Types of Verbs

Before you begin the verb tense lessons, it is extremely important to

understand that NOT all English verbs are the same. English verbs are
divided into three groups: Normal Verbs, Non-Continuous Verbs, and
Mixed Verbs.
Group I Normal Verbs
Most verbs are "Normal Verbs." These verbs are usually physical
actions which you can see somebody doing. These verbs can be used
in all tenses.
Normal Verbs
to run, to walk, to eat, to fly, to go, to say, to touch, etc.
Examples:

I eat dinner every day.

I am eating dinner now.

Group II Non-Continuous Verbs

The second group, called "Non-Continuous Verbs," is smaller. These
verbs are usually things you cannot see somebody doing. These verbs
are rarely used in continuous tenses. They include:
Abstract Verbs
to be, to want, to cost, to seem, to need, to care, to contain, to owe,
to exist...
Possession Verbs
to possess, to own, to belong...
Emotion Verbs
to like, to love, to hate, to dislike, to fear, to envy, to mind...
Examples:

He is needing help now. Not Correct

He needs help now. Correct

He is wanting a drink now. Not Correct

He wants a drink now. Correct

Group III Mixed Verbs

The third group, called "Mixed Verbs," is the smallest group. These
verbs have more than one meaning. In a way, each meaning is a
unique verb. Some meanings behave like "Non-Continuous Verbs,"
while other meanings behave like "Normal Verbs."
Mixed Verbs
to appear, to feel, to have, to hear, to look, to see, to weigh...
List of Mixed Verbs with Examples and Definitions:
to appear:

Donna appears confused. Non-Continuous Verb

Donna seems confused.

My favorite singer is appearing at the jazz club tonight. Normal

Verb
My favorite singer is giving a performance at the jazz club
tonight.

to have:

I have a dollar now. Non-Continuous Verb

I possess a dollar.

I am having fun now. Normal Verb

I am experiencing fun now.

to hear:

She hears the music. Non-Continuous Verb

She hears the music with her ears.

She is hearing voices. Normal Verb

She hears something others cannot hear. She is hearing voices
in her mind.

to look:

Nancy looks tired. Non-Continuous Verb

She seems tired.

Farah is looking at the pictures. Normal Verb

She is looking with her eyes.

to miss:

John misses Sally. Non-Continuous Verb

He is sad because she is not there.

Debbie is missing her favorite TV program. Normal Verb

She is not there to see her favorite program.

to see:

I see her. Non-Continuous Verb

I see her with my eyes.

I am seeing the doctor. Normal Verb

I am visiting or consulting with a doctor. (Also used with dentist
and lawyer.)

I am seeing her. Normal Verb

I am having a relationship with her.

He is seeing ghosts at night. Normal Verb

He sees something others cannot see. For example ghosts, aura,
a vision of the future, etc.

to smell:

The coffee smells good. Non-Continuous Verb

The coffee has a good smell.

I am smelling the flowers. Normal Verb

I am sniffing the flowers to see what their smell is like.

to taste:

The coffee tastes good. Non-Continuous Verb

The coffee has a good taste.

I am tasting the cake. Normal Verb

I am trying the cake to see what it tastes like.

to think:

He thinks the test is easy. Non-Continuous Verb

He considers the test to be easy.

She is thinking about the question. Normal Verb

She is pondering the question, going over it in her mind.

to weigh:

The table weighs a lot. Non-Continuous Verb

The table is heavy.

She is weighing herself. Normal Verb

She is determining her weight.

Some Verbs Can Be Especially Confusing:

to be:

Joe is American. Non-Continuous Verb

Joe is an American citizen.

Joe is being very American. Normal Verb

Joe is behaving like a stereotypical American.

Joe is being very rude. Normal Verb

Joe is behaving very rudely. Usually he is not rude.

Joe is being very formal. Normal Verb

Joe is behaving very formally. Usually he is not formal.

NOTICE: Only rarely is "to be" used in a continuous form. This is most
commonly done when a person is temporarily behaving badly or
stereotypically. It can also be used when someone's behavior is
noticeably different.
to feel:

The massage feels great. Non-Continuous Verb

The massage has a pleasing feeling.

I
I
I
I

don't feel well today. Sometimes used as Non-Continuous Verb

am a little sick.
am not feeling well today. Sometimes used as Normal Verb
am a little sick.

NOTICE: The second meaning of "feel" is very flexible and there is no

real difference in meaning between "I don't feel well today" and "I am
not feeling well today."
Active / Passive Verb Forms
Sentences can be active or passive. Therefore, tenses also have
"active forms" and "passive forms." You must learn to recognize the
difference to successfully speak English.
Active Form

In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the
sentence and the thing receiving the action is the object. Most
sentences are active.
[Thing doing action] + [verb] + [thing receiving action]
Examples:

Passive Form
In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of
the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included
near the end of the sentence. You can use the passive form if you
think that the thing receiving the action is more important or should
be emphasized. You can also use the passive form if you do not know
who is doing the action or if you do not want to mention who is doing
the action.
[Thing receiving action] + [be] + [past participle of verb] + [by] +
[thing doing action]
Examples:

Active / Passive Overview

Simple

Active

Passive

Once a week,

Once a week, the house is

Present

Tom cleans the house.

cleaned by Tom.

Present
Continuou
s

Right now, Sarah is

writing the letter.

Right now, the letter is

being written by Sarah.

Simple
Past

Sam repaired the car.

The car was repaired by

Sam.

Past
Continuou
s

The salesman was

helping the customer
when the thief came into
the store.

The customer was being

helped by the salesman
when the thief came into
the store.

Present
Perfect

Many tourists have

visited that castle.

That castle has been

visited by many tourists.

Present
Perfect
Continuou
s

Recently, John has been

doing the work.

Recently, the work has

been being done by John.

Past
Perfect

George had
repaired many cars
before he received his
mechanic's license.

Many cars had been

repaired by George before
he received his mechanic's
license.

Past
Perfect
Continuou
s

Chef Jones had been

preparing the
restaurant's fantastic
dinners for two years
before he moved to
Paris.

The restaurant's fantastic

dinners had been being
prepared by Chef Jones for
two years before he moved
to Paris.

Simple
Future

Someone will finish the

work by 5:00 PM.

The work will be

finished by 5:00 PM.

will

Simple
Future
be going
to

Sally is going to make a

beautiful dinner tonight.

A beautiful dinner is going

to be made by Sally
tonight.

Future
Continuou
s
will

At 8:00 PM tonight,
John will be washing the
dishes.

At 8:00 PM tonight, the

dishes will be being
washed by John.

Future
Continuou
s
be going
to

At 8:00 PM tonight,
John is going to be
washing the dishes.

At 8:00 PM tonight, the

dishes are going to be
being washed by John.

Future
Perfect
will

They will have

completed the project
before the deadline.

The project will have been

completed before the
deadline.

Future
Perfect
be going
to

They are going to have

completed the project
before the deadline.

The project is going to

have been
completed before the
deadline.

Future
Perfect
Continuou
s
will

The famous artist will

have been painting the
mural for over six
months by the time it is
finished.

The mural will have been

being painted by the
famous artist for over six
months by the time it is
finished.

Future
Perfect
Continuou
s

The famous artist is

going to have been
painting the mural for
over six months by the

The mural is going to have

been being painted by the
famous artist for over six
months by the time it is

be going
to

time it is finished.

finished.

Used to

Jerry used to pay the

bills.

The bills used to be

paid by Jerry.

Would
Always

My mother would always

make the pies.

The pies would always be

made by my mother.

Future in
the Past
Would

I knew John would

finish the work by 5:00
PM.

I knew the work would be

finished by 5:00 PM.

Future in
the Past
Was
Going to

I thought Sally was going

to make a beautiful
dinner tonight.

I thought a beautiful
dinner was going to be
made by Sally tonight.

Simple Present
FORM
[VERB] + s/es in third person
Examples:

You speak English.

Do you speak English?

You do not speak English.

Complete List of Simple Present Forms

USE 1 Repeated Actions

Use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual.
The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or
something that often happens. It can also be something a person often forgets
or usually does not do.
Examples:

I play tennis.

She does not play tennis.

Does he play tennis?

The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.

The train does not leave at 9 AM.

When does the train usually leave?

She always forgets her purse.

He never forgets his wallet.

Every twelve months, the Earth circles the Sun.

Does the Sun circle the Earth?

USE 2 Facts or Generalizations

The Simple Present can also indicate the speaker believes that a fact was true
before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It is not important if the
speaker is correct about the fact. It is also used to make generalizations about
people or things.
Examples:

Cats like milk.

Birds do not like milk.

Do pigs like milk?

California is in America.

California is not in the United Kingdom.

Windows are made of glass.

Windows are not made of wood.

New York is a small city. It is not important that this fact is untrue.

USE 3 Scheduled Events in the Near Future

Speakers occasionally use Simple Present to talk about scheduled events in the
near future. This is most commonly done when talking about public
transportation, but it can be used with other scheduled events as well.
Examples:

The train leaves tonight at 6 PM.

The bus does not arrive at 11 AM, it arrives at 11 PM.

When do we board the plane?

The party starts at 8 o'clock.

