SPOKEN ENGLISH : Tenses: Formula, Examples, and Usage Guide
1. Simple Present Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + verb (base form) + object
- Negative: Subject + do/does + not + verb (base form) + object
- Positive Question: Do/Does + subject + verb (base form) + object?
- Negative Question: Do/Does + subject + not + verb (base form) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + do/does + subject + verb (base form) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + do/does + subject + not + verb (base form) + object?
Usage:
- To express routines or habits.
- To state general truths or facts.
Examples:
- Positive: "She reads books every day."
- Negative: "She does not (doesn't) read books every day."
- Positive Question: "Does she read books every day?"
- Negative Question: "Does she not (doesn't she) read books every day?"
- WH-Positive: "Why does she read books every day?"
- WH-Negative: "Why does she not (doesn't she) read books every day?"
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: "He don't play football."
- Correct: "He doesn't play football."
- Incorrect: "Do he goes to school?"
- Correct: "Does he go to school?"
Practice Exercise:
- Write the correct form of the sentence: "He (go) to school every day."
- Answer: "He goes to school every day."
2. Simple Past Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + verb (past form) + object
- Negative: Subject + did + not + verb (base form) + object
- Positive Question: Did + subject + verb (base form) + object?
- Negative Question: Did + subject + not + verb (base form) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + did + subject + verb (base form) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + did + subject + not + verb (base form) + object?
Usage:
- To describe actions completed in the past.
Examples:
- Positive: "She watched a movie last night."
- Negative: "She did not (didn't) watch a movie last night."
- Positive Question: "Did she watch a movie last night?"
- Negative Question: "Did she not (didn't she) watch a movie last night?"
- WH-Positive: "What did she watch last night?"
- WH-Negative: "Why did she not (didn't she) watch a movie last night?"
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: "He didn't went to the party."
- Correct: "He didn't go to the party."
- Incorrect: "Did you ate dinner?"
- Correct: "Did you eat dinner?"
Practice Exercise:
- Write the correct form of the sentence: "They (play) football yesterday."
- Answer: "They played football yesterday."
3. Simple Future Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + will + verb (base form) + object
- Negative: Subject + will + not (won't) + verb (base form) + object
- Positive Question: Will + subject + verb (base form) + object?
- Negative Question: Will + subject + not (won't) + verb (base form) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + will + subject + verb (base form) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + will + subject + not (won't) + verb (base form) + object?
Usage:
- To talk about actions that will happen in the future.
Examples:
- Positive: "They will attend the meeting tomorrow."
- Negative: "They will not (won’t) attend the meeting tomorrow."
- Positive Question: "Will they attend the meeting tomorrow?"
- Negative Question: "Will they not (won’t they) attend the meeting tomorrow?"
- WH-Positive: "When will they attend the meeting?"
- WH-Negative: "Why will they not (won’t they) attend the meeting?"
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: "She will going to the party."
- Correct: "She will go to the party."
- Incorrect: "Will you be meet us tomorrow?"
- Correct: "Will you meet us tomorrow?"
Practice Exercise:
- Write the correct form of the sentence: "We (visit) the museum next week."
- Answer: "We will visit the museum next week."
4. Present Continuous Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + am/is/are + verb (-ing) + object
- Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb (-ing) + object
- Positive Question: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb (-ing) + object?
- Negative Question: Am/Is/Are + subject + not + verb (-ing) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + am/is/are + subject + verb (-ing) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + am/is/are + subject + not + verb (-ing) + object?
Usage:
- To talk about actions happening right now or in progress.
Examples:
- Positive: "She is reading a book."
- Negative: "She is not (isn’t) reading a book."
- Positive Question: "Is she reading a book?"
- Negative Question: "Is she not (isn’t she) reading a book?"
- WH-Positive: "What is she reading?"
- WH-Negative: "Why is she not (isn’t she) reading?"
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: "He are playing football."
- Correct: "He is playing football."
- Incorrect: "They is watching TV."
- Correct: "They are watching TV."
Practice Exercise:
- Write the correct form of the sentence: "He (run) in the park now."
- Answer: "He is running in the park now."
