The Present Simple Tense

Spelling Tip
In the present simple 3rd person singular (he, she, it), add s, es, or ies to the base form of the
verb.

To regular verbs just add an s Ex: travel >travels, give > gives, play >plays
To verbs that end in s, ss, sh, ch, x, and o, add an es Ex: wash > washes, mix > mixes, go
>goes
To verbs end in y after a consonant (any letter that isnt a vowel), change the y to i and add es.
Ex: study > studies, fly > flies
Sometimes the present simple tense doesnt seem very simple. Here we will sort it all out for
you!
We use the present simple tense to express the following ideas:
1. To state facts or general truths
2. To express habits or customs
3. To relate future plans (often regarding programs and timetables)
4. To tell jokes and stories or to report sporting events in real time.

Examples of the Present Simple

1. The sun sets in the west.
2. We produce lasers for cosmetic surgery.
3. They move into their new home next week.
4. So, I go to Mr. D and say I deserve a better mark in this class.
5. Jones stops in mid-court and passes the ball to Schuster.

Forming the Present Simple

Subject

verb

rest of sentence

Subject

verb

rest of sentence

I / You / We / They

sleep

late on Saturdays

He / She / It

goes

to the beach every weekend

Time Expressions in the Present Simple

The most common time expressions in the present simple are: usually, always, never, on
Wednesdays, every Wednesday, twice a week, once a month, in general, every other day.
Time expressions made up of one word are placed between the subject and the verb in
positive sentences and questions and between the auxiliary verb and main verb in negative
sentences.
1. I always study hard for exams.
2. Do you usually speak to him like that?
Time expressions made up of two or more words are placed either at the beginning or the end
of a sentence and usually at the end of questions.
1. Ben goes to football practice every Tuesday.
2. In general, I believe that all people can live in peace.
3. you go to the supermarket every week?

Negative Sentences in the Present Simple Tense

Spelling Tip
When shortening the 3rd person (he, she, it) negative, just remove the o in not and add an
apostrophe () does not > doesnt
When creating negative sentences, we usually use the auxiliary verbs dont and doesnt + the
base form of the verb.

Note: Save the long forms (do not, and does not) for when you want to create emphasis. When
speaking, put the stress on not.
Subject

auxillery verb

verb in base form

rest of sentence

I / You / We / They

dont (do not)

eat

late at night

He / She / It

doesnt (does not)

watch

TV every day

1. I dont like the food they serve at that restaurant.

2. Jim doesnt work on Fridays.
3. My friends dont usually leave so early.
4. I do not want to go with you!

Yes/No Questions in the Present Simple

Punctuation Tip
Always begin a sentence, question and wh-question with a capital letter:
He always does good work.
Do you like me?
What did they bring you?
To create a question that will be answered with a yes or no, start the question with Do or Does,
then add a subject (the person or thing that does the action) followed by the base form of the
verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.
Auxiliary Verb

subject

verb in base form

rest of sentence

Do

I / you / we / they

drive

to the city on Mondays

Auxiliary Verb

subject

verb in base form

rest of sentence

Does

he / she / it

break down

often

1. Do you surf the Internet every day?

2. Does your boss give you positive feedback?
3. Does Jonathan always turn off the lights?
4. Dont you ever clean your room?
Note: In the Present Simple tense:
1. You may add a one-word time expression, such as always, usually, or often between
the subject and the verb.
2. You may use a negative question with a time expression such as ever.

Wh-Questions in the Present Simple

Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words
are what, where, when, why, who, how, how many, how much.
To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then add do or does, then the subject (a
person or thing that does the action), followed by the base form of the verb and only then add
the rest of the sentence.
Wh-Word

Auxiliary Verb

Subject

Verb in Base Form

What

do

I / you / we / they

want

Why

does

he / she / it

shout

1. When do you want to meet me?

2. Why does Beth always complain so much?

Rest of Sentence

at you

3. How much does the ticket cost?

4. Why dont you ever go on vacation?

Tag Questions in the Present Simple

Tag questions are those short questions that are tagged onto the end of a sentence. They are
used just to make sure the person youre talking to understood what you meant or to
emphasize what you said.
Theyre formed either by using a regular sentence in the present simple and adding dont or
doesnt and a pronoun (I, you, we, they, he, she, it) and a question mark.
1. John likes me, doesnt he?
2. All those girls speak French, dont they?
You may also add a positive tag when youre using a negative sentence.
1. Keisha doesnt speak Spanish, does she
2. Those boys dont play sports, do they?
As a rule: When the sentence is positive, the tag is negative.
When the sentence is negative, the tag is positive.

Exercises for the Present Simple

Fill in the correct form of the verb as in the examples.
1. Mark and Sara play squash twice a week. (play)
2. Sheila doesnt do the family accounts. (not do) Her husband does them.
3. Does Gillian usually meet clients so late at night? (meet)
1. Every year his family ____________ to Europe for two weeks. (go)
2. Tammy and Jen ______________ a Pilates class on Wednesday mornings.(take)
3. __________ that airline __________ to Paris? (fly)
4. The semester _____________ until the end of June. (not finish)
5. Tony usually _________ to call his mother in the mornings. (try)
6. _______________ for your car expenses? (Who/pay)
7. The shops ___________ until 21:00. (not close)
8. Gerard _________ the ball and __________ it into the net. (receive/kick)
9. _________times a day _____ you _____ your dogs for a walk? (take)

10. ________ he always ________ his cell phone for long distance calls? (use)
Answers:
1. goes
2. take
3. Does/fly
4. doesnt finish
5. tries
6. Who pays
7. dont close
8. receives/kicks
9. How many/do/take
10. Does/use

Examples Present Simple

Positive
1. The sun sets in the west.
2. We produce lasers for cosmetic surgery.
3. They move into their new home next week.
4. So, I go to Mr. D and say I deserve a better mark in this class.
5. Jones stops in mid-court and passes the ball to Schuster.
6. I always study hard for exams.
7. Do you usually speak to him like that?
8. Ben goes to football practice every Tuesday.
9. In general, I believe that all people can live in peace.
10. Do you go to the supermarket every week?
Negative
1. I dont like the food they serve at that restaurant.
2. Jim doesnt work on Fridays.
3. My friends dont usually leave so early.
4. I do not want to go with you!

