tense

Simple Present Forms

Most Verbs

Most verbs conjugate like the verb "run" below. Notice how you add an "s" to third-person forms. Third-person negative forms and third-person questions are made using "does."

Positive	Negative	Question
I run. You run. We run. They run. He runs. She runs. It runs.	I do not run. You do not run. We do not run. They do not run. He does not run. She does not run. It does not run.	Do I run? Do you run? Do we run? Do they run? Does he run? Does she run? Does it run?

Instead of "s," "es" is added to positive, third-person forms of verbs ending with the following sounds: s, z, sh, ch, j or zs (as in Zsa Zsa). These special "es"-forms have been marked below with an asterisk*.

Positive	Negative	Question
I rush. You rush. We rush. They rush. He rushes. * She rushes. * It rushes. *	I do not rush. You do not rush. We do not rush. They do not rush. He does not rush. She does not rush. It does not rush.	Do I rush? Do you rush? Do we rush? Do they rush? Does he rush? Does she rush? Does it rush?

To Have

The verb "have" is irregular in positive, third-person forms. This irregular form has been marked below with an asterisk*.

Positive	Negative	Question
I have. You have. We have. They have. He has. * She has. * It has. *	I do not have. You do not have. We do not have. They do not have. He does not have. She does not have. It does not have.	Do I have? Do you have? Do we have? Do they have? Does he have? Does she have? Does it have?

To Be

The verb "be" is irregular in the Simple Present. It also has different question forms and negative forms.

Positive	Negative	Question
I am. You are. We are. They are. He is. She is. It is.	I am not. You are not. We are not. They are not. He is not. She is not. It is not.	Am I? Are you? Are we? Are they? Is he? Is she? Is it?

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs behave differently from other verbs. Notice that they do not take "s" in the third person - there is no difference between first-person, second-person or third-person forms. Like the verb "be" described above, modal verbs also have different question forms and negative forms in Simple Present.

Positive	Negative	Question
I should go. You should go. We should go. They should go. He should go. She should go. It should go.	I should not go. You should not go. We should not go. They should not go. He should not go. She should not go. It should not go.	Should I go? Should you go? Should we go? Should they go? Should he go? Should she go? Should it go?

Present Continuous Forms

Positive	Negative	Question
I am speaking. You are speaking. We are speaking. They are speaking. He is speaking. She is speaking. It is speaking.	I am not speaking. You are not speaking. We are not speaking. They are not speaking. He is not speaking. She is not speaking. It is not speaking.	Am I speaking? Are you speaking? Are we speaking? Are they speaking? Is he speaking? Is she speaking? Is it speaking?

Simple Past Forms

Most Verbs

Most verbs conjugate by adding -ed like the verb "wait" below.

Positive	Negative	Question
I waited. You waited. We waited. They waited. He waited. She waited. It waited.	I did not wait. You did not wait. We did not wait. They did not wait. He did not wait. She did not wait. It did not wait.	Did I wait? Did you wait? Did we wait? Did they wait? Did he wait? Did she wait? Did it wait?

Irregular Verbs

Many verbs, such as "have," take irregular forms in the Simple Past. Notice that you only use the irregular verbs in statements. In negative forms and questions, "did" indicates Simple Past. To learn more about irregular verbs, visit Englishpage.com's Irregular Verb Dictionary. You can also use Englishpage.com's Online Irregular Verb Flashcards to memorize irregular verb forms.

Positive	Negative	Question
I had. You had. We had. They had. He had. She had. It had.	I did not have. You did not have. We did not have. They did not have. He did not have. She did not have. It did not have.	Did I have? Did you have? Did we have? Did they have? Did he have? Did she have? Did it have?

To Be

The verb "be" is also irregular in the Simple Past. Unlike other irregular verbs, there are two Simple Past forms: "was" and "were." It also has different question forms and negative forms. Always remember that you DO NOT use "did" with the verb "be" in the Simple Past.

Positive	Negative	Question
I was. You were. We were. They were. He was. She was. It was.	I was not. You were not. We were not. They were not. He was not. She was not. It was not.	Was I? Were you? Were we? Were they? Was he? Was she? Was it?

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs behave very strangely in the Simple Past. The most important verb to remember is "must." Notice how it becomes "had to" in the Simple Past.

"Must" becomes "had to":

• I must call my wife now.
• I had to call my wife yesterday.

Past Continuous Forms

Positive	Negative	Question
I was singing. You were singing. We were singing. They were singing. He was singing. She was singing. It was singing.	I was not singing. You were not singing. We were not singing. They were not singing. He was not singing. She was not singing. It was not singing.	Was I singing? Were you singing? Were we singing? Were they singing? Was he singing? Was she singing? Was it singing?

Present Perfect Forms

Positive	Negative	Question
I have traveled. You have traveled. We have traveled. They have traveled. He has traveled. She has traveled. It has traveled.	I have not traveled. You have not traveled. We have not traveled. They have not traveled. He has not traveled. She has not traveled. It has not traveled.	Have I traveled? Have you traveled? Have we traveled? Have they traveled? Has he traveled? Has she traveled? Has it traveled?

Present Perfect Continuous Forms

Positive	Negative	Question
I have been sleeping. You have been sleeping. We have been sleeping. They have been sleeping. He has been sleeping. She has been sleeping. It has been sleeping.	I have not been sleeping. You have not been sleeping. We have not been sleeping. They have not been sleeping. He has not been sleeping. She has not been sleeping. It has not been sleeping.	Have I been sleeping? Have you been sleeping? Have we been sleeping? Have they been sleeping? Has he been sleeping? Has she been sleeping? Has it been sleeping?

