Mastering English Verb Tenses: Forms and Usage

Present Simple: Forms and Usage

Form

• Affirmative: Subject + Verb (add -s/-es for third person singular)
• Negative: Subject + do not/don't + base verb / He/She/It + does not/doesn't + base verb
• Interrogative: Do + Subject + base verb? / Does + He/She/It + base verb?

Uses

• Habitual actions (e.g., always, usually, often, hardly ever, seldom, never, twice a week, every month). Example: I have a shower every morning.
• Personal information, facts, and general truths.

Present Continuous: Forms and Usage

Form

• Affirmative: Subject + am/is/are + verb + -ing
• Negative: Subject + am not/isn't/aren't + verb + -ing
• Interrogative: Am/Is/Are + Subject + verb + -ing?

Uses

• Actions happening now or around now.
• Future plans (e.g., now, tomorrow, tonight, this evening, this week, at the moment). Example: I'm going to watch TV tonight.

Past Simple: Forms and Usage

Form

• Affirmative: Subject + verb + -ed (regular verbs) / 2nd column (irregular verbs). Example: I worked in a restaurant.
• Negative: Subject + did not/didn't + base verb. Example: I didn't break my arm yesterday.
• Interrogative: Did + Subject + base verb? Example: When did she break her arm?

Uses

• Completed actions in the past (e.g., yesterday, last week/month/year, five days ago, in 1999, when...).

Past Continuous: Forms and Usage

Form

• Affirmative: Subject + was/were + verb + -ing
• Negative: Subject + wasn't/weren't + verb + -ing
• Interrogative: Was/Were + Subject + verb + -ing?

Uses

• Ongoing actions in the past (e.g., I was listening to music).
• Actions happening at a specific time in the past, longer actions, or actions interrupted by another.
• Often used with while.

Present Perfect Simple: Forms and Usage

Form

• Affirmative: Subject + have/has + past participle (verb + -ed / 3rd column). Examples: I have bought bread; He has broken the school window.
• Negative: Subject + haven't/hasn't + past participle.
• Interrogative: (Wh-word) + Have/Has + Subject + past participle?

Time Expressions and Uses

• Already: Used in affirmative sentences and questions where the answer is known, placed before the main verb.
• Yet: Used in negative and interrogative sentences, placed at the end of the sentence.
• Just: Used in affirmative sentences, placed before the main verb, indicates something recently completed.
• Never: Used with an affirmative verb to express a negative meaning, placed before the main verb.
• Ever: Used in affirmative and interrogative sentences, placed before the main verb, meaning 'at any time'.
• For: Indicates a period of time (e.g., two years, a long time). Example: I've lived in Alicante for sixteen years.
• Since: Indicates a point in time in the past. Example: I've lived in Alicante since 2000.

Past Perfect Simple: Forms and Usage

Form

• Affirmative/Negative/Interrogative: Subject + had/hadn't + past participle (verb + -ed / 3rd column).

Uses and Time Expressions

• Actions that took place before a specific moment in the past.
• Commonly used with: already, by the time, after, before, until, never, just, when, as soon as.
• Example: Rob had finished his exam before the bell rang.

Present Perfect Continuous: Forms and Usage

Form

• Affirmative/Negative/Interrogative: Subject + have/has + been + verb + -ing.

Uses and Time Expressions

• Actions that started in the past and continue up to the present, or have results in the present.
• Commonly used with: for a month/year, since 2004, all night/morning/day/week, how long...
• Example: We have been working on our project all day.

Past Perfect Continuous: Forms and Usage

Form

• Affirmative/Negative/Interrogative: Subject + had + been + verb + -ing.

Uses and Time Expressions

• Actions that continued for a period of time up to another past action.
• Commonly used with: for hours, since last March, all night/morning/week, when, until, before.