Yes/No Questions
1. Do you surf the Internet every day?
2. Does your boss give you positive feedback?
3. Does Jonathan always turn off the lights?
4. Dont you ever clean your room?
Wh Questions
1. When do you want to meet me?
2. Why does Beth always complain so much?
3. How much does the ticket cost?
4. Why dont you ever go on vacation?
Tag Questions
1. John likes me, doesnt he?
2. All those girls speak French, dont they?
3. Keisha doesnt speak Spanish, does she?
4. Those boys dont play sports, do they?

The Past Simple Tense

Spelling Tip
Regular verbs in the past simple

Add ed to most verbs. Ex. talk > talked , employ > employed
If a short verb ends with a consonant-vowel-consonant, double the last letter and then add ed.
Ex. stop > stopped, top > topped
However, do not double the last letter if the verb ends in w, x or y. Ex. play > played, mix >
mixed.
In longer words, if the last syllable of the verb ends with a consonant-vowel-consonant and that
syllable is stressed, double the last consonant and then add ed. Ex. prefer > preferred
However, do not double the last letter if the first syllable is stressed. Ex. enter > entered
If the verb ends in e, just add d. Ex. create > created , live > lived
If the verb ends in a consonant + y, change the y to i and add ed. Ex. try > tried
The past simple tense is quite straightforward. The main problem is its spelling rules, which
youll find below.
We use the past simple to describe an action that started in the past and ended in the past. It
could be something that happened twenty years ago or something that happened two minutes
ago. It started. It stopped. Its over.
1. I visited a client in London yesterday.
2. She planned the event all by herself.
The most common time expressions used for the past simple are: yesterday, a week (month,
year) ago, last (month, year, weekend, Monday) night, the day before yesterday, two days
(months, years) ago. The time expression appears either at the beginning or at the end of the
sentence never in the middle of the sentence.
Forming the Past Simple

Subject

Verb + d, ed, ied

or irregular form (V2)

Rest of Sentence

I / He / She / It You / We / They

walked

to the shop yesterday

Subject

Verb + d, ed, ied

or irregular form (V2)

Rest of Sentence

slept

late last Saturday

The past simple is usually formed by adding d, ed, or ied to the base form of the verb,
however, in English there are many irregular verbs that take on a completely different form in
the past tense. Some people call this the V2 form of the verb. The best thing to do is to try and
memorize them.

Negative Sentences in the Past Simple Tense

Spelling Tip
When shortening the 3rd person (he, she, it) negative, just remove the o in not and add an
apostrophe ()
did not > didnt
To create a negative sentence in the past simple, use didnt (did not) + the base form of the
verb.
Note: Save the long forms (did not) for when you want to create emphasis. When speaking, put
the stress on not.
Subject

didnt + verb in the base form

Rest of Sentence

didnt walk

to the shop yesterday

didnt sleep

late last Saturday

I / He / She / It You / We / They

1. I didnt talk to John yesterday.

2. He didnt steal those ideas from the company.
3. You didnt show me the photos from the wedding.

4. Ron did not sign the document.

Yes/No Questions in the Past Simple

To create a question that will be answered with a yes or no, start the question with Did, then
add a subject (the person or thing that does the action) followed by the base form of the verb
and only then add the rest of the sentence.
Auxiliary Verb

Subject

verb in base form

rest of sentence

I / you / we / they

walk

to the shop yesterday

he / she / it

sleep

late last Saturday

Did

1. Did you ask Tina to go out with you?

2. Did the employees stay late again last night?
3. Did Rob finish his assignment yesterday?

Wh-Questions in the Past Simple

Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words
are what, where, when, why, who, how, how many, how much.
To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then add did (or didnt for a negative
question), then the subject (a person or thing that does the action), followed by the base form
of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.
Wh-word

auxiliary verb

What

did

subject

I / you / we / they

verb in base form

rest of sentence

sell

the house

Wh-word

auxiliary verb

subject

verb in base form

rest of sentence

Why

didnt

he / she / it

rescue

me

1. When did you buy that sweater?

2. Why did the computer break down?
3. How long did the train journey take?
4. Why didnt you tell me about the accident?

Tag Questions in the Past Simple

Tag questions are those short questions that are tagged onto the end of a sentence. They are
used just to make sure the person youre talking to understood what you meant or to
emphasize what you said.
Theyre formed either by using a positive sentence in the past simple and then adding didnt, a
pronoun (I, you, we, they, he, she, it) and a question mark.
1. John scored a goal, didnt he?
2. Their dogs barked all night, didnt they?
You may also add a positive tag when youre using a negative sentence.
1. Kate didnt take out the rubbish bin, did she?
2. The girls didnt copy on the exam, did they?
As a rule: When the sentence is positive, the tag is negative.
When the sentence is negative, the tag is positive.

Exercises with the Past Simple Tense

Fill in the correct form of the verb in the past simple as in the examples.
1. David saw his History professor at the supermarket two days ago. (see)
2. I didnt know your e-mail address, so I phoned instead. (not know/phone)
3. Did you get the message I left the day before yesterday?
1. I _______ a great book last week. (read)

2. _______ Adam ______ the jacket that he _______ at the party? (find / leave)
3. Why _______ you__________ for me at the bar yesterday evening? (not wait)
4. I _________ for over an hour, but you never __________ up! (wait / show)
5. My friends _________ to New Delhi via Mumbai a week ago. (fly)
6. Teresa ___________ the last train, _______________? (catch)
7. The sunset _________ beautiful last night. (be)
8. _______ they _________ the clients deadline yesterday? (meet)
9. When _____ he ___________ from med school? (graduate)
10. Ella ___________ to get a hold of you, but you ________ home. (try/not be)
Answers:
1. read
2. Did/find/left
3. didnt/wait
4. waited/showed
5. flew
6. caught/ didnt she
7. was
8. Did/meet
9. did/graduate
10. tried/werent

Examples Past Simple

Positive
1. I visited a client in London yesterday.
2. She planned the event all by herself.
Negative
1. I didnt talk to John yesterday.
2. He didnt steal those ideas from the company.
3. You didnt show me the photos from the wedding.
4. Ron did not sign the document.

