VERB TENSES (1)

TENSE AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE USE

I/You/We/They + infinitive I/You/We/They + do not/don’t + infinitive Do + I/you/we/they + infinitive? -Habits and routines (with frequency adverbs).
He/She/It + infinitive + -s/-es He/She/It + does not/doesn’t + infinitive Does + he/she/it + infinitive? -Permanent situations.
-General facts, states and universal truths.
Examples: Examples: Examples: -0 and 1st Conditionals.
Present I work in a school. I don’t work in a school. Do you work in a school? -Timetables (Future use).
Simple She works in a hospital. She doesn’t work in a hospital. Does she work in a hospital? Time expressions: every day/month,
once/twice/three times… a week/month…,
always, usually, often, sometimes, hardly ever,
never, on Mondays/Tuesdays…, at the
weekend, etc.

I + am/’m + gerund (-ing)
You/We/They + are/’re + gerund (-ing)
He/She/It + is/’s + gerund (-ing)
Present
Continuous Examples:
I am working right now.
You are studying.
She is doing her homework.
I+ am not/’m not + gerund (-ing)
You/We/They + are not/aren’t+ gerund (-ing)
He/She/It + is not/isn’t + gerund (-ing)
Examples:
I ‘m not working right now.
You aren’t studying.
She isn’t doing her homework.
Am + I + gerund (-ing)?
Are + you/we/they + gerund (-ing)?
Is + he/she/it + gerund (-ing)?
Examples:
Am I working right now?
Are you studying?
Is she doing her homework?
-Actions happening at or around the moment
of speaking.
-Temporary situations.
-Fixed arrangements (Future use).
Time expressions: now, at the moment, at
present, nowadays, today, still, always* (for
complaints or emphasis).

-Regular verbs: -Regular and Irregular verbs: -Regular and Irregular verbs: -Finished past actions (with a definite time
I/You/He/She/It/We/They + infinitive -ed I/You/He/She/It/We/They + did not/didn’t + Did + I/you/he/she/it/we/they + expression).
Past -Irregular verbs: infinitive infinitive? -Actions taking place one after another in the
Simple I/you/he/she/it/we/they + 2nd column past.
-Actions that interrupt other past actions in
Examples: Examples: Examples: progress (past continuous).
I worked hard yesterday. I didn’t work hard yesterday. Did you work hard yesterday? Time expressions: yesterday, last
She went to the cinema last weekend. She didn’t go to the cinema last weekend. Did she go to the cinema last week/month/year…, two days ago, when, in
weekend? 1989, then.

I /He/She/ It + was + gerund (-ing) I /He/She/ It + was not/wasn’t + gerund (-ing) Was + I/he/she/it + gerund (-ing)? -Actions in progress in the past.
You/we/ they + were + gerund (-ing) You/we/they + were not/weren’t + gerund Were you/we/they + gerund (-ing)? -Past actions in progress interrupted by
Past (-ing) another past action (past simple).
Continuous Time expressions: while/when/ as.
Examples: Examples: Examples:
I was working. I wasn’t working. Was she working?
You were eating. You weren’t eating. Were they eating?
 VERB TENSES (2)

TENSE AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE USE

I/You/We/They + have/’ve + past I/You/We/They + have not/haven’t + past Have + I/you/we/they + past -Recently completed actions.
participle (-ed/3rd column) participle (-ed/3rd column) participle (-ed/3rd column)? -Past actions connected with the present.
He/She/It has/’s + past participle He/She/It has not/hasn’t + past participle Has + he/she/it + past participle -Finished actions with a present result.
Present (-ed/3rd column) (-ed/3rd column) (-ed/3rd column)? -Life or personal experiences (emphasis on
Perfect number).
Time expressions: already, yet, just, never,
Simple
Examples: Examples: Examples: ever, for, since, so far, lately, recently, this
I have worked this morning. I haven’t worked this morning. Have you worked this morning? week, today.
She has eaten an apple. She hasn’t eaten an apple. Has she eaten an apple?

I/You/We/They + have/’ve + been + I/You/We/They + have not/haven’t + been + Have + I/you/we/they + been + -Recent past actions with present results.
gerund (-ing) gerund (-ing) gerund (-ing)? -Actions that started in the past and continue
He/She/It has/’s + been + gerund (-ing) He/She/It has not/hasn’t+ been + gerund (-ing) Has + he/she/it + been + gerund up to the present.
Present (-ing)? -Emphasis on the duration of the action.
Perfect Examples: Examples: Time expressions: How long?, for, since, all
I have been working all day long. I haven’t been working these days. Examples: day long, the whole day.
Continuous
She has been doing sport. She hasn’t been doing sport. Have you been working these days?
Has she been doing sport?

I/You/He/She/It/We/They + had/’d + I/You/He/She/It/We/They + had not/hadn’t + Had + I/you/he/she/it/we/they + -Past action that happened before another
past participle (-ed/3rd column) past participle (-ed/3rd column) past participle (-ed/3rd column)? past action.
Past -Complete past action that had visible results
Perfect Examples: Examples: Examples: in the past (the emphasis is put on the fact,
Simple I had worked there before. I hadn’t worked there before. Had you worked there before? not the duration).
She had eaten there before. She hadn’t eaten there before. Had she eaten there before? Time expressions: By the time, before, yet,
already, after, just, for, since.

