English Grammar - The tenses

tense
examples
examples examples
signal words use form interrogati
affirmative negative
ve

something
happens
repeatedly
every day
how often
sometimes something
happens
I don't
always work. Do I work?
one action I work.
follows another
often He doesn't Does he
infinitive He works.
work. work?
things in
Present usually
general he/she/it + -s I go.
Simple I don't go. Do I go?
seldom
after the He goes.
He doesn't Does he go?
following verbs
never go.
(to love, to
hate, to think,
first ... etc.)
then
future meaning:
timetables,
programmes

something is
now happening at I'm not
the same time I'm working. Am I
of speaking or working. working?
at the
moment around it to be He isn't
(am/are/is) + He's working. Is he
working. working?
Present these days future meaning:
when you have infinitive + - I'm not
Continuous already ing I'm going. going. Am I going?
Look! decided and
arranged to do He's going. He isn't Is he going?
Listen! it (a fixed plan, going.
date)

I didn't
regular: work.
last ... infinitive + - I worked. Did I work?
action took
place in the ed
He didn't
... ago past, mostly He worked. Did he work?
work.
connected with irregular:
Past in 1990 an expression 2nd column I went. Did I go?
Simple I didn't go.
of time (no of table of
yesterday connection to irregular He went. Did he go?
the present) verbs He didn't
go.

while an action was/were + I was I wasn't Was I

happened in the working. working. working?
middle of infinitive + -
Past another action ing He was He wasn't Was he
Continuous working. working. working?
someone was
doing sth. at a I was I wasn't Was I
certain time (in going. going. going?
the past) - you
don't know
He was He wasn't Was he
 whether it was
going. going. going?
finished or not

just

yet

never you say that I have I haven't

sth. has have/has + Have I
worked. worked.
happened or is worked?
ever
Simple finished in the participle* He has He hasn't
past and it has Has he
Present already
a connection to
worked. worked.
worked?
Perfect *(infinitive +
the present
-ed) or (3rd
or so far,
column of
I have I haven't
Have I gone?
Present gone. gone.
action started in table of
Perfect up to now, the past and irregular Has he
continues up to verbs) He has He hasn't
gone?
since the present gone. gone.

for

recently

I have I haven't
been been
all day working. working. Have I been
action began in working?
Present the past and He has He hasn't
the whole
Perfect day
has just been been Has he been
Progressiv stopped working. working. working?
have/has +
how long the
e how long been +
action has been
or happening
infinitive + - I have I haven't Have I been
Present ing been been going?
since going. going.
Perfect emphasis:
length of time Has he been
Continuous for He has He hasn't going?
of an action
been been
going. going.

mostly when
two actions in a
story are I hadn't
I had
related to each had + past worked. Had I
worked.
other: the participle* worked?
Simple
already action which He hadn't
Past He had
had already *(infinitive + worked. worked. Had he
Perfect just happened is put worked?
-ed) or (3rd
or into Past column of I hadn't
Past Perfect, the I had gone.
never table of gone. Had I gone?
Perfect other action irregular
into Simple Past verbs) He had
(Simple) He hadn't Had he gone?
gone.
gone.
the past of the
Present Perfect

I had been
Had I been
working. I hadn't
Past working?
been
Perfect how long He had working.
how long Had he been
Progressiv something had been
had + been working?
e been happening working. He hadn't
since + infinitive +
or before
ing
been
Had I been
Past something else I had been working.
for happened going?
going.
Perfect
I hadn't
Continuous been Had he been
He had
going?
been
 going.

going. He hadn't
been
going.

predictions
about the future
(you think that
sth will happen) I won't
work.
I'll work. Will I work?
you decide to
do sth. He won't
He'll work. Will he work?
spontaneously work.
at the time of will +
will - future infinitive I'll go. Will I go?
speaking, you I won't go.
haven't made a
decision before He'll go. Will he go?
He won't
go.
main clause in
type I of the if
clauses

I'm not
going to
I'm going work. Am I going to
to work. work?
when you have
He's not
already decided
He's going going to Is he going
to do sth. in the
be to work. work. to work?
future
going to - (am/are/is) +
future what you think
going to + I'm going I'm not Am I going to
infinitive to go. going to go?
what will
go.
happen
He's going Is he going
to go. He's not to go?
going to
go.