Yes/No Questions
1. Did you ask Tina to go out with you?
2. Did the employees stay late again last night?
3. Did Rob finish his assignment yesterday?
Wh-Questions
1. When did you buy that sweater?
2. Why did the computer break down?
3. How long did the train journey take?
4. Why didnt you tell me about the accident?
Tag Questions
1. John scored a goal, didnt he?
2. Their dogs barked all night, didnt they?
3. Kate didnt take out the rubbish bin, did she?
4. The girls didnt copy on the exam, did they?

The Present Progressive Tense

Spelling Tip
Verbing (Present Participle)

Add ing to most verbs. Ex. play > playing, cry > crying, bark > barking
For verbs that end in e, remove the e and add ing. Ex: slide > sliding, ride > riding
For verbs that end in ie, change the ie to y and add ing. Ex: die > dying, tie > tying
For a verb whose last syllable is written with a consonant-vowel-consonant and is stressed,
double the last letter before adding ing. Ex: beg > begging, begin > beginning. However: enter
> entering (last syllable is not stressed)
The present progressive tense is often overused by non-native speakers of English. It should
only be used in the following contexts:
To describe an incomplete action which is in progress at the moment of speaking; usually with
time expressions such as: now, at the moment, right now.
1. (During a phone call or in an e-mail) We are discussing the project at the moment.
To describe a plan or arrangement in the near future; usually with time expressions such as:
tonight, tomorrow, this week, this Monday.
1. Jims leaving for Brussels this evening.
To express actions that are repeated regularly; usually with a negative meaning and with the
time expressions: always or forever.
1. Her husband is always complaining about his health.
Note: A common mistake is using this form to describe what a company sells or produces. In
general, a company sells something on a regular basis, so you need to use the present simple
tense and not the present progressive.

Incorrect: We are producing high-end plastic pipes.

Correct: We produce high-end plastic pipes.
Correct: That company is always selling some cheap gadget. (negative meaning)
The present progressive (continuous) is formed using am, is or are together with the ing
(present participle) form of the verb.
Subject

A form of be + Verbing (Present Participle)

Rest of Sentence

Subject

A form of be + Verbing (Present Participle)

Rest of Sentence

am taking

my final exam tomorrow

He / She / It

is sweeping

the floor at the moment

You / We / They

are giving

me a headache

Contractions in the Present Progressive (Continuous)

In general we contract (or shorten) the subject (the person or thing doing the action), and form
of be:
1. I am > Im Im going to the store in about ten minutes.
2. He is > Hes, She is > Shes, It is > Its Its raining cats and dogs.
3. We are > Were, You are > Youre, They are > Theyre Werecatching the 9:00 flight.
Save the long forms for when you want to create emphasis.
1. You are not going out tonight!
When speaking, you should stress the not.

Negatives in the Present Progressive (Continuous)

Spelling Tip
When shortening a form of be and negative, just remove the o in not and add an apostrophe ()
is not > isnt
are not > arent
The negative in the present progressive tense is created using am not, is not or are not
together with the ing form (present participle) of the verb.

Subject

A form of be + Verbing

Rest of Sentence

am not working

on that project now

He / She / It

isnt sleeping

at the moment

You / We / They

arent running

in the marathon tomorrow

Note: In general, use these contractions in the negative: isnt, arent. Am not cannot be
shortened, but you can say Im not. Save the long forms for when you want to create
emphasis.
1. Im not listening to you.
2. Roger isnt eating with us tonight.
3. The Smiths arent going to France this year. Theyre going to Thailand.
4. He is not coming with me dressed like that!

Yes/No Questions in the Present Progressive

(Continuous)
To ask a question that will be answered with either a yes or no, start with Am, Is or Are, then
choose your subject (the person or thing doing the action), followed by theing (present
participle) form of the verb and then the rest of your question.
A Form of be

Subject

Verbing

Rest of Sentence

Am

making

myself clear

Is

he / she / it

shaking

right now

A Form of be

Subject

Verbing

Rest of Sentence

Are

you / we / they

buying

steaks for dinner tomorrow

1. Am I talking too much?

2. Is that your dog barking?
3. Are you participating in the competition next week?

Wh-Questions in the Present Progressive

Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words
are what, where, when, which, why, who, how, how many, how much.
To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then add am, is or are, then the subject (a
person or thing that is doing the action), followed by the ing ( present participle) form of the
verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.
Wh Word

A form of be

Subject

Verbing

Rest of Sentence

Who

am

meeting

with today

What

is

he / she / it

doing

right now

When

are

you / we / they

choosing

the colors for the room

1. Which route are you taking to the conference this week?

2. Why is she bleeding?
3. Who am I sending to the meeting?

Tag Questions in the Present Progressive

Tag questions are those short questions that are tagged onto the end of a sentence. They are
used just to make sure the person youre talking to understood what you meant or to
emphasize what you said.
Theyre formed by using a positive sentence in the present progressive and adding isnt or
arent and a pronoun (I, you, we, they, he, she, it) and a question mark. For sentences in the
first person (I), use the tag arent I?
1. Terry is driving to the post office, isnt she?
2. All the kids in the class are going on the field trip, arent they?
3. Im buying tickets for everyone, arent I?
You may also add a positive tag when youre using a negative sentence.
1. Latikas not working at IBM anymore, is she?
2. Tomer and Guy arent going on the trek to South America, are they?
As a rule: When the sentence is positive, the tag is negative.
When the sentence is negative, the tag is positive.

