Present simple

How to make the tense

Positive
The present tense is the base form (infinitive) of the verb, but with the third person singular
we add an -s.

I work in London

She works in London

• For a few verbs, there is a spelling change before the 's'. For example, 'study' becomes
'studies'. Link to list of these verbs
• There are also few verbs which are irregular in the present simple:

'have' becomes 'has'

'do' becomes 'does'

'go' becomes 'goes'

Negative
To make the negative form, you need to use 'do not' (don't) or ' does not' (doesn't) in the third
person singular. And in the third person singular we don’t add the -s.

I don’t work in London

She doesn’t work in London

Question
We use 'do' or 'does' before the subject to make the 'yes / no' question.

Do/does + subject + verb + … ?

Do I work in London?

Does she work in London?

if you'd like to make a 'wh' question, you just put the question word at the front

Where do I work?

Where does she work?

 When to use the tense

1. something that is true in the present:

I’m a student.
I don’t work.

2. for habits or things that we do or that happens regularly:

I play football every weekend.

3. something that is always true:

People need food.

Two and two make four.

4. We also use the present simple in the future after words like ' 'when', 'until', 'after',
'before' and 'as soon as':

I'll talk to John when I see him.

You must finish your work before you go home.

Present Continuous

How to make the tense

Positive
We make it using the present of 'be' + verb-ing

(subject + to be (present) + verb-ing + …):

I’m baking a cookie

He is baking a cookie

They are baking a cookie

Negative
We can make the negative by adding 'not' (using the negative of the verb to be in present
simple)

I’m not baking a cookie

He isn’t baking a cookie

They are not baking a cookie

Question
We make questions by putting am, is or are in front of the subject:

(present form of ‘to be’ + subject + verb-ing + … ?)

Am I baking a cookie?

Is he baking a cookie?

Are they baking a cookie?

For 'wh' questions, just put the question word at the front:

Why am I baking a cookie?

What is he doing?

What are you studying now?

When to use the tense

1. for things that are happening at the moment of speaking:

Julia is sleeping.

2. for something which we think is temporary, even if the action isn't happening at this
moment.

John is working in a bar until he finds a job in his field. (He might not be working
now.)

Michael is at university. He's studying history.

 Compare this with the present simple, which is used for permanent situations that we
feel will continue for a long time:

I work in a school. (I think this is a permanent situation.)

I'm working in a school. (I think this is a temporary situation.)

3. For something which happens again and again. Notice that the meaning is like simple
present, but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words "always" or
"constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing." (*)

It's always raining in London.

She's constantly missing the train.

*Note that we normally use always with this use.

4. For something which is new and contrasts with a previous state:

These days most people are using email instead of writing letters.

What sort of clothes are teenagers wearing nowadays?

5. Near future. In this case we have already made a plan and we are pretty sure that the
event will/won’t happen in the future:

What are you doing next week?

I'm meeting my father tomorrow.

Isn't he coming with us tonight?

We do not normally use the continuous with stative verbs. We normally use the simple
instead. Stative verbs include:

• verbs of thinking and feelings: love, suppose, hate, prefer, like, know, want, …
• verbs of the senses: smell, taste, look, sound, …
• others: need, be, possess, agree, owe, own, …

I understand you (NOT I am understanding you)

This cake tastes wonderful. (NOT This cake is tasting wonderful.)

Past Simple

How to make the tense

With most verbs, the past tense is formed by adding –ed. But there are a lot of irregular past
tense forms in English: lista de verbos irregulares

We make the past simple just like the present simple except we use 'did' instead of 'do / does'.

Positive
Subject + verb (past tense) + …

I ate an egg.

He sold his house.

We lost the train.

Negative
Subject + did not (din’t) + verb (infinitive) (*)

I didn’t eat an egg.

He did not sell his house.

We didn’t lose the train.

Questions
Did + subject + verb (infinitive) + … ? (**)

Did I eat an egg?

Did he sell his house?

Did we lose the train?

To make a 'wh' question just put the question word at the beginning of the sentence:

Why did I eat an egg?

When did he sell his house?

