Verbs

Cheat sheetsGrammar · Quick reference

Forms tell you how. Context tells you when. Start with the meaning you need.

Present simple

Habits, routines and general facts. Add -s or -es for he, she and it.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + base verb (-s/-es for he/she/it)	She works here.
Negative	subject + do/does not + base verb	She does not work here.
Interrogative	Do/Does + subject + base verb?	Does she work here?

Present continuous

Explore the unit: Present continuous

Actions happening now, temporary situations and future arrangements.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + am/is/are + verb-ing	She is working.
Negative	subject + am/is/are not + verb-ing	She is not working.
Interrogative	Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?	Is she working?

Present perfect simple

Past actions with a present result, experiences without a finished past time, and states continuing until now.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + have/has + past participle	She has finished.
Negative	subject + have/has not + past participle	She has not finished.
Interrogative	Have/Has + subject + past participle?	Has she finished?

Present perfect continuous

Activities continuing from the past until now, or recently stopped activities with present evidence. Emphasises duration or activity.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + have/has been + verb-ing	She has been working.
Negative	subject + have/has not been + verb-ing	She has not been working.
Interrogative	Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing?	Has she been working?

Past simple

Explore the unit: Past simple

Completed actions and situations at a finished time in the past. Regular verbs take -ed; irregular forms vary.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + past form	She worked yesterday.
Negative	subject + did not + base verb	She did not work yesterday.
Interrogative	Did + subject + base verb?	Did she work yesterday?

Past continuous

Explore the unit: Past continuous

An action in progress at a past moment, often the background to another event.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + was/were + verb-ing	She was working at six.
Negative	subject + was/were not + verb-ing	She was not working at six.
Interrogative	Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?	Was she working at six?

Past perfect simple

An action completed before another past action or moment.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + had + past participle	She had left before noon.
Negative	subject + had not + past participle	She had not left before noon.
Interrogative	Had + subject + past participle?	Had she left before noon?

Past perfect continuous

An activity continuing up to a past moment. Emphasises its duration or explains a past result.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + had been + verb-ing	She had been working for hours.
Negative	subject + had not been + verb-ing	She had not been working for hours.
Interrogative	Had + subject + been + verb-ing?	Had she been working for hours?

Future with will

Explore the unit: Will

Predictions, promises, offers and decisions made at the moment of speaking.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + will + base verb	She will help.
Negative	subject + will not + base verb	She will not help.
Interrogative	Will + subject + base verb?	Will she help?

Be going to

Explore the unit: Going to

Previously decided plans and predictions based on present evidence.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + am/is/are going to + base verb	She is going to travel.
Negative	subject + am/is/are not going to + base verb	She is not going to travel.
Interrogative	Am/Is/Are + subject + going to + base verb?	Is she going to travel?

Future continuous

An action that will be in progress at a particular future moment.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + will be + verb-ing	She will be working at six.
Negative	subject + will not be + verb-ing	She will not be working at six.
Interrogative	Will + subject + be + verb-ing?	Will she be working at six?

Future perfect simple

An action that will be completed by a future deadline.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + will have + past participle	She will have finished by six.
Negative	subject + will not have + past participle	She will not have finished by six.
Interrogative	Will + subject + have + past participle?	Will she have finished by six?

Future perfect continuous

The duration of an activity up to a particular future moment.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + will have been + verb-ing	She will have been working for eight hours by six.
Negative	subject + will not have been + verb-ing	She will not have been working for eight hours by six.
Interrogative	Will + subject + have been + verb-ing?	Will she have been working for eight hours by six?

Be: present and past simple

States, identity and location. Be forms questions and negatives without do or did.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + am/is/are or was/were	She is ready. / She was ready.
Negative	subject + am/is/are or was/were + not	She is not ready. / She was not ready.
Interrogative	Am/Is/Are or Was/Were + subject?	Is she ready? / Was she ready?