Exercises for Present Progressive

Fill in the correct form of the Present Progressive as in the examples.
1. The runners are approaching the finish line. (approach)
2. Are you preparing the contract for the client? (prepare)
3. Joyce isnt playing in todays tournament. (not play)
1. The team members ______________ late to finish the bid. (stay)
2. What _______Arnie ____________ over there? (do)
3. _______ you __________ a big wedding? (plan)
4. Tim is helping you put the lights up, ___________?
5. The computers _____ finally ____________ like theyre supposed to. (run)
6. _________ Ann _________ in from New York tonight? (fly)
7. The customers arent getting the price quote this week, ____________?
8. I________________ Peter for a drink later. (meet)
9. How much money ________ they _________ in the company?(invest)
10. He ___________ to you. (not lie) He ____________ the truth. (tell)

Answers:
1. are staying
2. is/doing
3. Are/planning
4. isnt he
5. are/running
6. Is/flying
7. are they
8. am meeting
9. are/investing
10. isnt lying/is telling

Examples Present Progressive (Continuous)

Positive
1. We are discussing the project at the moment.
2. Jims leaving for Brussels this evening.
3. Her husband is always complaining about his health.
Contractions
1. Im going to the store in about ten minutes.
2. Its raining cats and dogs.
3. Were catching the 9:00 flight.
Negatives
1. Im not listening to you.
2. Roger isnt eating with us tonight.
3. The Smiths arent going to France this year. Theyre going to Thailand.
4. He is not coming with me dressed like that!
Yes/No Questions
1. Am I talking too much?
2. Is that your dog barking?
3. Are you participating in the competition next week?

Wh-Questions
1. Which route are you taking to the conference this week?
2. Why is she bleeding?
3. Who am I sending to the meeting?
Tag Questions
1. Terry is driving to the post office, isnt she?
2. All the kids in the class are going on the field trip, arent they?
3. Im buying tickets for everyone, arent I?
4. Latikas not working at IBM anymore, is she?
5. Tomer and Guy arent going on the trek to South America, are they?

The Present Perfect Simple Tense

The Perfect Tenses
The opinion of many native and non-native English speakers is that the perfect tenses are far
from being perfect. They cause headaches for most people. On these pages, we will break
the perfect tenses down into short sections that will make them easier to understand.
Useful Tip
Time Expressions in the Present Perfect

Use since with a specific year or a period in the past > since 2002 / since I was a child
Use for with a number of years > for twenty years
Use ever and yet in questions and negatives > Have you ever / hasnt been yet
Use already and never, just between have/has and the verb > has already finished / have
just been
Use before, since, for, already, many times, so far, yet at the end of a sentence or questions >
Have you been there before?
The present perfect simple tense is used to

Describe actions that occurred in the past but are still relevant to the present.
1. Rani has broken her arm. (She broke it in the past and cant use her arm now.)
Describe an action that started in the past but is still happening on a regular or habitual basis
(like the present simple).
1. The girls have played tennis at the club since 2005. (They started to play tennis there in
2005 and still play there today. This does not mean they are playing tennis at the moment.)
Describe actions that were repeated several times in the past.
1. Ive already made several calls. (Up until now)
The specific time in the past is unimportant, just the fact that it happened.
Note: Time Expressions Present Perfect
NEVER use the same time expressions that you use in the past simple tense, such as:
yesterday, a week ago, last night. You MAY use unspecific time expressions such as: ever,
never, since, for, already, many times, before, so far, yet.

The Typical Present Perfect Sentence

In order to form a typical sentence in the present perfect simple, choose a subject ((the person
or thing that has done the action), add an auxiliary (or helping) verb: has or have + the V3 (past
participle) form of the verb and then add the rest of the sentence.

Subject

have/has +Verb(V3)
(Past Participle)

Rest of Sentence

I / You / We / They

have met

him before

He / She / It

has lived

here for three years

The V3 (past participle) form of a regular verb looks just like a regular verb in the past simple:
1. walk > walked / study > studied / stop > stopped / create > created
There are quite a few irregular verbs in English. It pays to memorize them.

Note: Has Had A verb combination that often causes confusion in the present perfect simple
is has had or have had. Ex. I have had enough of your complaining! Have is the auxiliary (or
helping) verb and had is the V3 (or past participle) of the main verb to have. It may look
strange, but it is correct.
Contractions in the Present Perfect Simple
In general, we contract the subject (the person or thing that has done the action) and form of
have:
1. I have > Ive Ive used those images before.
2. He has > Hes / She has > Shes / It has > Its Hes already had the surgery.
3. We have > Weve / You have > Youve / They are > Theyve Weve just gotten home.
You may have noticed that the 3rd person singular (he, she, it) contractions look like those in
the present progressive. You can tell them apart by the use of the V3 and from the context of
the sentence: he is > Hes eating now. / he has > Hes eaten dinner already
Save the long forms for when you want to create emphasis. When speaking, you should stress
the have/has.
1. He has sung that song. I know he has.

Negative Sentences in the Present Perfect Simple Tense

Spelling Tip
When shortening the auxiliary verb have/has and the negative, just remove the o in not and
add an apostrophe ()
has not > hasnt
have not > havent
When creating negative sentences, we usually use hasnt or havent together + the V3 (past
participle) form of the verb. Save the long forms (has not, and have not) for when you want to
create emphasis. When speaking, put the stress on not.

Subject

Auxillery Verb

Verb in V3
(Past Participle)

Rest of Sentence

Subject

Auxillery Verb

Verb in V3
(Past Participle)

Rest of Sentence

I / You / We / They

havent (have not)

ridden

a bike in many years

He / She / It

hasnt (has not)

lost

enough weight yet

1. I havent eaten at that restaurant in a long time.

2. Jim hasnt worked on Fridays since he joined the company.
3. My friends havent ever gone to France.
4. I have not forgiven you!

Yes/No Questions in the Present Perfect Simple

To create a question that will be answered with a yes or no, start the question with Have or
Has, (Havent or Hasnt for a negative question) then add a subject (the person or thing that
has done the action) followed by the V3 (Past Participle) form of the verb and only then add the
rest of the sentence.

