Diagrama semanal
VERB TO BE
The Verb To Be
Using the Most Basic Verb in English
The verb to be is a key verb in English, playing a major part in many types of constructions, as in all other European languages ( etre in French, sein in German, ser/estar in Spanish). It has many usages and meanings, both as a main verb and as an auxiliary verb. It also acts differently in negative sentencesand questions. To know more, read these sections of our review on the verb to be in English.
1. Forms
2. Meaning
3. Uses
4. In negative sentences.
5. In questions
6. With time expressions
7. Summary1. Forms
The verb to be has the most forms in English (8 forms):Base form Present Participle Past Participle be being been Present Simple Tense Past Simple Tense I am
He, She, It is
We, You, They areI, He, She, It was
We, You, They were2. Meaning
• As a main verb in a sentence, to be is a stative verb serving as a copula (a verb linking the subject with its complement). As every sentence in English must have a verb, to be is used in many cases where there is no action described in the sentence.
I am Dan Smith. She is a doctor. We are from Spain.
[Existence, identity]
He was with his sister in Madrid while we were at home.
[Location]
I will be 32 in December.
[Age]
This dress is size 9. Her last apartment was very small.
[Size]
The sky is blue, and so is my favorite color.
[Color]
We are from Italy.
[Origin]
How are you today ? I ’m fine, thanks.
[Mood]
My new teacher is very nice.
The results of our research are very promising.
[copula]
• To be is also part of many commonly used verb phrases, such as the following:
to be afraid, to be aware of, to be happy, to be derived from3. Uses
As an auxiliary verb, to be is used to create progressive verb forms and passive constructions.
• The general formula for progressive forms is:Auxiliary verb + Main verb Be + Present Participle (Ving) Donna is reading her new book.
[ is reading is in the Present Progressive Tense]
Her Parents have been working in book publishing for years.
[ have been publishing is in the Present Progressive Tense]
Ron may be traveling in India next month.
[ may be traveling is a modal progressive form]
• The general formula for passive forms is:Auxiliary verb + Main verb Be + Past Participle English is spoken around the world.
[ is spoken is in the Present Simple Passive]
While the new airport was being built, my parents decided to move.
[ Was being built is in the Past Progressive Passive]
This story could have been written differently.
[ could have been written is in a modal perfect passive form]4. In negative sentences
When a sentence in either the Present Simple or Past Simple tenses has to be as a main verb, then no auxiliary verb is needed for negation. The word not is simply added after the verb. In other words, the verbs to be and to do do not appear in one verb phrase together.
Positive sentence – She is from Spain.
Negative sentence – She is not from Spain.
[ to be is the main verb, no auxiliary verb needed]
Positive sentence – She works in Madrid.
Negative Sentence – She doesn’t work in Madrid.
[ to be is not he main verb, auxiliary verb needed]5. In questions
When a sentence in either the Present Simple or Past Simple tenses has to be as a main verb, then no auxiliary verb is needed for forming questions. The beverb form is inverted before the subject. In other words, the verbs to be and to do do not appear in one verb phrase together.
Positive sentence – She is from Spain.
Yes/No question – Is she from Spain ?
[ to be is the main verb, no auxiliary verb needed]
Positive sentence – She works in Madrid.
Yes/No question – Does she work in Madrid ?
[ to be is not he main verb, auxiliary verb needed]
Positive sentence – She is from Spain.
Wh question – Where is she from ?
[ to be is the main verb, no auxiliary verb needed]
Positive sentence – She works in Madrid.
Wh question – Where does she work in ?
[ to be is not he main verb, auxiliary verb needed]
Positive sentence – She is my friend from Spain.
Wh Subject question – Who is she ?
[ to be is the main verb, no auxiliary verb needed in a Wh subject question]
Positive sentence – My Spanish friend works in Madrid.
Wh Subject question – Who works in Madrid ?
[ to be is not he main verb, no auxiliary verb needed in a Wh subject question]
6. With time expressions
Frequency adverbs appear after the verb to be and not before, as with other verbs.
