English Verb Tenses & Grammar Rules Explained

English Verb Tenses: Structure & Usage

Present Simple

• Affirmative: Subject + main verb (base form).
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary verb "to do" + not + main verb (base form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "To do" + subject + main verb (base form)?

Present Continuous

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary verb "to be" + main verb (-ing form).
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary verb "to be" + not + main verb (-ing form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "To be" + subject + main verb (-ing form)?

Past Simple

• Affirmative: Subject + main verb (-ed or irregular past form).
• Negative: Subject + wasn't/weren't (for verb "to be") OR Subject + auxiliary verb "did" + not + main verb (base form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "Was" / "Were" + subject? (for verb "to be") OR Auxiliary verb "Did" + subject + main verb (base form)?

Past Continuous

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary verb "was" / "were" + main verb (-ing form).
• Negative: Subject + wasn't/weren't + main verb (-ing form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "Was" / "Were" + subject + main verb (-ing form)?

Past Perfect Simple

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary verb "had" + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Negative: Subject + hadn't + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "Had" + subject + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form)?

Present Perfect Simple

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary verb "has" / "have" + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Negative: Subject + hasn't/haven't + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "Has" / "Have" + subject + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form)?

Future Simple

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary verb "will" + main verb (base form).
• Negative: Subject + won't + main verb (base form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "Will" + subject + main verb (base form)?

Future with "Be Going To"

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary verb "to be" + "going to" + main verb (base form).
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary verb "to be" + not + "going to" + main verb (base form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "To be" + subject + "going to" + main verb (base form)?

Future Perfect Simple

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary verb "will have" + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Negative: Subject + won't have + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "Will" + subject + "have" + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form)?

Future Continuous

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary verb "will be" + main verb (-ing form).
• Negative: Subject + won't be + main verb (-ing form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "Will" + subject + "be" + main verb (-ing form)?

English Conditionals

• Zero Conditional: If + Present Simple (condition), Present Simple (result).
• First Conditional: If + Present Simple (condition), Future Simple (result).
• Second Conditional: If + Past Simple (condition), would + base verb (result).
• Third Conditional: If + Past Perfect (condition), would have + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form) (result).

English Passive Voice

• Present Simple Passive: Auxiliary verb "to be" (present form) + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Past Simple Passive: Auxiliary verb "was" / "were" + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Future Simple Passive: Auxiliary verb "will be" + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Present Continuous Passive: Auxiliary verb "to be" (present form) + "being" + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Past Continuous Passive: Auxiliary verb "was" / "were" + "being" + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Present Perfect Simple Passive: Auxiliary verb "has" / "have" + "been" + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).
• Past Perfect Simple Passive: Auxiliary verb "had been" + main verb (past participle -ed or irregular form).

English Reported Speech (Indirect Style)

• Present Simple becomes Past Simple.
• Present Continuous becomes Past Continuous.
• Past Simple becomes Past Perfect Simple.
• Past Continuous becomes Past Perfect Continuous.
• Present Perfect Simple becomes Past Perfect Simple.
• Present Perfect Continuous becomes Past Perfect Continuous.
• Past Perfect Simple remains Past Perfect Simple.
• Past Perfect Continuous remains Past Perfect Continuous.