Be - Present Tense

Subject + verb

Singular Plural

I am We are

You are You are

He is

She is

It is

They are

The verb "be" is the most important verb to learn in English. It's also the most complicated. In

the present tense it has three forms: am, is, are. In the past tense, it has two

forms: was and were. The verb "be" is also used to make the passive voice.

Be - Present Tense Negative

Subject + (be) + not

Singular Plural

I am not We are not

You are not You are not

He is not

She is not

It is not

They are not

contractions:

I am not

I'm not

We are not

We aren't

We're not

You are not

You aren't

You're not

You are not

You aren't

You're not

He is not

He isn't

He's not

She is not

She isn't

She's not

It is not

It isn't

It's not

They are not

They aren't

They're not

Bad English, but often used, is ain't

I ain't We ain't

You ain't You ain't

He ain't

She ain't

It ain't

They ain't

"Ain't" is not good English; however, many

Americans use it, especially young people.

Be - Present Tense

Questions

(Be) + Subject + ____?

Singular Plural

Am I.... Are we...

Are you... Are you....

Is he....

Is she...

Is it.....

Are they....

Nouns represent people, places, things, activities, emotions, and ideas

Pronouns represent nouns: I, you, he, she, it, we,

and they are....

Subject Pronouns

Singular Plural

I We

You You

He

They She

It

There are also....

Object Prdonouns

Singular Plural

me us

you you

him

them her

It

Lesson Five

this / that / these / those

This

A thing or a person is close

This = singular

That

A thing or a person is far

That = singular

These

Things or people are close

These = plural

Those

Things or people are far

Those = plural

"There" is used for information and facts. Sometimes "there" is singular, and sometimes

"there" is plural.

Lesson Seven

The Present Tense

Singular Plural

I learn We learn

You learn You learn

He learns

She learns

It learns

They learn

The Present Tense describes the things you do every day. Note the use of an "s" at the end of

the verb when describing a man, a woman, or a thing.

Do not confuse the present tense with the simple form.

Present Tense - Negative

do + not + verb

Singular Plural

I do not work We do not work

You do not work You do not work

He does not work

They do not work She does not work

It does not work

Contractions:

do + not = don't

does + not = doesn't

Singular Plural

I don't work We don't work

You don't work You don't work

He doesn't work

They don't work She doesn't work

It doesn't work

Lesson Eight

The Present Continuous Tense

S + (be) + _____ing

Singular Plural

I am learning We are learning

You are learning You are learning

He is learning

She is learning

It is learning

They are learning

The Present Continuous Tense usually describes things that are happening now, but it can also

be used to describe important things in your life, and future activity.

Do not confuse the present continuous tense with the "going to" future or with gerunds.

Contraction: Subject + (be). Example: He + is = He's

Lesson Eight, Part II

Questions in the Present Continuous Tense

(Be) + S + _____ing

Singular Plural

Am I learning? Are we learning?

Are you learning? Are you learning?

Is he learning?

Is she learning?

Is it learning?

Are they learning?

Lesson Nine

Have (present tense)

S + has / have

Singular Plural

I have We have

You have You have

He has

She has

It has

They have

"Have" is usually used for ownership, ability, or for a description....

• I have a new car.

• They have time to go to the movies.

• She has brown eyes.

• He has a beard.

...but the word "have" is also a very popular substitute for the words "eat" and "drink."

• She has cereal and coffee for breakfast every morning.

Have is also an important helping verb: I have lived in Minnesota for three years. In this

example, (have) + (past participle) make the present perfect tense.

Note: To make "have" negative in the present tense,

use don't or doesn't + have.

Correct: He doesn't have any money. / I don't have any

money.

Incorrect: He hasn't any money. (but okay in British

English)

Have - Present Tense (negative with contraction)

Singular Plural

I don't have.... We don't have...

You don't have... You don't have...

He doesn't have...

They don't have... She doesn't have...

It doesn't have...

Lesson Ten

Articles

A / An / The

Singular Plural

a / an the

the ---

Articles are used in front of Nouns.

"A" or "An" are always singular.

"The" is singular or plural.

Some plural nouns don't use an article.

When using articles, it's important to also know the

difference between count and noncount nouns.

count nouns use singular

and plural verbs andpronouns:

noncount nouns use only

singular verbs andpronouns:

There is an apple. (singular)

There are some apples. (plural)

There is some fruit. (singular

verb)

I like that chair. ("that" is singular).

She likes those chairs. ("those" is plural)

I like that furniture.

I like those furniture. (no!)

A car is an expensive thing to own.

Cars are an expensive form of

transportation.

Traffic was heavy today.

(singular verb)

Apples taste good Fruit tastes good.

