Grammar Reference
Present Simple
You use the present simple to talk about facts, habits and routines.
Jack lives in the U.S.
She doesn't use a laptop computer.
Do they go to the gym every day?
Affirmative Negative
liv
I
e
I do not (don't)
liv
He / She / It He / She / It does not (doesn't) live
es
You / We / They do not (don't)
You / We / liv
They e
Short answers
Question
Affirmative Negative
do not
Do I I do I
(don't)
Do he / she / Y he / she / do N
liv he / does not
es it es it es o
e? she / it (doesn't)
you / , you / ,
Do do you / we do not
we / they we / they
/ they (don't)
Spelling:
Most verbs add -s in the third person singular.
live → lives → She lives in France.
Add -es to do and go and verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -s and -x.
watch → watches → He watches a movie every night.
Verbs ending in consonant + -y, change to -i and add -es.
study → studies → She studies all the time.
Note:
The third person singular of have is has.
He has a big apartment in the city.
,Present Continuous
You use the present continuous to talk about things that are happening now.
I'm reading the report.
He isn't working.
Are they having lunch?
You also use the present continuous for things that are temporary or happening around now.
I'm reading a good book at the moment.
He's working in London this week.
You use the present continuous to talk about fixed arrangements you have made for the future.
They're having dinner with Sam tomorrow tonight.
Peter isn't interviewing anyone tomorrow.
Are you going skiing next year?
Affirmative Negative
am
I
('m) am not ('m
I
He / is not)
wri writi
She / It ('s) He / She / It is not (isn't)
ting ng
You / You / We / are not
are
We / They (aren't)
('re)
They
Short answers
Question
Affirmative Negative
a 'm
A I I
I m not
m
Y he / she / N he / isn'
he / she / writi is
Is es it o she / it t
it ng?
, a , you /
A you / we / you / are
r we /
re they we / they n't
e they
Spelling:
Add -ing to most verbs.
play → playing → I'm playing tennis.
,Verbs ending in consonant + -e, take away -e and add -ing.
write → writing → He's writing a letter.
Verbs ending in a vowel + a consonant, double the consonant.
sit → sitting → They're sitting in a park.
Present Simple or Present Continuous
You use the present simple to talk about things that happen regularly.
It often rains at this time of year.
You use the present continuous to describe things at this moment and around now.
Look! It's raining again. Lots of people are going inside.
You usually use the present simple with these verbs:
love , hate, like, agree, prefer, understand, believe , know
Past Simple: Regular Verbs
You use the past simple to talk about completed actions in the past, often with a time expression like last night.
I called the office last night.
They didn't stay for the presentation yesterday afternoon.
She studied business administration from 1995 to 1998.
Affirmative Negative
I
I
He / She /
watc He / She / It did not watc
It
hed You / We / (didn't) h
You / We /
They
They
Short answers
Question
Affirmative Negative
I I
I
he / he /
D Y he / she / d N
she / it wat she / it did
i es it i o
you / ch? you / n't
d , you / d ,
we / we /
we / they
they they
Spelling:
, Add -ed to most regular verbs.
call → called → They called last night.
Add -d to verbs ending in consonant + -e.
arrive → arrived → We arrived at 9 o'clock.
Verbs ending in a consonant + -y, change -y to -i and add -ed.
study → studied → I studied all evening.
Question Words:
You use question words like who, when, where, what with past simple questions.
Who did she talk to?
When did they leave?
Where did you go?
What did you say?
Past Simple: Irregular Verbs
Many verbs are irregular and have irregular past simple forms.
I fell in love last year.
[fall → fell]
She bought a business class ticket.
[buy → bought]
They met Mr. Peterson yesterday.
[meet → met]
Affirmative Negative
I I
He / He / She
s s
She / It / It did not
a e
You / You / (didn't)
w e
We / We /
They They
Short answers
Question
Affirmative Negative
I s YI I di
D d N
he / e e he / he / d
i i o
she / e s she / she / n'
Present Simple
You use the present simple to talk about facts, habits and routines.
