To form the past simple with regular verbs, we use the infinitive and add the ending "-ed". The shape
is the same for all people (I, you, he, she, it, we, they).
USE
The simple past is used to talk about a specific action that started and ended in the past.
STRUCTURE
AFFIRMATIVE
Sujeto + verbo principal
NEGATIVE
Sujeto + “to be” + “not”
INTERROGATIVE
Sujeto + verbo auxiliar (to do) + “not” + verbo principal (en infinitivo)
PAST CONTINUOUS
FORM
To form the past continuous we use the auxiliary verb “to be” and the verb + ing
USE
The continuous past is used for an action unfolding in the past when another action interrupts it.
STRUCTURE
AFFIRMATIVE
Sujeto + verbo auxiliar (to be) + verbo+ing
NEGATIVE
Sujeto + verbo auxiliar (to be) + “not” + verbo+ing
INTERROGATIVE
Verbo auxiliar (to be) + sujeto + verbo+ing?
PAST PERFECT
FORM
As in the present perfect, the past perfect tense is formed with the auxiliary verb “to have” and the past participle.
USE
We use the PAST PERFECT to refer to an action or event that started in the past and that is prior to
another action also in the past.
STRUCTURE
AFFIRMATIVE
Sujeto + “had” + participio pasado
NEGATIVE
Sujeto + “had” + “not” + participio pasado
INTERROGATIVE
“Had” + sujeto + participio pasado
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
FORM
As in the present perfect continuous, the past perfect continuous is formed with the auxiliary verb
“to have”, “been” and the verb + ing.
USE
We use the continuous perfect past to refer to something we had been doing (in process) when
another action interrupted it.
STRUCTURE
AFFIRMATIV
Sujeto + “had” + “been” + verbo+ing
NEGATIVE
Sujeto + “had” + “not” + “been” + verbo+ing
INTERROGATIVE
“Had” + sujeto + “been” + verbo+ing?
PRESENT
PRESENT SIMPLE
USE
The present simple is used to talk about things that usually happen. Unlike in Spanish, the present
simple is not used to talk about something that is happening at the moment in which we speak.
Verbo auxiliar (to do) + sujeto + verbo principal?
FORM
To conjugate the present simple we use the infinitive for the subjects "I", "you", "we" and "they" and
for third parties "he", "she" and "it", we add a "-s" to the end of the verb.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
USE
The present continuous is used to talk about something that is happening at the moment in which
we speak.
Verbo auxiliar (to have) + sujeto + participio pasado…?
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
USE
We use this time when we want to express the sense of continuity of an action that has started in the past and that still lasts in the present or that has just ended.
STRUCTURE
AFFIRMATIVE
Sujeto + verbo auxiliar (to have) + “been” + verbo+ing.
Verbo auxiliar (to have) + sujeto + “been” + verbo+ing?
FORM
As in the present perfect, we use the auxiliary verb "to have" in addition to "been" (the past participle of the verb "to be") plus the verb + ing.
FUTURE
FUTURE SIMPLE
USE
The forms "will" and "going to" are used to express the future. The difference between "going to" and
"will" is the sense of planning and the probability of an action happening.
STRUCTURE
AFFIRMATIVE
Sujeto + “will” + verbo principal.
NEGATIVE
Sujeto + “will” + “not” + verbo principal
INTERROGATIVE
“Will” + sujeto + verbo principal?
FUTURE CONTINUOUS
FORM
To form the continuous future, “will be” or “be going to” and the verb + ing are used
USE
The continuous future describes the action that will be in the future and that will be interrupted
STRUCTURE
AFFIRMATIVE
Sujeto + “will be” + verbo+ing
NEGATIVE
Sujeto + “will be” + verbo+ing
INTERROGATIVE
Verbo auxiliar “will” + sujeto + "be"+ verbo+ing…?
FUTURE PERFECT
USE
1. The perfect future is used for actions that will have already been completed before another action
in the future.