VERB TENSE FORMULAS
TENSE DECLARATIVE
Subject + to be + adjective
Simple Present
“to be” He + is + kind
Subject + verb + rest of sentence
Simple Present
(Present Indicative) Tom + wears + boots to work
Subject + is/are (to be) + verb +
ing + rest of sentence
Present Progressive
She + is + wear + ing + a life
jacket
Subject + verb + ed + rest of
sentence
Simple Past
He + walk + ed + to the store
Subject + will + verb + rest of
sentence
Simple Future
Dick + will + go + to the bank
NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
Subject + to be +not + adjective To be + subject + adjective?
He + is + not + kind Is + he + kind?
Subject + do/does + not + verb +
rest of sentence Do/Does + subject + verb + rest of sentence?
Tom + does + not + wear boots Does + Tom + wear + boots to work?
to work
Subject + is/are (to be) + not +
Is/are (to be) + subject + verb + ing + rest of
verb + ing + rest of sentence
sentence?
She + is + not + wear + ing + a
Is + she + wear + ing + a life jacket?
life jacket
Subject + did + not + verb + rest
of sentence Did + subject + verb + rest of sentence?
He + did + not + walk + to the Did + he + walk + to the store?
store
Subject + will + not + verb + rest
of sentence Will + subject + verb + rest of sentence?
Dick + will + not + go + to the Will + Dick + go + to the bank?
bank
 TENSE DECLARATIVE
Subject + was/were (to be) + verb
+ ing + when + rest of sentence
Past Progressive
He + was + sleeping + when + the
phone rang
Subject + will be + verb + ing +
when + rest of sentence
Future Progressive
She + will be + work + ing + when
+ you wake up
Subject + has/have + past
participle + rest of sentence
Present Perfect
They + have + seen + the Statue
of Liberty
Subject + had + past participle +
time phrase + rest of sentence
Past Perfect
He + had + played baseball +
when + he was in high school
NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
Subject + was/were (to be) +
Was/were (to be) + subject + verb + ing + when
not +verb + ing + when + rest of
+ rest of sentence?
sentence
Was + he + sleep + ing + when + the phone
He + was + not + sleep + ing +
rang?
when + the phone rang
Subject + will + not + be + verb Will + subject + be + verb + ing + when + rest of
+ ing + when + rest of sentence sentence?
She + will + not + be + work + Will + she + be + work + ing + when + you wake
ing + when + you wake up up?
Subject + has/have + not + past
Has/Have + subject + past participle + rest of
participle + rest of sentence
sentence?
They + have + not + seen + the
Have + they + seen + the Statue of Liberty?
Statue of Liberty
Subject + had + not + past
participle + time phrase + rest Had + subject + past participle + time phrase +
of sentence rest of sentence?
He + had + not + played Had + he + played baseball + when + he was in
baseball + when + he was in high school?
high school
 TENSE DECLARATIVE
Subject + will + have + past
participle + rest of sentence
Future Perfect
I + will + have + lived in Korea + for
ten years by next week
Subject + has/have been + verb +
ing + time phrase
Present Perfect
Progressive We + have been + paint + ing +
since last night
Subject + had been + verb + ing +
time phrase + rest of sentence
Past Perfect
It + had + been + rain + ing + for
Progressive
three hours + before Jackie came
home
Subject + will + have been + verb +
ing + event/time phrase
Future Perfect
Tomorrow + she + will + have
Progressive
been + wear + ing + contacts + for
one year
NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
Subject + will + not + have + past
Will + subject + have + past participle +
participle + time phrase + rest of
time phrase + rest of sentence?
sentence
Will + you + have + lived in Korea + for ten
I + will + not + have + lived in Korea
years + by the time you retire?
+ for ten years by the time I retire
Subject + has/have + not + been + Question word + has/have + subject + been
verb + ing + time phrase + verb + ing + time phrase?
We + have + not + been + driv(e) + Since when + have + you + been + paint +
ing + since our car broke down ing + your house?
Subject + had + not + been + verb +
Had + subject + been + verb + ing + time
ing + time phrase + rest of sentence
phrase/rest of sentence?
It + had + not + been + rain + ing +
Had+ it + been + rain + ing + for three hours
for two days + before Jackie came
+ before Jackie came home?
home
Subject + will + not + have been +
Will + subject + have been + verb + ing +
verb + ing +event/time phrase/rest
event/time phrase/rest of sentence?
of sentence
Will + she + have been + work + ing + for
Tomorrow + she + will + not + have
one year by tomorrow?
been + work + ing + for one year