Eight Golden Rules of English Grammar

1 a) Singular Subjects - He, She, It, Everybody, Pen, Car, Plant

b) Plural Subjects - I, You, They, We, Pens, Cars, Plants

2) Auxiliary with ‘S’ - Singular

Is, Was, Does, Has

3) ‘Am’ is used with ‘I’ - I am reading

4) In continuous ‘ing’form - He is going.

of the verb We are working.

5 a) Has + 3rd form of the verb - Has gone, Has taken, Has driven (Singular)
b) Have + 3rd form of the verb - Have gone, Have taken, Have driven (Plural)
c) Had + 3rd form of the verb - Had gone, Had taken, Have driven

6) Present Past
Go Went
Is Was
Am Was
Are Were
Do Did
Does Did
Has Had
Have Had

7 a) 1st Person - I, We
b) 2nd Person - You
c) 3rd Person - He, She, They, India, Book, etc…

8) Person Normal Stressed

a) I - Shall Will
b) You - Shall Will
c) They - Shall Will
d) We - Shall Will
e) He - Will Shall
f) She - Will Shall
g) It - Will Shall
 TENSES
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE (PRESENT SIMPLE)

Formula – Subject + 1st form of verb + (s, es, ies)

FORMING THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE: ‘TO THINK’

Affirmative Interrogative Negative

I think Do I think? I do not think

You think Do you think? You do not think

He thinks Does he think? He does not think

She thinks Does she think? She does not think

It thinks Does it think? It does not think

We think Do we think? We do not think.

They think Do they think? They do not think.

Ram thinks Does Ram think? Ram does not think

Habitual Actions
She comes here every day.
HE never insults others.
I usually drink tea.
She doesn’t read classics.

Universal Truths
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
The earth moves round the sun.
Dogs bark at strangers.
Kerosene doesn’t mix with water

Fixed Programs
The PM arrives here today.
He leaves for Ahmedabad next week.
We start at 10 AM
New batch begins on 14th August.

Wants and Wishes

I want to spend a few days here.
He wants to discuss in detail.
They want 1000 bucks
I wish to learn English

Likes / Dislikes
I like it very much
We don’t like to go there
She likes to read Spanish novels
I don’t like to stay with him
 PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Formula – Subject + Is/Am/Are + Present Participle form (-ing) + Object

Forming the PRESENT CONTINUOUS tense: ‘to go’

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I am going I am not going Am I going?

You are going You aren't going. Are you going?

He / she / it is going He, she, it isn't going Is he, she, it going?

We are going We aren't going Are we going?

You are going You aren't going Are you going?

They are going They aren't going Are they going?

Ram is going. Ram isn’t going Is Ram going?

to describe an action that is going on at this moment:

You are using the Internet.
You are studying English grammar.

to describe an action that is going on during this period of time or a trend:

Are you still working for the same company?
More and more people are becoming vegetarian.

to describe an action or event in the future, which has already been planned or prepared:
We're going on holiday tomorrow.
I'm meeting my boyfriend tonight.

to describe a temporary event or situation:

He usually plays the drums, but he's playing bass guitar tonight.
The weather forecast was good, but it's raining at the moment.

PRESENT PERFECT

Formula – Subject + Has / Have + 3rd form + Object

Forming the PRESENT perfect tense: ‘to walk’

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I have walked I haven't walked Have I walked?

You have walked You haven't walked. Have you walked?

He, she, it has walked He, she, hasn't walked Has he, she, it walked?

We have walked We haven't walked Have we walked?

 Affirmative Negative Interrogative

You have walked You haven't walked Have you walked?

They have walked They haven't walked Have they walked?

Ram has walked Ram hasn’t walked Has Ram walked?

The Present Perfect is used to indicate a link between the present and the past. The time of the action
is before now but not specified.

With Already / Yet / Before etc…

We have already sent it.
She hasn’t come here yet.
I have seen it before.

With Ever and Never

Have you ever cheated him?
I have never insulted her.
They have never helped us.

A step from the past to the present

She has been a good student
We have been close friends
He has been very confident in his work
It has been a profitable business

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Formula – Subject + Has / Have + Been + Present Participle form (-ing form) + Object

Forming the PRESENT Perfect CONTINUOUS tense: ‘to living’

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I have been living I haven't been living Have I been living?

You have been living You haven't been living Have you been living?

He, she, it has been living He hasn't been living Has she been living?

We have been living We haven't been living Have we been living?

You have been living You haven't been living Have you been living?

They have been living They haven't been living Have they been living?
With Duration
He has been working here since 1985.
She has been staying there for a long time.
I have been learning English for 3 months.
We have been teaching since last year.
 PAST TENSE
Simple Past - The simple past is used to talk about a completed action in a time before now. Duration is
not important.

