1
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
VERB "TO BE"
I
ACTION VERBS
am
He
We
She
is
You
The
y
very young.
It
We
You
The
y
are
am
I
We
is
no
t
very young.
We
You
The
y
are
Am
I
he
Is
she
Do
very young?
we
We
We
hav
e
black hair.
He
You
The
y
She
I
We
We
hav
e
no
t
black hair.
He
you
he
drin
k
cold water?
she
it
have
black hair.
has
You
The
y
do
not
have
black hair.
She
does
It
I
we
Do
you
they
he
Has
I
we
He
has
It
Hav
e
does
It
She
cold water.
He
has
It
You
The
y
drin
k
VERB "TO HAVE" (USA)
She
not
they
Doe
s
you
VERB "TO HAVE" (UK)
You
The
y
do
He
She
they
You
The
y
It
it
Are
drink
s
It
It
cold water.
He
She
He
She
drink
she
it
black hair?
I
we
you
they
Doe
s
he
she
it
have
black hair?
SIMPLE PAST TENSE
VERB "TO BE"
I
He
He
She
was
She
It
very young.
We
You
The
y
wer
e
I
was
Was
?
Wer
e
very young.
wer
e
she
very young?
we
she
Did
we
you
they
they
drin
k
cold water.
drin
k
cold water?
VERB "TO HAVE" (USA)
I
He
She
She
had
black hair.
We
You
The
y
It
had
black hair.
We
You
The
y
He
He
She
She
had
We
You
The
y
Had
it
you
It
not
I
he
He
It
did
You
The
y
VERB "TO HAVE" (UK)
It
We
I
he
it
cold water.
She
no
t
We
dran
k
You
The
y
He
You
The
y
We
It
It
He
She
ACTION VERBS
I
he
she
no
t
black hair.
black hair?
It
did
not
I
he
she
have
have
black hair.
We
You
The
y
Did
black hair?
it
it
we
we
you
you
they
they
MODAL VERBS
FOR THE TENSES SEE EXAMPLES
must
I must work on Sundays. (Present)
He
can
She
could
I can speak Spanish. (Present - Capacity)
He could do it. (Past/Conditional/Past subjunctive Capacity)
It
may
It may rain. (Present - Some probability)
We
might
You
will
They
I
cold water.
It might rain. (Conditional - Less probability)
She will open the shop at nine. (Future)
would
We would study music. (Conditional)
should
They should pay us today. (Conditional)
I shall go with you. (Future)
must
You must not come late. (Present)
He
can
She
could
She can not play tennis. (Present - Capacity)
We could not speak. (Past/Conditional/Past
subjunctive - Capacity)
It
may
We
might
You
will
They will not finish tomorrow. (Future)
They
would
I would not go with you. (Conditional)
should
You should not drink too much. (Conditional)
I
We
Must
Can
Could
drink
shall
We
EXAMPLES
drink
cold water.
shall
We shall not be there. (Future)
I
he
Must he work everyday? (Present)
Can you repeat that? (Present - Capacity)
Could they find it? (Past/Conditional/Past
subjunctive - Capacity)
she
May
it
Might
we
Will
you
Would
they
Should
Shall
not
He may not come today. (Present - Some probability)
He might not come today. (Conditional - Less
probability)
drink
cold water?
May it be today? (Present - Some probability)
Might it be today? (Conditional - Less probability)
Will you visit London? (Future)
Would she teach it? (Conditional)
Should you stay home? (Conditional)
I
We
Shall we dance? (Future)
WH-QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY A SUBJECT
When you ask a question with an action verb in simple present or simple past tense,
you have to use the verb "to do" as an auxiliary. There is, though, one exception:
when the question is answered by the subject of a sentence. Thus:
Question
Who did you meet on
your vacation?
To whom did she give
the book? or
Who did she give the
book to?
Where do they live?
What does he do on
Sundays?
Answer
I met an
Australian girl.
Element in boldface is:
Direct object
She gave the book
to Phil.
Indirect object
They live in Los
Angeles.
He plays baseball
on Sundays.
Adverbial phrase
Verb
But:
Question
Who fixed the
computer?
Answer
Bill fixed the
computer.
Element in boldface is:
Subject