Essential English Grammar Rules and Verb Tenses

Used To

• Affirmative: Subject + used to + verb
• Negative: Subject + didn't use to + verb
• Interrogative: Did + subject + use to + verb?

Past Simple

• Affirmative: Subject + verb in past (e.g., yesterday)
• Negative: Subject + didn't + verb
• Interrogative: Did + subject + verb?

Past Perfect

• Affirmative: Subject + had + past participle
• Negative: Subject + hadn't + past participle
• Interrogative: Had + subject + past participle?
• Time markers: Before, After

Present Perfect

• Affirmative: Subject + have/has + past participle
• Negative: Subject + hasn't/haven't + past participle
• Interrogative: Has/have + subject + past participle?
• Usage:
  • Ever: Questions only.
  • Never: Negative sentences only.
  • Just: Affirmative (between have/has and participle).
  • Still: Negative (before have/has).
  • Already: Affirmative (between have/has and participle).
  • Yet: Negative/Interrogative (at the end of sentences).
  • For: Non-specific duration.
  • Since: Specific point in time.

Present Perfect Continuous

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

Modal Verbs: Ability and Time

• Present: Can / Can't
• Past: Could / Couldn't
• Future: Will / Won't be able to

Possibility, Certainty, and Obligation

• Prohibition: Mustn't
• No obligation: Don't have to
• Ability: Can, could, will be able to
• Probability: Can't, might, may, could, must
• Obligation: Should, must, have to, had to

Future Forms

• Be going to: Subject + verb to be + going to (for certain events).
• Will: For uncertain events.
• Present Simple: For scheduled future events (add -s for he/she/it).
• Present Continuous: For specific days or moments.

Quantifiers: So, Such, Enough, Too

• So: Used before adjectives or adverbs (e.g., "so fashionable").
• Such: Used before a/an + noun or a/an + adjective + noun (e.g., "such an icon").
• Too: Excessive amount (before many/much, adjectives, and adverbs).
• Enough: Necessary quantity.
• Not enough: Insufficient quantity.

Pronouns

• Reflexive Pronouns: Myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.
• Each Other: Actions performed by two people.
• Indefinite Pronouns:
  • Some-: Something, someone/somebody, somewhere (Affirmative).
  • Any-: Anything, anyone/anybody, anywhere (Negative/Interrogative).
  • Every-: Everything, everyone/everybody, everywhere (Affirmative).
  • No-: Nothing, no one/nobody, nowhere (Affirmative structure).

Relative Pronouns

• Who: People.
• Which: Objects or ideas.
• Where: Places.
• Whose: Possession (replaces his, her, their, etc.).