Simple Present Forms

Most Verbs
Most verbs conjugate like the verb "run" below. Notice how you add an "s" to thirdperson forms. Third-person negative forms and third-person questions are made using "does." Positive

Negative

Question

I run. You run. We run. They run. He runs. She runs. It runs.

I do not run. You do not run. We do not run. They do not run. He does not run. She does not run. It does not run.

Do I run? Do you run? Do we run? Do they run? Does he run? Does she run? Does it run?

Instead of "s," "es" is added to positive, third-person forms of verbs ending with the following sounds: s, z, sh, ch, j or zs (as in Zsa Zsa). These special "es"-forms have been marked below with an asterisk*. Positive

Negative

Question

I rush. You rush. We rush. They rush. He rushes. * She rushes. * It rushes. *

I do not rush. You do not rush. We do not rush. They do not rush. He does not rush. She does not rush. It does not rush.

Do I rush? Do you rush? Do we rush? Do they rush? Does he rush? Does she rush? Does it rush?

To Have
The verb "have" is irregular in positive, third-person forms. This irregular form has been marked below with an asterisk*. Positive

Negative

Question

I have. You have. We have. They have. He has. * She has. * It has. *

I do not have. You do not have. We do not have. They do not have. He does not have. She does not have. It does not have.

Do I have? Do you have? Do we have? Do they have? Does he have? Does she have? Does it have?

To Be
The verb "be" is irregular in the Simple Present. It also has different question forms and negative forms. Positive

Negative

Question

I am. You are. We are. They are. He is. She is. It is.

I am not. You are not. We are not. They are not. He is not. She is not. It is not.

Am I? Are you? Are we? Are they? Is he? Is she? Is it?

Modal Verbs
Modal verbs behave differently from other verbs. Notice that they do not take "s" in the third person - there is no difference between first-person, second-person or third-person forms. Like the verb "be" described above, modal verbs also have different question forms and negative forms in Simple Present. Positive

Negative

Question

I should go. You should go. We should go. They should go. He should go. She should go. It should go.

I should not go. You should not go. We should not go. They should not go. He should not go. She should not go. It should not go.

Should I go? Should you go? Should we go? Should they go? Should he go? Should she go? Should it go?

Present Continuous Forms

Positive

Negative

Question

I am speaking. You are speaking. We are speaking. They are speaking. He is speaking. She is speaking. It is speaking.

I am not speaking. You are not speaking. We are not speaking. They are not speaking. He is not speaking. She is not speaking. It is not speaking.

Am I speaking? Are you speaking? Are we speaking? Are they speaking? Is he speaking? Is she speaking? Is it speaking?

Simple Past Forms

Most Verbs
Most verbs conjugate by adding -ed like the verb "wait" below. Positive

Negative

Question

I waited. You waited. We waited. They waited. He waited. She waited. It waited.

I did not wait. You did not wait. We did not wait. They did not wait. He did not wait. She did not wait. It did not wait.

Did I wait? Did you wait? Did we wait? Did they wait? Did he wait? Did she wait? Did it wait?

Irregular Verbs
Many verbs, such as "have," take irregular forms in the Simple Past. Notice that you only use the irregular verbs in statements. In negative forms and questions, "did" indicates Simple Past. To learn more about irregular verbs, visit Englishpage.com's Irregular Verb Dictionary. You can also use Englishpage.com's Online Irregular Verb Flashcards to memorize irregular verb forms. Positive

Negative

Question

I had. You had. We had. They had. He had. She had. It had.

I did not have. You did not have. We did not have. They did not have. He did not have. She did not have. It did not have.

Did I have? Did you have? Did we have? Did they have? Did he have? Did she have? Did it have?

To Be
The verb "be" is also irregular in the Simple Past. Unlike other irregular verbs, there are two Simple Past forms: "was" and "were." It also has different question forms and negative forms. Always remember that you DO NOT use "did" with the verb "be" in the Simple Past. Positive

Negative

Question

I was. You were. We were. They were. He was. She was. It was.

I was not. You were not. We were not. They were not. He was not. She was not. It was not.

Was I? Were you? Were we? Were they? Was he? Was she? Was it?