5. Past Continuous Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + was/were + verb (-ing) + object
- Negative: Subject + was/were + not + verb (-ing) + object
- Positive Question: Was/Were + subject + verb (-ing) + object?
- Negative Question: Was/Were + subject + not + verb (-ing) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + was/were + subject + verb (-ing) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + was/were + subject + not + verb (-ing) + object?
Usage:
- To describe an action that was ongoing at a particular moment in the past.
Examples:
- Positive: "She was watching TV when I called."
- Negative: "She was not (wasn’t) watching TV when I called."
- Positive Question: "Was she watching TV when I called?"
- Negative Question: "Was she not (wasn’t she) watching TV when I called?"
- WH-Positive: "What was she watching when you called?"
- WH-Negative: "Why was she not (wasn’t she) watching TV when you called?"
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: "They were playing when it was rain."
- Correct: "They were playing when it was raining."
- Incorrect: "Was you studying at 8 PM?"
- Correct: "Were you studying at 8 PM?"
Practice Exercise:
- Write the correct form of the sentence: "They (play) football when it started raining."
- Answer: "They were playing football when it started raining."
6. Future Continuous Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + will + be + verb (-ing) + object
- Negative: Subject + will + not (won’t) + be + verb (-ing) + object
- Positive Question: Will + subject + be + verb (-ing) + object?
- Negative Question: Will + subject + not (won’t) + be + verb (-ing) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + will + subject + be + verb (-ing) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + will + subject + not (won’t) + be + verb (-ing) + object?
Usage:
- To talk about an action that will be ongoing at a specific time in the future.
Examples:
- Positive: "They will be studying at 5 PM tomorrow."
- Negative: "They will not (won’t) be studying at 5 PM tomorrow."
- Positive Question: "Will they be studying at 5 PM tomorrow?"
- Negative Question: "Will they not (won’t they) be studying at 5 PM tomorrow?"
- WH-Positive: "What will they be doing at 5 PM tomorrow?"
- WH-Negative: "Why will they not (won’t they) be studying at
7. Present Perfect Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + have/has + past participle (verb-3 form) + object
- Negative: Subject + have/has + not + past participle (verb-3 form) + object
- Positive Question: Have/Has + subject + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
- Negative Question: Have/Has + subject + not + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + have/has + subject + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + have/has + subject + not + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
Usage:
- Actions that occurred at an unspecified time before now.
- Actions that have relevance or results in the present.
- Recently completed actions.
Examples:
- Positive: "I have finished my homework."
- Negative: "She has not (hasn't) completed the report."
- Positive Question: "Have you seen that movie?"
- Negative Question: "Has she not (hasn't she) finished her work yet?"
- WH-Positive: "What have you done today?"
- WH-Negative: "Why has he not (hasn't he) sent the email?"
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: "I have ate dinner."
- Correct: "I have eaten dinner."
- Incorrect: "She has go to the market."
- Correct: "She has gone to the market."
Practice Exercise:
- Write the correct form of the sentence: "She (read) the book."
- Answer: "She has read the book."
8. Past Perfect Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + had + past participle (verb-3 form) + object
- Negative: Subject + had + not + past participle (verb-3 form) + object
- Positive Question: Had + subject + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
- Negative Question: Had + subject + not + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + had + subject + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + had + subject + not + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
Usage:
- Actions that were completed before another action in the past.
Examples:
- Positive: "She had already left when I arrived."
- Negative: "They had not (hadn't) finished their meal before the guests arrived."
- Positive Question: "Had you eaten before the meeting?"
- Negative Question: "Had you not (hadn't you) completed the task before the deadline?"
- WH-Positive: "What had you done before I called?"
- WH-Negative: "Why had they not (hadn't they) prepared for the presentation?"
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: "I had went to the store."
- Correct: "I had gone to the store."
- Incorrect: "She had eats lunch before I came."
- Correct: "She had eaten lunch before I came."
Practice Exercise:
- Write the correct form of the sentence: "They (finish) the work before the deadline."
- Answer: "They had finished the work before the deadline."
9. Future Perfect Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + will + have + past participle (verb-3 form) + object
- Negative: Subject + will + not (won’t) + have + past participle (verb-3 form) + object
- Positive Question: Will + subject + have + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
- Negative Question: Will + subject + not (won’t) + have + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + will + subject + have + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + will + subject + not (won’t) + have + past participle (verb-3 form) + object?
