Verbs
Verbs are doing and state of being words. A sentence must have a subject and a verb.
Doing Words
- I walk to school.
- He talks to the cat.
- She is running in the marathon.
- They are swimming in the sea.
State of Being Words
- He looks sad.
- It appears they talk too much.
- They seem friendly
- I am feeling happy
A verb can tell you about the present, past and future.
Before we look at the main verbs it is important to understand the two auxiliary verbs (helping verbs) to be and to have. They help the main verb in a sentence and comes before the main verb.
Verb:To Be
| Subject | Present Tense |
|---|---|
| I | am |
| you/we/they | are |
| she/he/it | is |
| Subject | Past Tense |
|---|---|
| I | was |
| she/he/it | was |
| you/we/they | were |
| Subject | Future Tense |
|---|---|
| I | will be |
| she/he/it | will be |
| you/we/they | will be |
Verb: To Have
| Subject | Present Tense |
|---|---|
| I | have |
| you/we/they | have |
| she/he/it | has |
| Subject | Past Tense |
|---|---|
| I | had |
| she/he/it | had |
| you/we/they | had |
| Subject | Future Tense |
|---|---|
| I | will have |
| she/he/it | will have |
| you/we/they | will have |
Verb Tenses
The four verb tenses used with the present, past and future are:
- simple
- continuous
- perfect
- perfect continuous
Note: continuous tenses are also called progressive tenses.
Tenses
| Simple Tense | |
|---|---|
| Present | talk/talks |
| Past | talked |
| Future | will talk |
| Continuous Tense | |
|---|---|
| Present | am/is/are talking |
| Past | was/were talking |
| Future | will be talking |
| Perfect Tense | |
|---|---|
| Present | have/has talked |
| Past | had talked |
| Future | will have talked |
| Perfect Continuous Tense | |
|---|---|
| Present | have been talking |
| Past | has been talking |
| Future | will have been talking |
Stative verbs (state verbs) cannot be used in continuous tenses. See below for examples of stative verbs.
Stative Verbs: like, know, smell, taste, hear, sound , appear , love , hate
A sentence must have a subject and a verb. For a sentence to make sense the correct verb tense should be used.
Past Tenses
Past Simple
| Subject | Main Verb: Work + ed |
|---|---|
| I/You/We/They | worked |
| He/She/It | worked |
Note: irregular verbs do not end in ed.
Describes an action that started and ended in the past:
- Last year he passed all his exams.
- He lived for a hundred years.
- I bought a red bag yesterday.
Bought is an irregular verb.
Below is a list of some irregular verbs that do not end in ed.
| Irregular Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Verb | Simple Past |
| Buy | Bought |
| Have | Had |
| Make | Made |
| Wear | Wore |
| Take | Took |
| Eat | Ate |
| Write | Wrote |
| Ring | Rang |
| Break | Broke |
| Speak | Spoke |
| See | Saw |
Spelling Rules!
- Verbs with one syllable that ends with a consonant and has a vowel (a,e,i,o,u) before the consonant - double the last letter before adding the ed
- Bet = Betted
- Nod = Nodded
- Verbs that end in y and has a consonant before the y - replace the y with an i then add the ed.
- Try = Tried
- Cry = Cried
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence we use did not or with contraction didn't.
Example
She did not work.
She didn't work .
Question?
If we wanted to ask a question we would say:
Did you work?
Did she work?
Past Continuous
| Subject | Verb:
To Be | Main Verb: Work + ing |
|---|---|---|
| I | was | working |
| He/She/It | was | working |
| You/We/They | were | working |
Describes a continuous action that was taking place when something else happened:
- We were dancing when the fire alarm went off.
- He was watching a film when the phone rang.
- While they were eating dinner, the car crashed into the wall.
Note: when or while connect the two actions in a sentence.
Describes two continuous action happening at the same time:
- I was dancing while he was drinking tea.
- While she was driving, he was eating.
- He was reading the letter while they were talking to the headmaster.
Describes a past continuous action with a specific time as the interruption:
- I was cooking in the kitchen at 6pm last night.
- Last year, we were living in France.
Describes a past continuous habit with the words constantly and always:
- He was always eating in the classroom.
- They were constantly complaining to the teacher.
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence we use was/were not or with a contraction
wasn't/weren't.
Example
I was not working.
I wasn't working.
They were not working.
They weren't working.
Question?
If we were going to ask a question we would say:
Was she working?
Were they working?