Formula – Subject + 2nd form of verb + Object

Forming Simple Past using ‘TO WALK’

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I walked I didn't walk Did I walk?

You walked You didn't walk Did you walk?

He walked He didn't walk Did he walk?

We walked We didn't walk Did we walk?

They walked They didn't walk Did they walk?

Ram walked Ram didn’t walk Did Ram walk?

Simple Past action
I went there yesterday.
She came here last Sunday
We tried our best

With Did Stressed forms (Like Will Or Shall)

I killed him - I did kill him
They cheated us - They did cheat us
I destroyed it - I did destroy it
We protested it - We did protest it

Past Habits
I went there every day.
She came here every Sunday
He always helped me
They never insulted me

Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous describes actions or events in a time before now, which began in the past and is still
going on at the time of speaking.

Formula – Subject + Was / Were + Present Participle form (-ing form) + Object.

Forming Past Continuous using ‘TO PLAY’

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I was playing I was not playing Was I playing?

You were playing You were not playing Were you playing?

He was playing He wasn't playing Was he playing?

 Affirmative Negative Interrogative

We were playing We weren't playing Were we playing?

They were playing They weren't playing Were they playing?

With the simple past

When I entered the class, the students were singing and dancing
They were sleeping when we got back here
He was talking to an English man when I saw him

With another Past Continuous

While I was coming back home, it was raining heavily.
When I was trying to learn more, he was simply sitting at home.

Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect refers to a time earlier than before now. It is used to make it clear that one event
happened before another in the past.

Formula – Subject + Had + 3rd form of the verb + Object

Forming Past Perfect using ‘TO DECIDE’

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I had decided I hadn't decided Had I decided?

You had decided You hadn't decided Had you decided?

She had decided She hadn't decided Had she decided?

We had decided We hadn't decided Had we decided?

They had decided They hadn't decided Had they decided?

Sequence is expressed here

We had prepared everything before the visitors arrived.
He had started the work before you phoned me.
We went to watch a movie after we had completed our work.
They had their dinner after they had taken a final decision.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The past perfect continuous corresponds to the present perfect continuous, but with reference to a time
earlier than 'before now'.

Formula – Subject + Had + Been + Present Participle form (-ing form) + Object

TO BUY, PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

 Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I had been buying I hadn't been buying Had I been buying

You had been buying You hadn't been buying Had you been buying

She had been buying She hadn't been buying Had she been buying

We had been buying We hadn't been buying Had we been buying

They had been buying They hadn't been buying Had they been buying

With Duration
When he met with the accident, he had been driving the car for two days.
When I joined here, he had been teaching there for more than 10 years.
She told me that she had been waiting for you since the previous week.

FUTURE TENSE
Simple Future
The simple future refers to a time later than now and expresses facts or certainty.

Formula – Subject + Will / Shall + Object

Forming Simple Future using ‘TO SEE’

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Interrogative Negative

I will see I won't see Will I see? Won't I see?

You will see You won't see Will you see? Won't you see?

He will see He won't see Will he see? Won't he see?

We will see We won't see Will we see? Won't we see?

They will see They won't see Will they see? Won't they see?

Simple Future Actions

I shall come there next week. Will and Shall
We shall arrange it beautifully.
He will resign.
She will inform you.

Future Continuous Tense

The future continuous refers to an unfinished action or event that will be in progress at a time later than
now.

Formula – Subject + Will / Shall + Be + Present Participle (-ing form) + Object

Forming Future Continuous using ‘To Stay’.

 Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

I will be staying. I won't be staying. Will I be staying? Won't I be staying?

You will be staying. You won't be staying. Will you be staying? Won't you be staying?

He will be staying. He won't be staying. Will he be staying? Won't he be staying?

She will be staying. She won't be staying. Will she be staying? Won't she be staying?

It will be staying. It won't be staying. Will it be staying? Won't it be staying?

We will be staying. We won't be staying. Will we be staying? Won't we be staying?

They will be staying. They won't be staying. Will they be staying? Won't they be staying?
A continuous action is calculated
We shall be attending a marriage function next Sunday.
This time tomorrow I shall be flying to Canada.
Tomorrow evening they will be playing in the ground.
When you get back, we shall be sleeping.

Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense refers to a completed action in the future.

Formula – Subject + Will + Have + 3rd form of the verb + Object.

Forming Future Perfect using ‘To Arrive’.

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

I will have arrived I won't have arrived Will I have arrived? Won't I have arrived?

You will have arrived You won't have arrived Will you have arrived? Won't you have arrived?

He will have arrived He won't have arrived Will he have arrived? Won't he have arrived?

We will have arrived We won't have arrived Will we have arrived? Won't we have arrived?

They will have arrived They won't have arrived Will they have arrived? Won't they have arrived?

