All verb tenses cheat sheet!

Check our cheat sheet every time you need it. You can also download a PDF with exercises.

	AFFIRMATIVE	NEGATIVE	QUESTION
PRESENT  SIMPLE	subject + verb (+s) I work. She works.	subject + do / does + not + verbI don’t work every day. She doesn’t work at weekends.	(question word +) do / does + subject + verb? Do you work every day? Where does she work?
PRESENT  SIMPLE  WITH ‘BE’	subject + am/is/are I am a programmer. He is at work.	subject + am / is / are + not I’m not a programmer. She isn’t Argentinian.	(question word +) am / is / are +  subject…? Is he at work today? Why are you sad?
PRESENT CONTINUOUS	subject + am / is /are + verb-ing She’s working from home. They are planning the budget.	subject + am / is / are + not + verb-ing He isn’t working here this week. We aren’t	(question word +) am / is / are +  subject + verb-ing? When are they coming? Is he studying now?
PRESENT  PERFECT	subject + have/has + past participle I’ve already cooked dinner. Livia has finished the report.	subject + have/has + not + past  participle I haven’t seen that movie yet.  She hasn’t been to Europe.	(question word +) have / has + subject  + past participle? What have you done today? Has she been to Italy?
PRESENT  PERFECT  CONTINUOUS	subject + have/has + been + verb-ing I’ve been very busy recently. He’s been watching TV all day.	subject + have / has + not + been +  verb-ing They haven’t been working much. He hasn’t been studying enough.	(question word +) have / has + subject + been + verb-ing? What has she been doing lately? Have they been studying for the exam?
PAST SIMPLE	subject + past simple (verb +ed) I worked at the office yesterday. She worked from home yesterday.	subject + did + not + verb I didn’t finish the report. She didn’t go to work this week.	(question word +) did + subject + verb? Did you work yesterday? What did do last weekend?
PAST  SIMPLE  WITH ‘BE’	subject + was/were I was in the office yesterday. We were at home last night.	subject + was/were + not We weren’t at the office yesterday. She wasn’t at home last night.	(question word +) was / were + subject…? Were you in the office yesterday? Where were you this morning?
PAST  CONTINUOUS	subject + was/were + verb-ing I was eating lunch at noon. They were helping me with the project.	subject + was/were + not + verb-ing I wasn’t eating lunch at noon.They weren’t helping me with the project.	(question word +) was/were + subject  + verb-ing? What were you doing at noon? Were they helping you with the project?
PAST PERFECT	subject + had + past participle I had already finished the report when my boss asked about it.	subject + hadn’t + past participle When he arrived, the meeting hadn’t started yet.	(question word +) had + subject + past  participle Had the meeting started when you arrived?
PAST  PERFECT  CONTINUOUS	subject + had + been + verb-ing I had been working here for years when they hired her.	subject + hadn’t + been + verb-ing I hadn’t been working here when they found the problem.	(question word +) had + subject + been + verb-ing? Why had he been eating? Had they been eating enough fruit?
FUTURE  SIMPLE	subject + will + verb I will check it later.	subject + won’t + verb We won’t do anything tonight.	(question word +) will + subject +  verb? What will you eat for lunch? Will she accept the offer?
FUTURE  CONTINUOUS	subject + will be + verb-ingDon’t call me at 12, because  I’ll be eating.	subject + won’t be + verb-ing You can call me at 8, because I won’t be doing anything.	(question word +) will + subject + be +  verb-ing? Will you be doing anything tonight? What will you be doing tomorrow morning?
FUTURE  PERFECT	subject + will have + past  participle By tomorrow, I will have finished all my tasks.	subject + won’t have + past  participle I won’t have finished all my tasks by tomorrow.	(question word +) will + subject + have  + past participle? Will you have eaten by the time I come home?
FUTURE  PERFECT  CONTINUOUS	subject + will have been + verb-ing When I turn 40, I will have been working here for 10 years.	subject + won’t have been +  verb-ing By the end of this year, they won’t have been working here anymore.	(question word +) will + subject + have been + verb-ing? What will she have been doing in 20 years?