Auxiliary Verb

Subject

Verb in V3
(Past Participle)

Rest of Sentence

Have

I / you / we / they

begun

the meeting yet

Has

he / she / it

answered

your letter

Hasnt

he / she / it

eaten

dinner yet

1. Have you ever gone ice skating?

2. Has Jerry presented his ideas to the CEO yet?

Wh-Questions in the Present Perfect Simple

Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words
are what, where, when, why, who, how, how many, how much.
To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then add have or has, then the subject (a
person or thing that has done the action), followed by the V3 (Past Participle) form of the verb
and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Wh-Word

Auxiliary Verb

Subject

Verb in V3
(Past Participle)

Rest of Sentence

What

have

I / you / we / they

read

lately

Why

has

he / she / it

changed

color

1. When have I ever lied to you?

2. Why has Tanya left the country?
3. How much money have you spent so far?

Tag Questions in the Present Perfect Simple

Tag questions are those short questions that are tagged onto the end of a sentence. They are
used just to make sure that the person youre talking to understood what you meant or to
emphasize what you said.
Theyre formed by using a regular sentence in the present perfect simple, then adding havent
or hasnt and a pronoun (I, you, we, they, he, she, it) and a question mark.
Examples of the Present Perfect Simple Tag Questions:
1. John has known her for a couple of years, hasnt he?
2. They have been in business since 1980, havent they?
You may also add a positive tag when youre using a negative sentence.

1. Keisha hasnt spoken to you yet, has she?

2. Those kids have never played rugby, have they?
As a rule: When the sentence is positive, the tag is negative.
When the sentence is negative, the tag is positive.

Exercises Present Perfect Simple

Fill in the correct form of the present perfect simple as in the examples.
1. Dan has worked in that company for 12 years. (work)
2. Have you heard the news? (hear)
3. The boys have never eaten sushi. (eat)
1. Daniel ____ that video clip at least twenty times. (see)
2. The workers _______ a break in 4 hours. (not have)
3. We ___________ them regularly over the last few years. (visit)
4. _______ Ella _______ her driving test yet? (pass)
5. Roger _______ to Mexico several times since 2002.(be)
6. They______ to each other in ages, _______ they? (not speak)
7. Why _______ Mathew _______his job? (quit)
8. ______the nurses ______ on strike again? (go)
9. ________ they ______ the post yet? (not deliver)
10. I _____ already_______ you the answer. (tell)
Answers:
1. has seen
2. havent had
3. have visited
4. Has/passed
5. has been
6. havent spoken/have
7. has/quit
8. Have/gone
9. Havent/delivered
10. have/ told

Examples Present Perfect Simple

Positive
1. Rani has broken her arm.
2. The girls have played tennis at the club since 2005.
3. Ive already made several calls.
Contractions
1. I have > Ive Ive used those images before.
2. He has > Hes / She has > Shes / It has > Its Hes already had the surgery.
3. We have > Weve / You have > Youve /They have > Theyve Weve just gotten home.
Negative
1. I havent eaten at that restaurant yet.
2. Jim hasnt worked on Fridays since he joined the company.
3. My friends havent ever gone to France.
4. I have not forgiven you!
Yes/No Questions
1. Have you ever gone ice skating?
2. Has Jerry presented his ideas to the CEO yet?
Wh-Questions
1. When have I ever lied to you?
2. Why has Tanya left the country?
3. How much money have you spent so far?
Tag Questions
1. John has known her for a couple of years, hasnt he?
2. They have been in business since 1980, havent they?
3. Keisha hasnt spoken to you yet, has she?
4. Those kids have never played rugby, have they?

The Future Tense

The future can be expressed in several ways in English. Here are the different possibilities:
1. Future Simple: will + base form of the verb
2. Be Going To: am, is, are + going to + base form of the verb
3. Shall: Shall + subject + base form of the verb?
4. Future Progressive: will be + verbing
5. Present Simple and Present Progressive with Future Meaning
Time expressions in the Future Tense
There are several time expressions that are used in all of the different forms of the future
tense. They are generally used at the end of the sentence or question. The most common are:
tomorrow, next week (Sunday/month/year), in two days (weeks, months years), the day after
tomorrow.

Future Simple: Will + Base Form of the Verb

This form is used to:
Describe a simple action in the future:
1. Shell write the e-mail after lunch.
2. Alice wont help us decorate for the party.
Make a prediction or give a warning:
1. Dont lift that. Youll hurt yourself
2. If you dont finish the bid, the boss wont give you a raise.
Make a spontaneous decision:
1. You dropped your purse. Ill get it.
Subject

will or wont +verb

rest of sentence

I / You / We / They
He / She / It

Positive

Negative

will see

wont see

you tomorrow night

Contractions
In general, use the contracted forms of the pronoun + will:
I will > Ill / he will > hell / she will > shell / you will > youll / we will > well /they will > theyll
Ex. Ill see you tomorrow. / Youll get the answer by post.
Try to use the short form wont instead of will not
Ex. I wont see you tomorrow.
Save the long forms for when you want to create emphasis in spoken Englsih or when writing
formal texts.
Ex. You will not do that again! / His hypothesis will not stand up to their criticism.
Yes/No Questions in the Future Simple
To create a question that will be answered with a yes or no, use Will (or Wont) + subject +
base form of the verb.
Will

subject

base form of the verb

rest of sentence

Will (Wont)

I / You / We / They
He / She / It

send

that fax for me

1. Will Dave burn the CD for you?

2. Wont the girls be late for the party?
Wh- Questions in the Future Simple
Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words
are what, where, when, why, who, how, how many, how much.
To form a Wh-question use: Wh-word + will (or wont) + subject + base form of the verb.

Wh word

Will

What

will

subject

base form of the verb

rest of sentence

tell

him tonight

finish

the project

I / You / We / They
He / She / It
Why

wont

1. When will he give you an answer?

2. Why wont you tell him the truth?
Exercises Future Simple Tense
Fill in the correct form of the verb with the future simple tense as in the examples.
1. Ill drive you to your lesson at 4 pm. (drive)
2. He wont work overtime anymore (not work)
1. Sam _______ the documents over to you tomorrow. (bring)
2. The managers ________ about the budget until next Thursday. (not decide)
3. _______ your sister ______ in a large church? (get married)
4. ________ he _____ you move to your new apartment? (not help)
5. I _________ him this time. He mustnt do that again. (forgive)
Answers:
1. will bring
2. wont decide
3. Will/ get married
4. Wont/help
5. will forgive

Future Be Going To
We usually use am, is or are + going to + the base form of the verb to talk about actions in the
future that have already been decided on.