When does class begin tomorrow?

USE 4 Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)

Speakers sometimes use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action
is happening or is not happening now. This can only be done with NonContinuous Verbs and certain Mixed Verbs.
Examples:

I am here now.

She is not here now.

He needs help right now.

He does not need help now.

He has his passport in his hand.

Do you have your passport with you?

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You only speak English.

Do you only speak English?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

Once a week, Tom cleans the car. Active

Once a week, the car is cleaned by Tom. Passive

Present Continuous
FORM
[am/is/are + present participle]
Examples:

You are watching TV.

Are you watching TV?

You are not watching TV.

Complete List of Present Continuous Forms

USE 1 Now

Use the Present Continuous with Normal Verbs to express the idea that
something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show
that something is not happening now.
Examples:

You are learning English now.

You are not swimming now.

Are you sleeping?

I am sitting.

I am not standing.

Is he sitting or standing?

They are reading their books.

They are not watching television.

What are you doing?

Why aren't you doing your homework?

USE 2 Longer Actions in Progress Now

In English, "now" can mean: this second, today, this month, this year, this
century, and so on. Sometimes, we use the Present Continuous to say that we
are in the process of doing a longer action which is in progress; however, we
might not be doing it at this exact second.
Examples: (All of these sentences can be said while eating dinner in a
restaurant.)

I am studying to become a doctor.

I am not studying to become a dentist.

I am reading the book Tom Sawyer.

I am not reading any books right now.

Are you working on any special projects at work?

Aren't you teaching at the university now?

USE 3 Near Future

Sometimes, speakers use the Present Continuous to indicate that something

will or will not happen in the near future.

Examples:

I am meeting some friends after work.

I am not going to the party tonight.

Is he visiting his parents next weekend?

Isn't he coming with us tonight?

USE 4 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"

The Present Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses

the idea that something irritating or shocking often happens. 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."
Examples:

She is always coming to class late.

He is constantly talking. I wish he would shut up.

I don't like them because they are always complaining.

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs/ Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any
continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed
Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Present
Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Present.
Examples:

She is loving this chocolate ice cream. Not Correct

She loves this chocolate ice cream. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You are still watching TV.

Are you still watching TV?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

Right now, Tom is writing the letter. Active

Right now, the letter is being written by Tom. Passive

Simple Past
FORM
[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs
Examples:

You called Debbie.

Did you call Debbie?

You did not call Debbie.

Complete List of Simple Past Forms

USE 1 Completed Action in the Past

Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a
specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the
specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
Examples:

I saw a movie yesterday.

I didn't see a play yesterday.

Last year, I traveled to Japan.

Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.

Did you have dinner last night?

She washed her car.

He didn't wash his car.

USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions

We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These
actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
Examples:

I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.

He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00,
and met the others at 10:00.

Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?

USE 3 Duration in Past

The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past.
A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two
years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.
Examples:

I lived in Brazil for two years.

Shauna studied Japanese for five years.

They sat at the beach all day.

They did not stay at the party the entire time.

We talked on the phone for thirty minutes.

A: How long did you wait for them?

B: We waited for one hour.

USE 4 Habits in the Past

The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past.
It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking
about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never,
when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.
Examples:

I studied French when I was a child.

He played the violin.

He didn't play the piano.

Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid?

She worked at the movie theater after school.

They never went to school, they always skipped class.

USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations

The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations
which are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this use of the Simple Past is quite
similar to the expression "used to."
Examples:

She was shy as a child, but now she is very outgoing.

He didn't like tomatoes before.

Did you live in Texas when you were a kid?

People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past.

IMPORTANT When-Clauses Happen First

Clauses are groups of words which have meaning but are often not complete
sentences. Some clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when I dropped
my pen..." or "when class began..." These clauses are called when-clauses, and
they are very important. The examples below contain when-clauses.
Examples:

When I paid her one dollar, she answered my question.

She answered my question when I paid her one dollar.

When-clauses are important because they always happen first when both
clauses are in the Simple Past. Both of the examples above mean the same
thing: first, I paid her one dollar, and then, she answered my question. It is not
important whether "when I paid her one dollar" is at the beginning of the
sentence or at the end of the sentence. However, the example below has a
different meaning. First, she answered my question, and then, I paid her one
dollar.
Example:

I paid her one dollar when she answered my question.

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You just called Debbie.

Did you just call Debbie?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

Tom repaired the car. Active

The car was repaired by Tom. Passive

Past Continuous
FORM
[was/were + present participle]
Examples:

You were studying when she called.

Were you studying when she called?

You were not studying when she called.

Complete List of Past Continuous Forms

USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past

Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was
interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past.
Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Examples:

I was watching TV when she called.

When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.

While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.

What were you doing when the earthquake started?

I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear the fire alarm.

You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off.

While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.

Sammy was waiting for us when we got off the plane.

While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went off.

A: What were you doing when you broke your leg?

B: I was snowboarding.

USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption

In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter

action in the Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an
interruption.
Examples:

Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.

At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.

Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.

IMPORTANT

In the Simple Past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or
finished. In the Past Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.
Examples:

Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner.

I started eating at 6 PM.

Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.

I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner.

USE 3 Parallel Actions

When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it
expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The
actions are parallel.
Examples:

I was studying while he was making dinner.

While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.

Were you listening while he was talking?

I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I made

several mistakes.

What were you doing while you were waiting?

Thomas wasn't working, and I wasn't working either.

They were eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good
time.

USE 4 Atmosphere
In English, we often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere
at a particular time in the past.
Example:

When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing,
some were talking on the phones, the boss was yellingdirections, and
customers were waiting to be helped. One customer was yelling at a

secretary and waving his hands. Otherswere complaining to each

other about the bad service.
USE 5 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"

The Past Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the
idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The
concept is very similar to the expression "used to" but with negative emotion.
Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly" between "be" and
"verb+ing."
Examples:

She was always coming to class late.

He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.

I didn't like them because they were always complaining.

While vs. When

Clauses are groups of words which have meaning, but are often not complete
sentences. Some clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when she
called" or "when it bit me." Other clauses begin with "while" such as "while she
was sleeping" and "while he was surfing." When you talk about things in the
past, "when" is most often followed by the verb tense Simple Past, whereas
"while" is usually followed by Past Continuous. "While" expresses the idea of
"during that time." Study the examples below. They have similar meanings, but
they emphasize different parts of the sentence.
Examples:

I was studying when she called.

While I was studying, she called.

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any
continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed
Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Past Continuous
with these verbs, you must use Simple Past.
Examples:

Jane was being at my house when you arrived. Not Correct

Jane was at my house when you arrived. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You were just studying when she called.

Were you just studying when she called?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

The salesman was helping the customer when the thief came into the
store. Active

The customer was being helped by the salesman when the thief came
into the store. Passive

Present Perfect
FORM
[has/have + past participle]
Examples:

You have seen that movie many times.

Have you seen that movie many times?

You have not seen that movie many times.

Complete List of Present Perfect Forms

USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now

We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified

time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present
Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last
week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one
day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as:
ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
Examples:

I have seen that movie twenty times.

I think I have met him once before.

There have been many earthquakes in California.

People have traveled to the Moon.

People have not traveled to Mars.

Have you read the book yet?

Nobody has ever climbed that mountain.

A: Has there ever been a war in the United States?

B: Yes, there has been a war in the United States.

How Do You Actually Use the Present Perfect?

The concept of "unspecified time" can be very confusing to English learners. It
is best to associate Present Perfect with the following topics:
TOPIC 1 Experience
You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, "I
have the experience of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have
never had a certain experience. The Present Perfect is NOT used to describe a
specific event.
Examples:

I have been to France.

This sentence means that you have had the experience of being in
France. Maybe you have been there once, or several times.

I have been to France three times.

You can add the number of times at the end of the sentence.

I have never been to France.

This sentence means that you have not had the experience of going to
France.

I think I have seen that movie before.

He has never traveled by train.

Joan has studied two foreign languages.

A: Have you ever met him?

B: No, I have not met him.

TOPIC 2 Change Over Time

We often use the Present Perfect to talk about change that has happened over
a period of time.
Examples:

You have grown since the last time I saw you.

The government has become more interested in arts education.

Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at the university
since the Asian studies program was established.

My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.

TOPIC 3 Accomplishments
We often use the Present Perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and
humanity. You cannot mention a specific time.
Examples:

Man has walked on the Moon.

Our son has learned how to read.

Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.

Scientists have split the atom.

TOPIC 4 An Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting

We often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has
not happened. Using the Present Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for
the action to happen.

Examples:

James has not finished his homework yet.

Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but she can communicate.

Bill has still not arrived.

The rain hasn't stopped.

TOPIC 5 Multiple Actions at Different Times

We also use the Present Perfect to talk about several different actions which
have occurred in the past at different times. Present Perfect suggests the
process is not complete and more actions are possible.
Examples:

The army has attacked that city five times.

I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.

We have had many major problems while working on this project.

She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but nobody
knows why she is sick.

Time Expressions with Present Perfect

When we use the Present Perfect it means that something has happened at
some point in our lives before now. Remember, the exact time the action
happened is not important.