Past Perfect
| Subject | Auxiliary Verb: had | Main Verb: Work + ed |
|---|---|---|
| I | had | worked |
| He/She/It | had | worked |
| You/We/They | had | worked |
Note: We use the auxillary verb had with the past particle of the verb. The past particle for regular verbs end in ed . Whereas irregular verbs do not end in ed!
Describes an action that was completed in the past before another action in the past:
- Jane had washed the pans when Tom arrived.
- We had walked the dogs before it started to rain.
- After we had talked, Mary opened her present.
- She had finished the housework by the time Jane phoned.
Note: the words when, before, after and by the time are used in the past perfect tense.
Irregular verbs!
Below is a list of some irregular verbs.
| Verb | Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| buy | bought | bought |
| eat | ate | eaten |
| grow | grew | grown |
| rise | rose | risen |
| drive | drove | driven |
| give | gave | given |
| write | wrote | written |
| leave | left | left |
| see | saw | seen |
| bite | bit | bitten |
| go | went | gone |
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence we use had not or with a contraction hadn't.
Example
He had not worked.
He hadn't worked.
Question?
If we were going to ask a question we would say:
Had they worked?
Had he worked?
Past Perfect Continuous
| Subject | Auxiliary Verbs: had + been | Main Verb: Work + ing |
|---|---|---|
| I | had been | working |
| He/She/It | had been | working |
| You/We/They | had been | working |
Describes a continuous action that started in the past before something else happened in the past:
- I had been cooking for an hour when Jack arrived.
- She had been cleaning for 2 hours when the phone rang.
- We had been driving for a long time before it started to rain.
To report things said in the past:
- He said, "they had been playing football."
- They said, "they had been eating snails."
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence you use had not been or with a contraction hadn't been.
Example
She had not been working.
He hadn't been working.
Question?
If we were going to ask a question we would say:
Had she been working?
Had they been working?
Present Tenses
Present Simple
| Subject | Verb |
|---|---|
| I/You/We/They | work |
| He/She/It | works |
Note: for the subject he/she/it we add an s at the end of the verb.
Something that happens regulary:
- I walk to school every day.
- She cleans the house from
10am to 12pm every Tuesday. - He always eats breakfast at 8am.
General facts:
- The clock hangs on the wall.
- I wear glasses.
- She works in the bank.
- They live in a big house.
Something planned for the future:
- The bus departs in two hours.
- I retire from work next week.
- She starts our local school in September this year.
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence when we talk about the subject he/she/it we say does not or with a contraction doesn't.
For I/you/we/they we say do not or with a contraction don't.
Example
He does not work.
He doesn't work.
I do not work.
I don't work.
Question?
If we wanted to ask a question we would say:
Does she work?
Do you work?
Present Continuous
| Subject | Verb:To Be | Main Verb: Work + ing |
|---|---|---|
| I | am | working |
| He/She/It | is | working |
| You/We/They | are | working |
Note: irregular verbs do not end in ing.
Something that is happening now:
- I am writing a letter.
- She is swimming in the sea.
- He is drinking water.
- They are running in the park.
- We are looking at the animals.
Something already arranged or planned in the future:
- I am meeting my boss next Monday.
- She is going on holiday in April.
- We are retiring next year.
- They are playing football tomorrow.
- He is coming for dinner tonight.
Remember Spelling Rules!!!
| Spelling Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| One syllable words ending with a consonant and preceded by a vowel (a,e,i,o,u) - double the last letter before adding the suffix ing. Note! This rule applies to most one syllable words. | Run to Running |
| Words ending with an e - drop the e if the suffix begins with a vowel. | Write to Writing. |
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence we use am/are/is not or with a contraction
I'm not/aren't/isn't.
Example
She is not working.
She isn't working.
They are not working.
They aren't working
Question?
If we wanted to ask a question we would say:
Is she working?
Are they working?
Am I working?
Present Perfect
| Subject | Auxiliary Verb: has/have | Main Verb: Work + ed |
|---|---|---|
| I | have | worked |
| He/She/It | has | worked |
| You/We/They | have | worked |
Remember: We use the auxiliary verb has/have with the past participle of the verb. The past participle for regular verbs end in ed . Whereas irregular verbs do not end in ed!
To describe an experience from
the past:
- I have lived in the jungle.
- She has climbed Mount Averest.
- We have travelled the world.
Something that never happened:
- I have never played football.
- She has never worked in a shop.
- We have never eaten snails.
Something that started in the past and continues to the present:
- We have playedhere for an hour.
- He has workedin London for 3 months.
- I have owned this car since 2001.
