English Verb Tenses, Conditionals, and Relative Pronouns

Posted on May 24, 2025 in English

English Verb Tenses

Present Simple

Usage

  • Habitual actions, general truths

Form

  • Subject + verb (base form)

Adverbs of Frequency

  • always, usually, generally, regularly, occasionally, frequently, often, sometimes, rarely, seldom, never.

Time Expressions

  • at 10 o’clock, at night, in the morning, on Friday, every week, once a month, how often…?

Stative Verbs

  • hope, like, love, prefer, want, dislike, enjoy, hate, believe, forget, guess, know, remember, think, understand, feel, hear, see, smell, sound, taste, touch, cost, measure, weigh, belong, have, own.

Present Continuous

Usage

  • Actions happening now, temporary actions, future plans

Form

  • Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing

Time Expressions

  • now, right now, at the moment, this year, at present, today, these days, this month, this evening, tonight, tomorrow, next Friday/week/year.

Past Simple

Usage

  • Actions completed in the past

Form

  • Subject + verb (past simple)

Time Expressions

  • yesterday, last week/year, two days ago, in 2007, in the 1980s, in the 18th century, when, then.

Past Continuous

Usage

  • Incomplete past actions, actions interrupted by other ongoing past actions

Form

  • Subject + was/were + verb-ing

Time Expressions

  • last night/week/year, at 4 o’clock, when, while, as.

Present Perfect Simple

Usage

  • Actions that started in the past and continue in the present, past actions at an indefinite time related to the present

Form

  • Subject + have/has + verb (past participle)

Time Expressions

  • never, ever, already, just, yet, recently, lately, how long…?, for, since, in recent years.

Present Perfect Continuous

Usage

  • Actions that started in the past and continue in the present, actions with apparent results

Form

  • Subject + have/has been + verb-ing

Time Expressions

  • for a year, since 2002, how long…?, all night/morning/day/week.

Past Perfect Simple

Usage

  • Actions completed before another past action

Form

  • Subject + had + verb (past participle)

Time Expressions

  • already, by the time, after, before, until, never, just.

Past Perfect Continuous

Usage

  • Actions continuing up to another past action

Form

  • Subject + had been + verb-ing

Time Expressions

  • for hours, since, last April, all morning…, when, until, before…

Future Simple

Usage

  • Predictions, scheduled actions, spontaneous decisions

Form

  • Subject + will + verb (base form)

Time Expressions

  • this evening, in an hour, at 2 o’clock, later, tomorrow, next month/year, soon, in a few weeks, in the future, on the 1st of May.

Future Continuous

Usage

  • Actions in progress at a specific future time

Form

  • Subject + will be + verb-ing

Time Expressions

  • at this time tomorrow, at this time next…, on Thursday, in the next decade.

Be Going To

Usage

  • Planned future actions, actions in the future decided in the present

Form

  • Subject + be (am/is/are) + going to + verb (base form)

Time Expressions

  • this evening, later, in an hour, at 4 o’clock, tomorrow, soon, next month/year, in a few weeks, on the 8th of May.

Future Perfect Simple

Usage

  • Actions completed by a specific future time

Form

  • Subject + will have + verb (past participle)

Time Expressions

  • by this time next week, by 3 o’clock, by the end of…, by then, by August, in four months.

Relative Pronouns

Who and That

  • For people

Which and That

  • For objects

Whose

  • For possession

When and That

  • For time

Where

  • For place

Conditional Sentences

First Conditional

Usage

  • What will happen

Form

  • If / Unless + Present Simple, Future Simple / Imperative / Modal + base form

Second Conditional

Usage

  • Hypothetical present conditions, unlikely to happen

Form

  • If / Unless + Past Simple, Would / Could / Might + base form

Third Conditional

Usage

  • Impossible to happen

Form

  • If / Unless + Past Perfect, Would have / Could have / Might have + past participle