Mastering English Verb Tenses: Structure and Usage Rules

Simple Present Tense Structure

• Affirmative Form

  • I / You / We / They + Infinitive Verb
  • He / She / It + Infinitive Verb ending in -s

• Negative Form

  • I / You / We / They + do not (don't) + Infinitive Verb
  • He / She / It + does not (doesn't) + Infinitive Verb

• Interrogative Form

  • Do + I / You / We / They + Infinitive Verb?
  • Does + He / She / It + Infinitive Verb?

Usage Notes

Used for habits and routines. Frequency adverbs often appear: often, always, sometimes, never, usually, seldom, every...

Present Continuous Tense Structure

• Affirmative Form

  • I + am + Verb + ING
  • He / She / It + is + Verb + ING
  • You / We / They + are + Verb + ING

• Negative Form

  • I + am not + Verb + ING
  • He / She / It + is not (isn't) + Verb + ING
  • You / We / They + are not (aren't) + Verb + ING

• Interrogative Form

  • Am + I + Verb + ING?
  • Is + He / She / It + Verb + ING?
  • Are + You / We / They + Verb + ING?

Usage Notes

Used for actions that are happening at a specific time (now or around now). Frequently appears with: at the moment, now, tonight, tomorrow, this weekend, this month...

Simple Past Tense Structure

• Affirmative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + Verb in Past Form (Regular verbs end in -ed; Irregular verbs use the 2nd column).

• Negative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + did not (didn't) + Infinitive Verb

• Interrogative Form

  Did + I / He / She / It / You / We / They + Infinitive Verb?

Usage Notes

Used for actions that occurred in the past and were completed.

Past Continuous Tense Structure

• Affirmative Form

  • I / He / She / It + was + Verb + ING
  • You / We / They + were + Verb + ING

• Negative Form

  • I / He / She / It + was not (wasn't) + Verb + ING
  • You / We / They + were not (weren't) + Verb + ING

• Interrogative Form

  • Was + I / He / She / It + Verb + ING?
  • Were + You / We / They + Verb + ING?

Usage Notes

Used for actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past.

Past Perfect Tense Structure

• Affirmative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + had + Past Participle (Verb ending in -ed or 3rd column)

• Negative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + had not (hadn't) + Past Participle

• Interrogative Form

  Had + I / He / She / It / You / We / They + Past Participle?

Usage Notes

Used for actions that had happened before other past actions.

Using 'Used To' for Past Habits

• Affirmative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + used to + Infinitive Verb

• Negative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + did not (didn't) + use to + Infinitive Verb

• Interrogative Form

  Did + I / He / She / It / You / We / They + use to + Infinitive Verb?

Usage Notes

Used for habits and routines of the past that no longer occur in the present.

Using 'Would' for Past Routines

• Affirmative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + would + Infinitive Verb

• Negative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + would not (wouldn't) + Infinitive Verb

• Interrogative Form

  Would + I / He / She / It / You / We / They + Infinitive Verb?

Usage Notes

Used for usual past routines (often interchangeable with 'used to' for repeated actions, but not states).

Present Perfect Simple Structure

• Affirmative Form

  • I / You / We / They + have + Past Participle (Verb ending in -ed or 3rd column)
  • He / She / It + has + Past Participle

• Negative Form

  • I / You / We / They + have not (haven't) + Past Participle
  • He / She / It + has not (hasn't) + Past Participle

• Interrogative Form

  • Have + I / You / We / They + Past Participle?
  • Has + He / She / It + Past Participle?

Usage Notes

Used for actions begun in the past that continue or have relevance in the present. Appears frequently with: never, already, just, yet, since, for.

Future Simple Tense (Using Will)

• Affirmative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + will + Infinitive Verb

• Negative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + will not (won't) + Infinitive Verb

• Interrogative Form

  Will + I / He / She / It / You / We / They + Infinitive Verb?

Usage Notes

Used for spontaneous decisions, expressing choices, predictions, and promises. Frequently appears with: tomorrow, this afternoon, later, next week/month/year...

Future Plans (Using Be Going To)

• Affirmative Form

  • I + am going to + Infinitive Verb
  • He / She / It + is going to + Infinitive Verb
  • You / We / They + are going to + Infinitive Verb

• Negative Form

  • I + am not going to + Infinitive Verb
  • He / She / It + is not (isn't) going to + Infinitive Verb
  • You / We / They + are not (aren't) going to + Infinitive Verb

• Interrogative Form

  • Am + I + going to + Infinitive Verb?
  • Is + He / She / It + going to + Infinitive Verb?
  • Are + You / We / They + going to + Infinitive Verb?

Usage Notes

Used for future plans and intentions, or predictions based on present evidence.

Future Continuous Tense Structure

• Affirmative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + will be + Verb + ING

• Negative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + will not be (won't be) + Verb + ING

• Interrogative Form

  Will + I / He / She / It / You / We / They + be + Verb + ING?

Usage Notes

Used for actions that will be ongoing at a precise time in the future.

Future Perfect Tense Structure

• Affirmative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + will have + Past Participle (Verb ending in -ed or 3rd column)

• Negative Form

  I / He / She / It / You / We / They + will not have (won't have) + Past Participle

• Interrogative Form

  Will + I / He / She / It / You / We / They + have + Past Participle?

Usage Notes

Used for actions that will be completed by a determined time in the future.