Essential English Grammar and Verb Structures

Present Tenses

Present Simple

Structure: 3rd person: She lives. Negative: Do not / Does not live. Question: Do you live? Does she live?

Present Continuous

Structure: I am living, You are living, she is living. Negative: I am not living, she isn't living. Question: Am I living? Are you living? Is he living?

Expressions: At the moment, now, this weekend, this month, at present, tonight, tomorrow.

Past Tenses

Past Simple

Structure: I lived. Negative: Did not live. Question: Did you live?

Expressions: Ago, yesterday, night, year.

Past Continuous

Structure: I was living, you were living. Negative: I wasn't living, you were not living. Question: Was I living? Were you living?

Expressions: At 7 a.m. yesterday, last week, month, as, while, when.

Past Perfect Simple

Structure: I had lived. Negative: I had not lived. Question: Had I lived?

Expressions: Already, after, before, by the time.

Conditionals and Habits

Used To

Structure: I used to live. Negative: I/he didn't use to live. Question: Did I/he use to live?

Frequency Adverbs: Always, frequently, usually, often, generally, sometimes, rarely, seldom, never.

Conditionals

• 1st Conditional: Will + infinitive + If + I (present simple).
• 2nd Conditional: Would + infinitive + If + I (past simple).
• 3rd Conditional: Would have + past participle + If + I had (past participle).

Perfect Tenses and Time Markers

Present Perfect Simple

Structure: I/you have + past participle. Negative: I have not / He hasn't + past participle. Question: Have I + past participle?

Time Markers: Ever, never, for, since, already, yet, just, recently, lately.

• For: Used to express duration (how long it lasted).
• Since: Refers to a particular point in time (from).
• Yet: Used at the end of negative sentences or questions.
• Already: Used in affirmative sentences; placed between the auxiliary and principal verb.
• Just: Used for actions that happened recently; placed between the auxiliary and principal verb.
• Ever: Used in questions (e.g., Have you ever seen a ghost?).
• Never: Placed between the auxiliary and principal verbs.

Future Tenses

Future Simple

Structure: I/we will live. Negative: I/we won't live. Question: Will I/he/we live?

Expressions: This evening, later, tomorrow morning/afternoon, tonight, next week, soon, in a moment, in the future.

Going To

Structure: I am going to live, you are going to live, he is going to live. Negative: I am not going to live, you are not going to live, he isn't going to live. Question: Am I going to live? Are you going to live? Is he going to live?

Expressions: Same as future simple.

Future Continuous

Structure: I/he/you will be playing. Negative: I/you will not be living. Question: Will I/he be playing?

Expressions: At this time next Tuesday, tomorrow afternoon, at seven o'clock tomorrow (e.g., At 12, I'll be doing a review).

Future Perfect

Structure: I will have lived. Negative: I will not have lived. Question: Will I have lived?

Expressions: Tonight by ten o'clock, by then, by next week, month, year (e.g., At 14:00, he will have finished the exam).

Time Clauses

When using when, as soon as, until, after, or before, always use the present simple to refer to the future.