Tense | Positive/Negative/Question | When to use | Signal words |
|
Does+He, she, it+V1?
I work She dances They don’t know Does he work? | Repeated regular actions in the present, facts.
| Usually Once a week Never Always Often Seldom Sometimes |
| Pronouns+to be+V1+ing
Pron+to be+not+V1+ing
To be+pron+V1+ing?
You are coming She is dancing I’m not going Are they working? | Actions currently in progress, actions that are going to occur in the next 24 hours, describing future plans. | At the moment Just Right now Now
|
| Pronouns+V2
Pron+didn’t+ V1
Did+pron+V1?
I walked She Bought He didn’t know Did you see? | Completed past actions | yesterday 2 minutes ago in 1990 the other day last Friday |
| I, he, she, it+was+V1+ing You, they, we+were+V1+ing
Pron+was/were+not+V1+ing
Was/were+pron+V1+ing?
I was working You were listening He wasn’t sleeping Were they working? | Actions already in progress at a specific moment in the past, multiple actions in progress at the same time | While As long as |
| I, you, we, they+have+V3 He, she, it+has+V3
Pron+have/has+not+V3
Have/has+pron+V3?
I have seen You haven’t come He hasn’t spoken Have you tried? | Completed past action without a concrete time marker, past action with an influence on the present, action that lasts to the present moment, recently completed actions. | already ever just never not yet so far till now up to now |
| Pron+had+V3
Pron+had+not+V3
Had+pron+V3?
I had worked She had bought He hadn’t spoken Had you seen? | Actions that occurred prior to another point in the past | already just never not yet once until that day |
| Pron+will+be+V1+ing
Pron+will+not+be+V1+ing
Will+pron+be+V1+ing?
I will be singing It will be working They won’t be going Will she be doing? | Actions that will already be in progress at a certain point in the future | in one year next week tomorrow |
| Pron+will+have+V3
Pron+will+not+have+V3
Will+pron+have+V3?
I will have studied She will have left They will not have eaten Will you have done..?
| Actions that will have been completed by a future time | by Monday in a week |
I, you, we, they- V1
I, you, we, they don’t+ V1
Do+I, you, we, they+V1?
