English Verb Tense Formula – Simple, Perfect, Progressive
updated 11/18/14
Formula for Structure
Tense
(S = Subject)
Examples
1. Simple Present
Affirmative
S + Base Verb
S + Base Verb + s
I - You - We- They begin
He - She - It begins
Negative
S + DO/DOES + not + Base Verb
I - You - We -They do not begin
He - She - It does not begin
Question
DO/DOES + S + Base Verb + ?
Do I - you - we - they begin?
Does he - she – it begin?
2. Simple Past
S + SIMPLE PAST VERB*
*-ed for Regular Verbs;
Affirmative
*change or no change for Irregular Verbs
Negative
S + DID + not + Base Verb
Question
DID + S + Base Verb ?
I-you-we-they-he-she-it began (irregular)
I-you-we-they-he-she-it started (regular)
I-you-we-they-he-she-it did not begin
I-you-we-they-he-she-it did not start
Did I-you-we-they-he-she-it begin?
Did I-you-we-they-he-she-it start?
3. Simple Future (Future with WILL)
Affirmative
S + WILL + Base Verb
I-you-we-they-he-she-it will begin
Negative
S + WILL + not (or won’t) + Base Verb
I-you-we-they-he-she-it will not begin
Question
WILL + S + Base Verb +?
Will I-you-we-they-he-she-it begin?
Affirmative
S + HAVE/HAS + Past Participle
I - You - We – They have begun
He - She - It has begun
Negative
S + HAVE/HAS + not + Past Participle
I - You - We - They have not begun
He - She - It has not begun
Question
HAVE/HAS + S + Past Participle +?
Have I - You - We –They begun?
Has he - She – it begun?
Affirmative
S + HAD + Past Participle
I-you-we-they-he-she-it had begun
Negative
S + HAD + not + Past Participle
I-you-we-they-he-she-it had not begun
Question
HAD + S + Past Participle + ?
Had I-you-we-they-he-she-it begun?
Affirmative
S + WILL HAVE + Past Participle
I-you-we-they-he-she-it will have begun
Negative
S +WLL + not + HAVE + Past Participle
I-you-we-they-he-she-it will not have begun
Question
WILL + S +HAVE + Past Participle + ?
Will I-you-we-they-he-she-it have begun?
4. Present Perfect
5. Past Perfect
6. Future Perfect
Tense
Formula for Structure
(S = Subject)
Examples
7. Present Progressive
Affirmative
S +AM/IS/ARE (present of BE verb) + Present Participle
(Present Participle = Verb + ING)
I am beginning
He - She - It is beginning
You - We -They are beginning
Negative
S + AM/IS/ARE + not + Present Participle
I am not beginning
He - She - It is not beginning
You - We –They are not beginning
Question
AM/IS/ARE + S + Present Participle +?
Am I beginning?
Is he -she- it beginning?
Are you -we-they beginning?
8. Past Progressive
Affirmative
S +WAS/WERE (Past of BE verb) + Present Participle
I - He - She – It was beginning
You - We –They were beginning
Negative
S + WAS/WERE + not + Present Participle
I - He - She - It was not beginning
You - We -They were not beginning
Question
WAS/WERE + S + Present Participle +?
Was I - he -she– it beginning?
Were you -we -they beginning?
9. Present Perfect Progressive
Affirmative
S + HAVE + BEEN + Present Participle
(BEEN = past participle of BE)
I-you-we-they have been beginning
He- she - it has been beginning
Negative
S + HAVE/HAS + not + BEEN + Present Participle
I-you-we-they have not been beginning
He- she - it has not been beginning
Question
HAVE/HAS + S + BEEN + Present Participle +?
Have I-you-we-they been beginning?
Has he-she-it been beginning?
10. Future Progressive
Affirmative
S +WILL BE + Present Participle
I-you-we-they-he-she-it will be beginning
Negative
S + WILL + not + BE + Present Participle
I-you-we-they-he-she-it will be not beginning
Question
WILL + S + BE + Present Participle +?
Will I-you-we-they-he-she-it be beginning?
11. Future Perfect Progressive
Affirmative S+ WILL+ HAVE+ BEEN+ Present Participle
I-you-we-they-he-she-it will have been beginning
Negative
S+ WILL+not + HAVE+BEEN + Present Participle
I-you-we-they-he-she-itwill not have been beginning
Question
WILL+ S + HAVE+ BEEN + Present Participle +?
Will I-you-we-they-he-she-it have been beginning?
12. Future with Be Going To
Affirmative
S +AM/IS/ARE (BE verb) + GOING (Present Participle of
Go) + INFINITIVE VERB (to + base verb)
I am going to begin
He - She - It is going to begin
You - We -They are going to begin
Negative
S + AM/IS/ARE + not + GOING (Present Participle of
Go) + INFINITIVE VERB (to + base verb)
I am not going to begin
He - She - It is not going to begin
You - We –They are not going to begin
Question
AM/IS/ARE + S + GOING (Present Participle of Go) +
INFINITIVE VERB (to + base verb)
Am I going to begin?
Is he -she- it going to begin?
Are you -we-they going to begin?