English Verb Tenses & Essential Vocabulary Reference

English Verb Tenses: Forms and Usage

This section provides a concise reference for forming common English verb tenses, including positive, negative, and interrogative structures.

Present Simple

• Positive: Base verb (add -s for third person singular)
• Negative: don't / doesn't + base verb
• Interrogative: Do / Does + subject + base verb?

Present Continuous

• Positive: am / is / are + verb-ing
• Negative: am not / isn't / aren't + verb-ing
• Interrogative: Am / Is / Are + subject + verb-ing?

Past Simple

• Positive: Verb-ed (regular verbs) / 2nd column (irregular verbs)
• Negative: didn't + base verb
• Interrogative: Did + subject + base verb?

Past Continuous

• Positive: was / were + verb-ing
• Negative: wasn't / weren't + verb-ing
• Interrogative: Was / Were + subject + verb-ing?

Present Perfect Simple

• Positive: have / has + past participle (verb-ed / 3rd column)
• Negative: haven't / hasn't + past participle
• Interrogative: Have / Has + subject + past participle?

Past Perfect Simple

• Positive: had + past participle (verb-ed / 3rd column)
• Negative: hadn't + past participle
• Interrogative: Had + subject + past participle?

Future Simple (Will)

• Positive: will + base verb
• Negative: won't + base verb
• Interrogative: Will + subject + base verb?

Future Simple (Be Going To)

• Positive: am / is / are + going to + base verb
• Negative: am not / isn't / aren't + going to + base verb
• Interrogative: Am / Is / Are + subject + going to + base verb?

Future Perfect Simple

• Positive: will have + past participle (verb-ed / 3rd column)
• Negative: won't have + past participle
• Interrogative: Will + subject + have + past participle?

Future Continuous

• Positive: will be + verb-ing
• Negative: won't be + verb-ing
• Interrogative: Will + subject + be + verb-ing?

Present Perfect Continuous

• Positive: have / has been + verb-ing
• Negative: haven't / hasn't been + verb-ing
• Interrogative: Have / Has + subject + been + verb-ing?

Past Perfect Continuous

• Positive: had been + verb-ing
• Negative: hadn't been + verb-ing
• Interrogative: Had + subject + been + verb-ing?

Essential English Vocabulary

Expand your English lexicon with this list of useful words and phrases, complete with their Spanish translations.

take after

parecerse a

punish

castigar

allow

dar permiso

support

financiar

bring up

sacar un tema

live up to expectations

estar a la altura de las expectativas

disobey

desobedecer

effort

esfuerzo

accomplishment

logro

role model

modelo

determined

resuelto

depend on

depender de

look up to

admirar a

spoiled

mimado

requirement

requisito

feedback

acople / retroalimentación

study abroad

estudiar en el extranjero

hand in

entregar

tuition fees

tasas de matrícula

foreign language

idioma extranjero

failed

ha fallado

get a degree

obtener un título universitario

encouraged

alentado

lectures

conferencias

revise

revisar

cheated

engañado

research

investigación

graduated

graduado

signed up for

ingresado para / inscrito en

hunger

hambre

poverty

pobreza

living conditions

condiciones de vida

slums

tugurios

inequality

desigualdad

fair

justa

empathy

empatía

citizens

ciudadanos

mandatory

obligatorio

freedom of speech

libertad de expresión

standard of living

estándar de vida

follow rules

seguir las reglas

pay taxes

pagar impuestos

get involved

involucrarse

behaves

se comporta

aware of

consciente de

criticise

criticar

banned

prohibido

sign the petition

firmar la petición

stand up for

defender

raise money

recaudar dinero

shelters

refugios

passed laws

leyes aprobadas

demonstrations

manifestaciones

rights

derechos

charities

organizaciones benéficas

steps

pasos

arrangements

arreglos

advice

consejo

a difference

una diferencia

a speech

un discurso

Common English Suffixes

Understand how suffixes modify word meanings and grammatical functions in English.

-ful

full of, notable for (e.g., beautiful)

-ic, -ical

relating to (e.g., historic, historical)

-ious, -ous

characterized by, full of (e.g., curious, famous)

-ish

having the quality of, somewhat (e.g., childish, reddish)

-less

without (e.g., careless, fearless)