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Memorable rules and visual cues to master English grammar faster.
Think of tenses as time travel! Past is behind you, Present is now, Future is ahead.
• Past: I walked (already happened)
• Present: I walk (happening now)
• Future: I will walk (yet to happen)
Most regular verbs in Simple Past just add '-ed'. It's like adding a time stamp!
• walk → walked
• play → played
• talk → talked
• Exception: irregular verbs (go → went)
When you see '-ing' with is/am/are, it's Present Continuous. With was/were, it's Past Continuous!
• am/is/are + ing = Present Continuous
• was/were + ing = Past Continuous
• will be + ing = Future Continuous
'Will' always signals future tense. It's your crystal ball word!
• I will go
• She will help
• They will arrive
Perfect tenses always use 'have/has/had'. Remember: Has for he/she/it, Have for I/you/we/they.
• Present Perfect: have/has + V3
• Past Perfect: had + V3
• Future Perfect: will have + V3
In Simple Present: He/She/It takes 's' or 'es'. I/You/We/They don't add anything!
• He walks (add s)
• She goes (add es)
• They walk (no change)
• I eat (no change)
Past Perfect = action completed BEFORE another past action. Think 'before the before'!
• I had eaten before he came
• She had left when I arrived
• They had finished before the bell rang
All continuous tenses show ongoing/progressive action. Look for 'be' + '-ing'!
• is/am/are + ing = now
• was/were + ing = then
• will be + ing = later
Subject + V1 (s/es)
Example: I walk / He walks
Subject + is/am/are + V1+ing
Example: I am walking
Subject + have/has + V3
Example: I have walked
Subject + have/has been + V1+ing
Example: I have been walking