Literacy &

Language
BOP
TABLE  OF  ENGLISH  TENSES  
Tense Use Hint Formation Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I play. I don’t play. Do I play?
repeated actions, always, usually,
Simple Present subject + verb She plays. She doesn’t play. Does she play? Do they
frequent actions never, daily
They play. They don’t play. play?

action occurring at I’m playing. I’m not playing. She Am I playing? Is she
Present Continuous right now, at the subject + am/is/are
the moment of She’s playing. isn’t playing. They playing? Are they playing?
(or Progressive) moment + verb + ing
speaking They’re playing. aren’t playing.
yesterday, last I played. She I didn’t play. She Did I play? Did she
action completed in
Simple Past week, two years subject + verb + ed played. They didn’t play. They play? Did they play?
the past
ago, in 1988 played. didn’t play.
action interrupted by I wasn’t playing.
I was playing. She Was I playing? Was she
Past Continuous (or another action, while, when, at subject + was/were She wasn’t playing.
was playing. They playing? Were they playing?
Progressive) action occurring at a 10:37pm + verb + ing They weren’t
were playing.
very specific time playing.
past event with I haven’t played.
yet, already, since, I have played. She Have I played? Has she
connection to subject + have/has She hasn’t played.
Present Perfect for, recently, so far, has played. They played? Have they played?
present, past action + past participle They haven’t
just have played.
at unspecified time played.
I haven’t been Have I been playing?
I have been playing.
past event with playing. Has she been playing?
Present Perfect She has been
connection to since, for, all day, subject + have/has She hasn’t been Have they been
Continuous (or playing.
present, emphasis on for three hours + been + verb + ing playing. playing?
Progressive) They have been
length of time They haven’t been
playing.
playing.
action which I had played. She I hadn’t played. She Had I played? Had she
subject + had + past
Past Perfect occurred before already, just, never had played. They hadn’t played. They played? Had they played?
participle
another past action had played. hadn’t played.
I hadn’t been
action which I had been playing. Had I been playing? Had she
playing.
Past Perfect occurred before She had been been playing?
subject + had + She hadn’t been
Continuous (or another past action, since, for, how long playing. Had they been playing?
been + verb + ing playing.
Progressive) emphasis on length They had been
They hadn’t been
of time playing.
playing.
predictions, I’ll play. I won’t play. She Will I play? Will she
in the future, in 20
Future (Will) spontaneous subject + will + verb She’ll play. won’t play. They play? Will they play?
years, promise
decisions, promises They’ll play. won’t play.
Tense Use Cues Form Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I’m not going to
Am I going to play? Is she
I’m going to play. play.
going to
tomorrow, next subject + am/is/are She’s going to play. She isn’t going to
Future (Going To) future plans play?
weekend + going to + verb They’re going to play.
Are they going to play?
play. They aren’t going
to play.
I won’t be playing.
Will I be playing? Will she be
action that will be I’ll be playing. She won’t be
Future Continuous (or tomorrow at subject + will + be + playing? Will they be
occurring at a She’ll be playing. playing.
Progressive) 3:34pm verb + ing playing?
specific future time They’ll be playing. They won’t be
playing.
I won’t have
Will I have played? Will she
played.
action that will have by the time you get subject + will + I’ll have played. have played?
She won’t have
Future Perfect occurred before a home, in three have + past She’ll have played. Will they have played?
played.
specific future time years participle They’ll have played.
They won’t have
played.
I’ll have been I won’t have been Will I have been playing?
action that will have
playing. playing. Will she have been playing?
Future Perfect occurred before a subject + will +
by the time you get She’ll have been She won’t have Will they have been playing?
Continuous (or specific future time, have + been + verb
home, in 15 minutes playing. been playing.
Progressive) emphasis on length + ing
They’ll have been They won’t have
of time
playing. been playing.
I would play. She I wouldn’t play. She Would I play? Would she
if I were you, if I subject + would +
Simple Conditional improbable event would play. They wouldn’t play. They play? Would they play?
had 1M dollars verb
would play. wouldn’t play.
I wouldn’t be
I would be playing. Would I be playing? Would
playing.
Continuous (or improbable event, if I had stayed She would be she be playing?
subject + would + She wouldn’t be
Progressive) emphasis on a home, if I were in playing. Would they be playing?
be + verb + ing playing.
Conditional specific moment Cuba They would be
They wouldn’t be
playing.
playing.
I would have I wouldn’t have Would I have played?
played. played. Would she have played?
if I hadn’t studied subject + would +
improbable past She would have She wouldn’t have Would they have played?
Perfect Conditional art, if I had gone to have + past
event played. played.
Mexico participle
They would have They wouldn’t have
played. played.
I would have been I wouldn’t have Would I have been playing?
if I had accepted playing. been playing. Would she have been
Perfect Continuous improbable past subject + would +
the transfer, if I She would have She wouldn’t have playing? Would they have
(or Progressive) event, emphasis on have + been + verb
hadn’t left when I been playing. been playing. been playing?
Conditional length of time + ing
did They would have They wouldn’t have
been playing. been playing.