When did we lose the train?

(*)(**) If we use ‘did’ , then, we have to use the present form (infinitive) of the verb.
With the verb ‘to be’, we don’t use ‘did’.

For the negative we use was/were not (wasn’t/weren’t): He wasn’t at school

For the question we put: was/were + subject + …? : Were they sleepy?

When to use the tense

1. with finished actions, states or habits in the past:

I didn’t go to the cinema yesterday.

Last week I saw a fox.

He played the violin

I studied French when I was a child.

2. with a duration which starts and stops in the past. often indicated by expressions such
as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year:

I lived in UK for one year.

They sat at the beach all day.

3. with finished actions, states or habits in the past when we know from general
knowledge that the time period has finished. This includes when the person we are
talking about is dead.

Louis painted fifty-three paintings. (*)

Louis has painted fifty-three paintings. (**)

(*) Louis pinto 53 cuadros, pero ya no va a pintar más (porque ha muerto, porque ya no puede, …). Es decir, el
periodo en el que Luis pinta ha terminado y por eso usamos el past simple.

(**) Louis ha pintado 53 cuadros, es decir hasta ahora ha pintado 53, desde un punto del pasado hasta
ahora, el presente, pero va a poder seguir pintando más. Ya que la acción que empezó en el pasado y sigue en
el presente.

4. together with the Past Continuous – the Simple Past interrupted an action which was
in progress in the past.

They were playing cards when the telephone rang.

While Dennis was reading outside, it started to rain.

Past Continuous

How to make the tense

The past continuous is made from the past tense of the verb “to be” and the –ing form of a
verb.

Positive
Subject + was/were + verb – ing + …

I was sleeping.

They were watching a TV show.

Negative
Subject + was/were not (wasn’t/weren’t) + verb – ing + …

I was not sleeping.

They weren’t watching a TV show.

Question
Was/were + subject + verb – ing + …

Was I sleeping?

Were they watching the TV show?

To make a 'wh' question just put the question word at the beginning of the sentence:

Where was he going?

Why were they studying English ?

How was she travelling?

 When to use the tense

1. for something which happened before and after another action:

The children were doing their homework when I got home.

When I met John, I was walking to the station.

2. for something that happened before and after a specific time:

It was eight o'clock. I was writing a letter.

Were you cooking a cake at 6 pm?

3. to show that something continued for some time:

My head was aching.

4. for something that happened again and again. We often use 'always', 'constantly' or
'forever'. This is the same as the way we use the present continuous but it started and
finished in the past:

They were meeting secretly after school.

She was constantly singing.

5. To emphasise that something lasted for a while:

I was working in the garden all day.

He was reading all evening.

Present Perfect Simple

How to make the tense

The present perfect simple is made from the present tense of the verb “have” and the past
participle form of a verb.

Positive
Subject + have/has( ‘ve / ’s ) + past participle

I have lost my keys

He has written three books // He’s written three books (*)

They’ve lived here for two years

(*) Como después de la “ ´s” va un past participle la “ ´s” es “has” y no “is”

Negative
Subject + have/has not (haven’t/hasn’t) + past participle

I haven’t lost my keys

He has not written three books

They have not lived here for two years

Question
Have/has + subject + past participle + … ?

Have I lost my keys?

Has he written three books?

Have they lived here for two years?

 When to use the tense

1. For something that started in the past and continues in the present. Usually we use it
to say 'how long' and we need 'since' or 'for'.

I have lived here all my life.

She's known Karen since 1994.

2. With an unfinished time word (this month, this week, today). The action finished but
the period of time is still continuing.

I haven't seen her this month.

They've already moved house twice this year!

3. For something that happened recently, even if there isn't a clear result in the present.
Usually we use the adverb “just”.

I have just seen Marta

The Queen has given a speech.

The Mayor has announced a new plan for the railways.

4. For life experience. These are actions or events that happened sometime during a
person's life. We don't say when the experience happened, and the person needs to be
alive now. We often use the words 'ever' and 'never' here.

I have been to Tokyo.

We have never seen that film.

Have you ever been in New York ?

