Five (5) Essential Verb Tenses

Simple Past (also known as Past Simple)

Structure

AffirmativeStatement

SUB + VERBed + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Exception! SUB + was/were + place/adjective/noun

Examples from class:

• I finished work one hour ago.

• I ate lunch 10 minutes ago.

• My neighbor Perla came home a few minutes ago.

• My friend sent me a letter yesterday.

• He told me that his father died last week.

• I was a teacher when I was 25.

• I wrote the headline to the news bulletin.

• I talked to my boss about my vacation.

• I took my clothes to the laundry.

• Perla went out with her family earlier today.

• She and her family returned hone about 20 minutes ago..

• She was not at home when I removed my plants.

• Yousif was in home one hour ago.

• Yousif was at home one hour ago

Negative Statement

SUB + didn’t + VERB + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Exception! SUB + was/were + not + place/adjective/noun

Examples from class:

• I didn't eat my salad today.

• He didn't play football last week.

• She didn't see my plants

• She didn't ask me about my plants.

• Today, I didn't take a nap after work.

• I was not at Maria Estela's last week

• I was not active on social media last week.

Yes/No Question

Did + SUB + VERB + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Exception! Was/Were + SUB + place/adjective/noun

Examples from class:

• Did Perla eat her lunch today?

• Did Yousef work with you today?

• Was Yousef your roommate when you first moved to the USA?

Information Question

W/H + did + SUB + VERB + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Exception! W/H + was/were + SUB + place/adjective/noun

Examples from class:

What did Perla draw in her classroom?

When did Yousef start working with you?

Why was Yousef at home an hour ago?

Simple Past (also known as Past Simple)

Usage/Examples

The simple past is used to talk about activities or situations that started and ended in the past such as yesterday, last night, two days ago, in 1990,

• Mary walked downtown yesterday.

• I slept for eight hours last night.

Most affirmative simple past verbs are formed by adding ED to a verb.

• Bob stayed home yesterday morning.

• Our plane arrived on time.

Some verbs have irregular affirmative simple past forms.

• I ate breakfast this morning.

• Sue took a taxi to the airport.

Simple Past (also known as Past Simple)

NOTES: did, was/were, ed

ONLINE PRACTICE RESOURCES

You may use this to* memorize the affirmative simple past of irregular verbs.

https://quizlet.com/11089017/past-simple-irregular-flash-cards/ https://quizlet.com/11031320/past-participles-irregular-english-flash-cards/

Advanced

https://www.english-grammar.at/online_exercises/tenses/past-simple-progressive3.htm

https://www.engblocks.com/grammar/exercises/tenses/past-simple-vs-past-continuous/

Simple Present (also known as Present Simple)

Structure

Affirmative Statement

SUB + VERB/VERBs + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Exception! SUB + am/is/are + place/adjective/noun

Negative Statement

SUB + don’t/doesn’t +VERB + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Exception! SUB + am/is/are + not + place/adjective/noun\

Examples from class

I don't know if I will travel next week.

I don't think I will travel next week.

Yes/No Question

Do/Does + SUB + VERB + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Exception! Is/Am/Are + SUB + place/adjective/noun

Information Question

W/H + do/does + SUB + VERB + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Exception! W/H + is/am/are + SUB + place/adjective/noun

Simple Present (also known as Present Simple)

Usage/Examples

The simple present expresses daily habits or usual activities.

For example:

• Ann takes a shower every day.

• I usually eat lunch at the cafeteria.

The simple present expresses general statements of fact.

For example:

• Babies cry.

• The earth revolves around the sun.

• A square has four sides.

• The sky is blue.

In sum, te simple present is used for evernts or situations that eist always, usual, or habitually in the past, present, and future.

