English Cheatsheet

This is a small crib of English grammar, which is easy to keep on hand at all times.

Present tenses

Present simple

    Usage:
  • for permanent situations:
    • I live in a flat.
    • She works for an insurance company.
  • for repeated actions of habits:
    • I use my mobile phone phone every day.
  • for general truths:
    • The sun rises in the East.
    • Matter consists of small particles.
    • Water boils at 100 degrees.
  • to tell stories, or summarize the plot of a film or book:
    • Our hero goes off to search for the treasure, which he eventually finds after many adventures.
Structure of present simple
positive negative question
I work in a bank.
You work in a bank.
We work in a bank.
They work in a bank.		 I don't (do not) work.
You don't (do not) work.
We don't (do not) work.
They don't (do not) work.		 Do I work in a bank?
Do you work in a bank?
Do we work in a bank?
Do they work in a bank?
He works in a bank.
She works in a bank.
The bank opens at 9 o'clock.		 He doesn't (does not) work.
She doesn't (does not) work.
It doesn't (does not) open at 9 o'clock.		 Does he work?
Does she work?
Does it open at 9 o'clock?
Present simple – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
I working in London. I work in London. The gerund ing form is not used in the present simple.
He work in London. He works in London. The third person he , she , it adds the letter s .
He work in London? Does he work in London? Questions - third person:
does + subject + infinitive.
All other persons:
do + subject + infinitive.
Work he in London? Does he work in London?

He not work in London.

He doesn't work in London. Negatives - third person:
subject + doesn't + infinitive.
All other persons:
subject + don't + infinitive.

Present continuous

    Usage:
  • for temporary situations existing for a poriod at the present time:
    • I'm staying with a friend at the moment.
    • She's working wery hard navadays.
  • for situations which are changing during present time:
    • The weather's getting hotter and hotter.
  • for actions, or repeated actions or habits, occuring at the moment of speaking:
    • I am using John's mobile phone because I left mine at home.
    • You're eating too fast.
  • to express annoying habits which words like always:
    • You're always borrowing money!
Structure of present continuous
positive negative question
I'm (I am) reading a book.  
You're (you are) reading. 
We're (we are) reading. 
They're (they are) reading. 		 I'm (I am) not reading.
You're (you are) not reading.
We're (we are) not reading.
They're (they are) not reading.		 Am I reading?
Are you reading?
Are we reading?
Are they reading?
He's (he is) reading a book.
She's (she is) reading a book.
It's (it is) raining.		 He's not / he isn't (he is not) reading.
She's not / she isn't (she is not) reading.
It's not / it isn't (it is not) raining.		 Is he reading?
Is she reading?
Is it raining?

Present continuous – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
They still waiting for you. They are still waiting for you. to form a continuous tense we use be + -ing.
They are still waiting for you? Are they still waiting for you? In questions the subject ( they ) and the auxiliary verb ( be ) change places.
Do they still waiting for you? Are they still waiting for you?
Where they are waiting for you? Where are they waiting for you?
She doesn't watching TV. She isn't watching TV. To form the negative we put not after the verb be (am not, is not = isn't, are not = aren't).
I'm believing you. I believe you. Some verbs are not used in continuous tenses - these are called stative verbs (e.g. believe, come from, cost, depend, exist, feel, hate, like ).
    Notes:
  • When we use always with the Present Simple, it usually means "every time":
    • I always complain if the service bad in restaraurants.
  • When we use always with the Present Continuous, it means "all the time" or "too/very often":
    • You're always complaining that waiters are rude.
  • We do not usually use certain verbs in the Present Continuous, e.g.:
    • appearance: appear, resemble, seem
    • composition: consist of, contain, have
    • connection: come from, concern, cost, fir, suit
    • existence: be, exist
    • knowledge: forget, know, realise, understand
    • likes and dislikes: dislike, hate, loke, love, prefer
    • needs and wants: need, want, wish
    • opinion: believe, doubt, imagine, suppose, think
    • posession: belong to, have, own, owe, posess
    • senses: feel, hear, notice, see, smell, sound, taste