Form of be + going to
Subject
Positive

Negative

am going
to

am not going to

He / She / It

is going to

isnt (is not) going

to

You / We /
They

are going
to

arent (are not)

going to

base form of the

verb

rest of sentence

buy

some clothes
tomorrow

1. Dans going to take the order over to the customer.

2. The girls are going to sing Amazing Grace now.
3. They arent going to buy the house.
4. I am not going to make dinner tonight. Were going out to a restaurant.
Yes/No Questions Be going to
To ask a question that will be answered with either a yes or no, start with Am, Is or Are (or
isnt/arent for negative questions), then choose a subject (the person or thing doing the
action), followed by going to + the base form of the verb.
A form of be

subject

Am

Is / Isnt

he / she / it

going to + verb

rest of sentence

going to eat

lunch today

A form of be

subject

Are/ Arent

you / we / they

going to + verb

rest of sentence

1. Am I going to feel bad about my decision?

2. Is he going to watch the film tonight?
3. Are you going to participate in the race tomorrow?
Wh-Questions Be Going To
Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words
are what, where, when, which, why, who, how, how many, how much.
To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then add am, is or are, then the subject (a
person or thing that will be doing the action), going to and the base form of the verb.
Wh- word

Why

A form of be

subject

am

is / Isnt

he / she / it

are/ arent

you / we / they

going to + verb

rest of sentence

going to watch

the news

1. How much is the computer going to cost?

2. Why arent you going to buy that car?
Exercises Future be going to
Fill in the correct form of the verb with the be going to form of future as in the examples.
1. He is going to clean up his room tonight. (clean up)

2. Teddy and Sam arent going to eat at that restaurant again. (not eat)
1. Ben__________ Mr. Davis to give him a good grade. (persuade)
2. We __________ a refund on that TV that broke down. (demand)
3. ________Ms. Thompson __________ you extra for that work?(pay)
4. I _______ Los Angeles next year. (leave)
5. Turner _______ a car when he lands at the airport. (hire) Hell take the train.
Answers:
1. is going to persuade
2. are going to demand
3. Is/going to pay
4. am going to leave
5. isnt going to hire

Future: Shall
Shall is used with the subjects I and we to make suggestions or to offer to do something for
someone. It is always used in the form of a question.
Will

subject

base form of the verb

rest of sentence

Shall

I / We

send

out for pizza

1. Shall we go for a walk?

2. Shall I help you with that?
The use of shall to mean will is formal English and is not commonly used today.

Future Progressive (Continuous) will + be + verbing

Spelling Tip
Verbing (Present Participle)

Add ing to most verbs. Ex. play > playing, cry > crying, bark > barking
For verbs that end in e, remove the e and add ing. Ex: slide > sliding, ride > riding

For verbs that end in ie, change the ie to y and add ing. Ex: die > dying, tie > tying
For a verb whose last syllable is written with a consonant-vowel-consonant and is stressed,
double the last letter before adding ing. Ex: beg > begging, begin > beginning. However: enter
> entering (last syllable is not stressed)
We use will/wont + be + verbing (present participle) when we know that an action will be in
progress at some time in the future or to describe something that has been pre-arranged.
will / wont + be + verbing
Subject

rest of sentence

I / You / We / They
He / She / It

Positive

Negative

will be waiting

wont be waiting

for you

1. Dont phone me before 12:00. I will be meeting with a client.

2. You can take my car tomorrow. I wont be using it.
3. This time next year, we will be living in our new home.
Yes/No Questions in the Future Progressive (Continuous)
To ask a question that will be answered with either a yes or no, start with Will or Wont, then
choose your subject (the person or thing that will be doing the action), followed by be + verbing
(present participle).
Will/Wont

Subject

Will

be + verbing

Rest of Sentence

be exhibiting

at the show next month

be coming

to the wedding on Sunday

I
he / she / it
you / we / they
Wont

1. Will Allen be participating in the science fair next week ?

2. Wont you be visiting your mother when Im in town?

Wh-Questions in the Future Progressive (Continuous)
Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words
are what, where, when, which, why, who, how,
To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then will +the subject (a person or thing that is
doing the action), followed by be + the ing ( present participle) form of the verb.
Wh Word

When

will/wont

subject

verbing

rest of sentence

will

I
he / she / it
you / we / they

be meeting

with the CEO today

1. Where will he be waiting for me?

2. How will you be travelling to the exhibition?
Some Wh-questions have a different word order:
Wh Word

subject

will

verbing

rest of sentence

How many

people

will

be attending

the show

will

be going

with you

Who

1. How many contestants will be attempting to win the prize?

2. Which runners will be running the race?
Exercises Future Progressive (Continuous)
Fill in the correct form of the verb with the future progressive ( will + be + verbing) form of
future as in the examples.

1. He will be receiving his M.A. degree at the ceremony next week (receive)
2. Will Ron be visiting you today?(visit)
1. I ________ to Monterey this weekend. (drive) Do you want to come along?
2. ________ they ________ the conference next week? (attend)
3. Ella and Sara __________ out of class just as I arrive at the college. (get)
4. I ________ in Norway next week while you are sunbathing in Tahiti (freeze)
5. How many students _________ next month? (not graduate)
Answers:
1. will be driving
2. Will/ be attending
3. will be getting
4. will be freezing
5. will not be graduating

Present Simple and Present Progressive with Future

Meaning
The present simple tense may be used to express the future in order to talk about plans in the
near future.
1. Her bus leaves at 6:00 Tuesday morning.
The present progressive tense may be used to express the future especially when you want to
talk about plans arranged in advance. It is common to use it with verbs of movement.
1. Im turning in my History assignment tomorrow morning.
Tag Questions in the Future Tense
Tag questions are those short questions that are tagged onto the end of a sentence. They are
used just to make sure the person youre talking to understood what you meant or to
emphasize what you said.
Theyre formed by using a positive sentence in the future tense forms and adding an
appropriate auxiliary (helping) and a pronoun (I, you, we, they, he, she, it) and a question mark.
1. John will call her tomorrow, wont he?
2. All those girls will be sitting quietly, wont they?

