Simple Present Tense
I sing
How do we make the Simple Present Tense? subject + auxiliary verb + main verb do base
There are three important exceptions:
1. For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary. 2. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary. 3. For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions and negatives
How do we make the Present Continuous Tense?
The structure of the present continuous tense is:
subject + auxiliary verb + main verb be base + ing
The structure of the present perfect tense is:
subject + auxiliary verb + main verb have past participle
The structure of the present perfect continuous tense is:
subject + auxiliary verb + auxiliary verb + main verb
have has
been base + ing
To make the simple past tense, we use:
• past form only or • auxiliary did + base form
The structure of the past continuous tense is:
subject + auxiliary verb BE + main verb
conjugated in simple past tense present participle
was were
base + ing
For negative sentences in the past continuous tense, we insert not between the auxiliary verb and main verb. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and auxiliary verb
The structure of the past perfect tense is:
subject + auxiliary verb HAVE + main verb
conjugated in simple past tense past participle
had
V3
The structure of the past perfect continuous tense is:
subject +
auxiliary verb HAVE
+
auxiliary verb BE
+ main verb
conjugated in simple past tense
past participle
present participle
had
been
base + ing
For negative sentences in the past perfect continuous tense, we insert not after the first auxiliary verb. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and first auxiliary verb
The structure of the simple future tense is:
subject + auxiliary verb WILL + main verb
invariable base
will
V1
The structure of the future continuous tense is:
subject +
auxiliary verb WILL
+
auxiliary verb BE
+ main verb
invariable invariable
present participle
will
be
base + ing
For negative sentences in the future continuous tense, we insert not between will and be. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and will
The structure of the future perfect tense is:
subject +
auxiliary verb WILL
+
auxiliary verb HAVE
+
main verb
invariable invariable past participle
will
have
V3
The structure of the future perfect continuous tense is:
subject +
auxiliary verb WILL
+
auxiliary verb HAVE+
auxiliary verb BE+
main verb
invariable invariable past participle
present participle
will
have
been
base + ing
For negative sentences in the future perfect continuous tense, we insert not between will and have. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and will.