ENGLISH WALL-MAGAZINE: SIMPLE TENSES

Simple sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought. Simple sentences are called simple
because they contain only one subject and one verb or predicate. Predicate is the main verb in a
sentence and any additional components related to the subjects actions.

1. SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

Brief Explanation
The simple present or present simple is one of the verb forms associated with the present
tense in modern English. Present simple is used to talk about things in general. We use it to say
that something happens all the time or repeatedly, or that something is true in general.
Pattern
Verbal: (+) Subject + Verb 1 + Object/Complement
(-) Subject + Auxiliary (Do/Does) + Not + Verb 1 + Obejct/Complement
(?) Auxiliary(Do/Does) + Subject + Verb 1 + Object Complement
Nominal: (+) Subject + Tobe(is/am/are) + Noun/adjective
(-) Subject + Tobe (is/am/are) + Not + Noun/Adjective
(?) Tobe (is/am/are) + Subject + Noun/Adjective
Note: Is= She,He,It; Am= I; Are= You,They,We
Example
Verbal: (+) I see you Nominal: (+) I am a college student
(-) I do not see you (-) I am not a college student
(?) Do I see you? (?) Am I a college student?
Adverb of Time
Everyday, Every morning, Every Saturday, always, normally, etc.
Special Cases
There are special cases in Simple Present Tense, especially for The Third Person Singular
Subject (She, He, It).
For verbal positive sentences, In the third person singular the verb always ends
in s. Here are the spelling rules:
Silent Vowel + Consonant + Verbs Verbs ending in
e y y ending in s,z,ch,sh,
o and tch
Close Closes Play Plays Study Studies Go Goes Miss Misses
Note Notes Say Says Marry Marries Do Does Buzz Buzzes
Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Hatch Hatches
Finish Finishes
Etc.
For other words,you just have to put an s at the end of it.
Example: Drink Drinks, Read Reads, Etc.
Negative and question for Third Persen Singular forms use DOES (= the third
person of the auxiliary 'DO') + the infinitive of the verb.
Eq: (+) He eats ice cream
 (-) He does not eat ice cream
(?) Does he eat ice cream?

2. SIMPLE PAST TENSE

Brief Explanantion
Past simple is used to explain the action which and ended sometime in the past. The
action is simply mentioned and understood to have taken place in the past.
Pattern
Verbal: (+) Subject + Verb2 + Object/Complement
(-) Subject + Auxiliary (did) + Verb 1 + Object/Complement
(?) Auxiliary(did) + Subject + Verb 1 + Object/Complement
Nominal: (+) Subject + Tobe (was/were) + Noun/Adejctive
(-) Subject + Tobe(was/were) + Not + Noun Adjective
(?) Tobe(was/were) + Subject + Noun/Adjective
Note: Was= I,She,He,It; Were= You,They,We
Examples
Verbal: (+) I saw you Nominal: (+) I was a college student
(-) I did not see you (-) I was not a college student
(?) Did I see you? (?) Was I a college student?
Adverb Of Time
yesterday, last night, last moth, two years ago, etc.
Special Cases
There are two forms of Verb 2 in Past Simple. Regular and Irregular Verbs.
Regular Verbs Irregular Verbs
Verb 1 Verb 2 Verb 1 Verb 2
Scream Screamed Sleep Slept
Work Worked Drink Drank
Study Studied Drive Drove
Etc Etc

3. Simple Future Tense

Brief Explanantion
Future Simple used when we plan or make a decision to do something. It is used to
express an action which has not occurred yet and will occur after saying or in future.
Pattern
Verbal: (+) Subject + Will/Tobe going to + verb 1 + Object/Complement
(-) - Subject + Will + Not + Verb 1 + Object/Complement
- Subject + Tobe + Not + Going to + Verb 1 + Object/Complement
(?) Will + Subject + Verb 1 + Object/Complement
- Tobe + Subject + Going to + Verb 1 + Object/Complement
 Nominal: (+) Subject + Will/Tobe going to + be + Noun/Adjective
(-) Subject + Will + Not + be + Noun/Adjective
- Subject + Tobe + Not + Going to + be + Noun/Adjective
(?) Will + Subject + be + Noun/Adjective
- Tobe + Subject + Going to + be + Noun/Adjective

Examples
Verbal: (+) - I will see you
I am going to see you tomorrow morning

(-) I will not see you

- I am not going to see you tomorrow morning

(?) Will I see you?

- Am I going to see you tomorrow morning?

Nominal: (+) I will be a college student

- I am going to be a college student tomorrow morning

(-) I will not be a college student

- I am not going to be a college student tomorrow morning

(?) Will I be a college student?

- Am I going to be a college student tomorrow morning?

Adverb of Time
Tomorrow, tonight, next month, soon, as soon as, etc.
Will vs Tobe going to
We use will when we want to say something that will occur in the future but not in a
specific time. Or we just want to do something without plan. We also can use will to
say facts that will occur in the future.
We use Tobe going to when we want to say something that we want to do in the
future in a specific time. That is why usually a future simple sentences that use Tobe
going to are added Specific Adverb of time.

4. Simple Past Future Tense

Brief Explanation
Simple Past Future is used to express the idea that in the past you thought something
would happen in the future. It does not matter if you are correct or not.
Pattern
Verbal: (+) Subject + Would/Tobe(Was/were) going to + Verb 1 + Object/Complement
(-) - Subject + Would + not + Object/Complement
- Subject + Tobe(was/were) + not + going to + verb 1 + Object/Complement
(?) Would + Subject + Verb 1 + Object/Complement
 Tobe(was/were) + Subject + going to + Verb 1 + Object/Complement

Nominal: (+) Subject + Would/ Tobe(Was/were) going to + be + Noun/Adjective

(-) Subject + Would + not + be + Noun/Adjective
- Subject + Tobe (was/were) + not + going to + be + Noun/Adjective
(?) Would + Subject + be + Noun/Adjective
- Tobe(was/were) + Subject + going to + be + Noun/Adjective

Examples
Verbal: (+) - I would see you
I was going to see you today

(-) I would not see you

- I was not going to see you today

(?) Would I see you?

- Was I going to see you today?

Nominal: (+) I would be a college student

- I was going to be a college student today

(-) I would not be a college student

- I was not going to be a college student today

(?) Would I be a college student?

- Was I going to be a college student today?

Would vs Tobe(Was/Were) going to

We use Would when we talk about something/action that will we do voluntarily,
without plan. Or, when we want to promise to do something. We use Tobe(was/were)
going to when we arrange plan, and we want to bring the plan into reality.