3. Youre coming over tonight, arent you?

4. That bee is going to sting me, isnt it?
You may also add a positive tag when youre using a negative sentence.
1. Carey wont report me, will she?
2. The kids arent going to play soccer tomorrow, are they?
3. Youre not working tomorrow, are you?
As a rule: When the sentence is positive, the tag is negative.
When the sentence is negative, the tag is positive.

Examples Future Tense

Positive
1. Shell write the e-mail after lunch.
2. Dont lift that. Youll hurt yourself.
3. You dropped your purse. Ill get it.
4. Ill see you tomorrow.
5. Youll get the answer by post.
6. Dans going to take the order over to the customer.
7. The girls are going to sing Amazing Grace now.
8. Ill drive you to your lesson at 4 pm.
9. He is going to clean up his room tonight.
10. Dont phone me before 12:00. I will be meeting with a client.
11. This time next year, we will be living in our new home.
12. He will be receiving his M.A. degree at the ceremony next week.
13. Her bus leaves at 6:00 Tuesday morning.
14. Im turning in my History assignment tomorrow morning.
Negative
1. Alice wont help us decorate for the party.
2. If you dont finish the bid, the boss wont give you a raise.
3. I wont see you tomorrow.
4. You will not do that again!
5. They arent going to buy the house.
6. I am not going to make dinner tonight. Were going out to a restaurant.

7. Teddy and Sam arent going to eat at that restaurant again.

8. You can take my car tomorrow. I wont be using it.
9. He wont work overtime anymore.
Yes/No Questions
1. Will Dave burn the CD for you?
2. Wont the girls be late for the party?
3. Am I going to feel bad about my decision?
4. Is he going to watch the film tonight?
5. Are you going to participate in the race tomorrow?
6. Shall we go for a walk?
7. Shall I help you with that?
8. Will Allen be participating in the science fair next week?
9. Wont you be visiting your mother when Im in town?
10. Will Ron be visiting you today?
Wh- Questions
1. When will he give you an answer?
2. Why wont you tell him the truth?
3. How much is the computer going to cost?
4. Why arent you going to buy that car?
5. Where will he be waiting for me?
6. How will you be travelling to the exhibition?
7. How many contestants will be attempting to win the prize?
8. Which runners will be running the race?
Tag Questions
1. John will call her tomorrow, wont he?
2. All those girls will be sitting quietly, wont they?
3. You are going to finish that work, arent you?
4. That bee is going to sting me, isnt it?
5. Carey wont report me, will she?
6. The kids arent going to play soccer tomorrow, are they?
7. Youre not working tomorrow, are you

Modal Verbs
Modal and Modal Phrases (Semi-Modals)
A modal is a type of auxiliary (helping) verb that is used to express: ability, possibility,
permission or obligation. Modal phrases (or semi-modals) are used to express the same things
as modals, but are a combination of auxiliary verbs and the preposition to. The modals and
semi-modals in English are:
1. Can/could/be able to
2. May/might
3. Shall/should
4. Must/have to
5. Will/would

Can, Could, Be Able To

Can, could and be able to are used to express a variety of ideas in English:
Ability/Lack of Ability
Present and Future:
can/cant + base form of the verb
1. Tom can write poetry very well.
2. I can help you with that next week.
3. Lisa cant speak French.
am / is / are / will be + able to + base form of the verb
am not/ isnt / arent/ wont be + able to + base form of the verb
1. Mike is able to solve complicated math equations
2. The support team will be able to help you in about ten minutes.
3. I wont be able to visit you next summer.
Past:
could / couldnt + base form of the verb
1. When I was a child I could climb trees.

was / were + able to + base form of the verb

wasnt / werent + able to + base form of the verb
hasnt / havent + been able to + base form of the verb
1. I wasnt able to visit her in the hospital.
2. He hasnt been able to get in touch with the client yet.
Note: Can and could do not take an infinitive (to verb) and do not take the future auxiliary will.

Incorrect: I can to help you this afternoon.

Correct: I can help you this afternoon.
Correct: I will (Ill) be able to help you this afternoon.
Possibility / Impossibility
can / cant + base form of the verb
1. You can catch that train at 10:43.
2. He cant see you right now. Hes in surgery.
could + base form of the verb
1. I could fly via Amsterdam if I leave the day before.
Ask Permission / Give Permission
Can + Subject + base form of the verb (informal)
1. Can you lend me ten dollars?
Can + base form of the verb (informal)
1. You can borrow my car.
Could + subject + base form of the verb (polite)
1. Could I have your number?
2. Could I talk to your supervisor please?
Make a suggestion To make a suggestion use:
Could + base form of the verb (informal)
1. You could take the tour of the castle tomorrow.

Exercises: Can, Could, Be able to

Fill in the correct form of can, could or be able to as in the examples.
1. Ben could not help his little brother with his homework yesterday.
2. Can I call you later tonight?
1. _______ Tony run long distances when he was a boy?
2. ______ you please call a tow truck for me? My car broke down. (polite)
3. The students _______ to buy their textbooks today. The bookstore is all out of them.
4. ______ you teach me how to fix my computer? Youre so good at it.
5. ______ you ______ reach the customer if you call him at 4:00 his time?
Answers:
1. Could
2. Could
3. arent able
4. Can
5. Will/be able to

May, Might
Formal Permission / Formal Prohibition
may / may not + base form of the verb
1. You may start your exam now.
2. You may not wear sandals to work.
Polite Request
May + subject + base form of the verb
1. May I help you?
Possibility / Negative Possibility
may/ might + base form of the verb
1. We may go out dinner tonight. Do you want to join us?
2. Our company might get the order if the client agrees to the price.
may not / might not + base form of the verb

1. Adam and Sue may not buy that house. Its very expensive.
2. They might not buy a house at all.
To Make a Suggestion (when there is no better alternative)
may as well / might as well + base form of the verb
1. You may as well come inside. John will be home soon.
2. We might as well take Friday off. Theres no work to be done anyway.
Polite Suggestion
might + base form of the verb
1. You might like to try the salmon fillet. Its our special today.