Completion of an action is calculated

We shall have done it by Friday.
He will have raised the amount by the end of this month.
I shall have started a business before your next visit.
He will have revised the lesson by then.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

This form is used to project ourselves forward in time and to look back. It refers to events or actions in a
time between now and some future time are unfinished.

Formula – Subject + Will + Have + Been + Present Participle form (-ing form) + Object.

Forming Future Perfect Continuous using ‘To Live’.

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative Interrogative

I will have been living I won't have been Will I have been living? Won't I have been
living living?

You will have been You won't have been Will you have been Won't you have been
living living living? living?

He will have been He won't have been Will he have been Won't he have been
living living living? living?

We will have been We won't have been Will we have been Won't we have been
living living living? living?

They will have been They won't have been Will they have been Won't they have been
living living living? living?
 Verb and its forms
Base Form Past Participle Form (3rd Preesent Participle
Past Form (2nd Form)
(1STForm) Form) form (‘ing’ form)
Abide Abided Abided Abiding
Arise Arose Arisen Arising
Awake Awoke Awoken Awaking
Be Was/Were Been Being
Bear Bore Borne Bearing
Beat Beat Beaten Beating
Begin Began Begun Beginning
Bid Bade Bidden Bidding
Bite Bit Bitten Biting
Blow Blew Blown Blowing
Break Broke Broken Breaking
Choose Chose Chosen Choosing
Do Did Done Doing
Draw Drew Drawn Drawing
Drink Drank Drunk Drinking
Drive Drove Driven Driving
Eat Ate Eaten Eating
Fall Fell Fallen Falling
Fly Flew Flown Flying
Forbid Forbade Forbidden Forbidding
Foresee Foresaw Foreseen Foreseeing
Forget Forgot Forgotten Forgetting
Forgive Forgave Forgiven Forgiving
Forsake Forsook Forsaken Forsaking
Freeze Froze Frozen Freezing
Give Gave Given Giving
Go Went Gone Going
Grow Grew Grown Growing
Hide Hid Hidden Hiding
Know Knew Known Knowing
Lie Lay Lain Lying
Mistake Mistook Mistaken Mistaking
Mow Mowed Mown Mowing
Overdraw Overdrew Overdrawn Overdrawing
Overtake Overtook Overtaken Overtaking
Re-prove Re-proved Re-proven/Re-proved Re-proving
Ride Rode Ridden Riding
Ring Rang Rung Ringing
Rise Rose Risen Rising
Saw Sawed Sawn/Sawed Sawing
See Saw Seen Seeing
Sew Sewed Sewn/Sewed Sewing
Shake Shook Shaken Shaking
Shave Shaved Shaven/Shaved Shaving
Show Showed Shown Showing
Shrink Shrank Shrunk Shrinking
Sing Sang Sung Singing
Sink Sank Sunk Sinking
Slay Slew Slain Slaying
Slide Slid Slid/Slidden Sliding
Sow Sowed Sown Sowing
Speak Spoke Spoken Speaking
Spin Span/Spun Spun Spinning
Spit Spat/Spit Spat/Spit Spitting
Split Split Split Splitting
Spoil Spoilt/Spoiled Spoilt/Spoiled Spoiling
Spread Spread Spread Spreading
Spring Sprang Sprung Springing
Stand Stood Stood Standing
Steal Stole Stolen Stealing
Stride Strode Stridden Striding
Strike Struck Struck/Stricken Striking
Strive Strove Striven Striving
Swear Swore Sworn Swearing
Swell Swelled Swollen Swelling
Swim Swam Swum Swimming
Take Took Taken Taking
Thrive Throve/Thrived Thriven/Thrived Thriving
Throw Threw Thrown Throwing
Tread Trod Trodden Treading
Undergo Underwent Undergone Undergoing
Undertake Undertook Undertaken Undertaking
Wake Woke Woken Waking
Wear Wore Worn Wearing
Weave Wove Woven Weaving
Withdraw Withdrew Withdrawn Withdrawing
Write Wrote Written Writing