Usage:
- Actions that will be completed before a certain time in the future.
Examples:
- Positive: "She will have finished the project by next Monday."
- Negative: "They will not (won’t) have completed the construction by December."
- Positive Question: "Will you have submitted the report by the deadline?"
- Negative Question: "Will they not (won’t they) have arrived by the time the meeting starts?"
- WH-Positive: "When will she have completed the assignment?"
- WH-Negative: "Why will they not (won’t they) have fixed the issue by tomorrow?"
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: "They will have finish the work."
- Correct: "They will have finished the work."
- Incorrect: "He will have went home by then."
- Correct: "He will have gone home by then."
Practice Exercise:
- Write the correct form of the sentence: "By 10 PM, she (leave)."
- Answer: "By 10 PM, she will have left."
10. Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + have/has + been + verb (-ing form) + object
- Negative: Subject + have/has + not + been + verb (-ing form) + object
- Positive Question: Have/Has + subject + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
- Negative Question: Have/Has + subject + not + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + have/has + subject + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + have/has + subject + not + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
Usage:
- To show actions that started in the past and are still continuing in the present.
Examples:
- Positive: "I have been working here for five years."
- Negative: "They have not (haven't) been studying all morning."
- Positive Question: "Have you been reading that book for a long time?"
- Negative Question: "Has he not (hasn't he) been attending classes regularly?"
- WH-Positive: "What have you been doing all day?"
- WH-Negative: "Why have they not (haven't they) been practicing?"
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: "He has been play for two hours."
- Correct: "He has been playing for two hours."
- Incorrect: "They have not been working since morning."
- Correct: "They have not been working from morning."
Practice Exercise:
- Write the correct form of the sentence: "They (study) for two hours."
- Answer: "They have been studying for two hours."
11. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + had + been + verb (-ing form) + object
- Negative: Subject + had + not + been + verb (-ing form) + object
- Positive Question: Had + subject + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
- Negative Question: Had + subject + not + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + had + subject + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + had + subject + not + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
Usage:
- To describe a past action that was ongoing before another past action.
Examples:
- Positive: "They had been waiting for two hours when the train finally arrived."
- Negative: "She had not (hadn't) been living there long before she moved."
- Positive Question: "Had you been working there before the company closed?"
- Negative Question: "Had she not (hadn't she) been studying before the exam?"
- WH-Positive: "What had they been doing before the accident?"
- WH-Negative: "Why had he not (hadn't he) been practicing before the competition?"
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: "She had been waiting since two hours."
- Correct: "She had been waiting for two hours."
- Incorrect: "They had not been practiced enough."
- Correct: "They had not been practicing enough."
Practice Exercise:
- Write the correct form of the sentence: "I (work) all night when the power went out."
- Answer: "I had been working all night when the power went out."
12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Formula:
- Positive: Subject + will + have + been + verb (-ing form) + object
- Negative: Subject + will + not (won’t) + have + been + verb (-ing form) + object
- Positive Question: Will + subject + have + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
- Negative Question: Will + subject + not (won’t) + have + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
- WH-Questions:
- Positive: WH-word + will + subject + have + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
- Negative: WH-word + will + subject + not (won’t) + have + been + verb (-ing form) + object?
Usage:
- To talk about actions that will continue up until a certain point in the future.
Examples:
- Positive: "By next year, I will have been working here for five years."
- Negative: "They will not (won’t) have been living there for long by the time they move."
- Positive Question: "Will you have been studying for six hours by the time I come?"
- Negative Question: "Will they not (won’t they) have been preparing for the event?"
- WH-Positive: "How long will they have been waiting when the bus arrives?"
- WH-Negative: "Why will she not (won’t she) have been practicing for the concert?"
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: "They will been living there for two years."
- Correct: "They will have been living there for two years."
- Incorrect: "Will you been working here long?"
- Correct: "Will you have been working here long?"
Practice Exercise:
- Write the correct form of the sentence: "By next month, he (train) for the marathon for a year."
- Answer: "By next month, he will have been training for the marathon for a year."
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