Digital cameras make photography

easy. They are fun to use.

TV stations have a lot of video

equipment. It is expensive.

The camera is very nice. The equipment are nice. (no!)

Asking questions for an amount or a number:

Count Nouns Noncount Nouns

How many chairs

are there?

How many chairs are

there?

How much furniture is

there?

There is one chair

There are two chairs

There is a lot of furniture

How manycameras

are there?

How many cameras

are there?

How much equipment is

there?

There's one

camera

There are four

cameras

There's a lot of video

equipment

Only count nouns can take a number:

There is one camera. There are four cameras.

Noncount nouns don't use numbers:

There is some equipment. There is a lot of

equipment.

Knowing the difference between count and

noncount nouns will make your English sound

much better. Below are words and phrases

that can be used with count and noncount

nouns. As you continue through the next

levels, you will probably need to come back to

this page.

count nouns noncount nouns

a (singular) -- (no article)

the (singular and plural) the

some some

a lot of a lot of

many (large numbers) much (large numbers)

a few (3 to 4) a little (small number)

few (a very small number) little (a very small number)

fewer (comparative) less (comparative)

fewest (superlative) least (superlative)

not many (a small number) not much (a small number)

not any (zero) not any (zero)

Lesson Twenty-Three

can / can't

singular plural

I can ______ We can ______

You can ______ You can ______

He can ______

She can ______ They can ______

It can ______

After the modal verb "can," the main verbis in the

simple form. What's the simple form? Click

here to learn.

I can help you.

She can go to the movies.

They can do many things with their hands.

subject modal verb main verb

I can help

She can go

They can do

the simple form

for verbs in English:

helping verbs simple past past

participle

do

does

did

will

live lived lived

work worked worked

want wanted wanted

study studied studied

can go went gone

see saw seen

do did done

have had had

eat ate eaten

Helping verbs are used with the simple form to make questions:

Do you live in the United States?

Did you go to the store today?

When will we have dinner?

What did you eat for breakfast?

Helping verbs are used with the simple form to make negative statements:

He doesn't want any brocolli.

She didn't do her homework.

I can't see the menu.

We won't have enough time to finish.

The simple form is also known as "the base form" or "the infinitive."

Lesson Twenty-Four, Part 1

have to

singular plural

I have to _____ We have to ____

You have to____ You have to ____

He has to ____

She has to ____

It has to ____

They have to ____

(These sentences are in the present tense.)

"have to" = necessary, important

After "have to" use the simple form of the verb.

To make "have to" negative:

do + not + have to + main verb

Singular Plural

I don't have to _____ We don't have to ____

You don't have to _____ You don't have to ____

He doesn't have to _____

They don't have to _____ She doesn't have to _____

It doesn't have to _____

We don't have to be there until 8:00.

She doesn't have to do the dishes tonight.

They don't have to clean their house.

Lesson Twenty-Four, Part 2

making questions with "have to"

Present Tense

singular plural

Do I have to _____ Do we have to ____

Do you have to____ Do you have to ____

Does he have to ____

Does she have to ____

Does it have to ____

Do they have to ____

• A: What do you have to do today?

• B: I have to go to work.

• What does she have to do today?

• She has to get some groceries.

It's very important to notice that the only part of the question that changes is the helping verb

when making a question. The main verb and "have to" remain in the simple form.

If you use "have to" when forming a past tense question, you only have to change the helping

verb from "do" or "does" to "did."

Past Tense

singular plural

Did I have to _____ Did we have to ____

Did you have to____ Did you have to ____

Did he have to ____

Did she have to ____

Did it have to ____

Did they have to ____

• A: What did you have to do yesterday?

• B: I had to drive to the airport.

• What did he have to do at school?

• He had to take a test.

Lesson Twenty-five

want

Present Tense

singular plural

I want _____ We want _____

You want _____ You want _____

He wants _____

She wants _____

It wants _____

They want _____

The verb "want" requires an object:

• I want a banana. (The word "banana" is an object.)

• She wants some coffee. (The word "coffee" is an object.)

• They want some help. (The word "help" is an object.)

Present Tense - negative

singular plural

I don't want _____ We don't want _____

You don't want _____ You don't want _____

He doesn't want _____

She doesn't want _____

It doesn't want _____

They don't want _____

Remember: You must have an object after the verb "want."

• I don't want any mustard on my sandwich.

• He doesn't want to go home. (The infinitive, "to go" is the object.)

• We don't want them.

The word "want" is often heard in questions:

• What do you want?

• Do you want anything to drink?

• Does he want anything to drink?

• Where do they want to go today?

• When do you want to leave for the airport?