An action will
be in progress I won't be
at a certain I'll be Will I be
working.
time in the working. working?
Future future. This
He won't
Progressiv action has He'll be Will he be
be
begun before will + be + working. working?
e the certain
working.
infinitive +
or time. ing I'll be Will I be
Future I won't be
going. going?
going.
Continuous Something
happens He'll be Will he be
because it He won't
going. going?
normally be going.
happens.

I won't
I'll have have Will I have
will + have + worked. worked. worked?
past
Simple participle*
sth. will already He'll have He won't Will he have
Future
have happened worked. have worked?
Perfect before a certain *(infinitive + worked.
or time in the -ed) or (3rd
I'll have Will I have
Future future column of
gone. I won't gone?
table of
Perfect irregular
have gone.
Simple verbs) He'll have Will he have
gone. He won't gone?
have gone.
 I'll have I won't Will I have
been have been been
sth. will already working. working. working?
Future have happened
Perfect before a certain He'll have He won't Will he have
time in the been have been been
Progressiv future will + have + working. working. working?
e been +
or emphasis:
infinitive +
I'll have I won't Will I have
Future ing
length of time been have been been
Perfect of an action going. going. working?
Continuous
He'll have He won't Will he have
been have been been
going. going. working?

I wouldn't
work.
I would Would I
work. work?
He
sth. that might
wouldn't
happen He would Would he
work.
Conditional would + work. work?
Simple main clause in infinitive
I wouldn't
type II of the if I would go. Would I go?
go.
clauses
He would Would he
He
go. go?
wouldn't
go.

I wouldn't
be
I would be
working. Would I be
working.
working?
sth. that might
Conditional happen He
He would
Progressiv wouldn't Would he be
be
would + be + working. be working?
e emphasis: working.
infinitive +
or length of time
ing Would I be
Conditional of an action I would be
I wouldn't going?
going.
Continuous be going.
Would he be
He would
He going?
be going.
wouldn't
be going.

I wouldn't
I would have
Would I have
have worked.
would + worked?
sth. that might worked.
have + past
have happened He
participle* Would he
in the past He would wouldn't
have
(It's too late have have
Conditional now.) *(infinitive + worked. worked.
worked?
Perfect -ed) or (3rd
column of Would I have
main clause in I would I wouldn't
table of gone?
type III of the if have gone. have gone.
irregular
clauses
verbs) Would I have
He would He
gone?
have gone. wouldn't
have gone.

Conditional sth. that might would + I would I wouldn't Would I have

Perfect have happened have + been have been have been been
in the past + infinitive + working. working. working?
Progressiv (It's too late ing
e now.) He would He Would he
or have been wouldn't have been
Conditional emphasis: going. have been
 going.
working?
I would
have been I wouldn't
length of time have been Would I have
Perfect going.
of an action going. been going?
Continuous
He would
have been He Would he
going. wouldn't have been
have been going?
going.

We sometimes use Continuous instead of Progressive. Some signal words can be found in more tenses.
We did not list signal words in the future tenses as there are no definite ones. Always remember what
action is described.

English Grammar - The tenses 2

One sentence is put into different tenses. You can see how the meaning changes.
The words in green are signal words. They tell you which tense you have to use.

Tense Example Explanation

Simple
I play football every week. Here you want to say that it happens regularly.
Present

Present Here you want to say that it is happening at the

I'm playing football now.
Progressive moment.

I played football
Simple Past You did it yesterday, it happened in the past.
yesterday.

Past I was playing football the You were doing it in the past. It's not sure whether the
Progressive whole evening. action was finished or not.

Present You have just finished it. So it has a connection to the

I have just played football.
Perfect present. Maybe your clothes are dirty.
Present
I have been playing You want to say how long you have been doing it. (You
Perfect
football for 2 hours. started in the past and it continues up to the present.
Progressive

I had played football when The two actions are related to each other: you had
Past Perfect
Susan came. finished to play football and after that the girl arrived.

Past Perfect I had been playing football Here you want to point out how long you had been
Progressive when Susan came. doing it before the girl came.

I will play football next This is a prediction, you can probably do something
will future
week. else.

going to I'm going to play football

This is a plan you've made.
future this afternoon.

Future I will be playing football

You do it every Sunday (as usual)
Progressive next Sunday.

I will have played football

Future Perfect You will have done it before tomorrow.
by tomorrow.

Conditional
I would play football. You'll probably do it.
Simple

Conditional I would be playing You'll probably do it. Here you concentrate more on the
Progressive football. progress of the action.