Sometimes, we want to limit the time we are looking in for an experience. We

can do this with expressions such as: in the last week, in the last year, this
week, this month, so far, up to now, etc.

Examples:

Have you been to Mexico in the last year?

I have seen that movie six times in the last month.

They have had three tests in the last week.

She graduated from university less than three years ago. She has
worked for three different companies so far.

My car has broken down three times this week.

NOTICE
"Last year" and "in the last year" are very different in meaning. "Last year"
means the year before now, and it is considered a specific time which
requires Simple Past. "In the last year" means from 365 days ago until now. It is
not considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect.
Examples:

I went to Mexico last year.

I went to Mexico in the calendar year before this one.

I have been to Mexico in the last year.

I have been to Mexico at least once at some point between 365 days ago
and now.

USE 2 Duration From the Past Until Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)

With Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use

the Present Perfect to show that something started in the past and has
continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since
Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect.
Examples:

I have had a cold for two weeks.

She has been in England for six months.

Mary has loved chocolate since she was a little girl.

Although the above use of Present Perfect is normally limited to NonContinuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live,"
"work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they
are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs.
ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You have only seen that movie one time.

Have you only seen that movie one time?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

Many tourists have visited that castle. Active

That castle has been visited by many tourists. Passive

Present Perfect Continuous

FORM
[has/have + been + present participle]
Examples:

You have been waiting here for two hours.

Have you been waiting here for two hours?

You have not been waiting here for two hours.

Complete List of Present Perfect Continuous Forms

USE 1 Duration from the Past Until Now

We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the
past and has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and
"since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect
Continuous.
Examples:

They have been talking for the last hour.

She has been working at that company for three years.

What have you been doing for the last 30 minutes?

James has been teaching at the university since June.

We have been waiting here for over two hours!

Why has Nancy not been taking her medicine for the last three days?

USE 2 Recently, Lately

You can also use the Present Perfect Continuous WITHOUT a duration such as
"for two weeks." Without the duration, the tense has a more general meaning
of "lately." We often use the words "lately" or "recently" to emphasize this
meaning.
Examples:

Recently, I have been feeling really tired.

She has been watching too much television lately.

Have you been exercising lately?

Mary has been feeling a little depressed.

Lisa has not been practicing her English.

What have you been doing?

IMPORTANT
Remember that the Present Perfect Continuous has the meaning of "lately" or
"recently." If you use the Present Perfect Continuous in a question such as
"Have you been feeling alright?", it can suggest that the person looks sick or
unhealthy. A question such as "Have you been smoking?" can suggest that you
smell the smoke on the person. Using this tense in a question suggests you can
see, smell, hear or feel the results of the action. It is possible to insult someone
by using this tense incorrectly.
REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs/ Mixed Verbs
It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any
continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed
Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Present Perfect
Continuous with these verbs, you must usePresent Perfect.

Examples:

Sam has been having his car for two years. Not Correct

Sam has had his car for two years. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You have only been waiting here for one hour.

Have you only been waiting here for one hour?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

Recently, John has been doing the work. Active

Recently, the work has been being done by John. Passive

Past Perfect
FORM
[had + past participle]
Examples:

You had studied English before you moved to New York.

Had you studied English before you moved to New York?

You had not studied English before you moved to New York.

Complete List of Past Perfect Forms

USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Past

The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another
action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific
time in the past.

Examples:

I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai.

I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet.

Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several
times.

Had Susan ever studied Thai before she moved to Thailand?

She only understood the movie because she had read the book.

Kristine had never been to an opera before last night.

We were not able to get a hotel room because we had not booked in
advance.

A: Had you ever visited the U.S. before your trip in 2006?
B: Yes, I had been to the U.S. once before.

USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Past (Non-Continuous Verbs)

With Non-Continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we

use the Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued
up until another action in the past.
Examples:

We had had that car for ten years before it broke down.

By the time Alex finished his studies, he had been in London for over
eight years.

They felt bad about selling the house because they had owned it for
more than forty years.

Although the above use of Past Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous

Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work,"
"teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT
Non-Continuous Verbs.
IMPORTANT Specific Times with the Past Perfect

Unlike with the Present Perfect, it is possible to use specific time words or
phrases with the Past Perfect. Although this is possible, it is usually not
necessary.
Example:

She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved
in with them in 1996.

MOREOVER
If the Past Perfect action did occur at a specific time, the Simple Past can be
used instead of the Past Perfect when "before" or "after" is used in the
sentence. The words "before" and "after" actually tell you what happens first,
so the Past Perfect is optional. For this reason, both sentences below are
correct.
Examples:

She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved
in with them in 1996.

She visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in
with them in 1996.

HOWEVER

If the Past Perfect is not referring to an action at a specific time, Past Perfect is
not optional. Compare the examples below. Here Past Perfect is referring to a
lack of experience rather than an action at a specific time. For this reason,
Simple Past cannot be used.
Examples:

She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska. Not Correct

She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

You had previously studied English before you moved to New York.

Had you previously studied English before you moved to New York?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanic's

license. Active

Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his

mechanic's license. Passive

Past Perfect Continuous

FORM
[had been + present participle]
Examples:

You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally
arrived.

Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally
arrived?

You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she
finally arrived.

Complete List of Past Perfect Continuous Forms

USE 1 Duration Before Something in the Past

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past
and continued up until another time in the past. "For five minutes" and "for two
weeks" are both durations which can be used with the Past Perfect Continuous.

Notice that this is related to thePresent Perfect Continuous; however, the

duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the
past.
Examples:

They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived.

She had been working at that company for three years when it went
out of business.

How long had you been waiting to get on the bus?

Mike wanted to sit down because he had been standing all day at
work.

James had been teaching at the university for more than a year before
he left for Asia.

A: How long had you been studying Turkish before you moved to
Ankara?
B: I had not been studying Turkish very long.

USE 2 Cause of Something in the Past

Using the Past Perfect Continuous before another action in the past is a good
way to show cause and effect.
Examples:

Jason was tired because he had been jogging.

Sam gained weight because he had been overeating.

Betty failed the final test because she had not been attending class.

Past Continuous vs. Past Perfect Continuous

If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or
"since Friday," many English speakers choose to use the Past Continuous rather
than the Past Perfect Continuous. Be careful because this can change the
meaning of the sentence. Past Continuous emphasizes interrupted actions,
whereas Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes a duration of time before
something in the past. Study the examples below to understand the difference.

Examples:

He was tired because he was exercising so hard.

This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he was exercising
at that exact moment.

He was tired because he had been exercising so hard.

This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he had been
exercising over a period of time. It is possible that he was still exercising
at that moment OR that he had just finished.

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any
continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed
Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Past Perfect
Continuous with these verbs, you must use Past Perfect.
Examples:

The motorcycle had been belonging to George for years before Tina
bought it. Not Correct

The motorcycle had belonged to George for years before Tina bought
it. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

You had only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived.

Had you only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for
two years before he moved to Paris. Active

The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef

Jones for two years before he moved to Paris. Passive

NOTE: Passive forms of the Past Perfect Continuous are not common.

Simple Future
Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to."
Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often
express two very different meanings. These different meanings might seem too
abstract at first, but with time and practice, the differences will become clear.
Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a specific time in the future.

FORM Will
[will + verb]
Examples:

You will help him later.

Will you help him later?

You will not help him later.

FORM Be Going To
[am/is/are + going to + verb]
Examples:

You are going to meet Jane tonight.

Are you going to meet Jane tonight?

You are not going to meet Jane tonight.

Complete List of Simple Future Forms

USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action
"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary
action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use "will" to
respond to someone else's complaint or request for help. We also use "will"
when we request that someone help us or volunteer to do something for us.
Similarly, we use "will not" or "won't" when we refuse to voluntarily do
something.

Examples:

I will send you the information when I get it.

I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.

Will you help me move this heavy table?

Will you make dinner?

I will not do your homework for you.

I won't do all the housework myself!

A: I'm really hungry.

B: I'll make some sandwiches.

A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.

B: I'll get you some coffee.

A: The phone is ringing.

B: I'll get it.

USE 2 "Will" to Express a Promise

"Will" is usually used in promises.
Examples:

I will call you when I arrive.

If I am elected President of the United States, I will make sure everyone

has access to inexpensive health insurance.

I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.

Don't worry, I'll be careful.

I won't tell anyone your secret.

USE 3 "Be going to" to Express a Plan

"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a
person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the
plan is realistic or not.
Examples:

He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.

She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.

A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?

B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.

I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.

Michelle is going to begin medical school next year.

They are going to drive all the way to Alaska.

Who are you going to invite to the party?

A: Who is going to make John's birthday cake?

B: Sue is going to make John's birthday cake.

USE 4 "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction

Both "will" and "be going to" can express the idea of a general prediction about
the future. Predictions are guesses about what might happen in the future. In
"prediction" sentences, the subject usually has little control over the future and
therefore USES 1-3 do not apply. In the following examples, there is no
difference in meaning.
Examples:

The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.

The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.

John Smith will be the next President.

John Smith is going to be the next President.

The movie "Zenith" will win several Academy Awards.

The movie "Zenith" is going to win several Academy Awards.

