English Verb Tenses, Grammar Rules, and Vocabulary

Posted on Apr 2, 2025 in English

English Verb Tenses

Present Simple (PS)

  • Usage: Always, every day.
  • Example: I eat.

Present Continuous (PC)

  • Usage: At the moment, this year, now, tonight, today, tomorrow.
  • Structure: is/are + verb-ing
  • Example: I’m eating.

Past Simple

  • Usage: Yesterday, last [week/month/year], in [Month/Year], [number] days/weeks ago.
  • Structure: Regular: verb + -ed; Irregular: 2nd form
  • Example: I ate.

Past Continuous

  • Usage: At 8 o’clock [yesterday], while, as.
  • Structure: was/were + verb-ing
  • Example: I was eating at 8 o’clock.

Past Perfect

  • Usage: By the time, after, before.
  • Structure: had + past participle (3rd form)
  • Example: I had eaten before they arrived.

Present Perfect

  • Usage (focus on past event with present relevance): Ever, just, yet, recently, already, for, since, how long?
  • Structure: have/has + past participle (3rd form)
  • Example: I have eaten breakfast.

Present Perfect Continuous

  • Usage (focus on duration with present result): For, since, all day.
  • Structure: have/has been + verb-ing
  • Example: I have been eating for an hour.

Past Perfect Continuous

  • Usage: All morning [before something else happened], when, for, since, by the time.
  • Structure: had been + verb-ing
  • Example: I had been eating all morning when he called.

Future Simple (Will)

  • Usage (spontaneous decision, prediction, promise): This evening, later, next week, soon, at ten o’clock, in the future, in an hour.
  • Structure: will + base verb (1st form)
  • Example: I will eat later.

Future Continuous

  • Usage (action in progress at a future time): At this time tomorrow, by 8 o’clock [tonight], at this time next [week/month/year].
  • Structure: will be + verb-ing
  • Example: I will be eating at this time tomorrow.

Future Perfect

  • Usage (action completed before a future time): By this time next week, by ten o’clock, by then, by the end of [time].
  • Structure: will have + past participle (3rd form)
  • Example: I will have eaten by ten o’clock.

Be Going To

  • Usage (intention, plan, prediction based on evidence): Look! Tonight.
  • Structure: am/is/are going to + base verb (1st form)
  • Example: Look! He is going to eat the whole cake. I am going to eat out tonight.

Tense Combinations & Time Expressions

  • Past Continuous + when + Past Simple
  • Past Simple + while + Past Continuous
  • Past Continuous + while + Past Continuous
  • Present Perfect + since + Past Simple (e.g., *I have worked here since last year.*)
  • Past Simple + Time Expression + ago (e.g., *She started to study art a year ago.*)

Reported Speech (Indirect Style)

Tense Changes

  • Direct: Present Simple (works) -> Indirect: Past Simple (worked)
  • Direct: Past Simple (worked) -> Indirect: Past Perfect (had worked)
  • Direct: Future Simple (will work) -> Indirect: Conditional Simple (would work)
  • Direct: Present Continuous (is working) -> Indirect: Past Continuous (was working)
  • Direct: Past Continuous (was working) -> Indirect: Past Perfect Continuous (had been working)
  • Direct: Present Perfect (has worked) -> Indirect: Past Perfect (had worked)
  • Direct: Present Perfect Continuous (has been working) -> Indirect: Past Perfect Continuous (had been working)

Modal Verb Changes

  • Direct: can -> Indirect: could
  • Direct: may -> Indirect: might
  • Direct: must -> Indirect: had to

Time and Place Adverb Changes

  • Direct: now -> Indirect: then
  • Direct: today -> Indirect: that day
  • Direct: tonight -> Indirect: that night
  • Direct: yesterday -> Indirect: the day before
  • Direct: last week -> Indirect: the week before
  • Direct: a month ago -> Indirect: the month before
  • Direct: tomorrow -> Indirect: the day after / the next day
  • Direct: next week -> Indirect: the week after / the following week
  • Direct: here -> Indirect: there
  • Direct: this -> Indirect: that
  • Direct: these -> Indirect: those

Conditionals

  • Type 1 (Real Present/Future): If + Present Simple, … Future Simple (will + base form)
  • Type 2 (Unreal Present/Future): If + Past Simple, … Conditional Simple (would/could + base form)
  • Type 3 (Unreal Past): If + Past Perfect, … Conditional Perfect (would have/could have + past participle)

Conjunctions and Connectors

Cause and Reason (Followed by Subject + Verb)

  • since
  • because
  • as

Result (Followed by Subject + Verb)

  • therefore
  • so
  • consequently
  • as a result

Cause and Reason (Followed by Noun Phrase)

  • because of
  • as a result of
  • due to

Word Formation

Common Prefixes

  • Negative: un-, il-, im-, in-, non-
  • Position/Relation: under-, over-, inter-, trans-
  • Other: re-, anti-, bi-, pre-, multi-

Common Suffixes

  • Noun forming: -ance, -ment, -er, -ion, -ness, -ity
  • Adjective forming: -able, -ible, -ous, -al, -ed, -ful, -ive, -ing

Vocabulary

General Vocabulary Examples

  • discomfort
  • impersonal
  • inedible
  • multi-vitamin
  • pre-packaged
  • overbooked
  • overcooked
  • overweight
  • uncooked
  • underweight
  • unfit
  • unhealthy
  • unimportant
  • reliable
  • ambitious
  • helpful
  • responsible
  • productive
  • experienced
  • challenging
  • professional
  • knowledgeable
  • organized
  • courageous
  • patient
  • calm
  • creative
  • adventurous
  • friendly

Job-Related Vocabulary

Verbs/Phrases:

  • be hired (be given a job)
  • be contracted
  • be unemployed (be without a job)
  • retire (stop working)
  • apply for (make a formal request for something)
  • be fired (lose one’s job)

Nouns:

  • company (business)
  • unemployed (person without a job)
  • overtime (extra work hours)
  • retired (status/person)
  • request
  • employee (worker)
  • employer
  • employment
  • assistance
  • promotion
  • promoter
  • retirement
  • appearance
  • flight attendant
  • office worker
  • computer programmer
  • model
  • medical doctor
  • surgeon
  • bricklayer / mason
  • teacher
  • police officer
  • shop assistant / clerk

Job Requirements/Qualities:

  • flexible working hours
  • physical strength
  • a university degree
  • professional training
  • attractive appearance
  • good people skills
  • a knowledge of languages