5. We use both 'been' and 'gone' as the past participle of 'go'.

a. We use 'been' (often when we talk about life experience) to mean that the
person we're talking about visited the place and came back.

They have never been to California.

I've been to Paris (in my life, but now I'm in London, where I live).

b. We use 'gone' (often when we are talking about an action with a result in the
present) to mean that the person went to the place and is at the place now.

Julie has gone to Mexico (now she's in Mexico).

Present Perfect Continuous

How to make the tense

The present perfect continuous is made from the present tense of the verb “have” plus the
past participle form of “to be” plus the -ing form of the verb

Positive
Subject + have/has + been + verg -ing + …

She has been living in Liverpool all her life.

It's been raining for hours.

Negative
Subject + have/has not + been + verb -ing + …

I have not been walking for three hours.

He has not been cooking the desert.

Question
Have/Has + subject + been + verb -ing + …?

Have you been running?

Have they been cooking the desert?

Have they been sleeping until now?

To make a 'wh' question just put the question word at the beginning of the sentence:

Where have you been running?

What have they been cooking?

How long have we been watching this film?

 When to use the tense
1. For something that started in the past and continues in the present. This use is very
similar to how we use the present perfect simple, but it’s used to emphasise the
action, state, …

It's been raining for hours.

We've been waiting for the amazon order for days.

I've been reading a lot recently.

2. Actions which have recently stopped (though the whole action can be unfinished) and
have a result, which we can often see, hear, or feel, in the present.

He’s so tired, he’s been studying.

I've been running, so I'm really hot.

Past Perfect Simple

How to make the tense

We don't use the past perfect a lot in English.

The short form for 'had' is 'd.

(Be careful not to confuse it with 'would'. Would is followed by the infinitive - 'I'd go', whereas
had is followed by the past participle - 'I'd gone').

Positive
Subject + had + past participle

I had visited the Louvre before, so I knew where the Mona Lisa was

She had just left the room when the police arrived.

Negative
Subject + had not (hadn`t) + past participle…

They hadn`t studied English before they went to London.

I had not saved my document before the computer crashed.

Question
Had + subject + past participle …?

Had it rained the day I arrived home?

To make a 'wh' question just put the question word at the beginning of the sentence:

Where had she bought these shoes?

When to use the tense

The past perfect is used in the same way as the present perfect, but it refers to a time in the
past, not the present. We use the past perfect:

1. A finished action before a second point in the past.

When we arrived, the film had started.

We usually use the past perfect to make it clear which action happened first. Maybe
we are already talking about something in the past and we want to mention
something else that is further back in time.

I'd eaten dinner so I wasn't hungry.

It had snowed in the night, so the bus didn't arrive.

Where had you been when I saw you?

2. For something that started in the past and continued up to another action or time in
the past. The past perfect tells us 'how long', just like the present perfect, but this time
the action continues up to a point in the past rather than the present.

When he graduated, he had been in London for six years.

She didn't want to move. She had lived in Liverpool all her life.

For this use, we often use the past perfect continuous

3. For something that happened in the past and is important at a later time in the past:

I couldn't get into the house. I had lost my keys.

Teresa wasn't at home. She had gone shopping.

Past Perfect Continous

How to make the tense

Positive
Subject + had + been+ verb -ing

I hed been working all day, so I didn’t want to go out.

She had been sleeping for 10 hours, when I woke her.

Negative
Subject + had not (hadn’t) + been+ verb -ing

He didn’t feel healthy because he had not been going to the gym.

You had not been working but you were tired anyway.

Question
Had + subject +been + verb -ing … ?

Had it been raining when you left the restaurant?

To make a 'wh' question just put the question word at the beginning of the sentence:

How long had she been living in London when she found that job?

When to use the tense

The tense is similar to the present perfect continuous, but the action finishes before another
time in the past, rather than finishing before the present. Sometimes where the past perfect
simple can be used, the past perfect continuous can be use too.

1. Something that started in the past and continued up to another action or time in the
past. This use is very similar to how we use the past perfect simple, but it’s used to
emphasise the action, state, … (to emphasise how long it lasted).