IMPORTANT
In the Simple Future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has in mind.
Often, there is more than one way to interpret a sentence's meaning.
No Future in Time Clauses
Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses beginning
with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon
as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Simple Future, Simple Present is used.
Examples:

When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct

When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You will never help him.

Will you ever help him?

You are never going to meet Jane.

Are you ever going to meet Jane?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

John will finish the work by 5:00 PM. Active

The work will be finished by 5:00 PM. Passive

Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. Active

A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. Passive

Future Continuous
Future Continuous has two different forms: "will be doing " and "be going to be
doing." Unlike Simple Future forms, Future Continuous forms are usually
interchangeable.
FORM Future Continuous with "Will"
[will be + present participle]
Examples:

You will be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.

Will you be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight?

You will not be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.

FORM Future Continuous with "Be Going To "

[am/is/are + going to be + present participle]
Examples:

You are going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.

Are you going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight?

You are not going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives
tonight.

REMEMBER: It is possible to use either "will" or "be going to" to create the
Future Continuous with little difference in meaning.
Complete List of Future Continuous Forms
USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Future

Use the Future Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the future will be
interrupted by a shorter action in the future. Remember this can be a real
interruption or just an interruption in time.
Examples:

I will be watching TV when she arrives tonight.

I will be waiting for you when your bus arrives.

I am going to be staying at the Madison Hotel, if

anything happens and you need to contact me.

He will be studying at the library tonight, so he will not see Jennifer

when she arrives.

Notice in the examples above that the interruptions (marked in italics) are
in Simple Present rather than Simple Future. This is because the interruptions
are in time clauses, and you cannot use future tenses in time clauses.
USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption in the Future

In USE 1, described above, the Future Continuous is interrupted by a short

action in the future. In addition to using short actions as interruptions, you can
also use a specific time as an interruption.
Examples:

Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to be eating dinner.

I will be in the process of eating dinner.

At midnight tonight, we will still be driving through the desert.

We will be in the process of driving through the desert.

REMEMBER
In the Simple Future, a specific time is used to show the time an action will
begin or end. In the Future Continuous, a specific time interrupts the action.
Examples:

Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to eat dinner.

I am going to start eating at 6 PM.

Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to be eating dinner.

I am going to start earlier and I will be in the process of eating dinner at
6 PM.

USE 3 Parallel Actions in the Future

When you use the Future Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it
expresses the idea that both actions will be happening at the same time. The
actions are parallel.
Examples:

I am going to be studying and he is going to be making dinner.

Tonight, they will be eating dinner, discussing their plans,

and having a good time.

While Ellen is reading, Tim will be watching television.

Notice "is reading" because of the time clause containing "while." (See
Explanation Below)

USE 4 Atmosphere in the Future

In English, we often use a series of Parallel Actions to describe atmosphere at a
specific point in the future.
Example:

When I arrive at the party, everybody is going to be celebrating.

Some will be dancing. Others are going to be talking. A few
people will be eating pizza, and several people are going to be
drinking beer. They always do the same thing.

REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future tenses, the Future Continuous cannot be used in clauses
beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the
time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Future Continuous, Present
Continuous is used.
Examples:

While I am going to be finishing my homework, she is going to make

dinner. Not Correct

While I am finishing my homework, she is going to make

dinner. Correct

AND REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any
continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed
Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Future Continuous
with these verbs, you must use Simple Future.
Examples:

Jane will be being at my house when you arrive. Not Correct

Jane will be at my house when you arrive. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

You will still be waiting for her when her plane arrives.

Will you still be waiting for her when her plane arrives?

You are still going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives.

Are you still going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

At 8:00 PM tonight, John will be washing the dishes. Active

At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes will be being washed by John. Passive

At 8:00 PM tonight, John is going to be washing the dishes. Active

At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes are going to be being washed by

John. Passive

NOTE: Passive forms of the Future Continuous are not common.

Future Perfect
Future Perfect has two different forms: "will have done" and "be going to have
done." Unlike Simple Future forms, Future Perfect forms are usually
interchangeable.
FORM Future Perfect with "Will"
[will have + past participle]
Examples:

You will have perfected your English by the time you come back from
the U.S.

Will you have perfected your English by the time you come back from
the U.S.?

You will not have perfected your English by the time you come back
from the U.S.

FORM Future Perfect with "Be Going To"

[am/is/are + going to have + past participle]

Examples:

You are going to have perfected your English by the time you come
back from the U.S.

Are you going to have perfected your English by the time you come
back from the U.S.?

You are not going to have perfected your English by the time you
come back from the U.S.

NOTE: It is possible to use either "will" or "be going to" to create the Future
Perfect with little or no difference in meaning.
Complete List of Future Perfect Forms
USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Future

The Future Perfect expresses the idea that something will occur before another
action in the future. It can also show that something will happen before a
specific time in the future.
Examples:

By next November, I will have received my promotion.

By the time he gets home, she is going to have cleaned the entire
house.

I am not going to have finished this test by 3 o'clock.

Will she have learned enough Chinese to communicate before

she moves to Beijing?

Sam is probably going to have completed the proposal by the time

he leaves this afternoon.

By the time I finish this course, I will have taken ten tests.

How many countries are you going to have visited by the time
you turn 50?

Notice in the examples above that the reference points (marked in italics) are
in Simple Present rather than Simple Future. This is because the interruptions
are in time clauses, and you cannot use future tenses in time clauses.

USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Future (Non-Continuous

Verbs)

With Non-Continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we

use the Future Perfect to show that something will continue up until another
action in the future.
Examples:

I will have been in London for six months by the time I leave.

By Monday, Susan is going to have had my book for a week.

Although the above use of Future Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous

Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work,"
"teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT
Non-Continuous Verbs.
REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses
Like all future forms, the Future Perfect cannot be used in clauses beginning
with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon
as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Future Perfect, Present Perfect is used.
Examples:

I am going to see a movie when I will have finished my

homework. Not Correct

I am going to see a movie when I have finished my homework. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You will only have learned a few words.

Will you only have learned a few words?

You are only going to have learned a few words.

Are you only going to have learned a few words?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

They will have completed the project before the deadline. Active

The project will have been completed before the deadline. Passive

They are going to have completed the project before the

deadline. Active

The project is going to have been completed before the

deadline. Passive

Future Perfect Continuous

Future Perfect Continuous has two different forms: "will have been doing " and
"be going to have been doing." Unlike Simple Future forms, Future Perfect
Continuous forms are usually interchangeable.
FORM Future Perfect Continuous with "Will"
[will have been + present participle]
Examples:

You will have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane
finally arrives.

Will you have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane
finally arrives?

You will not have been waiting for more than two hours when her
plane finally arrives.

FORM Future Perfect Continuous with "Be Going To"

[am/is/are + going to have been + present participle]
Examples:

You are going to have been waiting for more than two hours when
her plane finally arrives.

Are you going to have been waiting for more than two hours when
her plane finally arrives?

You are not going to have been waiting for more than two hours
when her plane finally arrives.

NOTE: It is possible to use either "will" or "be going to" to create the Future
Perfect Continuous with little or no difference in meaning.
Complete List of Future Perfect Continuous Forms
USE 1 Duration Before Something in the Future

We use the Future Perfect Continuous to show that something will continue up
until a particular event or time in the future. "For five minutes," "for two
weeks," and "since Friday" are all durations which can be used with the Future
Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect
Continuous and the Past Perfect Continuous; however, with Future Perfect
Continuous, the duration stops at or before a reference point in the future.
Examples:

They will have been talking for over an hour by the time
Thomas arrives.

She is going to have been working at that company for three years
when it finally closes.

James will have been teaching at the university for more than a year
by the time he leaves for Asia.

How long will you have been studying when you graduate?

We are going to have been driving for over three days straight when
we get to Anchorage.

A: When you finish your English course, will you have been living in
New Zealand for over a year?
B: No, I will not have been living here that long.

Notice in the examples above that the reference points (marked in italics) are
in Simple Present rather than Simple Future. This is because these future
events are in time clauses, and you cannot use future tenses in time clauses.
USE 2 Cause of Something in the Future

Using the Future Perfect Continuous before another action in the future is a
good way to show cause and effect.
Examples:

Jason will be tired when he gets home because he will have been
jogging for over an hour.

Claudia's English will be perfect when she returns to Germany because

she is going to have been studying English in the United States for
over two years.

Future Continuous vs. Future Perfect Continuous

If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or
"since Friday," many English speakers choose to use the Future Continuous
rather than the Future Perfect Continuous. Be careful because this can change
the meaning of the sentence. Future Continuous emphasizes interrupted
actions, whereas Future Perfect Continuous emphasizes a duration of time
before something in the future. Study the examples below to understand the
difference.
Examples:

He will be tired because he will be exercising so hard.

This sentence emphasizes that he will be tired because he will be
exercising at that exact moment in the future.

He will be tired because he will have been exercising so hard.

This sentence emphasizes that he will be tired because he will have
been exercising for a period of time. It is possible that he will still be
exercising at that moment OR that he will just have finished.

REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, the Future Perfect Continuous cannot be used in clauses
beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the
time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Future Perfect Continuous, Present
Perfect Continuous is used.
Examples:

You won't get a promotion until you will have been working here as
long as Tim. Not Correct

You won't get a promotion until you have been working here as long as
Tim. Correct

AND REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any
continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed
Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Future Perfect
Continuous with these verbs, you must use Future Perfect .
Examples:

Ned will have been having his driver's license for over two years. Not
Correct

Ned will have had his driver's license for over two years. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You will only have been waiting for a few minutes when her plane
arrives.

Will you only have been waiting for a few minutes when her plane
arrives?

You are only going to have been waiting for a few minutes when her
plane arrives.

Are you only going to have been waiting for a few minutes when her
plane arrives?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

The famous artist will have been painting the mural for over six
months by the time it is finished. Active

The mural will have been being painted by the famous artist for over
six months by the time it is finished. Passive

The famous artist is going to have been painting the mural for over
six months by the time it is finished. Active

The mural is going to have been being painted by the famous artist
for over six months by the time it is finished. Passive

NOTE: Passive forms of the Future Perfect Continuous are not common.

Adverbs of Frequency
With the present simple, we often use adverbs of frequency to say 'how
often' we do something. Here's a list of common adverbs:

always

frequently

generally

hardly ever

infrequently

never

normally

occasionally

often

rarely

regularly

seldom

sometimes

usually

We usually put these adverbs in the middle of the sentence, between the
subject and the verb:

I often go to the cinema.

She sometimes visits me at home.

We usually drink coffee.

We can also put them at the very beginning or end of the sentence. This makes
them stronger:

Often I go to the cinema.

I go to the cinema often.

But never: I go often to the cinema.

Here are some other expressions we can use to say 'how often'. All of these
longer phrases go at the beginning or the end of the sentence but not in the
middle.

once in a while: I go to the cinema once in a while.

every now and again: She drinks wine every now and again.

from time to time: From time to time I visit my mother.

To say how often something happens, you can use a number or 'several' or
'many', followed by 'times'.( If the number is one, use 'once' instead of 'one
time'. If the number is two use 'twice,' instead of 'two times') Then add 'a' and
a period of time:

I go to the cinema twice a week.

She takes these tablets three times a day.

I change the sheets once a fortnight (fortnight = two weeks).

I meet him several times a year.

I visit my parents once a month.

We can also use 'every' + period of time:

every morning

every day

every Tuesday

every week

every month

A day of the week with 's' at the end (for example 'on Tuesdays') means the
same as 'every Tuesday':

I take a dance class on Wednesdays.

I relax on Saturdays.

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/supportfiles/all_irregular_verbs_list.pdf

Perfect-English-Grammar.com
List of Irregular Verbs (some are not common words)
infinitive past simple past participle
arise arose arisen
awake awoke awoken
bear bore born
be was / were been
beat beat beaten
become became become

begin began begun

bend bent bent
bet bet bet
bind bound bound
bite bit bitten
bleed bled bled
blow blew blown
break broke broken
breed bred bred
bring brought brought
build built built
burst burst burst
burn burnt / burned burnt / burned
buy bought bought
cast cast cast
catch caught caught
choose chose chosen
cling clung clung
come came come
cost cost cost
creep crept crept
cut cut cut
deal dealt dealt
dig dug dug
do did done
draw drew drawn
dream dreamt / dreamed dreamt / dreamed
drink drank drunk
drive drove driven
eat ate eaten
fall fell fallen
feed fed fed
feel felt felt
fight fought fought
find found found
flee fled fled
fling flung flung
fly flew flown
forbid forbade forbidden
forget forgot forgotten
forgive forgave forgiven
freeze froze frozen
get got got
give gave given
go went gone
grind ground ground
grow grew grown
hang hung hung
have had had

hear heard heard

hide hid hidden
hit hit hit
hold held held
hurt hurt hurt
keep kept kept
know knew known
lay laid laid
lead led led
lean leant / leaned leant / leaned
leave left left
lend lent lent
let let let
lie lay lain
light lit / lighted lit / lighted
lose lost lost
make made made
mean meant meant
meet met met
mislay mislaid mislaid
mislead misled misled
pay paid paid
put put put
quit quit quit
read /reed/ read /red/ read /red/
ride rode ridden
ring rang rung
rise rose risen
run ran run
saw sawed sawn
say said said
see saw seen
seek sought sought
sell sold sold
send sent sent
set set set
sew sewed sewn
shake shook shaken
shine shone shone
shoot shot shot
show showed shown
shrink shrank shrunk
shut shut shut
sing sang sung
sink sank sunk
sit sat sat
sleep slept slept
slide slid slid
sow sowed sown

speak spoke spoken

spend spent spent
spin spun spun
spill spilt / spilled spilt / spilled
spread spread spread
spring sprang sprung
stand stood stood
steal stole stolen
stick stuck stuck
sting stung stung
stink stank stunk
stride strode stridden
strike struck struck
swear swore sworn
sweep swept swept
swim swam swum
swing swung swung
take took taken
teach taught taught
tear tore torn
tell told told
think thought thought
throw threw thrown
tread trod trodden
understand understood understood
wake woke woken
wear wore worn
weep wept wept
win won won
wind wound wound
write wrote written

How to Pronounce 'ed' at the end of a verb

It's difficult to know how to pronounce 'ed' in English, because it's pronounced
in three different ways. It depends on the letter before:
The three ways are:

1: 'id' (like in painted 'paint-id')

2: 'd' (like in 'played')

3: 't' (like in 'hoped')

The most important thing to remember is this:

If the verb has a 'd' or a 't' sound before 'ed' you need to pronounce
'id'. If it doesn't, don't pronounce an extra syllable.
Be careful! It's the sound, not the letter: 'decide' is pronounced 'decide-id' even
though it ends in 'e', because we don't say the 'e', so the last sound is 'd'.
So for example:

wanted (want-id)

ended (end-id)

decided (decide-id)

admitted (admit-id)

suggested (suggest-id)

recommended (recommend-id)

hated (hate-id)

intended (intend-id)

started (start-id)

For the other two sounds it doesn't matter so much. Just make sure you don't
say '-id'! For example, 'stopped' is pronounced 'stopt' and never 'stop-id'.
If the word before 'ed' ends in the sounds 'p', 'f', 's', 'ch', 'sh', 'k', then 'ed' is
pronounced 't': So:

'p' stopped

'f' laughed

's' promised

'ch' watched

'sh' finished

'k' walked

For all other words, 'ed' is pronounced 'd':

allowed

cried

enjoyed

cleaned

imagined

The First Conditional

The first conditional has the present simple after 'if', then the future
simplein the other clause:

if + present simple, ... will + infinitive

It's used to talk about things which might happen in the future. Of course, we
can't know what will happen in the future, but this describes possible things,
which could easily come true.

If it rains, I won't go to the park.

If I study today, I'll go to the party tonight.

If I have enough money, I'll buy some new shoes.

She'll be late if the train is delayed.

She'll miss the bus if she doesn't leave soon.

If I see her, I'll tell her.

First vs. Zero Conditional:

The first conditional describes a particular situation, whereas the zero
conditional describes what happens in general.
For example (zero conditional): if you sit in the sun, you get burned (here I'm
talking about every time a person sits in the sun - the burning is a natural
consequence of the sitting)
But (first conditional): if you sit in the sun, you'll get burned (here I'm talking
about what will happen today, another day might be different)
First vs. Second Conditional:
The first conditional describes things that I think are likely to happen in the
future, whereas the second conditional talks about things that I don't think will
really happen. It's subjective; it depends on my point of view.
For example (first conditional): If she studies harder, she'll pass the exam (I
think it's possible she will study harder and so she'll pass)
But (second conditional): If she studied harder, she would pass the exam (I
think that she won't study harder, or it's very unlikely, and so she won't pass)

The Second Conditional

The second conditional uses the past simple after if, then 'would' and the
infinitive:

if + past simple, ...would + infinitive

(We can use 'were' instead of 'was' with 'I' and 'he/she/it'. This is mostly done in
formal writing).
It has two uses.
First, we can use it to talk about things in the future that are probably not going
to be true. Maybe I'm imagining some dream for example.

If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house.(I probably won't win the
lottery)

If I met the Queen of England, I would say hello.

She would travel all over the world if she were rich.

She would pass the exam if she ever studied.(She never studies, so
this won't happen)

Second, we can use it to talk about something in the present which is

impossible, because it's not true. Is that clear? Have a look at the examples:

If I had his number, I would call him. (I don't have his number now, so
it's impossible for me to call him).

If I were you, I wouldn't go out with that man.

How is this different from the first conditional?

This kind of conditional sentence is different from the first conditional because
this is a lot more unlikely.
For example (second conditional): If I had enough money I would buy a house
with twenty bedrooms and a swimming pool (I'm probably not going to have
this much money, it's just a dream, not very real)
But (first conditional): If I have enough money, I'll buy some new shoes (It's
much more likely that I'll have enough money to buy some shoes)

The Third Conditional

We make the third conditional by using the past perfect after 'if' and then
'would have' and the past participle in the second part of the sentence:

if + past perfect, ...would + have + past participle

It talks about the past. It's used to describe a situation that didn't happen, and
to imagine the result of this situation.

