English Verb Tenses: Structures, Rules, and Usage

Simple Past Tense: Structure and Uses

Affirmative Form

• I / You / He / She / It / We / They + Past Simple Verb

Negative Form

• I / You / He / She / It / We / They + did not (didn't) + infinitive (without 'to')

Interrogative Form

• Did + I / You / He / She / It / We / They + infinitive (without 'to')?

Verb Rules for Simple Past

• Regular verbs: Add -ed to the base form.
• Irregular verbs: Use the second column of irregular verb lists (past simple form).

Uses of the Simple Past

• Actions completed in the past at a specific time.
• A series of actions that happened in the past (sequential events).
• Past states or habits.

Past Continuous Tense: Structure and Uses

Affirmative Form

• I / He / She / It + was + verb-ing
• We / You / They + were + verb-ing

Negative Form

• I / He / She / It + was not (wasn't) + verb-ing
• We / You / They + were not (weren't) + verb-ing

Uses of the Past Continuous

• Actions happening at a specific time in the past.
• Actions interrupted by another action in the past.

Past Perfect Tense: Structure and Uses

Form

• I / You / He / She / It / We / They + had + past participle (3rd column)

Uses of the Past Perfect

• Actions completed before another action in the past.
• To show the cause of a past action.
• Often used with adverbs like just, already, never, before, by the time.

Common Adverbs and Prepositions of Time

• Since: Refers to a specific starting point in time.
• For: Refers to a duration or extension of time.
• Yet: Used in negative and interrogative sentences, usually at the end.
• Already: Indicates something happened before now or before expected.
• Still: Indicates something has not changed or is continuing.

Simple Present Tense: Structure and Uses

Affirmative Form

• I / You / We / They + infinitive (base form) (e.g., I eat, You like)
• He / She / It + infinitive + -s/-es (e.g., He eats, She likes)

Negative Form

• I / You / We / They + do not (don't) + infinitive (without 'to') (e.g., I do not eat)
• He / She / It + does not (doesn't) + infinitive (without 'to') (e.g., He does not eat)

Interrogative Form

• Do + I / You / We / They + infinitive (without 'to')? (e.g., Do I like?)
• Does + He / She / It + infinitive (without 'to')? (e.g., Does he eat?)

Uses of the Simple Present

• Actions that occur regularly or are habitual.
• Customs and daily activities.
• General truths and accepted facts.
• To describe states or permanent situations.
• To talk about future events that are scheduled or planned (e.g., timetables).

Present Continuous Tense: Structure and Uses

Affirmative Form

• I + am ('m) + verb-ing (e.g., I am eating)
• He / She / It + is ('s) + verb-ing (e.g., He is eating)
• We / You / They + are ('re) + verb-ing (e.g., They are eating)

Negative Form

• I + am not ('m not) + verb-ing (e.g., I am not eating)
• He / She / It + is not (isn't) + verb-ing (e.g., He is not eating)
• We / You / They + are not (aren't) + verb-ing (e.g., They are not eating)

Interrogative Form

• Am + I + verb-ing? (e.g., Am I eating?)
• Is + He / She / It + verb-ing? (e.g., Is she eating?)
• Are + We / You / They + verb-ing? (e.g., Are they eating?)

Uses of the Present Continuous

• Actions happening at the moment of speaking.
• Temporary situations or transitional actions.
• Future plans that are already decided and arranged.

Verbs Not Typically Used in Continuous Forms (Stative Verbs)

• Thoughts and opinions: know, believe, understand, think (opinion), remember, forget.
• Tastes and preferences: like, love, hate, prefer, want, need, wish.
• State verbs: be, have (possession), own, belong, seem, appear, cost, contain, consist, depend.