ENGLISH TENSES

Tense Use Form Affirmative Negative Interrogative Key words

Habit I/you/they/w I/you/they/we Do + subject usually
General truths e I speak English. + do not + verb (base always
& facts + verb (dont) form) never
(base form) You speak + verb (base ** Do you speak sometimes
Stative verbs
(Think, believe, he/ she/ it English. form) English? rarely
Present simple agree, + verb-s/ es/ We speak
every day /
Does + subject week /
understand, ies ** We dont speak
English. English. + verb (base month /
hate, love, wish,
form) + other year
want, forget, like, s = writes, They speak
words once a
remember, know, sings he/ she/ it
English. ** Does he speak
smell, taste, es = o/sh/ch/ + does not day /
English?
sound, feel, see, x/ss/zz He speaks (doesnt) week /
hear, seem, cost, goes/ washes/ English. + verb (base Wh- + do/does month/
have, own, watches/ fixes/ form). + verb (base year
She speaks occasionall
belong, prefer, misses/ buzzes form)
wonder, appear, ies = English. ** She does not ** When do you y
weigh, realize ) consonant+ y It speaks speak English. speak English? often
studies / plays ** Why does she frequently
English. speak English? generally
 ENGLISH TENSES

Present An activity am / is / are I am singing. am / is / are + not am / is / are + at the

progressive taking place + verb+ing + verb+ing subject + moment
He is singing.
at the Dance verb+ing + at the
moment dancing She is singing. I am not singing. other words present
Lie lying * Are you singing? right now
It is singing. Im not singing.
Near future Run (c.v.c) * Is she singing? now
(planned running You are She is not singing. Wh + yes/no
activity) Begin (c.v.c question. tonight
singing. He isnt singing.
stressed) * Why are you today
beginning We are We are not singing? next week
Happen * What is he tomorrow
singing. singing.
happening singing?
They are They arent * When are we
singing. singing. singing?

Tense Use Form Affirmative Negative Interrogative Time

expressions
Present perfect An action in I/you/they/w I have finished. I/you/they/we + Have + subject just
the past but + V3 + other
e + have + have + not already
the present You have words?
result is v3 (havent) + v3 * Have you ever
important finished. finished?
* I have not never
An action in Has + subject +
the recent he/ she/ it + We have finished. V3 + other words? since
past, close to * Has she
has + v3 * We havent for
the present finished. finished?
Something finished. Wh + yes/no recently
began in the They have question? lately
 ENGLISH TENSES

past and finished. * Where have you

continues to finished?
he/ she/ it +
the present He has * What has he
has + not finished?
finished. We use (how long)
(hasnt) + v3
instead of (when)
She has * He has not
finished.
finished.
* She hasnt
It has finished.
finished.

Past simple An action that Regular I walked. did not (didnt ) Did + subject yesterday
happened and verbs: verb+ You walked. + verb + verb + other
last week/
ended in the d/ed/ied He walked. * I did not walk. words?
past * walk walked She walked. * You didnt walk. * Did you walk? month/
* dance It walked. * He did not walk. * Did it walk?
year
danced We walked. * She didnt walk. Wh + yes/no
* study They walked. question? ago
studied * When did he in 1990
* play played walk?
* stop * Who walked? (year)
stopped
* prefer
preferred
Irregular
 ENGLISH TENSES

verbs:
* break broke
Tense Use Form Affirmative Negative Interrogative Time
expressions
Past progressive A continuous I/ he/ she/ it * I was writing. I/ he/ she/ it + Was+ subject+ in those
action in the + was + was + not verb+ing +
*He was days
past verb+ing (wasnt) other words?
writing. verb+ing * Was she writing? while
A continuous you/ we +
*You were when
action in the were+ * I was not writing. Were +
past that was verb+ing writing. * She wasnt subject+ at six
interrupted by writing. verb+ing +
*They were Oclock
another action past other words?
progressive writing when you/ we + * Were you last night
Two or more + (when) + the phone were+ not writing? yesterday
actions taking past simple (werent)
place in the rang. verb+ing Wh + yes/no ago
same time past * She was question?
progressive * We were not * Why was he
+ (while) + writing while writing. writing?
past her mother * They werent * When were we
progressive writing. writing?
was cooking.
Past perfect An action in had + V3 The thief had had + not Had + subject before
the past The 1st escaped before (hadnt) + v3 + v3 + other when
occurred action in the police * The thief had not words? after
before past perfect. arrived. escaped. * Had he ever
another action The 2nd in * The thieves escaped? never
in the past. past simple hadnt escape. Wh + yes/no by the time
 ENGLISH TENSES

question?
* Why had he
escaped?
Future An activity in will + verb *I will travel. will + not = will + subject+ tomorrow
the future. am/is/are + wont verb+ other next week/
Something we going to + *She is going * I will not travel. words? month/
have a plan verb to travel. Am/is/are + not * Will she travel? year
for. + going to+ Wh + yes/no in the
verb question? future
* He isnt going to * Why will he soon
travel. travel? going to =
present progressive