If she had studied, she would have passed the exam (but, really we
know she didn't study and so she didn't pass)

If I hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have felt sick (but I did eat a lot,
and so I did feel sick).

If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn't have missed the plane

She wouldn't have been tired if she had gone to bed earlier

She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university

He would have been on time for the interview if he had left the house
at nine

The Zero Conditional

We can make a zero conditional sentence with two present simple verbs (one
in the 'if clause' and one in the 'main clause'):

If + present simple, .... present simple.

This conditional is used when the result will always happen. So, if water
reaches 100 degrees, it always boils. It's a fact. I'm talking in general, not
about one particular situation. The result of the 'if clause' is always the main
cluase.
The 'if' in this conditional can usually be replaced by 'when' without changing
the meaning.
For example: If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils. (It is always true, there
can't be a different result sometimes). If I eat peanuts, I am sick. (This is true
only for me, maybe, not for everyone, but it's still true that I'm sick every time I
eat peanuts)
Here are some more examples:

If people eat too much, they get fat.

If you touch a fire, you get burned.

People die if they don't eat.

You get water if you mix hydrogen and oxygen.

Snakes bite if they are scared

If babies are hungry, they cry

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/english-verb-patterns.html

Gerunds and Infinitives

We use gerunds (verb + ing):

After certain verbs - I enjoy singing

After prepositions - I drank a cup of coffee before leaving

As the subject or object of a sentence - Swimming is good exercise

We use 'to' + infinitive:

After certain verbs - We decided to leave

After many adjectives - It's difficult to get up early

To show purpose - I came to London to study English

We use the bare infinitive (the infinitive without 'to'):

After modal verbs - I can meet you at six o'clock

After 'let', 'make' and (sometimes) 'help' - The teacher let us leave early

After some verbs of perception (see, watch, hear, notice, feel, sense) - I
watched her walk away

After expressions with 'why' - why go out the night before an exam?

Participle Clauses

We can use participle clauses after a noun in the same way as relative clauses.
This gives more information about the noun. We sometimes call this a 'reduced
relative clause'.
1: A present participle (verb + ing) can be used in the same way as an active
relative clause:

The man driving the car is a friend of mine.

(= The man who is driving the car is a friend of mine).

The present participle can replace any active tense, not just the present
continuous tense:

Lorries coming over the bridge have to be careful of the wind.

(= Lorries that come over the bridge have to be careful of the wind).

Who was the girl wearing the red dress?

(= Who was the girl who was wearing the red dress?).

Students handing in their essays late will lose ten marks.

(= Students who hand in their essays late will lose ten marks).

2: A past participle can be used in the same way as a simple passive relative
clause:

We read the email sent by the manager.

(= We read the email that had been sent by the manager).

This vase, made in China in the 14th century, is very valuable.

(= This vase, which was made in China in the 14th century, is very
valuable).

She only eats cakes made by her mother.

(= She only eats cakes that are made by her mother).

3: 'Being + past participle' can be used in the same way as a continuous

passive relative clause:

The poem being read by the actor was written by my brother.

(= The poem that is being read by the actor was written by my brother).

The strawberries being eaten at the wedding were grown in Scotland.

(= The strawberries that are being eaten at the wedding).

Things to notice:
1: We generally don't use perfect participles ('having + past participle') in this
case.
2: We can't use this kind of participle clause if we're talking about one finished
action which is not repeated:

Not: Who was the girl dropping the coffee?

Instead, we use a normal relative clause:

Who was the girl who dropped the coffee?

Prepositions
How can we use these little words correctly?
Prepositions are used in many different ways in English - perhaps that's why a
lot of people have problems with them.
First, they are used with time words:

on Monday

in the 20th century

at night

Second, they are used to show where something or someone is:

The plate is on the table.

Julie is in the garden.

The picture is on the wall.

Third, they are used after some adjectives:

She is good at tennis.

Scotland is famous for whisky

I'm worried about my new job.

Fourth, they are used after some verbs:

I'm listening to music.

She is waiting for her friend.

He borrows money from his sister.

Fifth, they are used after some nouns:

She has trouble with remembering new vocabulary.

Finally, they are used in certain phrases:

The bus arrived in the end.

She arrived just in time for the film.

Comparativos en Ingls
Comparativos son adjetivos que se usan para comparar dos personas o cosas.
Chicago is smaller than New York.
Chicago es ms pequeo que Nueva York.
-er
Generalmente formamos el comparativo aadiendo -er al adjetivo.
small (pequeo) - smaller (ms pequeo)
-r
Si el adjetivo termina con e, nada ms aadimos r para formar el comparativo.
large - larger
y -> ier
Si la palabra termina con una consonante y luego y, cambiamos la y a i y luego
aadimos-er.
easy - easier
Doble Consonante
Si una palabra termina con una consonante, una vocal, y luego otra
consonante y la slaba fuerte es la ltima, duplica la ltima letra antes de
aadir -er.
big - bigger

"More" con Palabras Largas

Si la palabra es de dos slabas o ms (una palabra larga) y no termina con y,
usamos la palabra more, en vez de -er.
expensive - more expensive
Comparativos Irregulares
good - better
bad - worse
far - farther

Already y Yet
La palabra already significa "ya" en espaol. La palabra already va entre la
palabra have ohas y el participio.
I have already finished. (Ya he terminado.)
La palabra yet significa "todava" en espaol. La palabra yet se coloca al final
de la oracin.
I haven't finished yet. (No he terminado todava.)

both/either/neither
La palabra "both" en ingls indica dos de un grupo de dos ("ambos" en
espaol). "Either" indica uno de un grupo de dos ("cualquiera de los dos").
"Neither" indica cero de un grupo de dos ("ninguno").
Both - ambos
Either - cualquiera de los dos
Neither - ninguno (de dos)
Se usa "both" con sustantivos plurales pero "either" y "neither" con sustantivos
singulares.
Both students can take the test.
(Ambos estudiantes pueden tomar el examen.)
Either student can take the test.
(Uno de los estudiantes puede tomar el examen.)
Neither student can take the test.
(Ninguno de los estudiantes puede tomar el examen.)

Se puede usar "both" con dos sustantivos conectados por la palabra "and,"
"either" con dos sustantivos conectados con "or" y "neither" con dos
sustantivos contectados con "nor."
Both Frank and Bob live in Chicago.
Either Frank or Bob lives in Chicago.
Neither Frank nor Bob live in Chicago.
Se usa la palabra "of" con estas palabras antes de sustantivos plurales o
pronombres objetos.
Con Sustantivos Plurales
Both of the students can go to the party.
Either of the students can go to the party.
Neither of the students can go to the party.
Con Pronombres Objetos
Both of them can go to the party.
Either of them can go to the party.
Neither of them can go to the party.
La palabra "both" tiene ms usos. Se puede usar "both despus de un sujeto o
pronombre objeto o antes de un sustantivo plural.
We both loved the movie. (despus de un pronombre sujeto)
He gave us both a birthday present. (despus de un pronombre objeto)
Both students passed the test. (antes de un sustantivo plural)

Can
La palabra can en ingls significa poder en espaol.
I can swim. - Puedo nadar.
El negativo de can es cannot o la contraccin can't.
I cannot swim. - No puedo nadar.
I can't swim. - No puedo nadar.
Para formar el interrogativo, can precede el sujeto.
Can you swim? - Puedes nadar?

Descripciones de Personas en Ingls

Cuando describimos a la gente ciertas expressiones se usa con el
verbo to be y otras se usa con to have. "To be" puede
significar ser, estar, o tener (con aos). "To have" es tener en
espaol.

to be
Age
(Edad)

Body
(Cuerpo)

Personality
(Personalidad)

He (She) is . . .

He (She) is . . .

He (She) is . . .

young - joven

tall - alto

intelligent (smart) inteligente

a teenager - un
adolescente

short - bajo

dumb - tonto

middle aged - de
mediana edad

fat - gordo

funny - cmico

old - viejo

overweight sobrepeso

serious - serio

elderly - anciano

thin - delgado

nice - simptico

20 years old - 20 aos

de edad

strong - fuerte

lazy - flojo (perezoso)

in his thirties - en sus

treintas

weak - dbil

hard-working trabajador

to have
Hair
(Pelo)

Face
(Cara)

He (She) has . . .

He has . . .

black hair - pelo negro

a beard - una barba

brown hair - pelo castao

a mustache - un bigote

red hair - pelirrojo

He (She) wears glasses. - l (Ella)

usa lentes.

blonde hair - pelo rubio

gray hair - pelo canoso
long hair - pelo largo
short hair - pelo corto
straight hair - pelo lacio
wavy hair - pelo ondulado
curly hair - pelo rizado
*He is bald. - l es calvo.
*Con "bald" usamos el verbo
"to be".