I/You/He/She/It/We/They + had + been I/You/He/She/It/We/They + had not/hadn’t + Had + I/you/he/she/it/we/they + -Actions that take place before a certain time
+ gerund (-ing) been + gerund (-ing) been + gerund (-ing) in the past.
Past -The emphasis is put on the duration and not
Perfect Examples: Examples: Examples: the fact.
Continuous I had been working all day long. I hadn’t been working all day long. Had you been working these days? Time expressions: How long?, for, since, all
She had been doing sport. She hadn’t been doing sport. Had she been doing sport? day long, the whole day.
 VERB TENSES (3)

TENSE AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE USE

I/You/He/She/It/We/They + will/’ll + I/You/He/She/It/We/They + will not/won’t + Will + I/you/he/she/it/we/they + -General predictions or predictions that may
infinitive infinitive infinitive? happen in the future.
Future -Decisions taken at the moment of speaking.
Examples: Examples: Examples: -Offers, promises, threats and requests.
Simple
I will do voluntary work. I will not do voluntary work. Will you do voluntary work? -1st Conditional.
She’ll buy a mansion. She won’t buy a mansion. Will she buy a mansion? Time expressions: tomorrow, next week,
tonight, in two days/weeks, etc.

I + am/’m + going to + infinitive I + am not/’m not + going to + infinitive Am + I + going to + infinitive? -Future plans or intentions.
You/We/They + are/’re + going to + You/We/They + are not/aren’t + going to + Are + you/we/they + going to + -Predictions based on present evidence.
Be going to infinitive infinitive infinitive? Time expressions: tomorrow, next week,
Future He/She/It + is/’s + going to + infinitive He/She/It + is not/isn’t + going to + infinitive Is + he/she/it + going to + infinitive? tonight, etc.

Examples: Examples: Examples:

I am going to study German next year. I’m not going to study German next year. Are you going to study German?
She is going to buy a car. She isn’t going to buy a car. Is she going to buy a car?

I/You/He/She/It/We/They + will/’ll + be I/You/He/She/It/We/They + will not/won’t + be Will + I/you/he/she/it/we/they + -Actions that will be in progress at a certain
+ gerund (-ing) + gerund (-ing) gerund (-ing)? time in the future.
Future Time expressions: this time tomorrow/next
Continuous Examples: Examples: Examples: week/month, tonight, in three days, etc.
I will be working on my project next I will not be working on my project next week. Will you be working on your project
week. She won’t be sunbathing at the beach next week?
She’ll be sunbathing at the beach tomorrow. Will she be sunbathing at the beach
tomorrow. tomorrow?

I/You/He/She/It/We/They + will/’ll + I/You/He/She/It/We/They + will not/won’t + Will + I/you/he/she/it/we/they + -Actions that will be finished at a certain time
Future have + past participle (-ed/3rd column) have + past participle (-ed/3rd column) have + past participle (-ed/3rd in the future.
Perfect column)? Time expressions: By, by then, by the time.
Simple Examples: Examples: Examples:
By the end of the year, I will have By the end of the year, I will not have finished Will you have finished your studies
finished my studies. my studies. by the end of this year?
By the end of next month, she’ll have By the end of next month, she won’t have taken Will she have taken her driving test
taken her driving test. her driving test. by the end of next month?
 VERB TENSES (4)

TENSE AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE USE

I/You/He/She/It/We/They + will/’ll +
Future have + been + gerund (-ing)
Perfect
Examples:
Continuous
By this time next month, I will have been
working on the project for two years.
She‘ll have been waiting here for three
hours by seven o’clock.
I/You/He/She/It/We/They + will not/won’t +
have + been + gerund (-ing)
Examples:
By this time next month, I will not have been
working on the project for two years.
She won’t have been waiting here for three
hours by seven o’clock.
Will + I/you/he/she/it/we/they +
have + been + gerund (-ing)?
Examples:
Will you have been working on the
project by this time next month?
Will she have been waiting here for
three hours by seven o’clock?
-Actions taking place before a certain time in
the future.
-The emphasis is put on the duration of the
action.
Time expressions: By, by then, by the time.

I/You/He/She/It/We/They + would/’d + I/You/He/She/It/We/They + would not/ Would + I/you/he/she/it/we/they + -Unreal or imaginary situations.
infinitive wouldn’t + infinitive infinitive? -2nd Conditional.
Conditional
Simple Examples: Examples: Examples:
I would buy a new car if I had more I would not spend my holidays at a seaside Would you spend your holidays at a
money. resort. seaside resort?
She’d travel all over the world if she She wouldn’t travel to Syria. Would she travel to Syria?
could afford it.

I/You/He/She/It/We/They + would/’d + I/You/He/She/It/We/They + would not/ Would + I/you/he/she/it/we/they + -Actions that might be taking place (2 nd
be + gerund (-ing) wouldn’t + be + gerund (-ing) be + gerund (-ing)? Conditional).
Conditional
Continuous Examples: Examples: Examples:
I would be relaxing at the swimming I wouldn’t be relaxing at the swimming pool if I Would you be relaxing at the
pool if I didn’t have to work. had to work. swimming pool if you didn’t have to
He knew she would be waiting for us at He knew she wouldn’t be waiting for us at the work?
the airport. airport. Did you know that she would be
waiting for us at the airport?

I/You/He/She/It/We/They + would/’d + I/You/He/She/It/We/They + would not/ Would + I/you/he/she/it/we/they + -Impossible past situations or actions that
have + past participle (-ed/3rd column) wouldn’t + have + past participle (-ed/3rd have + past participle (-ed/3rd might have taken place (3rd Conditional).
Conditional column) column)?
Perfect
Examples: Examples: Examples:
I would have passed the exam if I had I would not have passed the exam if I hadn’t Would you have passed the exam if
studied harder. studied hard. you hadn’t studied hard?
She’d have arrived on time if she hadn’t She wouldn’t have arrived late if she had got up Would she have arrived on time if
overslept. earlier. she hadn’t overslept?