Jack lives in the U.S.
She doesn't use a laptop computer.
Do they go to the gym every day?
Affirmative Negative
liv
I
e
I do not (don't)
liv
He / She / It He / She / It does not (doesn't) live
es
You / We / They do not (don't)
You / We / liv
They e
Short answers
Question
Affirmative Negative
do not
Do I I do I
(don't)
Do he / she / Y he / she / do N
liv he / does not
es it es it es o
e? she / it (doesn't)
you / , you / ,
Do do you / we do not
we / they we / they
/ they (don't)
Spelling:
Most verbs add -s in the third person singular.
live → lives → She lives in France.
Add -es to do and go and verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -s and -x.
watch → watches → He watches a movie every night.
Verbs ending in consonant + -y, change to -i and add -es.
study → studies → She studies all the time.
Note:
The third person singular of have is has.
He has a big apartment in the city.
,Present Continuous
You use the present continuous to talk about things that are happening now.
I'm reading the report.
He isn't working.
Are they having lunch?
You also use the present continuous for things that are temporary or happening around now.
I'm reading a good book at the moment.
He's working in London this week.
You use the present continuous to talk about fixed arrangements you have made for the future.
They're having dinner with Sam tomorrow tonight.
Peter isn't interviewing anyone tomorrow.
Are you going skiing next year?
Affirmative Negative
am
I
('m) am not ('m
I
He / is not)
wri writi
She / It ('s) He / She / It is not (isn't)
ting ng
You / You / We / are not
are
We / They (aren't)
('re)
They
Short answers
Question
Affirmative Negative
a 'm
A I I
I m not
m
Y he / she / N he / isn'
he / she / writi is
Is es it o she / it t
it ng?
, a , you /
A you / we / you / are
r we /
re they we / they n't
e they
Spelling:
Add -ing to most verbs.
play → playing → I'm playing tennis.
,Verbs ending in consonant + -e, take away -e and add -ing.
write → writing → He's writing a letter.
Verbs ending in a vowel + a consonant, double the consonant.
sit → sitting → They're sitting in a park.
Present Simple or Present Continuous
You use the present simple to talk about things that happen regularly.
It often rains at this time of year.
You use the present continuous to describe things at this moment and around now.
Look! It's raining again. Lots of people are going inside.
You usually use the present simple with these verbs:
love , hate, like, agree, prefer, understand, believe , know
Past Simple: Regular Verbs
You use the past simple to talk about completed actions in the past, often with a time expression like last night.
I called the office last night.
They didn't stay for the presentation yesterday afternoon.
She studied business administration from 1995 to 1998.
Affirmative Negative
I
I
He / She /
watc He / She / It did not watc
It
hed You / We / (didn't) h
You / We /
They
They
Short answers
Question
Affirmative Negative
I I
I
he / he /
D Y he / she / d N
she / it wat she / it did
i es it i o
you / ch? you / n't
d , you / d ,
we / we /
we / they
they they
Spelling:
, Add -ed to most regular verbs.
call → called → They called last night.
Add -d to verbs ending in consonant + -e.
arrive → arrived → We arrived at 9 o'clock.
Verbs ending in a consonant + -y, change -y to -i and add -ed.
study → studied → I studied all evening.
Question Words:
You use question words like who, when, where, what with past simple questions.
Who did she talk to?
When did they leave?
Where did you go?
What did you say?
Past Simple: Irregular Verbs
Many verbs are irregular and have irregular past simple forms.
I fell in love last year.
[fall → fell]
She bought a business class ticket.
[buy → bought]
They met Mr. Peterson yesterday.
[meet → met]
Affirmative Negative
I I
He / He / She
s s
She / It / It did not
a e
You / You / (didn't)
w e
We / We /
They They
Short answers
Question
Affirmative Negative
I s YI I di
D d N
he / e e he / he / d
i i o
she / e s she / she / n'