Preposiciones de Lugar en Ingls

Preposiciones de lugar son palabras para describir donde est algo.
on - encima de
under - debajo de
in - en
inside - adentro
outside - afuera
in front of - en frente de
behind - atrs
next to - al lado
between - entre (dos)
among - entre muchos
across from - del otro lado (tambin se dice "opposite")
opposite - del otro lado
above - arriba
below - abajo
around - alrededor
on the right - a la derecha
on the left - a la izquierda

Giving Directions (Dando Direcciones)

How do I get to _______? - Cmo llego a _______?
Turn right. - Doble a la derecha.
Turn left. - Doble a la izquierda.
Go straight. - Vaya derecho.
Go one block. - Vaya una cuadra (manzana).
Go past _______ - Pase _______
It's on the corner of ______ and ______. - Est en la esquina de _____ y
_____.
Al final se dice, por ejemplo, it is on the right o it is on the left

Como Pedir Precios en Ingls

Cuando describimos el precio de algo generalmente usamos el verbo
"to be" (ser).
Singular

Plural

How much is the

_____?

How much are the

_____?

It's ____ dollars.

They're ____ dollars.

Pronombres Reflexivos
Usamos pronombres reflexivos cuando el sujeto y el objeto de la
oracin son iguales.
He hurt himself. = l se lastim (a si mismo).
She saw herself in the mirror.= Ella se vio (a si misma) en el espejo.
I burned myself on the stove. = Me quem (a m mismo) en la estufa.
Pronombres Reflexivos
myself

me (a m mismo)

himself

se (a si mismo)

herself

se (a si misma)

itself

se (a la cosa o animal)

yourself

se, te (a usted mismo, a ti mismo)

yourselves

se (a ustedes mismos)

themselves

se (a ellos mismos)

ourselves

nos (a nosotros mismos)

Pronombres Posesivos en Ingls

Pronombres sujetos son pronombres que toman el lugar del sujeto de
la oracin (comoyo, t, l, ella, nosotros, y ellos en espaol)
Frank is a student.
He is a student.
Adjetivos posesivos son adjetivos que describen a quin pertenece
algo. (como mi, tu, su, y nuestro en espaol) El adjetivo posesivo
antecede al objeto.
That is Sue's book.
That is her book.
Pronombres posesivos son pronombres que describen a quin
pertenece algo. (comomo, tuyo, suyo, y nuestro en espaol)
The book is Jack's.
The book is his.

Adjetiv
Pronombr
Pronombr
os
es
es
Posesiv
Sujetos
Posesivos
os
I

my

mine

you

your

yours

he

his

his

she

her

hers

it

its

its

we

our

ours

they

their

theirs

Tag Questions
"Tag questions" son preguntas que se usan para confirmar lo que piensas que
es verdad.
You speak Spanish, don't you?
(Con esta pregunta indico que pienso que hablas espaol pero quiero
confirmar que es asi.)
Para formar un "tag question" empiezas con la oracin que piensas que es
verdad ("You speak Spanish" en el ejemplo arriba). El "tag" (la parte de la
oracin que hace que sea una pregunta) se forma usando un verbo auxiliar en
el negativo si la oracin fue afirmativa o un verbo auxiliar en el afirmativo si la
oracin fue negativa. Ve los ejemplos en la tabla abajo.

Oraciones Afirmativas
(El verbo auxiliar en el "tag" es
negativo.)

Oraciones Negativas
(El verbo auxiliar en el "tag" es
afirmativo.)

to be
You're a teacher, aren't you?

You aren't a teacher, are you?

He's tired, isn't he?

He isn't tired, is he?

Tiempo Presente
You speak English, don't you?

You don't speak English, do you?

He swims, doesn't he?

He doesn't swim, does he?

Tiempo Pasado
He went to school, didn't he?

He didn't go to school, did he?

Presente Perfecto
You have finished, haven't you?

You haven't finished, have you?

He has left, hasn't he?

He hasn't left, has he?

Futuro
She will cook, won't she?

She won't cook, will she?

*El nico que no sigue el patrn arriba es la forma afirmativa de "am". El

negativo, sin embargo, sigue el patrn. Ve los ejemplos abajo.
I'm tall, aren't I?
I'm not tall, am I?

Tiempo
What time is it? - Qu hora es?
1:00
3:05
2:10
6:30
8:45

It's
It's
It's
It's
It's

one o'clock.
three oh five.
two ten.
six thirty.
eight forty-five.

Ms maneras de describir la hora:

quarter = 15 minutos (cuarta de hora)
to = menos (los minutos que faltan para la hora)
after = despus
half = media hora
1:15
2:30
3:45
4:20
5:40

It's
It's
It's
It's
It's

a quarter after one. (It's one fifteen.)

half past two. (It's two thirty.)
a quarter to four. (It's three forty-five.)
twenty after four. (It's four twenty.)
twenty to six. (It's five forty.)

12:00 PM - It's noon. (medioda)

12:00 AM - It's midnight. (media noche)

Rules review
Grammar Rules Review

This is a quick, basic grammar review for nouns, verbs, and the sometimes
confusing usage of lay versus lie, and rise versus raise. This reference can be
used for term papers, grammar class reviews, or simply for anyone confused
or curious about the basics of English grammar.
Nouns
1. Noun identification
2. Count, Mass, and Collective Nouns
3. Plural and Possessive Nouns
Noun Identification
What is a noun? A noun is a person, place, thing, quality, animal, idea or
activity.
For example:
Person Maria
Place Detroit
Thing Desk
Quality Width
Animal Dog
Idea Independence
Activity Navigation
Spot the nouns in a sentence: Maria went into the city to purchase detergent.
Nouns: Person Maria
Place City
Thing Detergent
The functions of nouns
Nouns sometimes function differently in sentences. For example:
Subject: Maria likes ice cream
Object of Preposition: He gave the ice cream to Maria
Subject complement: The best customer is Maria

Grammar vocabulary: Nominal means any word, or group of words, used as a

noun. The nominal word used in the original noun example is Maria.
Types of Nouns
The names of specific things, places, and people, like Maria or Detroit, are
Proper nouns.
General, colloquial names, like table or house are Common nouns. Common
nouns can either be concrete, or abstract.
When an object is concrete i.e. you can see it and touch it, like a phone or a
chair, it is a Concrete noun.
When it is a quality or idea, like freedom or justice, it is an Abstract noun.
Count Nouns
Count nouns are anything that can be counted. They are singular or plural.
Plurals usually end with s.
Singular Car
Plural Cars
Singular Chair
Plural Chairs
Singular Dog
Plural Dogs
Irregular Examples
Singular Mouse
Plural Mice
Singular Child
Plural Children
Most nouns ending in s, sh, o, or ch need an -es suffix to be plural
Singular Bus
Plural Buses
Singular Dish
Plural Dishes
Singular Potato
Plural Potatoes

Singular Church
Plural Churches
Nouns ending in a consonant followed by y become plural by changing the y to
i and adding -es
Singular Mystery
Plural Mysteries
Mass Nouns are nouns that cannot be counted and they usually do not have a
plural form
Examples: Freedom, sand, money
Collective nouns refer to groups of people and/or things. Unlike mass nouns,
they can usually be counted, so they usually have plural forms.
Examples:
Singular Staff
Plural Staffs
Singular Herd
Plural Herds
Plural Nouns
Plural nouns are the nouns that have been changed into their plural states by
adding -s or -es. Remember your irregular nouns, such as mice and children!
They too are plural nouns.
Possessive Nouns
Nouns can be possessive and express ownership, usually following the use of
of.
Example: The life of Maria
Most singular possessives are formed by adding an apostrophe and s. If the
noun is plural, the possessive form becomes s and apostrophe.
Singular Common: Dog
Singular Possessive: Dogs
Plural Common: Dogs
Singular Possessive: Dogs
Exception: if the plural noun does not end with an s, the possessive is formed
by adding apostrophe and s.

Example:
Singular Common: Woman
Singular Possessive: Womans
Plural Common: Women
Plural Possessive: Womens
Pronouns
A pronoun takes the place of an unknown noun. The unknown noun is called
the antecedent.
Example: Maria wondered if she was late for work.
Maria is the antecedent of she. Instead of saying: Maria wondered if Maria
was late for work, she appears to take the place of Maria.
The Nine forms of Pronouns:
Personal, possessive, indefinite, reflexive, reciprocal, intensive, interrogative,
relative, and demonstrative.
The pronoun must always agree with antecedent, so if the antecedent is male,
the pronoun must be male, if the antecedent is plural, the pronoun must be
plural, etc.
Example:
Correct: When Maria bought the detergent, she used her credit card.
Incorrect: When Maria bought the detergent, they used his credit card.
Pronoun Cases
Nominative Cases: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, who
The nominative, or subjective, case pronoun is the subject of the sentence.
Examples: She went to the store.
Who has the book?
I am he.
This is she.
Objective Cases: Me, you, him, her, it, us, them, whom
These function as direct or indirect objects.
Examples:
We gave HER the bus money.
We gave IT to HER.

I dont know to WHOM I speak.

The bag is with HER.
Possessive Cases: My, mine, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs, your,
yours, whose
The possessive case pronoun shows possession
Example:
That is MY bag.
That bag is MINE.
HER bus was late.
The bags are all HERS.
Personal Pronouns can refer to the person/people speaking (First person,)
spoken to (second person,) or spoken ABOUT (third person.)
First
First
First
First

person
person
person
person

Second
Second
Second
Second
Third
Third
Third
Third

subject singular: I
subject plural: We
object singular: me
object plural: us

person
person
person
person

person
person
person
person

subject singular: you

subject plural: you
object singular: you
object plural: you

subject singular: he, she, it

subject plural: they
object singular: him, her, it
object plural: them

Example: I wanted to give them to her, but he wouldnt let me.