You'll probably have finished playing football at a special

Conditional I would have played
time in the future. Here you concentrate on the fact
Perfect football.
(football).
Conditional You'll probably have finished playing football at a special
I would have been playing
Perfect time in the future. Here you concentrate on the progress
football.
Progressive of playing (football).

Negations of the sentences

Tense Example

I do not play football every week.

Simple Present
I don't play football every week.

I am not playing football now.

Present Progressive
I'm not playing football now.

I did not play football yesterday.

Simple Past
I didn't play football yesterday.

I was not playing football yesterday.

Past Progressive
I wasn't playing football yesterday.

Present Perfect I have not played football.

I haven't played football.
I've not played football.

I have not been playing football.

Present Perfect Progressive I haven't been playing football.
I've not been playing football.

Past Perfect I had not played football.

I hadn't played football.
I'd not played football.

I had not been playing football.

Past Perfect Progressive I hadn't been playing football.
I'd not been playing football.

I will/shall not play football next week.

will future
I won't play football next week.

I am not going to play football this afternoon.

going to future
I'm not going to play football this afternoon.

I will/shall not be playing football.

Future Progressive
I won't be playing football.

I will/shall not have played football.

Future Perfect
I won't have played football.

I would not play football.

Conditional Simple
I'd not play football.

I would not be playing football.

Conditional Progressive I wouldn't be playing football.
I'd not be playing football.

I would not have played football.

Conditional Perfect I wouldn't have played football.
I'd not have played football.

I would not have been playing football.

Conditional Perfect Progressive I wouldn't have been playing football.
I'd not have been playing football.

Questions

Tense Example

Simple Present Do you play football?

Present Progressive Are you playing football?

Simple Past Did you play football?

Past Progressive Were you playing football?

Present Perfect Have you played football?

Present Perfect Progressive

Have you been playing football?

Past Perfect Had you played football?

Past Perfect Progressive Had you been playing football?

will future Will you play football?

going to future Are you going to play football?

Future Progressive Will you be playing football?

Future Perfect Will you have played football?

Conditional Simple Would you play football?

Conditional Progressive Would you be playing football?

Conditional Perfect Would you have played football?

Conditional Perfect Progressive Would you have been playing football?

English Grammar - Irregular verbs - Learn verbs effectively.

Here you find irrregular verbs listed to their forms. So you can learn them more effectively.

Question: Must I write -ought or -aught?

Answer: If in the infinitive is an -a, write -aught, otherwise -ought.

all 3 forms are similar

infinitive simple past past participle

bet* bet bet

cost cost cost

cut cut cut

hit hit hit

hurt hurt hurt

let let let

put put put

read read read

set set set

shut shut shut

Infinitive and Simple Past are similar

infinitive simple past past participle

beat beat beaten

Infinitive and past participle are similar

infinitive simple past past participle

come came come

run ran run

become became become

Simple Past and past participle are similar

infinitive simple past past participle

bring brought brought

build built built

burst burst burst

buy bought bought

catch caught caught

deal dealt dealt

feed fed fed

feel felt felt

fight fought fought

find found found

get got got

hang hung hung

have had had

hear heard heard

hold held held

keep kept kept

lay laid laid

lead led led

leave left left

lend lent lent

light* lit lit

lose lost lost

make made made

mean meant meant

meet met met

pay paid paid

say said said

sell sold sold

send sent sent

shine shone shone

shoot shot shot

sit sat sat

sleep slept slept

slide slid slid

spend spent spent

stand stood stood

stick stuck stuck

sweep swept swept

swing swung swung

teach taught taught

tell told told

think thought thought

understand understood understood

win won won

all 3 forms are different

infinitive simple past past participle

be was/were been

begin began begun

blow blew blown

break broke broken

choose chose chosen

do did done

draw drew drawn

drink drank drunk

drive drove driven

eat ate eaten

fall fell fallen

fly flew flown

forget forgot forgotten

freeze froze frozen

give gave given

go went gone

grow grew grown

hide hid hidden

know knew known

lie lay lain

ride rode ridden

ring rang rung

rise rose risen

see saw seen

shake shook shaken

show* showed shown

sing sang sung

sink sank sunk

speak spoke spoken

spring sprang sprung

steal stole stolen

swear swore sworn

swim swam swum

take took taken

tear tore torn

throw threw thrown

wake woke woken

wear wore worn

weave wove woven

write wrote written

* regular form (+ -ed) also possible.

The following English irregular verbs are now obsolete and use the standard past and participle
forms (-ed).

infinitive
simple past past participle

burn burnt burnt

dream dreamt dreamt

learn learnt learnt