Grammar - Present Tense, Past Tense, and Future Tense

Present Simple Tense

Positive Sentences → Subject +V1

• My mother lets me go out with my friends.

• I prefer my coffee black.

• She puts the keys on the table.

• I play tennis.

Negative Sentences → Subject + do/does not +V1

• My mother does not (doesn't) let me go out with my friends.

• I do not (don't) prefer my coffee black.

• She does not (doesn't) put the keys on the table.

• She does not play tennis.

Question Sentences → Do/Does + Subject +V1

• Does your mother let you go out with your friends?

• Do you prefer your coffee black?

• Does she put the keys on the table? 

• Does he play tennis?

Simple Past Tense

Positive Sentences + Subject + V2

• We watched the news last night.

• They went to the party yesterday.

• She read the book.

• I saw a movie yesterday.

Negative Sentences → Subject + did not +V1

• We did not (didn't) watch the news last night.

• They did not (didn't) go to the party yesterday.

• She did not (didn't) read the book. 

• I didn't see a play yesterday.

Question Sentences → Did + Subject + V1

• Did we watch the news last night?

• Did they go to the party yesterday?

• Did she read the book? 

• Did you have dinner last night?

Simple Future Tense

Positive Sentences → Subject + will + V1

• She will be a doctor soon.

• You will mary me.

• The president will allow this. 

• You will help him later.

Negative Sentences → Subject + will not +V1

• She will not (won't) be a doctor soon.

• You will not (won't) mary me.

• The president will not (won't) allow this.

• You will not help him later.

Question Sentences → Will + Subject + V1

• Will she be a doctor soon?

• Will you mary me?

• Will the president allow this?

• Will you help him later?

Present Continuous Tense

Positive Sentences → Subject +BE+ Ving

• She is listening the music now.

• We are learning English at this moment.

• My mother is cooking dinner in the kitchen now. 

• You are learning English now.

Negative Sentences → Subject +BE NOT + Ving

• She is not (isn't) listening the music now.

• We are not (aren't) learning English at this moment.

• My mother is not (isn't) cooking dinner in the kitchen now. 

• You are not swimming now.

Question Sentences → BE + Subject + Ving

• Is she listening the music now?

• Are they learning English at this moment?

• Is your mother cooking dinner in the kitchen now? 

• Are you watching TV?

Past Continuous Tense

Positive Sentences → Subject + BE(was/were) + Ving

• You were watching television last night.

• They were studying math yesterday.

• I was washing the dishes when the phone rang.

• You were studying when she called.

Negative Sentences → Subject + BE(was/were) NOT + Ving

• You were not (weren't) watching television last night.

• They were not (weren't) studying math yesterday.

• I was not (wasn't) washing the dishes when the phone rang. 

• You were not studying when she called.

Question Sentences → BE(was/were) + Subject + Ving

• Were you watching television last night?

• Were they studying math yesterday?

• Was I washing the dishes when the phone rang? 

• Were you studying when she called?

Future Continuous Tense

Positive Sentences → Subject + will + be + Ving

• When you arrive, I will be sitting in the park.

• I will be loving you.

• I will be waiting for you.

Negative Sentences → Subject + will not be + Ving

• When you arrive, I will not (won't) be sitting in the park.

• I will not (won't) be loving you.

• I will not (won't) be waiting for you.

Question Sentences → Will + Subject + be + Ving

• Will you be sitting in the park when I arrive?

• Will you be loving me?

• Will you be waiting for me?

Present Perfect Tense

Positive Sentences → Subject + have/has + V3

• I have already prepared breakfast.

• My sister has cleaned the room.

• It has rained a lot lately.

Negative Sentences + Subject +have/has + not + V3

• I have not (haven't) prepared breakfast yet.

• My sister has not (hasn't) cleaned the room.

• It has not (hasn't) rained a lot.

Question Sentences → Have/Has + Subject + V3

• Have you prepared breakfast?

• Has she cleaned the room?

• Has it rained a lot?

Past Perfect Tense

Positive Sentences → Subject + had + V3

• I went there after I had completed the task.

• She had come late to the school.

• My father and mother had been married for two years when I was born.

Negative Sentences → Subject + had + not +V3

• I had not (hadn't) completed the task.

• She had not (hadn't) come late to the school.

• They had not (hadn't) been married when I was born.

Question Sentences → Had + Subject + V3

• Had you completed the task?

• Had she come late to the school?

• Had they been married when I was born?

Future Perfect Tense

Positive Sentences → Subject + will + have + V3

• By next week, we'll have earned lots of money.

• I will have prepared breakfast by the time the children wake up.

• The rain'll have stopped by tomorrow.

Negative Sentences → Subject + will not + have + V3

• He will not (won't) have received enough score by the summer.

• They will not (won't) have been married by next year.

• The rain will not (won't) have stopped by tomorrow.

Question Sentences → Will + Subject + have + V3

• Will you have graduated from the university before I graduate?

• Will he have learned all information about this job by May?

• Will we have arrived in China by the next week?

Present Perfect Cont. Tense

Positive Sentences → Subject + Have/Has+ BEEN + Ving

• My father have been repairing the car. That's why his hands are greasy.

• Susan is in the kitchen. She has been making pizza.

• They have been playing in the room.

Negative Sentences → Subject + Have/Has NOT + BEEN + Ving

• My father have not (haven't) been repairing the car. That's why his hands are greasy.

• Susan is in the kitchen. She has not (hasn't) been making pizza.

• They have not (haven't) been playing in the room.

Question Sentences → Have/Has + Subject + BEEN + Ving

• Have you been studying English?

• Has it been raining for three hours?

• Has she been teaching French since 2000?

Past Perfect Cont. Tense

Positive Sentences → Subject + Had + BEEN + Ving

• When her husband came home, the woman had been cleaning the house for hours.

• The ground was covered with snow. It had been showing heavy for several hours.

• They had been being friend since childhood.

Negative Sentences → Subject + Had + Not + BEEN + Ving

• I had not (hadn't) been waiting for Sarah for 40 minutes before she called me.

• My daughter had not (hadn't) been eating anything all day.

• She had not (hadn't) been working all day so she was energetic.

Question Sentences → Had + Subject + BEEN + Ving

• Had they been running for several minutes when the teacher came?

• Had you been studying English since 3 o'clock?

• Had we been waiting for Sarah for 40 minutes before she called us?

Future Perfect Cont. Tense

Positive Sentences → Subject + will + HAVE BEEN + Ving

• I will have been working for seven hours by the time the boss comes

• She will have been sleeping for one hour when he gets home.

• At 4 o'clock, we will have been waiting you for one hour.

Negative Sentences → Subject + will not + HAVE BEEN + Ving

• I will not (won't) have been shopping on Tuesday.

• He will not (won't) have been playing football tomorrow evening.

• They will not (won't) have been going for a picnic.

Question Sentences → WILL + Subject + HAVE BEEN + Ving

• Will you have been studying English?

• Will it have been raining for three hours?

• Will she have been teaching French for 10 years next year?