1

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

VERB "TO BE"
I

ACTION VERBS

am

He

We

She

is

You
The
y

very young.

It
We
You
The
y

are

am

I
We

is
no
t

very young.

We
You
The
y

are

Am

I
he

Is

she

Do
very young?

we

We

We

hav
e
black hair.

He

You
The
y
She
I

We

We

hav
e
no
t

black hair.

He

you
he

drin
k

cold water?

she
it

have
black hair.
has

You
The
y

do
not

have

black hair.

She

does

It
I
we

Do

you
they
he

Has

I
we

He
has

It
Hav
e

does

It

She

cold water.

He
has

It

You
The
y

drin
k

VERB "TO HAVE" (USA)

She

not

they
Doe
s

you

VERB "TO HAVE" (UK)

You
The
y

do

He
She

they

You
The
y

It

it
Are

drink
s

It

It

cold water.

He
She

He
She

drink

she
it

black hair?

I
we
you
they

Doe
s

he
she
it

have

black hair?

SIMPLE PAST TENSE

VERB "TO BE"
I

He

He

She

was

She

It

very young.

We
You
The
y

wer
e

I
was

Was

?
Wer
e

very young.

wer
e

she
very young?

we

she
Did

we
you

they

they

drin
k

cold water.

drin
k

cold water?

VERB "TO HAVE" (USA)

I
He

She

She
had

black hair.

We

You
The
y

It

had

black hair.

We
You
The
y

He

He

She

She
had

We
You
The
y
Had

it

you

It

not

I
he

He
It

did

You
The
y

VERB "TO HAVE" (UK)

It
We

I
he
it

cold water.

She
no
t

We

dran
k

You
The
y
He

You
The
y

We

It

It

He
She

ACTION VERBS

I
he
she

no
t

black hair.

black hair?

It

did

not

I
he
she

have

have

black hair.

We
You
The
y
Did

black hair?

it

it

we

we

you

you

they

they

MODAL VERBS
FOR THE TENSES SEE EXAMPLES

must

I must work on Sundays. (Present)

He

can

She

could

I can speak Spanish. (Present - Capacity)

He could do it. (Past/Conditional/Past subjunctive Capacity)

It

may

It may rain. (Present - Some probability)

We

might

You

will

They
I

cold water.

It might rain. (Conditional - Less probability)

She will open the shop at nine. (Future)

would

We would study music. (Conditional)

should

They should pay us today. (Conditional)

I shall go with you. (Future)

must

You must not come late. (Present)

He

can

She

could

She can not play tennis. (Present - Capacity)

We could not speak. (Past/Conditional/Past
subjunctive - Capacity)

It

may

We

might

You

will

They will not finish tomorrow. (Future)

They

would

I would not go with you. (Conditional)

should

You should not drink too much. (Conditional)

I
We
Must
Can
Could

drink

shall

We

EXAMPLES

drink

cold water.

shall

We shall not be there. (Future)

I
he

Must he work everyday? (Present)

Can you repeat that? (Present - Capacity)
Could they find it? (Past/Conditional/Past
subjunctive - Capacity)

she

May

it

Might

we

Will

you

Would

they

Should
Shall

not

He may not come today. (Present - Some probability)

He might not come today. (Conditional - Less
probability)

drink

cold water?

May it be today? (Present - Some probability)

Might it be today? (Conditional - Less probability)
Will you visit London? (Future)
Would she teach it? (Conditional)
Should you stay home? (Conditional)

I
We

Shall we dance? (Future)

WH-QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY A SUBJECT

When you ask a question with an action verb in simple present or simple past tense,
you have to use the verb "to do" as an auxiliary. There is, though, one exception:
when the question is answered by the subject of a sentence. Thus:
Question
Who did you meet on
your vacation?
To whom did she give
the book? or
Who did she give the
book to?
Where do they live?
What does he do on
Sundays?

Answer
I met an
Australian girl.

Element in boldface is:

Direct object

She gave the book

to Phil.

Indirect object

They live in Los

Angeles.
He plays baseball
on Sundays.

Adverbial phrase
Verb

But:
Question
Who fixed the
computer?

Answer
Bill fixed the
computer.

Element in boldface is:

Subject