It had been snowing for three days when the sun came up.

We’d been eating all day, so we felt a bit ill.

Future Simple

How to make the tense

Positive
Subject + will (‘ll) + infinitive …

I will meet him later.

He will help us later with the job.

They’ll cook dinner.

Negative
Subject + will not (won’t) + infinitive …

You will not be late

I think that she won’t get the job

Question
Will + subject + infinitive + … ?

Will you come early?

Why will you come early?

Will she dance?

Who will she dance with?

Will they leave?

When will they leave?

 When to use the tense
Will

1. We use the future simple with 'will' to predict the future. We can use it for future facts
and for things that are less certain.

The sun will rise at 7am.

I think the Conservatives will win the next election.

2. Promises / requests / refusals / offers. This is sometimes called 'volitional' will. It's
about wanting to do something or not wanting to do something in the future.

I'll help you with your homework.

Will you give me a hand?

3. We often use 'will' when we're talking about a decision at the moment of speaking.

I'm cold, I'll close the window.

Shall

4. 'Shall' is used mainly in the forms 'shall I?' and 'shall we?' in British English. These
forms are used when you want to get someone's opinion, especially for offers and
suggestions.

Shall I open the window? (= Do you want me to open the window?)

Where shall we go tonight? (= What's your opinion?)

Be going to

5. We often use 'be going to' to talk about our future intentions and plans. We have
usually made our plans before the moment of speaking.
6. We can also use 'be going to' to make a prediction about the future. Often it's possible
to use both 'be going to' and 'will' but it's more common to use 'be going to' if we can
see evidence in the present.

Look at those boys playing football! They're going to break the window.
Future Continuous

How to make the tense

Positive
Subject + will (‘ll) + be + verb -ing …

I'll be working at eight o'clock. Can you come later?

They'll be waiting for you when you arrive.

Negative
Subject + will not (won’t) + be + verb -ing …

I won’t be driving to work tomorrow.

They will not be sleeping at 8 0`clock.

Question
Will + subject + be + verb -ing + … ?

Will you be dancing when I arrive?

Where will you be working the next month?

When to use the tense

1. We use the future continuous to talk about an action in the future that overlaps
another, shorter action or a time.

I'll be waiting when you arrive.

2. When we talk about actions in a specific time in the future.

At eight o'clock, I'll be eating dinner.

3. We can use will be with an -ing form instead of the present continuous or be going to
when we are talking about plans, arrangements and intentions.

They'll be coming to see us next week.

Future Perfect Simple

How to make the tense

Positive
Subject + will (‘ll) + have + past participle …

You will have studied the English tenses for the exam.

In a few years they will have discovered a cure for the common cold.

Negative
Subject + will not (won’t) + have + past participle …

I can’t come out tonight. I won’t have finished my homework by then.

They will not have left Japan when the Olympic games start.

Question
Will + subject + have + past participle + … ?

Will we have met your boyfriend before the party?

Why will he have got married before June?

When to use the tense

1. We use the future perfect to say 'how long' for an action that starts before and
continues up to another action or time in the future. Usually we need 'for'.

When we get married, I'll have known Robert for four years.

At 4 o'clock, I'll have been in this office for 24 hours.

2. We use the future perfect with a future time word, (and often with 'by') to talk about
an action that will finish before a certain time in the future, but we don't know exactly
when.

By 10 o'clock, I will have finished my homework. (= I will finish my homework

some time before 10, but we don't know exactly when.)

When I turn 20 years old, I will have already taken my driver's license. (= I will
take my driver’s licence some time before I am 20 year old, but we don't know
exactly when.)
Future Perfect Continuous

How to make the tense

Positive
Subject + will (‘ll) + have + been + verb -ing …

I will have been working for three year when the next course start.

On June they will have been travelling two months. (habrán estado trabajando)

Negative
Subject + will not (won’t) + have + been + verb -ing …

He will not have been cooking while playing cards.

I won't have been working

Question
Will + subject + have + been + verb -ing … ?

Will she have been studying?

How long will they have been travelling when they arrive home?

