 26 33 42 16 25 34 42 14 23 34 41

Upper case numbers suggest your students number of Tenses features. But most I personally like about this table, it has all those twelve Tenses with all (or not all) their features and as a result a whole lot of information is available within a tiny space. The table is an actual display of information has been buried inside of grammar books. Observing this type of Tense Budge may suggest a discussion on an actually given numbers for features. And it may emerge suggestions for to be goings, Future In the Past, etc. Suggestions for a table like this ugly one

 15 26 33 42 G S2 W5 1W 2W 3W 4W thW

16 25 34 42 G

14 23 34 41 G

Tense symbols can be used for spotting Tenses in a grammar exercise like this one
2 1 3

Now he was calling the number he called (had called) the day before.

Any ideas? al.povazh@yahoo.com