Tense

Affirmative

Negative

Interrogative

Use
To express habits or
general truths.

Present Simple

I/We/You/They see the

stars.
He/She/It sees the stars.

Present Continuous
(am/is/are + -ing
form)

Past Simple

Past Continuous
(was/were + -ing
form)

Present Perfect
(have/has + Past
Participle)

Future - will
(will + Infinitive)

Future - be going to
(am/is/are going to +
Infinitive)

Modal verbs (can,

could, may, might,
must, would, should
+ Infinitive)

I/We/You/They don't see the

stars.
He/She/It doesn't see the
stars.

I am seeing the stars.

I am not seeing the stars.

He/She/It is seeing the

stars.

He/She/It isn't seeing the

stars.

We/You/They are seeing

the stars.

We/You/They aren't seeing

the stars.

I/You/He/She/It/We/They
watched / saw the stars.

I/You/He/She/It/We/They
didn't watch / see the stars.

Do I/we/you/they see the stars?

Does he/she/it see the stars?

With 'mental action'

verbs: like, love, want,
need, believe, etc.

Am I seeing the stars?

Is he/she/it seeing the stars?
Are we/you/they seeing the
stars?

Did I/You/He/She/It/We/They
watch / see the stars?

I/He/She/It was seeing the

stars.

I/He/She/It wasn't seeing

the stars.

Was I/he/she/it seeing the

stars?

We/You/They were seeing

the stars.

We/You/They weren't
seeing the stars.

Were we/you/they seeing the

stars?

I/We/You/They have seen

the stars.

I/We/You/They haven't seen

the stars.

He/She/It has seen the

stars.

He/She/It hassn't seen the

stars.

Have I/we/you/they seen the

stars?
Has he/she/it seen the stars?

I/You/He/She/It/We/They
will see the stars.

I/You/He/She/It/We/They
won't see the stars.

Will I/You/He/She/It/We/They
see the stars?

I am going to see the stars.

I am not going to see the

stars.

Am I going to see the stars?

He/She/It is going to see

the stars.
We/You/They are going to
see the stars.

I/You/He/She/It/We/They
can see the stars.

He/She/It isn't going to see

the stars.
We/You/They aren't going
to see the stars.
I/You/He/She/It/We/They
can't see the stars.

To indicate a future
event on a designated
date as part of a plan or
arrangement.

Is he/she/it going to see the

stars?
Are we/you/they going to see
the stars?

CanI/You/He/She/It/We/They
see the stars?

To indicate actions
going on at the time of
speaking.
To indicate temporary
actions which may not
be happening at the
time of speaking.
To indicate a past habit
- or an action already
completed.
Can be used with or
without adverbs of time.
To indicate incomplete
actions of the past (with
or without time
reference).
To indicate persistent
habits of the past (with
always, continuously,
forever, etc.)
To indicate past actions
which are not defined by
a time of occurrence.
To indicate an action
which started in the past
and has continued up
until now.
To indicate an action,
condition, or
circumstance which
hasn't taken place yet.
To indicate unplanned
events or decisions
taken at the moment of
speaking.

To indicate a planned
action, condition, or
circumstance in the
future.

(Depends on the modal

verb)