Lesson Twenty-six

want

Past Tense

singular plural

I wanted _____ We wanted _____

You wanted _____ You wanted _____

He wanted _____

She wanted _____

It wanted _____

They wanted _____

The verb "want" requires an object:

• I wanted some coffee. (The word "coffee" is an object.)

• He wanted a new car. (The word "car" is an object.)

• We wanted a vacation. (The word "vacation" is an object.)

Past Tense - negative

singular plural

I didn't want _____ We didn't want _____

You didn't want _____ You didn't want _____

He didn't want _____

She didn't want _____

It didn't want _____

They didn't want _____

Remember: You must have an object after the verb "want."

• You didn't want the job.

• My dog didn't want to stay home. (The infinitive, "to stay" functions as the object in

this sentece.)

• The kids didn't want the brocolli.

These questions are asked in the past tense:

• What did you want?

• Did they want any more juice?

• Did your neighbor want any help?

• When did he want to eat?

• When did you want to leave for the airport? (This question and the one before it are

in the past tense, but they refer to a future event.)

esson Twenty-seven

would like

singular plural

I would like ____ We would like _____

You would like ______ You would like _____

He would like_____

She would like _____

It would like _____

They would like _____

would like = want

The verb "would like" requires an object, a gerund, or an infinitive after it:

• I would like a bagel. (The word "bagel" is an object.)

• He'd like a new job. (The word "job" is an object. Notice that the subject and "would"

are contracted to form "He'd." This is very common.)

• They'd like a new dog. (The word "dog" is an object.)

• They'd like to get a new dog. ("To get" is an infinitive .)

Most people make a contraction with the subject and "would."

I would like a burrito = I'd like a burrito.

She would like to make a call. = She'd like to make a call.

Present Tense - negative

singular plural

I wouldn't like _____ We wouldn't like ____

You wouldn't like____ You wouldn't like ____

He wouldn't like ____

She wouldn't like ____

It wouldn't like ____

They wouldn't like ____

Remember: You must have an object after "would like."

You can also use a gerund after "would like."

• You wouldn't like living there. ("Living" is a gerund.)

• He probably wouldn't like the food.

• They wouldn't like doing that kind of work. ("Doing" is a gerund.)

Note: Using "would like" in the negative is not always an easy thing to do. This expresses an

opinion about a person that might not be true.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o

QUESTIONS:

These questions are made with "would like."

would like = do want

• What would you like on your pizza?

• Would you like to go out tonight?

• Would they like to go to the park?

• What time would you like to leave?

• How many pieces of chicken would you like?

Lesson Twenty-eight

need

Present Tense

singular plural

I need _______ We need _____

You need ______ You need _____

He needs _____

She needs _____

It needs _____

They need _____

The verb "need" requires an object or an infinitive after it:

• I need some coffee. (The word "coffee" is an object.)

• She needs a ride. (The word "ride" is an object.)

• We need to go home. ("To go" is an infinitive .)

Present Tense - negative

singular plural

I don't need _____ We don't need ____

You don't need ____ You don't need ____

He doesn't need____

She doesn't need ____

It doesn't need ____

They don't need ____

Remember: You must have an object or an infinitive after "need."

• They don't need a new car . (The word "car" is a noun that functions as an object in

this sentence.)

• She doesn't need to work tomorrow. ("To work" is an infinitive.)

• This flashlight doesn't need batteries. (The word "need" is often used with

things. It doesn't need batteries.)

The verb "need" is often used in questions:

• Is there something that you need?

• What does he need to do today?

• Do you need anything from the store?

• Why do you need to work on Saturday?

• Will I need to wear a jacket today?

Lesson Twenty-nine

need

Past Tense

singular plural

I needed _______ We needed _____

You needed ______ You needed _____

He needed _____

She needed _____

It needed _____

They needed _____

The verb "need" requires an object or an infinitive after it:

• I needed a nap this afternoon. (The word "nap" is an object.)

• You needed something to drink. (The word "something" is an object.)

• The kids needed to eat. ("To eat " is an infinitive .)

Past Tense - negative

singular plural

I didn't need _____ We didn't need ____

You didn't need ____ You didn't need ____

He didn't need____

She didn't need ____

It didn't need ____

They didn't need ____

Remember: You must have an object or an infinitive after "need."

• The car didn't need any gas . (The word "gas" is a noun that functions as an object in

this sentence.)

• They didn't need to stay longer. ("To stay " is an infinitive.)

• The plants didnt need any more water. (The word "need" is often used with

things. They didn't need any more water.)

The verb "need" is often used in questions:

• What did you need from the store?

• Did you need to use my computer?

• Did they need any money?

• Why did he need to see a doctor?