I first person singular
Them third person plural
Her third person singular
He third person singular
Me first person singular
Possessive Pronouns
Like regular nouns, personal pronouns can also be possessive. Possessive
Determiners are possessive forms of personal pronouns. Possessive
Determiners must have a following noun.
First person determiner singular: MY (book)
First person determiner plural: OUR (book)

First person pronoun singular: Mine

First person pronoun plural Ours
Second
Second
Second
Second
Third
Third
Third
Third

person
person
person
person

person
person
person
person

determiner singular: YOUR (book)

determiner plural YOUR (book)
pronoun singular: Yours
pronoun plural: Yours

determiner singular: IS, HER, ITS (book)

determiner plural: THEIR (book)
pronoun singular: His, hers, its
pronoun plural: Theirs

Example: They have MY bags but they know theyre MINE.

My Determiner, dependent on Bags
Mine stands in place of My bags.
Indefinite Pronouns
These have no specific antecedents. These are usually identified with general
words like: all, any, some, or none.
Examples:
Singular: another, both, nobody, everything, nothing, somebody, everyone, no
one, something, etc.
Plural: all, many, most, much, some
Examples: Somebody has her bags.
Plural: Everyone knows about Marias bags.
Indefinite pronouns are only pronouns if they are used ALONE. If they are used
with a noun, they become indefinite adjectives.
Pronoun: Both knew they were Marias bags.
Adjective: Both baggers knew they were Marias bags.
If the subject performs actions TO or FOR itself, the action in the sentence
passes BACK to the subject and becomes a reflexive pronoun.
First person singular: Myself
First person plural: Ourselves
Second person singular: Yourself
Second person plural: Yourselves
Third person singular: Himself/Herself/Itself
Third person plural: Themselves

Example: We asked OURSELVES where her bags were.

We is the doer and receiver of the action ask.
Intensive Pronouns are used to point back to the noun or pronoun for emphasis.
Example: I myself knew they were Marias bags.
The intensive pronoun does not always need to directly follow the noun.
Example: I prefer walking myself.
Reciprocal pronouns express mutual action.
Examples: each other/ each others
One another/one anothers
Maria and Heather greeted each other.
Interrogative Pronouns
These are used to ask questions and can be personal or non-personal
Personal subject: Who/Whoever
Personal object: Whom/Whomever
Personal possessive: Whose
Non-personal subject: Which
Non-personal subject: What
Example:
Who has the bags?
Which bagger has them?
Whose bags are these?
Demonstrative Pronouns
These substitute specific nouns, usually when someone is gesturing toward
something.
Singular: This/That
Plural: These/Those
Example: These are for her.
Verbs
A verb is an action part of speech. It can also express a state of being, or the
relationship between two things. It is most powerful when following a noun.
Example: He HIT her. Verbs are the most complicated part of speech because
they can sometimes become nouns, depending on their use.

The three kinds of verbs: transitive verbs, intransitive verbs, and linking verbs.

Transitive verbs
These take objects. Transitive verbs carry the action of subject and apply it to
the object.
Example: She TOOK the bags.
Intransitive verbs
These do not take an object, but express actions that do not require the agent
doing something to something else.
Example: She LEFT.
Linking verbs
These link the agent with the rest of the sentence and explain the link between
the subject and the rest of the sentence.
Examples: appear, grow, seem, smell, taste
Example: Maria seems tired from shopping.
The Lay/Lie and Raise/Rise Confusion
These two pairs of verbs are constantly misused. In each, there is a transitive
verb (TRV) and an intransitive verb (INV).
Lie Intransitive, means recline or be situated
Lay Transitive, means to place or put something
Rise Intransitive, means to get up.
Raise Transitive, means to lift something up.
Infinitive INV: Lie
TRV: Lay
INV: Rise
TRV: Raise
Past Tense Lie (Lay)
Raise (Raised

Modal Verbs
Here's a list of the modal verbs in English:
can

could

may

might

will

would

must

shall

should

ought to

Modals are different from normal verbs:

1: They don't use an 's' for the third person singular.

2: They make questions by inversion ('she can go' becomes 'can she go?').
3: They are followed directly by the infinitive of another verb (without 'to').
Probability:
First, they can be used when we want to say how sure we are that something
happened / is happening / will happen. We often call these 'modals of
deduction' or 'speculation' or 'certainty' or 'probability'.
For example:

It's snowing, so it must be very cold outside.

I don't know where John is. He could have missed the train.

This bill can't be right. 200 for two cups of coffee!

Ability
We use 'can' and 'could' to talk about a skill or ability.
For example:

She can speak six languages.

My grandfather could play golf very well.

I can't drive.

Obligation and Advice

We can use verbs such as 'must' or 'should' to say when something is

necessary or unnecessary, or to give advice.
For example:

Children must do their homework.

We have to wear a uniform at work.

You should stop smoking.

Permission
We can use verbs such as 'can', 'could' and 'may' to ask for and give
permission. We also use modal verbs to say something is not allowed.
For example:

Could I leave early today, please?

You may not use the car tonight.

Can we swim in the lake?

Habits
We can use 'will' and 'would' to talk about habits or things we usually do, or did
in the past.
For example:

When I lived in Italy, we would often eat in the restaurant next to my

flat.

John will always be late!

Past modals
The past modals 'could have + past participle', 'should have + past participle'
and 'would have + past participle' can be confusing

adverbial clause
is a dependent clause that functions as an adverb; that is, the entire clause
modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. As with all clauses, it contains

a subject and predicate, although the subject as well as the (predicate) verb
may sometimes be omitted and implied (see below).
An adverbial clause is commonly, but not always, fronted by a subordinate
conjunctionsometimes called a trigger word. (In the examples below the
adverbial clause is italicized and the subordinate conjunction is bolded.)

Mary, the aspiring actress, became upset as soon as she saw the
casting list.

(subject: she; predicate: saw the casting list; the clause modifies the
verb became)

Peter Paul, the drama teacher, met with Mary after she came to the
next class.

(explicit subject: she; predicate: came to the next class.; predicate

(verb): came; the clause modifies the verb met;)

He talked carefully in order to appear fair.

He talked carefully in order .. [that 'he'] appear fair.

(implied subject, he, is omitted; predicate (verb): appear; the clause modifies
the adverb carefully)

The little boy preferred fierce dinosaurs, as T rex.

The little boy preferred fierce dinosaurs, as [was] T rex.

(subject of the clause: T rex; predicate of the clause: [was], implied; the clause
modifies the adjective fierce.)
According to Sidney Greenbaum and Randolph Quirk, adverbial clauses
function mainly as adjuncts or disjuncts, which parts also perform in a sentence
as adverbial phrases or as adverbial prepositional
phrases (Greenbaum and Quirk,1990). Unlike clauses, phrases do not contain a
subject and predicate; they are contrasted here:

We left the convention the day before.

(adverbial phrase; contains no subject or predicate)

We left before the speeches.

(adverbial prepositional phrase; contains no subject or predicateand no verb

(action) is implied)

We left after the speeches ended.

(adverbial clause; contains subject and predicate)

We left after the speeches.

or, (".. after the speeches [ended]")

(adverbial clause; contains subject and predicate, but the verb 'ended' is
omitted and implied)
Type of
clause

Common
conjunctions

time

Conjunctions
answering the
question
"when?", such as:
when, before,
after, since,
while, as, as long
as, till, until, etc.;
or the paired
(correlative)
conjunctions:
hardly...when,
scarcely...when,
barely...when, no
sooner...than[1]

conditio
n

purpose

if, unless, lest

in order to, so
that, in order that

Function

Example

These clauses:

Her goldfish
died when she was
young.

Say when somethin

g happens by
referring to a
period or point of
time, or to another
event.

He came after night

had fallen.
We barely had gotten
there when mighty
Casey struck out.

Talk about a
possible or
counterfactual
situation and its
consequences.

If they lose weight

during an illness,
they soon regain it
afterwards.

Indicate the
purpose of an
action.

They had to take

some of his land so
that they could
extend the
chuchyard.

because, since,
as, given

Indicate the reason

for something.

I couldn't feel anger

against himbecause I
liked him too much.

concessi
on

although, though,
while

Make two
statements, one of
which contrasts
with the other or
makes it seem
surprising.

I used to read a
lot although I don't
get much time for
books now.

place

Answering the
question
"where?": where,
wherever,
anywhere,
everywhere, etc.

Talk about the

location or position
of something.

He said he was
happy where he was.

reason

State comparison
of a skill, size or
amount, etc.

Johan can speak

English as fluently as
his teacher.

compari
son

as...as, than, as

manner

Answering the
question, "how"?:
as, like, the way

Talk about
someone's
behavior or the
way something is
done.

I was never allowed

to do things as I
wanted to do them.

so...that,
such...that

Indicate the
result(s) of an act
or event.

My suitcase had
become so damagedt
hat the lid would not
stay closed.

results

She is a better
cook than I.