She is usually on time and always works very well.
[ usually appears after is, always appears before works]7. Summary
The verb to be has a variety of usages and forms in the English language. Make sure you are using the correct form and positioning it correctly in the sentence according to the grammar rules presented here.Read the following exercises and solve them according the information presented.
The Simple Present Tense
Simple Present Tense
English Grammar Rules
The simple present tense in English is used to describe an action that is regular, true or normal.
We use the present tense:
1. For repeated or regular actions in the present time period.
- I take the train to the office.
- The train to Berlin leaves every hour.
- John sleeps eight hours every night during the week.
2. For facts.
- The President of The USA lives in The White House.
- A dog has four legs.
- We come from Switzerland.
3. For habits.
- I get up early every day.
- Carol brushes her teeth twice a day.
- They travel to their country house every weekend.
4. For things that are always / generally true.
- It rains a lot in winter.
- The Queen of England lives in Buckingham Palace.
- They speak English at work.
Verb Conjugation & Spelling
We form the present tense using the base form of the infinitive (without the TO).
In general, in the third person we add 'S' in the third person.
Subject Verb The Rest of the sentence I / you / we / they speak / learn English at home he / she / it speaks / learns English at home The spelling for the verb in the third person differs depending on the ending of that verb:
1. For verbs that end in -O, -CH, -SH, -SS, -X, or -Z we add -ES in the third person.
- go – goes
- catch – catches
- wash – washes
- kiss – kisses
- fix – fixes
- buzz – buzzes
2. For verbs that end in a consonant + Y, we remove the Y and add -IES.
- marry – marries
- study – studies
- carry – carries
- worry – worries
NOTE: For verbs that end in a vowel + Y, we just add -S.
- play – plays
- enjoy – enjoys
- say – says
Negative Sentences in the Simple Present Tense
To make a negative sentence in English we normally use Don't or Doesn't with all verbs EXCEPT To Beand Modal verbs (can, might, should etc.).
- Affirmative: You speak French.
Negative: You don't speak French.
You will see that we add don't between the subject and the verb. We use Don't when the subject is I, you,we or they.
- Affirmative: He speaks German.
Negative: He doesn't speak German.
When the subject is he, she or it, we add doesn't between the subject and the verb to make a negative sentence. Notice that the letter S at the end of the verb in the affirmative sentence (because it is in third person) disappears in the negative sentence. We will see the reason why below.
Negative Contractions
Don't = Do not
Doesn't = Does notI don't like meat = I do not like meat.
There is no difference in meaning though we normally use contractions in spoken English.
Word Order of Negative Sentences
The following is the word order to construct a basic negative sentence in English in the Present Tense using Don't or Doesn't.
Subject don't/doesn't Verb* The Rest of the sentence I / you / we / they don't have / buy
eat / like etc.cereal for breakfast he / she / it doesn't * Verb: The verb that goes here is the base form of the infinitive = The infinitive without TO before the verb. Instead of the infinitive To have it is just the have part.
Remember that the infinitive is the verb before it is conjugated (changed) and it begins with TO. For example: to have, to eat, to go, to live, to speak etc.
Examples of Negative Sentences with Don't and Doesn't:
- You don't speak Arabic.
- John doesn't speak Italian.
- We don't have time for a rest.
- It doesn't move.
- They don't want to go to the party.
- She doesn't like fish.
- Develop these exercises according the topic learnt.
Past Simple
Simple Past Tense
English Grammar
The Simple Past Tense, often just called the Past Tense, is easy to use in English.
If you already know how to use the Present Tense, then the Past Tense will be easy.
In general, the Past Tense is used to talk about something that started and finished at a definite time in the past.
How to form the Past Tense in English
The main rule is that for every verb in English, there is only one form of it in the past tense.
(The exception is the Past tense of To Be, which has two forms: was and were)This is totally different from other languages such as Spanish, French, Italian etc. where you change the verb ending for every subject.
For example: The past tense of the verb want is wanted.
