Mastering English Grammar: Tenses, Modals, and Conditionals

English Verb Tenses: A Comprehensive Look

Past Simple

• Usage: For definite or concrete moments in the past.
• Positive Form: Subject + Verb (2nd form or -ed)
• Negative Form: Subject + did not + Verb (base form)
• Question Form: Did + Subject + Verb (base form)?

Past Continuous

• Usage: For actions in progress at a specific time in the past, or actions of ongoing duration in the past.
• Positive Form: Subject + was / were + Verb + -ing
• Negative Form: Subject + was not / were not + Verb + -ing
• Question Form: Was / Were + Subject + Verb + -ing?

Past Perfect

• Usage: To express actions that happened before another action in the past.
• Positive Form: Subject + had + Verb (past participle / 3rd column)
• Negative Form: Subject + had not + Verb (past participle / 3rd column)
• Question Form: Had + Subject + Verb (past participle / 3rd column)?

Present Perfect

• Usage:
  • Personal experiences (when the exact time is unknown).
  • Actions that started in the past and continue to the present.
  • Past actions with current consequences.
• Positive Form: Subject + have / has + Verb (past participle / 3rd column)
• Negative Form: Subject + have not / has not + Verb (past participle / 3rd column)
• Question Form: Have / Has + Subject + Verb (past participle / 3rd column)?

Common English Adverbs and Time Expressions

• Yet: Used in questions and negative sentences to mean 'already' or 'up to now'.
• Already: Used in positive sentences to mean 'before now' or 'sooner than expected'.
• Ago: Used with a specific time period to indicate how long before the present something happened.
• Never: At no time; not ever.
• Ever: At any time; at all times.
• Since: From a specific point in time in the past until now.
• For: Over a period of time.

English Modal Verbs Explained

Can & Could

• Can: Expresses ability, possibility, or permission.
  • Example: I can speak English.
• Could: The past form of 'can'; also expresses possibility, suggestion, or polite requests.
  • Example: When I was young, I could run fast.

Must & Have To

• Must: Expresses strong obligation (often internal or objective necessity) or strong probability.
  • Example: You must follow the rules.
• Mustn't: Expresses prohibition.
  • Example: You mustn't smoke here.
• Have to / Has to: Expresses external obligation or necessity.
  • Example: I have to work tomorrow.
  • Past Form: Had to
• Do not have to / Does not have to: Expresses lack of obligation (not necessary).
  • Example: You don't have to come if you're busy.

Need Not / Need

• Need not: Expresses lack of necessity.
  • Example: You need not worry.
• Need: Can be used as a modal verb (less common) or a regular verb to express necessity.

Ought To & Should

• Ought to / Should: Expresses advice, recommendation, or what is right/expected.
  • Example: You should study more.

May, Might & Could (Possibility/Permission)

• May / Might / Could: Expresses possibility or permission.
  • Example: It might rain later.
  • Structure: Modal verb + infinitive (base form of verb)

Future Tenses in English

Future Continuous

• Usage: To describe an action that will be in progress at a specific time in the future.
• Positive Form: Subject + will + be + Verb + -ing
• Negative Form: Subject + will not + be + Verb + -ing
• Question Form: Will + Subject + be + Verb + -ing?

Future Perfect Simple

• Usage: To describe an action that will be completed in the future by a specified time (often used with 'by').
• Positive Form: Subject + will + have + Verb (past participle / -ed or 3rd column)
• Negative Form: Subject + will not + have + Verb (past participle)
• Question Form: Will + Subject + have + Verb (past participle)?

English Conditional Sentences

First Conditional

• Usage: For situations likely in the future (real and possible).
• Structure: If + Subject + Verb (simple present) ..., Subject + will / may / might + Verb (base form).
• Example: If it does not rain soon, we will have water restrictions in summer.

Second Conditional

• Usage: For hypothetical situations in the present or future (unlikely or unreal).
• Structure: If + Subject + Verb (past simple / -ed or 2nd form) ..., Subject + would + Verb (base form).
• Example: If I met Brad Pitt, I would not know what to do.

Third Conditional

• Usage: To talk about unreal situations in the past (what didn't happen, and its hypothetical past consequence).
• Structure: If + Subject + Past Perfect ..., Subject + would have + Verb (past participle / 3rd form).
• Example: If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.