Past tenses

Past simple

    Usage:
  • for past habits or states, whether continuous or repeated:
    • Long ago, they built most houses out of wood.
    • He always caught the same train
  • with periods of time that have finished:
    • I read the newspaper this morning. (it is now afternoon or evening)
    • He did a lot in his short life. (he's dead)
  • for finished actions with the time words like a year ago, last Sunday, last week, yesterday, etc.:
    • Watson and Crick indentified the structure of DNA in 1953.
    • The first modern Olympics took place in Athens more that a hundred years ago..
Structure of past simple
positive negative question
I arrived yesterday.
You arrived yesterday.
He/she/it arrived.
We arrived.
They arrived.
I didn't (did not) arrive.
You didn't (did not) arrive.
He/she/it didn't arrive.
We didn't arrive.
They didn't arrive.
Did I arrive yesterday?
Did you arrive?
Did he/she/it arrive?
Did we arrive?
Did they arrive?
Past simple – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
I was work in London. I worked in London. In positive sentences, a helping verb such as 'was' or 'did' is not used.
He worked in London? Did he work in London? The helping verb 'did' is used in past simple questions.
Worked he in London? Did he work in London? The helping verb 'did' is used in past simple questions.
Did he wrote a letter? Did he write a letter? The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives.
He didn't wrote a letter. He didn't write a letter. The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives.

Past continuous

    Usage:
Structure of past continuous
positive negative question
I was reading a book. 
He/she was talking. 
It was raining. 		 I wasn't (was not) reading.
He/she wasn't talking. 
It wasn't raining.          		Was I reading?
Was he/she talking?
Was it raining?
You were reading a book. 
We were waiting. 
They were drinking. 
You weren't (were not) reading.
We weren't talking.
They weren't drinking.
Were you reading?
Were we waiting?
Were they drinking?
Past continuous – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
I waiting for him almost two hours. I was waiting for him almost two hours. To form the past continuous we use was/were + ing.
What did he doing when you saw him? What was he doing when you saw him?
We were playing tennis every morning. We played tennis every morning. We use the past simple for repeated actions in the past.
They watched TV when I came. They were watching TV when I came. We use the past continuous when we want to say what was happening (what was in progress) at a particular time in the past.

Present perfect tenses

Present perfect simple

    Usage:
Structure of present perfect simple
positive negative question
I've (I have) seen him.
You've done it. 
We've been there. 
They've eaten it. 		 I haven't (have not) seen him. 
You haven't done it. 
We haven't been there. 
They haven't eaten it. 		 Have I seen him?
Have you seen her?
Have we finished it?
Have they been there?
He's (he has) gone.
She's (she has) gone.
It's (it has) gone.		 He hasn't (has not) gone.
She hasn't gone.
It hasn't gone.		 Has he been here?
Has she finished?
Has it gone?
Present perfect simple – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
Steven has wrote a new book. Steven has written a new book. The past participle of the verb must be used - wrote is past simple, written is the past participle.
Did you have seen him before? Have you seen him before? The helping verb 'have' is used in the present perfect- it is inverted with the person ( you have becomes have you ).
I didn't have seen him before. I haven't seen him before. The helping verb 'have' is used in the present perfect- to make it negative we simply add not ( n't ).
I am here since last week. I have been here since last week. The present perfect is used to show an action which continues to the present (an unfinished action).
I've been knowing him for 5 years. I've known him for 5 years. Verbs such as know , want , like , etc. (stative verbs) suggest permanent states, not actions, so are used in the simple form, NOT the -ing form.

Present perfect continuous

    Usage:
Structure of present perfect continuous
positive question negative
I have (I've) been living here for two years.
He has (he's) been waiting for you.		 Have you been living here for a long time?
What has she been doing?		 I have not (haven't) been waiting for long.
He has not (hasn't) been working.
Present perfect continuous – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
It has been rain heavily all day. It has been raining heavily all day. The structure of the present perfect continuous is have/has been -ing.
I have sat here for two hours. I have been sitting here for two hours. Verbs such as sit , wait , speak , etc. (non-stative verbs) suggest continuity and so are mostly used in the continuous (-ing) form.
Which?
I have worked here for five years.
I have been working here for five years.		 When BOTH the simple and continuous form are possible, native speakers often prefer to use the continuous.

