Use this cheat sheet to help you remember the English tenses forms, usage, and typical sentence and question structures. In part I we’ll focus on the present simple , present continuous, past simple and past continuous.
PRESENT SIMPLE
SENTENCE FORM : Subject + verb 1st form + continue sentence
QUESTION FORM : Do (auxiliary verb) + subject + verb 1st form + continue
USAGE 1: Normally like this
I go to see a show at least once a week.
I don’t go to see a show at least once a week
Do you go to see a show at least once a week?
USAGE 2: timetables
The train leaves at 7:00.
The train doesn’t leave at 7:00
What time does the train leave?
USAGE 3: Facts
Black Flag is an American band.
Black Flag isn’t an American artist
Where is Black Flag from?
USAGE 4: permanent situation
I live in crazy Žižkov.
I don’t live in crazy Žižkov .
Where do you live?
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
SENTENCE FORM: subject + is/ am/are + verb ing + continue sentence
QUESTION FORM: is/ am/ are + subject + verb ing + continue
USAGE 1: happening now
I am taking photos.
I‘m not taking photos
What are you doing now ?
USAGE 2: temporary situation
We are staying in Bali for the summer.
We aren’t staying in Bali for the summer.
Are we staying in Bali for the summer?
USAGE 3: repeated annoying habits
John is always forgetting to bring a cable.
John isn’t always forgetting to bring a cable.
Is John constantly forgetting things?
USAGE 4: arranged plan
The musicians are playing at 7:00 pm
The musicians aren’t playing at 7:00 pm
When are the musicians playing?
PAST SIMPLE
SENTENCE FORM: Subject + verb 2nd form + continue sentence
QUESTION FORM: Did (past auxiliary verb) + subject + verb 1st form + continue
USAGE 1: a list of what was done
Yesterday, I slept all day, painted, and later got super drunk.
Yesterday, I didn’t do anything.
What did you do yesterday?
USAGE 2: completed action
I finally finished recording the album on Friday !
I didn’t finish the album last week.
Did you finish the album on Friday ?
USAGE 3: Past fact
Grand Theft Auto came out on PlayStation in 1997
Grand Theft Auto didn’t come out on PlayStation until 1997
Did Grand Theft Auto come out on PlayStation in 2000 ?
PAST CONTINUOUS
SENTENCE FORM : Subject + was/were + verb ing + continue sentence
QUESTION FORM: was/ were + subject + verb ing + continue
USAGE 1: was happening together with another action ( 2 sentences)
He was photographing down the street when a kid fell off his skateboard
He wasn’t doing anything when a kid fell off his skateboard
What was he doing when the kid fell ?
USAGE 2: background situation
It was raining and very cold that night
It wasn’t raining that night
Was the sun shining that night?
USAGE 3: happening all day in the past
You were doing graphic design all day
You weren’t doing graphic design all day
Were you working all day?
USAGE 4: happening at a specific time in the past
At 4 am we were driving to Krakow
At 4 am we weren’t driving to Krakow
Were you sleeping at 4am ?
Part II focuses on the present perfect simple, present perfect continuous, past perfect simple and past perfect continuous