Wanted is used as the past tense for all subjects/pronouns.- I wanted
- You wanted
- He wanted
- She wanted
- It wanted
- We wanted
- They wanted
So you just have to learn one word to be able to use it in the past tense. In this case we just needed to learn the one word wanted which can be used for all subjects (or people).
Past Tense Regular Verbs
To change a regular verb into its past tense form, we normally add –ED to the end of the verb.
- play – played
- cook – cooked
- rain – rained
- wait – waited
There are some exceptions with a slight change in spelling which you can see here:
Spelling of words ending in ED.Examples of sentences using regular verbs in the past tense
- Last night I played my guitar loudly and the neighbors complained.
- She kissed me on the cheek.
- It rained yesterday.
- Angela watched TV all night.
- John wanted to go to the museum.
Note: There are three different ways of pronouncing the –ed at the end of a verb in the past tense.
We recommend reading our guide about the pronunciation of –ED at the end of words.Negative sentences in the Past Tense
We use didn’t (did not) to make a negative sentence in the past tense.
This is for regular AND irregular verbs in English.
(Exception is To Be and Modal Verbs such as Can)Compare the following:
Present: They don’t live in Canada.
Past: They didn’t live in Canada.The main verb (live in the example above) is in its base form (of the infinitive). The auxiliary DIDN’T shows that the sentence is negative AND in the past tense.
NOTICE: The only difference between a negative sentence in the present tense and a negative sentence in the past tense is the change in the auxiliary verb.
Both don’t and doesn’t in the present tense become didn’t in the past tense.
Compare the negative sentences in the examples below:
Present: You don’t need a mechanic.
Past: You didn’t need a mechanic.Present: You don’t walk to work.
Past: You didn’t walk to work.Present: He doesn’t speak Japanese.
Past: He didn’t speak Japanese.Examples of negative sentences in the Past Tense
- I didn’t want to go to the dentist.
- She didn’t have time.
- You didn’t close the door.
- He didn’t come to my party.
- They didn’t study so they didn’t pass the test.
- We didn’t sleep well last night.
-
Questions in the Past Tense
We use did to make a question in the past tense.
This is for regular AND irregular verbs in English.
(Exception is To Be and Modal Verbs such as Can)Compare the following:
Present: Do they live in France?
Past: Did they live in France?The main verb (live in the example above) is in its base form (of the infinitive). The auxiliary DID shows that the question is in the past tense.
NOTICE: The only difference between a question in the present tense and a question in the past tense is the change in the auxiliary verb.
Both Do and Does in present tense questions become Didn’t in past tense questions.Compare the questions in the examples below:
Present: Do you need a doctor?
Past: Did you need a doctor?Present: Do you ride your bike to work?
Past: Did you ride your bike to work?Present: Does he live in Italy?
Past: Did he live in Italy?We can also use a question word (Who, What, Why etc.) before DID to ask for more information.
- Did you study? – Yes, I did.
- When did you study? – I studied last night.
- Where did you study? – I studied at the library.
Read more about short answers in the past tense.
Examples of Questions in the Past Tense
- Did you go to work yesterday?
- Did they arrive on time?
- Did she like the surprise?
- Where did she go?
- What did you do yesterday?
- What did you say? - I didn’t say anything.
- Why did we have to come?
Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense
Irregular verbs are ONLY irregular in affirmative/positive sentences.
(An exception to this is with the verb TO BE in the Past Tense).For example: The past tense of GO is WENT.
It does not end in –ED so it is considered irregular.The word went is used for all subjects – I, you, we, they, he, she, it.
- I went to the beach
- He went to the park.
- She went to the zoo.
- They went to the library.
BUT, as we mentioned before, it is only in its irregular form (went) in sentences that are affirmative/positive.
Compare the following using GO in the past tense.
- They went to the beach
- They didn’t go to the beach --- Didn’t shows that we are talking in the past tense.
- Did they go to the beach? --- Did shows that we are talking in the past tense.
Another example with an irregular verb.
The past of EAT is ATE.- You ate my cake.
- You didn’t eat my cake.
- Did you eat my cake?