Past Perfect Forms

Positive	Negative	Question
I had finished. You had finished. We had finished. They had finished. He had finished. She had finished. It had finished.	I had not finished. You had not finished. We had not finished. They had not finished. He had not finished. She had not finished. It had not finished.	Had I finished? Had you finished? Had we finished? Had they finished? Had he finished? Had she finished? Had it finished?

Past Perfect Continuous Forms

Positive	Negative	Question
I had been listening. You had been listening. We had been listening. They had been listening. He had been listening. She had been listening. It had been listening.	I had not been listening. You had not been listening. We had not been listening. They had not been listening. He had not been listening. She had not been listening. It had not been listening.	Had I been listening? Had you been listening? Had we been listening? Had they been listening? Had he been listening? Had she been listening? Had it been listening?

Simple Future Forms

Using "Will"

Positive	Negative	Question
I will help. You will help. We will help. They will help. He will help. She will help. It will help.	I will not help. You will not help. We will not help. They will not help. He will not help. She will not help. It will not help.	Will I help? Will you help? Will we help? Will they help? Will he help? Will she help? Will it help?

Using "Be Going to"

Positive	Negative	Question
I am going to leave. You are going to leave. We are going to leave. They are going to leave. He is going to leave. She is going to leave. It is going to leave.	I am not going to leave. You are not going to leave. We are not going to leave. They are not going to leave. He is not going to leave. She is not going to leave. It is not going to leave.	Am I going to leave? Are you going to leave? Are we going to leave? Are they going to leave? Is he going to leave? Is she going to leave? Is it going to leave?

Future Continuous Forms

Using "Will"

Positive	Negative	Question
I will be waiting. You will be waiting. We will be waiting. They will be waiting. He will be waiting. She will be waiting. It will be waiting.	I will not be waiting. You will not be waiting. We will not be waiting. They will not be waiting. He will not be waiting. She will not be waiting. It will not be waiting.	Will I be waiting? Will you be waiting? Will we be waiting? Will they be waiting? Will he be waiting? Will she be waiting? Will it be waiting?

Using "Be Going To"

Positive	Negative	Question
I am going to be waiting. You are going to be waiting. We are going to be waiting. They are going to be waiting. He is going to be waiting. She is going to be waiting. It is going to be waiting.	I am not going to be waiting. You are not going to be waiting. We are not going to be waiting. They are not going to be waiting. He is not going to be waiting. She is not going to be waiting. It is not going to be waiting.	Am I going to be waiting? Are you going to be waiting? Are we going to be waiting? Are they going to be waiting? Is he going to be waiting? Is she going to be waiting? Is it going to be waiting?

Future Perfect Forms

Using "Will"

Positive	Negative	Question
I will have stopped. You will have stopped. We will have stopped. They will have stopped. He will have stopped. She will have stopped. It will have stopped.	I will not have stopped. You will not have stopped. We will not have stopped. They will not have stopped. He will not have stopped. She will not have stopped. It will not have stopped.	Will I have stopped? Will you have stopped? Will we have stopped? Will they have stopped? Will he have stopped? Will she have stopped? Will it have stopped?

Using "Be Going To"

Positive	Negative	Question
I am going to have stopped. You are going to have stopped. We are going to have stopped. They are going to have stopped. He is going to have stopped. She is going to have stopped. It is going to have stopped.	I am not going to have stopped. You are not going to have stopped. We are not going to have stopped. They are not going to have stopped. He is not going to have stopped. She is not going to have stopped. It is not going to have stopped.	Am I going to have stopped? Are you going to have stopped? Are we going to have stopped? Are they going to have stopped? Is he going to have stopped? Is she going to have stopped? Is it going to have stopped?

Future Perfect Continuous Forms

Using "Will"

Positive	Negative	Question
I will have been sleeping. You will have been sleeping. We will have been sleeping. They will have been sleeping. He will have been sleeping. She will have been sleeping. It will have been sleeping.	I will not have been sleeping. You will not have been sleeping. We will not have been sleeping. They will not have been sleeping. He will not have been sleeping. She will not have been sleeping. It will not have been sleeping.	Will I have been sleeping? Will you have been sleeping? Will we have been sleeping? Will they have been sleeping? Will he have been sleeping? Will she have been sleeping? Will it have been sleeping?

Using "Be Going To"

Positive	Negative	Question
I am going to have been sleeping. You are going to have been sleeping. We are going to have been sleeping. They are going to have been sleeping. He is going to have been sleeping. She is going to have been sleeping. It is going to have been sleeping.	I am not going to have been sleeping. You are not going to have been sleeping. We are not going to have been sleeping. They are not going to have been sleeping. He is not going to have been sleeping. She is not going to have been sleeping. It is not going to have been sleeping.	Am I going to have been sleeping? Are you going to have been sleeping? Are we going to have been sleeping? Are they going to have been sleeping? Is he going to have been sleeping? Is she going to have been sleeping? Is it going to have been sleeping?

Verb Tense Overview with Examples

Simple Present	Simple Past	Simple Future
I study English every day.	Two years ago, I studied English in England.	If you are having problems, I will help you study English. I am going to study English next year.
Present Continuous	Past Continuous	Future Continuous
I am studying English now.	I was studying English when you called yesterday.	I will be studying English when you arrive tonight. I am going to be studying English when you arrive tonight.
Present Perfect	Past Perfect	Future Perfect
I have studied English in several different countries.	I had studied a little English before I moved to the U.S.	I will have studied every tense by the time I finish this course. I am going to have studied every tense by the time I finish this course.
Present Perfect Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous	Future Perfect Continuous
I have been studying English for five years.	I had been studying English for five years before I moved to the U.S.	I will have been studying English for over two hours by the time you arrive. I am going to have been studying English for over two hours by the time you arrive.