Past perfect tenses

Past perfect simple

    Usage:
Structure of past perfect simple
positive negative question
I'd (I had) seen him.
You'd done it. 
We'd been there. 
They'd eaten it. 		 I hadn't (had not) seen him. 
You hadn't done it. 
We hadn't been there. 
They hadn't eaten it. 		 Had I seen him?
Had you seen her?
Had we finished it?
Had they been there?
He'd (he had) gone.
She'd (she had) gone.
It'd (it had) gone.		 He hadn't (had not) gone.
She hadn't gone.
It hadn't gone.		 Had he been here?
Had she finished?
Had it gone?
Past perfect simple – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
I didn't been to London. I hadn't been to London. The helping verb had (negative - hadn't ) is used in the past perfect.
When I saw him, I noticed that he had a haircut. When I saw him I noticed that he had had a haircut. The action (haircut) which happened before another past action must be put into the past perfect to make the time order clear to the listener.
He told me has been to London. He told me he had been to London. His original words were: ''I have been to London.'' However, in reported speech we move the tense back - the present perfect ( have been ) becomes past perfect ( had been ).

Past perfect continuous

    Usage:
Structure of past perfect continuous
positive question negative
I had (I'd) been waiting.
You had (you'd) been cooking.
He/she/it had been eating.
We had (we'd) been waiting.
They had (they'd) been playing.		 Had I been waiting?
Had you been working?
Had he/she/it been waiting?
Had we been eating?
Had they been talking?		 I hadn't (had not) been waiting.
You hadn't been waiting
He/she/it hadn't been waiting.
We hadn't been working.
They hadn't been working.
Past perfect continuous – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
I had working hard, so I felt very tired. I had been working hard, so I felt very tired. The form of the past perfect continuous is had + been + verb-ing .
I had been worked hard, so I felt very tired.
I had been hearing the song many times before. I had heard the song many times before. Some verbs are not normally used in the continuous form, e.g. stative verbs such as know , like , understand , believe , hear , etc.

Future tenses

Future simple

Structure of future simple
statement negative question
I will (I'll) be there tomorrow.
You will (you'll) be there.
He/she/it will (he'll) be there.
We will (we'll) be there.
They will (they'll) be there.
I won't (will not) be there.
You won't be there.
He/she/it won't be there.
We won't be there.
They won't be there.
Will I be there tomorrow?
Will you be there?
Will he/she/it be there?
Will we be there?
Will they be there?
Future simple – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
- The phone's ringing.
- OK, I'm going to answer it. 		Ok - I'll answer it. If the action is decided at the moment of speaking, we use 'will' / 'will not'.
I'm sure he is going to help you. I'm sure he will help you. When we say what we think or expect, we use 'will'.
I won't probably be there. I probably won't be there.
I 'll probably be there. 		The adverbs 'definitely' and 'probably' comes before 'won't' but after 'will'.
I promise I'm going to help. I promise I'll help. After 'promise' we usually use 'will', not the 'going to' future.
I'll call you when I'll come to my office. I'll call you when I come to my office. When we refer to the future in adverbial clauses, we normally use the present simple (after 'when', 'as soon as' and 'until').
If you will give me your address, I'll send you a postcard. If you give me your address, I'll send you a postcard. When we refer to the future in conditional clauses, we normally use the present simple.
I can't see you next week. I will return to Paris. I can't see you next week. I am returning/am going to return to Paris. To show that the decision was made in the past, we use the present continuous or the 'going to' future.

Future continuous

Structure of future continuous
I will (I'll) be waiting there at five o'clock.
You will (I'll) be waiting.
He/she/it will (he'll) be waiting.
We will (we'll) be waiting.
They will (they'll) be waiting.		 I will not (won't) be waiting.
You will not be waiting.
He/she/it will not be waiting.
We will not be waiting.
They will not be waiting.		 Will I be waiting there?
Will you be waiting?
Will he/she/it be waiting?
Will we be waiting?
Will they be waiting?

