http://www.allonlinefree.com EASY ENGLISH GRAMMAR Easy Way To Learn English Tenses Tenses >> Present simple Structure of present simple I work in a bank. I don't (do not) work in a bank. Do you work in a bank? He works in a bank. He doesn't (does not) work in a bank. Does he work in a bank? Present simple - common mistakes Common mistakes Correct version Why? http://www.allonlinefree.com 1 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com I working in London. I work in London. The gerund ing form is not used in the present simple. He work in London. He works in London. The third person he, she, it adds the letter s. He work in London? Does he work in London? Questions - third person: does + subject + infinitive. All other persons: do + subject + infinitive. Work he in London? Does he work in London? He not work in London. He doesn't work in London. Negatives - third person: subject + doesn't + http://www.allonlinefree.com 2 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com infinitive. All other persons: subject + don't + infinitive. http://www.allonlinefree.com 3 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com Tenses >> Past simple Structure of past simple I saw him yesterday. I didn't (did not) see him yesterday. Did you see him? Past simple - common mistakes Common mistakes Correct version Why? I was work in London. I worked in London. In positive sentences, a helping verb such as 'was' or 'did' is not used. He worked in London? Did he work in London? The helping verb 'did' is used in past http://www.allonlinefree.com 4 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com simple questions. Worked he in London? Did he work in London? The helping verb 'did' is used in past simple questions. Did he wrote a letter? Did he write a letter? The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives. He didn't wrote a letter. He didn't write a letter. The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives. http://www.allonlinefree.com 5 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com Tenses >> Present perfect tense Structure of present perfect I've (I have) seen him. I haven't (have not) seen him. Have you seen him? He's (he has) gone. He hasn't (has not) gone. Has he gone? Present perfect simple - common mistakes Common mistakes Correct version Why? Steven has wrote a new book. Steven has written a new book. The past participle of the verb http://www.allonlinefree.com 6 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com must be used - wrote is past simple, written is the past participle. Did you have seen him before? Have you seen him before? The helping verb 'have' is used in the present perfect- it is inverted with the person (you have becomes have you). I didn't have seen him before. I haven't seen him before. The helping verb 'have' is used in the present perfect- to make it negative we http://www.allonlinefree.com 7 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com simply add not (n't). I am here since last week. I have been here since last week. The present perfect is used to show an action which continues to the present (an unfinished action). I've been knowing him for 5 years. I've known him for 5 years. Verbs such as know, want, like, etc. (stative verbs) suggest permanent states, not actions, so are used in the simple http://www.allonlinefree.com 8 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com form, NOT the -ing form. http://www.allonlinefree.com 9 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com Tenses >> Past perfect tense Structure of past perfect I'd (I had) seen him. You hadn't (had not) seen him. Had you seen him? Past perfect - common mistakes Common mistakes Correct version Why? I didn't been to London. I hadn't been to London. The helping verb had / hadn't is used in the past perfect. When I saw him, I When I saw him I noticed The action (haircut) http://www.allonlinefree.com 10 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com noticed that he had a haircut. that he had had a haircut. which happened before another past action must be put into the past perfect to make the time order clear to the listener. He told me has been to London. He told me he had been to London. His original words were: ''I have been to London.'' However, in reported speech we move the tense back - present perfect (have been) http://www.allonlinefree.com 11 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com becomes past perfect (had been). http://www.allonlinefree.com 12 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com Tenses >> Future simple tense Structure of future simple I'll (I will) be there tomorrow. I won't (will not) be there tomorrow. Will you be there tomorrow? Future simple - common mistakes Common mistakes Correct version Why? - The phone's ringing. - OK, I'm going to answer it. Ok -I'll answer it. If the action is decided at the moment of speaking, we use will / will not (won't). http://www.allonlinefree.com 13 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com I'm sure he is going to help you. I'm sure he will help you. When we say what we think or expect, we use will (won't). I promise I'm going to help. I promise I'll help. After promise we usually use will. I'll call you when I'll come to my office. I'll call you when I come to my office. When we refer to the future in adverbial clauses, we normally use present simple (after when, as soon as, until). If you will give me your address, I'll If you give me your address, I'll When we refer to the future in http://www.allonlinefree.com 14 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com http://www.allonlinefree.com send you a postcard. send you a postcard. conditional clauses, we normally use the present simple. I can't see you next week. I will return to Paris. I can't see you next week. I am returning/am going to return to Paris. To show that the decision was made in the past, we use the present continuous or the 'going to' future. http://www.allonlinefree.com 15 of 129 www.allonlinefree.com