Reviewing Verb TensesReviewing Verb Tenses

Verb Tense ReviewVerb Tense ReviewThe Importance of Time

Verb tense expresses the time of an event or action. Time and how it is expressed in writing is very important to English readers. The English language has twelve different tenses. In this lesson, we will review only four of them.

Simple PresentSimple Present Expresses a habit or often repeated action.

Adverbs of frequency such as often, seldom, sometimes, never, etc. are used with this tense.

She goes to work everyday.They always eat lunch together.

Grammar structure Auxiliary verb: Do/does

Affirmative

Negative

Interrogative

Subject + verb (-s) + complement

Subject + do /does NOT + verb + complement

Do/does + subject + verb + complement ?

Yes, + subject + do/does

X No, + subject + do/does + not

Pronouns (subject) Auxiliary Verb

I Do

You Do

She Does

He Does

It Does

They Do

We Do

SheHeIt

Add “s” to the verb

Examples

Simple present

Aff: He runs everyday

Neg: He doesn’t run everyday

Interrogative: Does he run everyday? yes, he does.

X No, he does not.

Present ContinuousPresent Continuous This tense is used to describe an action that is

occurring right now (at this moment, today, this year, etc.). The action has begun and is still in progress.

She is writing a paper for her class.He can’t talk. He is fixing the sink right now.

Grammar structure Auxiliary verb: To be (am/is/are)

Affirmative

Negative

Interrogative

Subject + to be + verb(-ING) + complement

Subject + to be + NOT + verb(-ING) + complement

To be + subject + verb(-ING) + complement ?

Yes, + subject + am/is/are

X No, + subject + am/is/are + not

Pronouns (subject) Auxiliary Verb

I Am

You Are

She Is

He Is

It Is

They Are

We Are

Examples

Present Continuous

Aff: She is reading a book.

Neg: She is not reading a book.

Interrogative: Is she reading a book? yes, she is.

X No, she is not.

Simple PastSimple Past We use the simple past to indicate exactly

when an action or event took place in the past.

I visited my sister yesterday.We went out to dinner last night.

Grammar structure Auxiliary verb: Did

Affirmative

Negative

Interrogative

Subject + verb (-ed) + complement

Subject + did + NOT + verb + complement

Did + subject + verb + complement ?

Yes, + subject + did

X No, + subject + did + not

Pronouns (subject) Auxiliary Verb

I Did

You Did

She Did

He Did

It Did

They Did

We Did

Regular verbsPast Tense

Add+ed

Listen- listenedDance- danced

Examples

Simple past

A: They watched T.V yesterday.

N: They didn’t watch T.V yesterday.

I: Did they watch T.V yesterday? yes, they did.

X No, they did not.

Past ContinuousPast Continuous The past progressive is used to talk about an activity that was in progress at a specific point

of time in the past. The emphasis is on the duration of the activity in the past.

I was studying for an exam while my mother was cooking dinner.

We were walking in the park around 7 p.m. last night.

Grammar structure Auxiliary verb: to be (was/were)Affirmative

Negative

Interrogative

Subject + to be + verb(-ING) + complement

Subject + to be + NOT + verb(-ING) + complement

To be + subject + verb(-ING) + complement ?

Yes, + subject + was / were

X No, + subject + was / were + not

Pronouns (subject) Auxiliary Verb

I Was

You Were

She Was

He Was

It Was

They Were

We Were

Examples

Past Continuous

A: We were listening to music for 1 hour.

N: We weren’t listening to music for 1 hour

I: Were we listening to music for 1 hour? yes, we were.

X No, we were not.