Simple Present (also known as Present Simple)

NOTES: do.does, is/am/are, "s"

Simple Future (also known as Future Simple)

Structure

AffirmativeStatement

SUB + will + VERB+ BLAH BLAH BLAH

Negative Statement

SUB + will + not + VERB+ BLAH BLAH BLAH

SUB + won’t + VERB+ BLAH BLAH BLAH

Yes/No Question

Will + SUB + VERB+ BLAH BLAH BLAH

Examples from class

• Will you support giving loans to schools?

• Will you support giving loans to students?

• Will you vote for yourself in next election?

• Will the majority vote for you in the next election?

• Will your supervisor micromanage you today?

• Will your supervisor follow you around all day?

• Will you go to the party tomorrow?
  

Information Question

W/H + will + SUB + VERB+ BLAH BLAH BLAH

Examples from class

• Who will you invite to G20 summit in the US?

• When will you meet your friend?

• What kind of leather will you buy?

• Who will travel with you to France?

• What colleged do you want to enroll in?

• What college do you want to study at?

• Who will you invite to G20 summit in US?

Simple Future (also known as Future Simple)

Usage/Examples

Be going to and will are used to experss future time.

For example:

I am going to leave at nine tomorrow morning.

= I will leave at nine tomorrow morning.

Marie will be at the meeting tonight.

= Marie is going to be at the meeting tonight.

Simple Future (also known as Future Simple)

NOTES: will, is/am/are going to

Present Progressive (also known as Present Continuous)

Structure

AffirmativeStatement

SUB + is/am/are + VERBing + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Negative Statement

SUB + is/am/are + not + VERBing + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Yes/No Question

Is/Am/Are + SUB + VERBing + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Information Question

W/H + is/am/are + SUB + VERBing + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Simple Future (also known as Future Simple)

Usage/Examples

The present progressive expresses an activity tat is in progress, is occurring, is happening, right now. The even is in progress at the time e speaker is saying the sentence. Te event began in the past, is in progress now, and will probably continue into the future.

For example:

• Ann can’t come to the pone rigt now becaause she is taking a shower.

• It’s noon. I am eating lunch at the cafeteria right now.

• Jimmy and Susie are babies. They are crying. I can hear them right now. Maybe they are hungry.

Simple Future (also known as Future Simple)

NOTES: is/are/am + ___ing

Present Perfect

Structure

AffirmativeStatement

SUB + have/has + past participle + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Negative Statement

SUB + have/has + not + past participle + BLAH BLAH BLAH

SUB + haven’t/hasn’t + past participle + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Yes/No Question

Have/Has + SUB + past participle + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Information Question

W/H + have/has + SUB + past participle + BLAH BLAH BLAH

Present Perfect

Usage/Examples

The present perfect expresses activities or situations that occurred or did not occur “before now” at some unspecified time in the past.

For example:

• Jim has already eaten lunch.

• Ann hasn't eaten lunch yet.

• Have you ever eaten at that restaurant. I’ve never eaten there.

The present perfect expresses activities that were repeated several or many times in the past. The exact times are unspecified.

For example:

• Peter has eaten at that restaurant many times.

• I have been in that theater five or six times.

• I’ve had three tests so far this week.

When the present perfect is used with since or for, it expresses situations that began in the past and continue to the present.

For example:

• Erica has lived in this city since 1989.

• I have known Ben for ten years.

• We’ve been in class since ten o’clock this morning.

Present Perfect

NOTES: have/has + past participle, experience, for 3 days, since 2017

MORE NOTES

A time word or time phrase may be added to the beginning or the end of a sentence/

SUB = subject

VERB = dictionary form of a verb. A verb without ED, S, ING or “TO”.

BLAH BLAH BLAH = the rest of the sentence, if any

MORE NOTES

W/H represents a word or word combination such as these:

what

where

when

why

how

what time

what date

how many

how much

how many chairs

how many people

The original usage and examples were copied from Chartbook: A Reference Grammar : Fundamentals of English Grammar Second Edition. Betty Schrampfer Azar,

Additional examples, if any, come from one on one classes with various students and clients.