VERB TENSES

THE PRESENT
 THE PRESENT SIMPLE
The present simple is used to talk about routines, habits and universal truths.

VERB TO BE

Affirmative Negative Questions

I am a teacher. I’m not a teacher. Am I a teacher?

You are a student. You aren’t a student. Are you a student?

He is an engineer. He isn’t an engineer. Is he an engineer?

She is Brazilian. She isn’t Brazilian. Is she Brazilian?

It is hot today. It isn’t hot today. Is it hot today?

We are friends. We aren’t friends. Are we friends?

You are students. You aren’t students. Are you students?

They are late. They aren’t late. Are they late?

*You NEVER use an auxiliary verb with verb to be.

Other verbs

Affirmative Negative Questions

I work every day. I don’t work every day. Do I work every day.

You study a lot. You don’t study a lot. Do you study a lot?

He speaks Chinese. He doesn’t speak Chinese. Does he speak Chinese?

She has a dog. She doesn’ t have a dog. Does she have a dog?

It rains a lot in September. It doesn’t rain a lot in September. Does it rain a lot in September?

We exercise on Saturdays. We don’t exercise on Saturdays. Do we exercise on Saturdays?

You live together. You don’t live together. Do you live together?

They like cats. They don’t like cats. Do they like cats?

Forming the third person of the singular (he/she/it)

Most verbs: add s. Example: work → works
• Verbs ending in vowel + y → + s. Example: play → plays
• Verbs ending in consonant + y → - y + ies. Example: study → studies
• Verbs ending in x, ch, sh, ss, o → + es. Example: fix → fixes; watch → watches; finish → finishes; kiss
→ kisses; go → goes
 Have → has
*In negatives and questions, we use auxiliary verbs (don’t/doesn’t, do/does).

 THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

The present continuous is used to 1) talk about things happening at the moment; 2) express future, when
followed by a future expression.

SUBJECT + PRESENT OF TO BE + VERB ENDING IN ING

I am studying now. I’m traveling next summer.

She isn’t watching TV. She isn’t working tomorrow.

Are you working at the moment? Are you studying next week?

THE PAST
 THE PAST SIMPLE
The simple past is used to talk about events that happened at a determined time in the past.

VERB TO BE

Affirmative Negative Questions

I was a teacher when I was young. I wasn’t a teacher when I was young. Was I a teacher when I was young?

You were a student in1999. You weren’t a student in 1999. Were you a student in 1999?

He was tired yesterday. He wasn’t tired yesterday. Was he tired yesterday?

She was 13 last year. She wasn’t 13 last year. Was she 13 last year?

It was hot yesterday. It wasn’t hot yesterday. Was it hot yesterday?

We were friends in school. We weren’t friends in school. Were we friends in school?

You were students in 1999. You weren’t students in 1999. Were you students in 1999?

They were happy at the party. They weren’t happy at the party. Were they happy at the party?

*You NEVER use an auxiliary verb with verb to be.

OTHER VERBS

Affirmative Negative Questions

I worked a lot yesterday. I didn’t work a lot yesterday. Did I work a lot yesterday?

You studied for the test. You didn’t study for the test. Did you study a for the test?

He spoke Chinese in the trip. He didn’t speak Chinese in the trip. Did he speak Chinese in the trip?

She had a dog in the past. She didn’t’ t have a dog in the past. Did she have a dog in the past?
It rained on Sunday. It didn’t rain on Sunday. Did it rain on Sunday?

We exercised on Saturday. We didn’t exercise on Saturday. Did we exercise on Saturday?

You lived together 2 years ago. You didn’t live together 2 years ago. Did you live together 2 years ago?

They traveled last vacation. They didn’t travel last vacation. Did they travel last vacation?

*In negatives and questions, we use auxiliary verbs (didn’t/did).

 THE PAST CONTINUOUS

The past continuous is used to talk about things that were in progress in the past.

SUBJECT + PAST OF TO BE + VERB ENDING IN ING

She was cooking when I called her.

I wasn’t studying last night.

Were you taking a shower when the doorbell rang?

NOTES
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