Be - Present Tense

Subject + verb
Singular

Plural

I am

We are

You are

You are

He is
She is

They are

It is

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

We are not

I'm not

We aren't
We're not

You are not

You are not

You aren't

You aren't

You're not

You're not

He is not
He isn't
He's not
She is not

They are not

She isn't

They aren't

She's not

They're not

It is not
It isn't
It's 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

They ain't

It 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...

Are they....

Is it.....
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

We

You

You

He
She

They

It

There are also....

Object Prdonouns
Singular

Plural

me

us

you

you

him
her

them

It

Lesson Five
this / that / these / those

This

That

A thing or a person is close

A thing or a person is far

This = singular

That = singular

These

Those

Things or people are close

Things or people are far

These = plural

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

She does not work

They do 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
She doesn't work
It doesn't work

They don'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

They are learning

It is 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

They have

It has

"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...
She doesn't have...

They don'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 noncount

nouns use

only

and plural verbs andpronouns:

singular verbs andpronouns:

There is an apple. (singular)

There is some fruit. (singular

There are some apples. (plural)

verb)

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

I like that furniture.

She likes those chairs. ("those" is plural) I like those furniture. (no!)
A car is an expensive thing to own.
Cars are an

expensive

transportation.
Apples taste good
Digital

cameras

form

of

Traffic was heavy

today.

(singular verb)
Fruit tastes good.

make

photography TV stations have a lot of video

easy. They are fun to use.

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 How many chairs are How

much furniture

are there?

there?

there?

There is one chair

There are two chairs

There is a lot of furniture

How manycameras How

are there?
There's
camera

many cameras How

are there?
one There

much equipment

is

is

there?
are

cameras

four There's

a lot

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

of

video

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)

Lesson Twenty-Three
can / can't
singular

plural

I can ______

We can ______

You can ______

You can ______

not any (zero)

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

can

help

She

can

go

They

can

do

the simple form

for verbs in English:

helping verbs

past

simple

past

live

lived

lived

does

work

worked

worked

did

want

wanted

wanted

study

studied

studied

do

will

participle

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 _____

She doesn't have to _____

They don'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 they have to ____

Did it 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 _____

They want _____

It wants _____
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 _____

They don't want _____

It doesn'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 _____

They wanted _____

It 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 _____

They didn't want _____

It 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 _____

They would like _____

It 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 ____

They wouldn't like ____

It 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.

ooooooooooooo
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 _____

They need _____

It needs _____
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 ____

They don't need ____

It doesn'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 _____

They needed _____

It 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 ____

They didn't need ____

It 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?