Modal Verbs
Modal verbs behave very strangely in the Simple Past. The most important verb to remember is "must." Notice how it becomes "had to" in the Simple Past. "Must" becomes "had to":

I must call my wife now. I had to call my wife yesterday.

Past Continuous Forms

Positive

Negative

Question

I was singing. You were singing. We were singing. They were singing. He was singing. She was singing. It was singing.

I was not singing. You were not singing. We were not singing. They were not singing. He was not singing. She was not singing. It was not singing.

Was I singing? Were you singing? Were we singing? Were they singing? Was he singing? Was she singing? Was it singing?

Present Perfect Forms

Positive

Negative

Question

I have traveled. You have traveled. We have traveled. They have traveled. He has traveled. She has traveled. It has traveled.

I have not traveled. You have not traveled. We have not traveled. They have not traveled. He has not traveled. She has not traveled. It has not traveled.

Have I traveled? Have you traveled? Have we traveled? Have they traveled? Has he traveled? Has she traveled? Has it traveled?

Present Perfect Continuous Forms

Positive

Negative

Question

I have been sleeping. You have been sleeping. We have been sleeping. They have been sleeping. He has been sleeping. She has been sleeping. It has been sleeping.

I have not been sleeping. You have not been sleeping. We have not been sleeping. They have not been sleeping. He has not been sleeping. She has not been sleeping. It has not been sleeping.

Have I been sleeping? Have you been sleeping? Have we been sleeping? Have they been sleeping? Has he been sleeping? Has she been sleeping? Has it been sleeping?

Past Perfect Forms

Positive

Negative

Question

I had finished. You had finished. We had finished. They had finished. He had finished. She had finished. It had finished.

I had not finished. You had not finished. We had not finished. They had not finished. He had not finished. She had not finished. It had not finished.

Had I finished? Had you finished? Had we finished? Had they finished? Had he finished? Had she finished? Had it finished?

Past Perfect Continuous Forms

Positive

Negative

Question

I had been listening. You had been listening. We had been listening. They had been listening. He had been listening. She had been listening. It had been listening.

I had not been listening. You had not been listening. We had not been listening. They had not been listening. He had not been listening. She had not been listening. It had not been listening.

Had I been listening? Had you been listening? Had we been listening? Had they been listening? Had he been listening? Had she been listening? Had it been listening?

Simple Future Forms

Using "Will"
Positive

Negative

Question

I will help. You will help. We will help. They will help. He will help. She will help. It will help.

I will not help. You will not help. We will not help. They will not help. He will not help. She will not help. It will not help.

Will I help? Will you help? Will we help? Will they help? Will he help? Will she help? Will it help?

Using "Be Going to"

Positive

Negative

Question

I am going to leave. You are going to leave. We are going to leave. They are going to leave. He is going to leave. She is going to leave. It is going to leave.

I am not going to leave. You are not going to leave. We are not going to leave. They are not going to leave. He is not going to leave. She is not going to leave. It is not going to leave.

Am I going to leave? Are you going to leave? Are we going to leave? Are they going to leave? Is he going to leave? Is she going to leave? Is it going to leave?

Future Continuous Forms

Using "Will"
Positive

Negative

Question

I will be waiting. You will be waiting. We will be waiting. They will be waiting. He will be waiting. She will be waiting. It will be waiting.

I will not be waiting. You will not be waiting. We will not be waiting. They will not be waiting. He will not be waiting. She will not be waiting. It will not be waiting.

Will I be waiting? Will you be waiting? Will we be waiting? Will they be waiting? Will he be waiting? Will she be waiting? Will it be waiting?

Using "Be Going To"

Positive

Negative

Question

I am going to be waiting. You are going to be waiting. We are going to be waiting. They are going to be waiting. He is going to be waiting. She is going to be waiting. It is going to be waiting.

I am not going to be waiting. You are not going to be waiting. We are not going to be waiting. They are not going to be waiting. He is not going to be waiting. She is not going to be waiting. It is not going to be waiting.

Am I going to be waiting? Are you going to be waiting? Are we going to be waiting? Are they going to be waiting? Is he going to be waiting? Is she going to be waiting? Is it going to be waiting?