- SOLVE THE EXERCISES ACCORDING THE TOPIC.
Past Perfect
Past Perfect
[had + past participle]
Examples:
- You had studied English before you moved to New York.
- Had you studied English before you moved to New York?
- You had not studied English before you moved to New York.
PAST PERFECT
USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Past
The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.
Examples:
- I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai.
- I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet.
- Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several times.
- Had Susan ever studied Thai before she moved to Thailand?
- She only understood the movie because she had read the book.
- Kristine had never been to an opera before last night.
- We were not able to get a hotel room because we had not booked in advance.
- A: Had you ever visited the U.S. before your trip in 2006?
B: Yes, I had been to the U.S. once before.
USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Past (Non-Continuous Verbs)
With Non-Continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past.
Examples:
- We had had that car for ten years before it broke down.
- By the time Alex finished his studies, he had been in London for over eight years.
- They felt bad about selling the house because they had owned it for more than forty years.
Although the above use of Past Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs.
IMPORTANT Specific Times with the Past Perfect
Unlike with the Present Perfect, it is possible to use specific time words or phrases with the Past Perfect. Although this is possible, it is usually not necessary.
Example:
- She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.
MOREOVER
If the Past Perfect action did occur at a specific time, the Simple Past can be used instead of the Past Perfect when "before" or "after" is used in the sentence. The words "before" and "after" actually tell you what happens first, so the Past Perfect is optional. For this reason, both sentences below are correct.
Examples:
- She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.
- She visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.
HOWEVER
If the Past Perfect is not referring to an action at a specific time, Past Perfect is not optional. Compare the examples below. Here Past Perfect is referring to a lack of experience rather than an action at a specific time. For this reason, Simple Past cannot be used.
Examples:
- She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska. Not Correct
- She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
- You had previously studied English before you moved to New York.
- Had you previously studied English before you moved to New York?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
- George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanic's license. Active
- Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanic's license. Passive
Present Perfect
Present Perfect
FORM
[has/have + past participle]
Examples:
- You have seen that movie many times.
- Have you seen that movie many times?
- You have not seen that movie many times.
Complete List of Present Perfect Forms
USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now
We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
Examples:
- I have seen that movie twenty times.
- I think I have met him once before.
- There have been many earthquakes in California.
- People have traveled to the Moon.
- People have not traveled to Mars.
- Have you read the book yet?
- Nobody has ever climbed that mountain.
- A: Has there ever been a war in the United States?
B: Yes, there has been a war in the United States.
How Do You Actually Use the Present Perfect?
The concept of "unspecified time" can be very confusing to English learners. It is best to associate Present Perfect with the following topics:
TOPIC 1 Experience
You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have never had a certain experience. The Present Perfect is NOT used to describe a specific event.
Examples:
- I have been to France.
This sentence means that you have had the experience of being in France. Maybe you have been there once, or several times. - I have been to France three times.
You can add the number of times at the end of the sentence. - I have never been to France.
This sentence means that you have not had the experience of going to France. - I think I have seen that movie before.
- He has never traveled by train.
- Joan has studied two foreign languages.
- A: Have you ever met him?
B: No, I have not met him.
TOPIC 2 Change Over Time
We often use the Present Perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period of time.
Examples:
- You have grown since the last time I saw you.
- The government has become more interested in arts education.
- Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at the university since the Asian studies program was established.
- My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.
TOPIC 3 Accomplishments
We often use the Present Perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and humanity. You cannot mention a specific time.
Examples:
- Man has walked on the Moon.
- Our son has learned how to read.
- Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.
- Scientists have split the atom.
TOPIC 4 An Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting
We often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has not happened. Using the Present Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action to happen.
Examples:
- James has not finished his homework yet.
- Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but she can communicate.
- Bill has still not arrived.
- The rain hasn't stopped.
TOPIC 5 Multiple Actions at Different Times
We also use the Present Perfect to talk about several different actions which have occurred in the past at different times. Present Perfect suggests the process is not complete and more actions are possible.
Examples:
- The army has attacked that city five times.
- I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.
- We have had many major problems while working on this project.
