Verb Tenses

Cards · 54

Simple Present (Affirmative)

Subject + base verb (or verb + -s/-es for 3rd person singular). Used for habits, routines, general truths, and permanent situations.

Simple Present (Negative)

Subject + do not / does not + base verb. Used to negate habits, routines, facts, or permanent states.

Simple Present (Interrogative)

Do / Does + subject + base verb? Used to ask about habits, general facts, or regular occurrences.

Present Continuous (Affirmative)

Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing. Used for actions happening right now, temporary situations, or definite future arrangements.

Present Continuous (Negative)

Subject + am/is/are not + verb-ing. Used to express that an action is not currently in progress or planned.

Present Continuous (Interrogative)

Am / Is / Are + subject + verb-ing? Used to ask if an action is currently occurring or arranged for the near future.

Present Perfect (Affirmative)

Subject + have/has + past participle. Used for completed actions with present relevance, life experiences, or unfinished time periods.

Present Perfect (Negative)

Subject + have/has not + past participle. Used to state that an action has not occurred up to the present moment.

Present Perfect (Interrogative)

Have / Has + subject + past participle? Used to ask about life experiences or completed actions relevant to now.

Present Perfect Continuous (Affirmative)

Subject + have/has been + verb-ing. Used for actions that started in the past and continue into the present, or recently ended with present results.

Present Perfect Continuous (Negative)

Subject + have/has not been + verb-ing. Used to deny ongoing duration or an extended activity up to now.

Present Perfect Continuous (Interrogative)

Have / Has + subject + been + verb-ing? Used to ask about the duration or recency of an ongoing activity.

Simple Past (Affirmative)

Subject + past tense verb (-ed or irregular form). Used for completed actions at a specific time in the past.

Simple Past (Negative)

Subject + did not + base verb. Used to negate an action that occurred in a finished time period.

Simple Past (Interrogative)

Did + subject + base verb? Used to inquire about events or states that occurred at a specific past time.

Past Continuous (Affirmative)

Subject + was/were + verb-ing. Used for actions in progress at a specific past moment or interrupted by another past action.

Past Continuous (Negative)

Subject + was/were not + verb-ing. Used to state that an action was not ongoing at a specific past time.

Past Continuous (Interrogative)

Was / Were + subject + verb-ing? Used to ask about actions that were underway at a given time in the past.

Past Perfect (Affirmative)

Subject + had + past participle. Used for an action completed before another action or point in the past.

Past Perfect (Negative)

Subject + had not + past participle. Used to state that an event had not occurred prior to another past event.

Past Perfect (Interrogative)

Had + subject + past participle? Used to ask if an action was finished before a specific point in the past.

Past Perfect Continuous (Affirmative)

Subject + had been + verb-ing. Used for an ongoing action that continued up to or ended just before another past event.

Past Perfect Continuous (Negative)

Subject + had not been + verb-ing. Used to deny that an activity had been ongoing before a specific past event.

Past Perfect Continuous (Interrogative)

Had + subject + been + verb-ing? Used to ask about the duration of an activity leading up to a past moment.

Simple Future with 'Will' (Affirmative)

Subject + will + base verb. Used for spontaneous decisions, promises, offers, predictions, or future facts.

Simple Future with 'Will' (Negative)

Subject + will not (won't) + base verb. Used to state refusal or predict that something will not happen in the future.

Simple Future with 'Will' (Interrogative)

Will + subject + base verb? Used to ask for spontaneous choices, requests, or future predictions.

Future with 'Going to' (Affirmative)

Subject + am/is/are going to + base verb. Used for prior intentions, pre-planned actions, or predictions based on present evidence.

Future with 'Going to' (Negative)

Subject + am/is/are not going to + base verb. Used to express that there is no intention or impending sign of an event.

Future with 'Going to' (Interrogative)

Am / Is / Are + subject + going to + base verb? Used to ask about someone's future intentions or upcoming events.

Future Continuous (Affirmative)

Subject + will be + verb-ing. Used for actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future.

Future Continuous (Negative)

Subject + will not be + verb-ing. Used to indicate that an action will not be underway at a future moment.

Future Continuous (Interrogative)

Will + subject + be + verb-ing? Used to ask if an activity will be in progress at a certain future time.

Future Perfect (Affirmative)

Subject + will have + past participle. Used for actions that will be completed before a specific point in the future.

Future Perfect (Negative)

Subject + will not have + past participle. Used to state an action will not be finished prior to a designated future time.

Future Perfect (Interrogative)

Will + subject + have + past participle? Used to ask whether a task will be finished before a specified deadline.

Future Perfect Continuous (Affirmative)

Subject + will have been + verb-ing. Used to emphasize the duration of an ongoing activity up to a specific future point.

Future Perfect Continuous (Negative)

Subject + will not have been + verb-ing. Used to state that an activity will not have reached a specific duration by a future time.

Future Perfect Continuous (Interrogative)

Will + subject + have been + verb-ing? Used to ask how long an ongoing action will have lasted by a future deadline.

Conditional Simple (Affirmative)

Subject + would + base verb. Used to express hypothetical or imaginary situations in the present or future.

Conditional Simple (Negative)

Subject + would not (wouldn't) + base verb. Used to express that a hypothetical scenario would not take place.

Conditional Simple (Interrogative)

Would + subject + base verb? Used to ask about hypothetical decisions, preferences, or polite requests.

Conditional Continuous (Affirmative)

Subject + would be + verb-ing. Used for hypothetical actions imagined as being in progress right now or in the future.

Conditional Perfect (Affirmative)

Subject + would have + past participle. Used for counterfactual actions that did not occur in the past.

Conditional Perfect (Negative)

Subject + would not have + past participle. Used to state what would not have happened under different past circumstances.

Conditional Perfect Continuous (Affirmative)

Subject + would have been + verb-ing. Used for hypothetical actions that would have been ongoing during a past timeframe.

Simple Present Passive

Subject + am/is/are + past participle. Used when the receiver of a regular action or general fact is the focus.

Simple Past Passive

Subject + was/were + past participle. Used when the focus is on the object or receiver of a completed past action.

Present Continuous Passive

Subject + am/is/are being + past participle. Used when an action is being performed on the subject right at this moment.

Past Continuous Passive

Subject + was/were being + past participle. Used when an action was being performed on the subject at a specific past moment.

Present Perfect Passive

Subject + have/has been + past participle. Used when the result of a completed action on the subject affects the present.

Past Perfect Passive

Subject + had been + past participle. Used when an action was completed on the subject before another past event.

Simple Future Passive

Subject + will be + past participle. Used to express that an action will happen to the subject in the future.

Future Perfect Passive

Subject + will have been + past participle. Used when an action will be completed on the subject before a future point.