tenses
PRESENT
Present Indefinite Tense
Affirmative
She drinks.
Negative
She does not drink.
Interrogative
Does she drink?
Form
I, you we they play | he, she, it plays
Uses
Affirmative
He is reading.
Negative
He is not reading.
Interrogative
Is he reading?
Form
To be (in the simple present) + verb + ing
Uses
Affirmative
They have slept.
Negative
They have not slept.
Interrogative
Have they slept?
Form
Have / has + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart.
Uses
Affirmative
He has been thinking.
Negative
He has not been thinking.
Interrogative
Has he been thinking?
Form
have or has + been + verb + ing
Uses
Affirmative
I cried.
Negative
I did not cry
Interrogative
Did I cry?
Form
Regular verbs: Verb + ed | Irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart.
Uses
Affirmative
He was driving.
Negative
He was not driving.
Interrogative
Was he driving?
Form
to be (in the simple past) + verb + ing
Uses
Affirmative
She had won.
Negative
She had not won.
Interrogative
Had she won?
Form
had + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart.(See Verb list)
Uses
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Affirmative
He had been waiting.
Negative
He had not been waiting.
Interrogative
Had he been waiting?
Form
had + been + verb + ing
Uses
Affirmative
You will win.
Negative
You will not win.
Interrogative
Will you win?
Form
will + verb
Uses
Affirmative
She will be listening to music.
Negative
She will not be listening to music.
Interrogative
Will she be listening to music?
Form
will + be + verb + ing
Uses
Affirmative
He will have spoken.
Negative
He will not have spoken.
Interrogative
Will he have spoken?
Form
will + have + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart.
Uses
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Affirmative
You will have been studying.
Negative
You will not have been studying.
Interrogative
Will you have been studying?
Form
will + have + been + verb + ing
Uses
Affirmative
He is going to watch TV.
Negative
He is not going to watch TV.
Interrogative
Is he going to watch TV?
Form
to be (in the simple present) + going + to + verb
Uses
Present Indefinite Tense
Affirmative
She drinks.
Negative
She does not drink.
Interrogative
Does she drink?
Form
I, you we they play | he, she, it plays
Uses
- action in the present taking place once, never or several times
- facts
- actions taking place one after another
- action set by a timetable or schedule
Affirmative
He is reading.
Negative
He is not reading.
Interrogative
Is he reading?
Form
To be (in the simple present) + verb + ing
Uses
- action taking place at the moment of speaking
- action arranged for the future
Affirmative
They have slept.
Negative
They have not slept.
Interrogative
Have they slept?
Form
Have / has + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart.
Uses
- emphasis is on the result (not the duration)
- action that started in the past & is still going on
- action that stopped recently
- finished action that has an influence on the present
Affirmative
He has been thinking.
Negative
He has not been thinking.
Interrogative
Has he been thinking?
Form
have or has + been + verb + ing
Uses
- putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result)
- action that recently stopped or is still going on
- finished action that influenced the present
Affirmative
I cried.
Negative
I did not cry
Interrogative
Did I cry?
Form
Regular verbs: Verb + ed | Irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart.
Uses
- action in the past taking place once, never or several times
- actions taking place one after another
Affirmative
He was driving.
Negative
He was not driving.
Interrogative
Was he driving?
Form
to be (in the simple past) + verb + ing
Uses
- action going on at a certain time in the past
- actions taking place at the same time
- action in the past that is interrupted by another action
Affirmative
She had won.
Negative
She had not won.
Interrogative
Had she won?
Form
had + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart.(See Verb list)
Uses
- action taking place before a certain time in the past
- sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive
- putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration)
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Affirmative
He had been waiting.
Negative
He had not been waiting.
Interrogative
Had he been waiting?
Form
had + been + verb + ing
Uses
- action taking place before a certain time in the past
- sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple
- putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action
Affirmative
You will win.
Negative
You will not win.
Interrogative
Will you win?
Form
will + verb
Uses
- action in the future that cannot be influenced
- spontaneous decision
- assumption with regard to the future
Affirmative
She will be listening to music.
Negative
She will not be listening to music.
Interrogative
Will she be listening to music?
Form
will + be + verb + ing
Uses
- action that is going on at a certain time in the future
- action that is sure to happen in the near future
Affirmative
He will have spoken.
Negative
He will not have spoken.
Interrogative
Will he have spoken?
Form
will + have + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by heart.
Uses
- action that will be finished at a certain time in the future
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Affirmative
You will have been studying.
Negative
You will not have been studying.
Interrogative
Will you have been studying?
Form
will + have + been + verb + ing
Uses
- action taking place before a certain time in the future
- putting emphasis on the course of an action
Affirmative
He is going to watch TV.
Negative
He is not going to watch TV.
Interrogative
Is he going to watch TV?
Form
to be (in the simple present) + going + to + verb
Uses
- decision made for the future
- conclusion with regard to the future