- She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but nobody knows why she is sick.
Time Expressions with Present Perfect
When we use the Present Perfect it means that something has happened at some point in our lives before now. Remember, the exact time the action happened is not important.
Sometimes, we want to limit the time we are looking in for an experience. We can do this with expressions such as: in the last week, in the last year, this week, this month, so far, up to now, etc.
Examples:
- Have you been to Mexico in the last year?
- I have seen that movie six times in the last month.
- They have had three tests in the last week.
- She graduated from university less than three years ago. She has worked for three different companies so far.
- My car has broken down three times this week.
NOTICE
"Last year" and "in the last year" are very different in meaning. "Last year" means the year before now, and it is considered a specific time which requires Simple Past. "In the last year" means from 365 days ago until now. It is not considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect.
Examples:
- I went to Mexico last year.
I went to Mexico in the calendar year before this one. - I have been to Mexico in the last year.
I have been to Mexico at least once at some point between 365 days ago and now.
USE 2 Duration From the Past Until Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)
With Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Present Perfect to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect.
Examples:
- I have had a cold for two weeks.
- She has been in England for six months.
- Mary has loved chocolate since she was a little girl.
Although the above use of Present Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs.
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
- You have only seen that movie one time.
- Have you only seen that movie one time?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
- Many tourists have visited that castle. Active
- That castle has been visited by many tourists. Passive
- Read the information carefully and solve the exercices.
FUTURE SIMPLE
FUTURE SIMPLE
Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to." Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time and practice, the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a specific time in the future.
FORM Will
[will + verb]
Examples:
- You will help him later.
- Will you help him later?
- You will not help him later.
FORM Be Going To
[am/is/are + going to + verb]
Examples:
- You are going to meet Jane tonight.
- Are you going to meet Jane tonight?
- You are not going to meet Jane tonight.
Complete List of Simple Future Forms
USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action
"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use "will" to respond to someone else's complaint or request for help. We also use "will" when we request that someone help us or volunteer to do something for us. Similarly, we use "will not" or "won't" when we refuse to voluntarily do something.
Examples:
- I will send you the information when I get it.
- I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.
- Will you help me move this heavy table?
- Will you make dinner?
- I will not do your homework for you.
- I won't do all the housework myself!
- A: I'm really hungry.
B: I'll make some sandwiches. - A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.
B: I'll get you some coffee. - A: The phone is ringing.
B: I'll get it.
USE 2 "Will" to Express a Promise
"Will" is usually used in promises.
Examples:
- I will call you when I arrive.
- If I am elected President of the United States, I will make sure everyone has access to inexpensive health insurance.
- I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.
- Don't worry, I'll be careful.
- I won't tell anyone your secret.
USE 3 "Be going to" to Express a Plan
"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is realistic or not.
Examples:
- He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.
- She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.
- A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?
B: We are going to meet at 6 PM. - I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.
- Michelle is going to begin medical school next year.
- They are going to drive all the way to Alaska.
- Who are you going to invite to the party?
- A: Who is going to make John's birthday cake?
B: Sue is going to make John's birthday cake.
USE 4 "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction
Both "will" and "be going to" can express the idea of a general prediction about the future. Predictions are guesses about what might happen in the future. In "prediction" sentences, the subject usually has little control over the future and therefore USES 1-3 do not apply. In the following examples, there is no difference in meaning.
Examples:
- The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.
- The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.
- John Smith will be the next President.
- John Smith is going to be the next President.
- The movie "Zenith" will win several Academy Awards.
- The movie "Zenith" is going to win several Academy Awards.
IMPORTANT
In the Simple Future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has in mind. Often, there is more than one way to interpret a sentence's meaning.
No Future in Time Clauses
Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Simple Future,Simple Present is used.
Examples:
- When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct
- When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
- You will never help him.
- Will you ever help him?
- You are never going to meet Jane.
- Are you ever going to meet Jane?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
- John will finish the work by 5:00 PM. Active
- The work will be finished by 5:00 PM. Passive
- Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. Active
- A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. Passive