Exercises: May / Might

Fill in the correct form of may or might as in the example.
1. May I sit here?
1. They ______ finish the project on time. The main engineer is ill.
2. You _____ want to stop by the museum gift shop on your way out.
3. _____ I have your autograph?
4. He _______ visit the Louvre. Hes in Paris anyway.
5. You ______ park your car here. Its reserved for guests of the hotel only.
Answers:
1. might not
2. might
3. May
4. may as well
5. may not

Shall, Should, Ought to

To Offer of Assistance or Polite Suggestion (When you are quite sure of a positive
answer)
Shall + subject + base form of the verb
1. Shall we go for a walk?

Note: Shall is only used with I or we. It is used instead of will only in formal English.
To Offer of Assistance or Polite Suggestion (When you are not sure of a positive
answer)
Should + subject + base form of the verb
1. Should I call a doctor?
A Prediction or Expectation that Something Will Happen
should/shouldnt + base form of the verb
1. The proposal should be finished on time.
2. I shouldnt be late. The train usually arrives on time.
To Give Advice
should / ought to + base form of the verb
1. You should check that document before you send it out.
2. You ought to have your car serviced before the winter.
To Give Advice (about something you think wrong or unacceptable)
shouldnt + base form of the verb
1. James shouldnt teach him words like those.

Exercises: Should, Shouldnt, Ought To

Fill in should, shouldnt or ought in the following sentences as in the example.
1. He shouldnt encourage such bad behavior.
1. You _____ get your teeth cleaned at least once a year.
2. The house ______ be ready to move into by next month. Its almost finished.
3. Ron ________ to improve his attitude. If he doesnt, he might get fired.
4. ________ I get your jacket? Its cold in here.
5. You ________ put your feet on the table. Its not polite.
Answers:
1. should
2. should

3. ought
4. shall
5. shouldnt

Must, Have to, Need to, Dont have to, Neednt

Necessity or Requirement
Present and Future:
must / have to / need to + base form of the verb
1. You must have a passport to cross the border.
2. Elisabeth has to apply for her visa by March 10th.
3. I need to drop by his room to pick up a book.
Past:
had to / needed to + base form of the verb
1. I had to work late last night.
2. I needed to drink a few cups of coffee in order to stay awake.
Note: have to and need to are often used in the same context, but many times, need to is used
to express something that is less urgent, something in which you have a choice.
Almost 100% Certain
must + base form of the verb
1. Thomas has lived in Paris for years. His French must be very good.
To Persuade
must / have to + base form of the verb
1. You must try this wine. Its excellent.
2. You have to visit us while youre in town.
Prohibited or Forbidden
must not / mustnt + base form of the verb
1. You must not drive over the speed limit.

2. You mustnt leave medicines where children can get to them.

Lack of Necessity
dont /doesnt /didnt + have to + base form of the verb
1. You dont have to park the car. The hotel valet will do it for you.
2. Tim doesnt have to go to school today. Its a holiday.
3. You didnt have to shout. Everyone could hear you.
neednt + base form of the verb
1. You neednt worry about me. Ill be fine.

Exercises: Must, Have to, Need to, Dont Have to,

Neednt
Fill in the blanks with one of these modals:
must, must not, have to, has to, dont have to, doesnt have to, neednt as in the examples.
There may be more than one correct answer.
1. Shira doesnt have to drive to the airport. Shes going by taxi.
2. You must speak politely to the customers.
1. You ______ tell Anna about the party tomorrow night. Its a surprise! (must not, need to,
doesnt have to)
2. Tina _______ register for her classes on Monday, otherwise she wont get a place in them.
(doesnt have to, mustnt, has to)
3. You ________ send that fax. Ive already sent it. (must, will have to, dont have to)
4. A dog ______ get special training in order to be a guide dog. (must, need to, dont have to)
5. Jeremy _______ get up early tomorrow. His class was cancelled. (mustnt, doesnt have to,
dont need to)
Answers:
1. must not
2. has to
3. dont have to
4. must
5. doesnt have to

Modals: Will / Would

will / wont + base form of the verb
1. John will pick you up at 7:00am.
2. Beth wont be happy with the results of the exam.
Polite Request or Statement
Will / Would + base form of the verb
1. Will you please take the trash out?
2. Would you mind if I sat here?
3. Id (I would) like to sign up for your workshop.
Habitual Past Action
Would/Wouldnt + base form of the verb
1. When I was a child, I would spend hours playing with my train set.
2. Peter wouldnt eat broccoli when he was a kid. He loves it now.

Exercises: will, would

Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: will, wont, would, wouldnt.
1. Will you please help me lift this box?
1. I ______ like to order the onion soup please.
2. The manager _______ be pleased to hear that a customer slipped on the wet floor.
3. _______ it be okay if I slept here tonight?
4. When Igor lived in Russia, he ________ call his mother as often as he does now.
5. I can assure you sir, the order ______ be shipped out tonight.
Answers:
1. would
2. wont
3. would
4. wouldnt
5. will

Exercises All Modals

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the following modals:
can, could, be able to, may, might, shall, should, must, have to, dont have to, need to
- You may have to make the modals negative according to the context of the sentence.
- There may be more than one possibility.
1. He has to take his car to be serviced. The brakes are squeaking.
2. Would you please save me a seat at the dinner event.
1. If you are sick, you ________ go to work. Youll infect everyone there.
2. Drivers _______ stop at red lights.
3. You _______ finish the proposal today. You can finish it tomorrow.
4. She ______ hear much better with her new hearing aids.
5. ______ I order us a bottle of wine?
6. Sam ______ pick his daughter up from school. Shes taking the bus home.
7. You _____________ smoke here. Its a smoke-free building.
8. You ________ eat so many sweets. They are bad for you.
9. _________ you mind walking a little faster? Were going to be late.
10. Im sorry. I _______ help you. I dont know how to do it.
Answers:
1. shouldnt
2. must
3. dont have to
4. can
5. shall
6. neednt
7. mustnt
8. shouldnt
9. would
10. cant