Verbs in which all two forms are identical

Base Form Past Form Past Participle Form ‘ing’ form

Alight Alit/Alighted Alit/Alighted Alighting
Bend Bent Bent Bending
Become Became Become Becoming
Behold Beheld Beheld Beholding
Bleed Bled Bled Bleeding
Bring Brought Brought Bringing
Buy Bought Bought Buying
Bind Bound Bound Binding
Broadcast Broadcast/Broadcasted Broadcast/Broadcasted Broadcasting
Burn Burnt/Burned Burnt/Burned Burning
Build Built Built Building
Breed Bred Bred Breeding
Catch Caught Caught Catching
Cost Cost Cost Costing
Clap Clapped/Clapt Clapped/Clapt Clapping
Clothe Clad/Clothed Clad/Clothed Clothing
Come Came Come Coming
Creep Crept Crept Creeping
Dare Dared Dared Daring
Deal Dealt Dealt Dealing
Dig Dug Dug Digging
Dream Dreamt/Dreamed Dreamt/Dreamed Dreaming
Dwell Dwelt Dwelt Dwelling
Feed Fed Fed Feeding
Feel Felt Felt Feeling
Fight Fought Fought Fighting
Find Found Found Finding
Fit Fit/Fitted Fit/Fitted Fitting
Foretell Foretold Foretold Foretelling
Flee Fled Fled Fleeing
Fling Flung Flung Flinging
Forecast Forecast/Forecasted Forecast/Forecasted Forecasting
Get Got Got/Gotten Getting
Grind Ground Ground Grinding
Hang Hung/Hanged Hung/Hanged Hanging
Have Had Had Having
Hear Heard Heard Hearing
Hold Held Held Holding
Inlay Inlaid Inlaid Inlaying
Input Input/Inputted Input/Inputted Inputting
Interlay Interlaid Interlaid Interlaying
Keep Kept Kept Keeping
Kneel Knelt/Kneeled Knelt/Kneeled Kneeling
Knit Knit/Knitted Knit/Knitted Knitting
Lay Laid Laid laying
Lead Led Led Leading
Lean Leant/Leaned Leant/Leaned Leaning
Leap Leapt/Leaped Leapt/Leaped Leaping
Learn Learnt/Learned Learnt/Learned Learning
Leave Left Left Leaving
Lend Lent Lent Lending
Lie Lied Lied lying
Light Lit Lit Lighting
Lose Lost Lost Losing
Make Made Made Making
Mean Meant Meant Meaning
Meet Met Met Meeting
Melt Melted Molten/Melted Melting
Misunderstand Misunderstood Misunderstood Misunderstanding
Mislead Misled Misled Misleading
Overhear Overheard Overheard Overhearing
Pay Paid Paid Paying
Prove Proved Proven/Proved Proving
Rid Rid/Ridded Rid/Ridded Ridding
Run Ran Run Running
Say Said Said Saying
Seek Sought Sought Seeking
Sell Sold Sold Selling
Send Sent Sent Sending
Shear Shore/Sheared Shorn/Sheared Shearing
Shine Shone Shone Shining
Shoe Shod Shod Shoeing
Shoot Shot Shot Shooting
Sit Sat Sat Sitting
Sleep Slept Slept Sleeping
Sling Slung Slung Slinging
Slink Slunk Slunk Slinking
Smell Smelt/Smelled Smelt/Smelled Smelling
Sneak Sneaked/Snuck Sneaked/Snuck Sneaking
Soothsay Soothsaid Soothsaid Soothsaying
Speed Sped/Speeded Sped/Speeded Speeding
Spell Spelt/Spelled Spelt/Spelled Spelling
Spend Spent Spent Spending
Spill Spilt/Spilled Spilt/Spilled Spilling
String Strung Strung Stringing
Strip Stript/Stripped Stript/Stripped Stripping
Stick Stuck Stuck Sticking
Sting Stung Stung Stinging
Stink Stank Stunk Stinking
Sweat Sweat/Sweated Sweat/Sweated Sweating
Sweep Swept/Sweeped Swept/Sweeped Sweeping
Sunburn Sunburned/Sunburnt Sunburned/Sunburnt Sunburning
Swing Swung Swung Swinging
Teach Taught Taught Teaching
Tell Told Told Telling
Think Thought Thought Thinking
Tear Tore Torn Tearing
Understand Understood Understood Understanding
Vex Vext/Vexed Vext/Vexed Vexing
Wed Wed/Wedded Wed/Wedded Wedding
Weep Wept Wept Weeping
Wend Wended/Went Wended/Went Wending
Wet Wet/Wetted Wet/Wetted Wetting
Win Won Won Winning
Wind Wound Wound Winding
Withstand Withstood Withstood Withstanding
Wring Wrung Wrung Wringing
Withhold Withheld Withheld Withholding
Zinc Zinced/Zincked Zinced/Zincked Zincking

Verbs in which all three forms are identical

Base Form Past Form Past Participle Form ‘ing’ form

Bet Bet Bet Betting
Burst Burst Burst Bursting
Bust Bust Bust Busting
Bid Bid Bid Bidding
Cast Cast Cast Casting
Cut Cut Cut Cutting
Hit Hit Hit Hitting
Hurt Hurt Hurt Hurting
Let Let Let Letting
Put Put Put Putting
Quit Quit Quit Quitting
Read Read Read Reading
Set Set Set Setting
Shed Shed Shed Shedding
Slit Slit Slit Slitting
Shut Shut Shut Shutting
Sublet Sublet Sublet Subletting
Thrust Thrust Thrust Thrusting
Upset Upset Upset Upsetting