When to use the tense

1. Just like with the other perfect continuous tenses (and the future perfect simple), we
can use the future perfect continuous to say 'how long' for an action that continues up
to another point in the future. The second point can be a time or another action.
Generally, we need 'for + length of time'.

In April, she will have been teaching for twelve years.

By the time you arrive, I'll have been cooking for hours!

2. We can use the future perfect continuous, like the other perfect continuous tenses, to
talk about something that finishes just before another time or action (in this case, in
the future).

When I see you, I'll have been studying, so I'll be tired.

Past simple vs. present perfect simple: https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-
perfect-or-past-simple.html

Present perfect simple vs. present perfect continuous: https://www.perfect-english-

grammar.com/present-perfect-simple-or-present-perfect-continuous.html

https://www.english-practice.at/index.htm
Pronouns

Subject noun: Object pronouns are used to replace nouns that are the direct or indirect
object of a clause.

Give the book to me.

The teacher wants to talk to you.

Object noun: Object pronouns are used to replace nouns that are the direct or indirect object
of a clause.

Give the book to me.

The teacher wants to talk to you.

Jake is hurt because Bill hit him.

Possessive adjectives: Possessive adjectives are not pronouns, but rather determiners.
They function as adjectives, so they appear before the noun they modify. They do not replace
a noun as pronouns do.

Mrs. Baker wants to see your homework.

Can Jake bring over his baseball cards?

Possessive nouns: Possessive pronouns replace possessive nouns as either the subject or
the object of a clause. Because the noun being replaced doesn't appear in the sentence, it
must be clear from the context.

This bag is mine (my bag).

Yours is not blue.

That car is ours (our car).

Theirs is parked in the garage.

Reflexive & intensive pronouns: Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the clause
because the subject of the action is also the direct or indirect object. Only certain types of
verbs can be reflexive.

You cut yourself on this nail?

He hurt himself on the stairs.

The cat threw itself under my car!

Prepositions

aboard behind during

about below (debajo) except

above beneath (bajo) excepting

across beside (junto a) excluding

after besides (además) following

against between (entre) for

along beyond (mas allá, mas from

lejos)
amid in
but
among (entre) inside
by
anti into (dentro, en)
concerning
around like
considering
as minus
despite (a pesar)
at near
down
before of
off round underneath (bajo, debajo)

on save unlike

onto since until (hasta, hasta que)

opposite than up

outside through (a través de, upon

mediante)
over versus
to
past via
toward (hacia)
per with
towards
plus within (dentro, dentro de)
under
regarding without

Yas quebekdb wkjdhwakjdb assidhwahd waduwa diwad iwad iwad wa b ciahdqwaihdjiqw

diuqw diu dihqabdauid iubdih diqe div

Conditionals

First Conditional
If clause , main clause

Present simple future simple / may / can / imperative

- Expresa lo que pasaria si la condición se vuelve verdadera

If I pass my driving test, I will buy a car

Second Conditional
If clause , main clause

Past simple * would / could / might + infinitive

(*)Si utilizamos el verbo “to be” siempre usamos were

- Expresa lo que podría pasar si la condicion se vuelve verdadera, es algo hipotetico y poco
provable de que ocurra
 If I were a rich person, I would buy a house.

Third Conditional
If clause , main clause

Past perfect would have + past participle

- Expresa lo que hubiera pasado si la condicion se hubiar vuelto verdad (en el pasado), son
condiciones imposibles ya que se refieren al pasado

If I had passed my driving test, I would have bought a car.

If I had lived in the Middle Age, I would have been a country man

Pasive voice

Obj. directo + verbo + (sujeto)

Verbo en la pasiva -> to be (conjugado) + past participle

En la oración no se menciona al paciente (by) cuando es un pronombre indefinido (someone,

no-one, somebody, …), cone “people”, o cuando es un pronombre personal.

Activa -> The police have arrested a famous actor

Pasiva -> A famous actor have been arrested by the police

Activa -> They are going to sale a historic film studio

Pasiva -> A historic film studio is going to be sold

Pasiva con sujeto personal

Comparatives/superlatives

Reported speech

Wordformation