Note: we use for and since to indicate the length of time.
Something that is repeated and continues until the present:
- They have talked to him four times this afternoon.
- I have cooked chicken several times.
- He has watched the film five times this week.
Something that happened at an unspecified time:
- She has just eaten her sandwich.
- I have recently booked the tickets.
- They have already read the book.
Note: the use of: just, recently and already.
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence we use has/have not or with a contraction
hasn't/haven't.
Example
They have not worked.
They haven't worked.
She has not worked.
She hasn't worked.
Question?
If we wanted to ask a question we would say:
Have they worked?
Has she worked?
Present Perfect Continuous
| Subject | Auxiliary Verbs: have/has + been | Main Verb: work + ing |
|---|---|---|
| I | have been | working |
| He/She/It | has been | working |
| You/We/They | have been | working |
Note: irregular verbs do not end in ing.
Expresses the duration or emphasises a continuous action that started in the past and continues to the present :
- I have been studyingat this centre for 3 years.
- He has been waiting here for an hour.
- She has been working here since 2001.
- He has been reading the article on food all day.
- They have been cleaning the house since this morning.
- I have been bakingdelicious cakes this month.
Something that started in the past and has just finished:
- I have just been running, so I am tired.
- Jane has just been talking about you.
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence we use have/has not been or with contraction
haven't/hasn't been.
Example
She has not been working.
She hasn't been working.
They have not been working
They haven't been working.
Question?
If we wanted to ask a question we would say:
Has she been working?
Have
they been working?
Future Tenses
Future Simple
| Subject | Will | Main Verb |
|---|---|---|
| I | will | work |
| He/She/It | will | work |
| You/We/They | will | work |
The simple future tense is used to talk about an action in the future. The simple future tense has two forms going to and will/shall.
Will/Shall
The future tense form will/shall can be used for making:
- a prediction:It will snow tonight.
- an instant decision - I will phone him now.
- a promise - I will buy you a car next year.
- an offer - I will post the letters for you.
- a suggestion - Shall I cook the meal?
Going to
The future tense form going to can be used for making:
- a plan - Tomorrow, I am going to buy a birthday cake for my mum.
- an arrangement - We are going to get married in July.
- a prediction - The teacher is confident that he is going to pass the exams.
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence with will we say will not or won't and with going we say am/are/is not going or I'm not/aren't/isn't going.
Example
She will not walk home. She won't walk home.
She is not going to work.
She isn't going to work.
Question?
If we were going to ask a question we would say:
Is she going to work?
Will you work?
Future Continuous
| Subject | Verbs: will + be | Main Verb: Work + ing |
|---|---|---|
| I | will be | working |
| You/We/They | will be | working |
| He/She/It | will be | working |
Note: for the continuous future tense we use the helping verbs will and be with the main verb + ing .
Describes an action that will be in progress at a certain time in the future:
- I will be playing chess at 8pm tomorrow.
- They will be arriving 6am on Monday morning.
A definite plan or an arrangement made in the future:
- We will be going to Scotland this weekend.
- I will be starting my new job next week.
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence we use will not be or won't be.
Example
I will not be working.
She won't be working.
Question?
If we were going to ask a question we would say:
Will you be working?
Will she be working?
Future Perfect
| Subject | Auxiliary Verbs: will + have | Main Verb: work + ed |
|---|---|---|
| I | will have | worked |
| You/We/They | will have | worked |
| He/She/It | will have | worked |
Note: for the perfect future tense we use the auxillary verbs will + have with the main verb + ed.
An action that will have been completed before a time in the future:
- He will have completed his course by the end of this month.
- I will have finished work by 10pm.
- They will have published the book by 2017.
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence you use will not have.
Example
He will not have worked.
He won't have worked.
Question?
If we were going to ask a question we would say:
Will he have worked?
Will I have worked?
Future Perfect Continuous
| Subject | Auxillary Verbs: will + have+ been | Main Verb: Work + ing |
|---|---|---|
| I | will have been | working |
| You/We/They | will have been | working |
| He/She/It | will have been | working |
For the future perfect continuous tense we use the auxillary verbs will + have + been with the main verb + ing.
An ongoing action that will continue up to a future time:
- I will have been writing this book for 3 years by next month.
- Next week, I will have been working for the company for ten years.
Negative Tense
In a negative sentence we use will not have been or with a contraction won't have been .
Example
She will not have been working.
She won't have been working.
I won't have been working .
I will not have been working .
Question?
If we were going to ask a question we would say:
Will you have been working?
Will they have been working?