Verb tenses (Affirmative, negative and Interrogative)

Verb tenses in English indicate the time of actions or event.

Verb tenses indicate the time when an action or event occurs. They help clarify whether something happened in the past, is happening in the present, or will happen in the future. 

Simple present 

The simple present is used to describe actions that are habitual, facts or general truths. 

In the third person singular (He, She, It) the verb ends in s or es after ch, o, x, s (does/watches).

Verbs ending in consonant and y change into ies (she cries).

You use a form of do in negatives and questions ( Do you like it? she doesn't like it).

We do not add s to the main verb in negatives and questions.

Affirmative:                             

• I watch TV
• He watches TV
• They watch TV

Negative:

• I do not watch TV
• He does not watch TV
• They do not watch TV

Interrogative:

• Do I watch TV?
• Does He watch TV?
• Do They  watch TV?

Present continuous

The present continuous is used to describe actions that are happening right now are temporary, or in progress at the moment of speaking. 

You use the present continuous to talk about something that is happening at the moment or temporary situations. 

You use the present continuous with the simple present of be + verb + ing. 

Affirmative:

• I am reading 
• He is reading 
• They are reading 

Negative:

• I'm not reading 
• He isn't reading 
• They aren't reading 

Interrogative:

• Am I reading? 
• Is he reading? 
• Are their reading? 

Simple past

The simple past is used to describe actions that were completed at a specific time in the past. 

You use the past to talk about an action which started and finished at a definite time in the past.

1. Regular verbs form their past by adding - ed (work+ed= worked) 
2. Irregular verbs have different forms (go - went) 
3. You use did in negatives and questions except for the verb be. 
4. We do not add - ed to the main verb in negatives and questions. 

Affirmative:

• I wrote a letter
• He wrote a letter
• They wrote a letter

Negative:

• I didn't write a letter
• He didn't write a letter
• They didn't write a letter

Interrogative:

• Did I write a letter
• Did he write a letter
• Did they write a letter

Past continuous

The past continuous is used to describe actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past. It emphasizes that the actions was in the progress at a particular moment or during a period in the past. 

You use the past continuous to say that you were in the middle of an action (the action wasn't finished at that time). 

You form the Past continuous using was/were + verb + ing. 

Affirmative:

• I was working
• He was working
• There were working

Negative:

• I wasn't working 
• He wasn't working 
• They weren't working 

Interrogative:

• Was I working? 
• Was he working? 
• Were they working? 

Present perfect 

The Present perfect tells us about an action that happened at an undefined time in the past or is unfinished. 

We often use just, alread, yet, since and for with the present perfect. 

1. The Present perfect consists of the present of have + past participle. 
2. Regular past participles end in - ed (worked).

Affirmative:

• I have finished 
• He has finished 
• They have finished 

Negative:

• I haven't finished 
• He hasn't finished 
• They haven't finished 

Interrogative:

• Have I finished? 
• Has he finished? 
• Have they finished? 

Present perfect continuous

The Present perfect continuous describes something that started in the past but is unfinished. 

The present perfect continuous consists of the present of have + been + verb +ing. 

Affirmative:

• I have been learning 
• He has been learning 
• They have been learning 

Negative:

• I haven't been learning 
• He hasn't been learning 
• They haven't been learning 

Interrogative:

• Have I been learning? 
• Has he been learning? 
• Have they been learning? 

Future (will) 

Will + infinitive without to

To predict that something will happen. Tomorrow there will be heavy rain. 

For an instant decision at the moment of speaking. 

Affirmative:

• I will /shall work
• You will work
• He will work
• We will/shall work
• You will work
• They will work

Negative:

• I won't shan't work
• You won't work
• He won't work
• We won't /shan't work
• You won't work
• They won't work

Interrogative:

• Shall /will you work? 
• Will you work? 
• Will he work? 
• Shall/will we work? 
• Will you work? 
• Will they work? 

Going to Future

Be + going to + infinitive

Future idea seen as a result of something in the present. 

For an intention (something that we have decided). I'm going to visit my grandmother. 

Affirmative:

• I am going to work
• You are going to work
• He is going to work
• We are going to work
• You are going to work
• They are going to work

Negative:

• I'm not going to work
• You are not going to work 
• He is going to work 
• We are going to work 
• You are going to work 
• They are going to work

Interrogative:

• Am I going to work? 
• Are you going to work? 
• Is he going to work? 
• Are we going to work? 
• Are you going to work? 
• Are they going to work? 

Infinitive 

Infinitive with to 

Some verbs are followed by a "to infinitivo" 

1. Verbs of saying and thinking: afford, agree, choose, decide, expect, hope, intend, learn, mean, offer, plan, promise, refuse, seem. The old couple refused to talk to Mr. Telgord. 
2. Other verbs: fail, manage, pretend, help, want, wish. His neighborhouds pretended to faint when they saw the Vietname pig. 
3. Some verbs are followed by a "wh-word" and a "to Infinitive" clauses: ask, explain, imagine, learn, understand, forget, know, remember, Wonder.

Infinitive without to

You use the Infinitive without to after model verbs: can, may, must, should.

They can get along if they want. 

Note: each tense serves a different purpose in conveying time, duration, or relationship between actions.