Present tenses used for the future

Present tenses used for the future
We use the present simple when we talk about timetables and programmes. The train leaves at 12.00.
What time does the film begin?
We use the present continuous when we talk about things we have already arranged to do. I'm going to the cinema this evening.
I'm not working tomorrow.   

'Going to' future tense

Structure of 'going to' future
positive negative  question
I'm (I am) going to take my holidays in August. I'm (I am) not going to take a holiday this year.     Are you going to take a holiday?
He's (he is) going to watch TV this evening. He isn't (is not) going to watch TV this evening. Is he going to watch TV this evening?
'going to' for future – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
You know that I'll buy a new car, don't you? You know that I am going to buy a new car, don't you? We use going to for a future action that has been decided before the time of speaking.
Look! You will drop your books. Look! You are going to drop your books. We use going to if we see (and are sure) that the action will happen.

Future perfect simple

Structure of future perfect (simple)
positive negative question
The film will have started by the time we get there. The film will not (won't) have started by the time we get there. Will the film have started by the time we get there?
Future perfect simple – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
The film will already has started by the time we get home. The film will already have started by the time we get home. The form of the future perfect is
will + have + past participle.
Will have you finished it by the time I come back? Will you have finished it by the time I come back? See word order and the form of the question above.

Future perfect continuous

Structure of future perfect continuous
positive negative question
Next year I'll (I will) have been working in the company for 10 years. I won't (will not) have been working in the company for 10 years. Will you have been working in the company for 10 years?
Future perfect continuous – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
I will have working in the company for five years next month. I will have been working in the company for five years next month. The form of the future perfect continuous is
will + have + been + past participle.
I will haven't been working in the company for five years next month. I will not (won't) have been working in the company for five years next month. The form of the negative is
will not + have + been + past participle.
Will have you been working in the company for five years next month? Will you have been working in the company for five years next month? The form of the question is
will + subject + have + been + past participle.
I'll have been working in three different positions at the company by the end of the year. I'll have worked in three different positions at the company by the end of the year. We use the simple form when we talk about an amount or number.

Passive tenses

Passive forms

Structure of passive forms
The office is cleaned two times a week. The office isn't (is not) cleaned two times a week. Is the office cleaned two times a week?
The office was cleaned on Friday. The office wasn't (was not) cleaned on Friday. Was the office cleaned on Friday?
The office is being cleaned at the moment. The office isn't (is not) being cleaned at the moment. Is the office being cleaned at the moment?
The office has already been cleaned. The office hasn't (has not) been cleaned yet. Has the office been cleaned?
The office will be cleaned next week. The office won't (will not) be cleaned next week. Will the office be cleaned next week?
The office can be cleaned. The office cannot be cleaned. Can the office be cleaned?
When we want to include the agent (who), we use the prepositional phrase with by :
The play An Ideal Husband was written by Oscar Wilde.
Passive forms – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
This problem will solved next week. This problem will be solved next week. To make a passive form we use be + past participle.
This problem will be solve next week. This problem will be solved next week.
My car is repairing at the moment. My car is being repaired at the moment. To make a passive form of a continuous tense we use be + being + past participle.
She has already be invited. She has already been invited. To make a passive form of the perfect tense we use have/has/had + been + past participle.

Past passive forms

Structures of past tense passive forms
past simple passive I was told about it yesterday.
present perfect passive He's (he has) been fired from the company.
past perfect passive I'd (I had) been given the money by a friend.
past continuous passive The room was being decorated.
Past passive forms – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
This problem solved last week. This problem was solved last week. To make a past passive form we use was/were + past participle of the verb.
This problem was solve last week. This problem was solved last week.
My car was repairing at that time. My car was being repaired at that time. To make a past passive form of a continuous tense we use was/were + being + past participle of the verb.
She has already be invited. She has already been invited. To make a passive form of the perfect tense we use have/has/had + been + past participle of the verb.

Conditionals

Zero conditional

Structure of the zero conditional
positive negative question
If/when you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils. If/when you don't heat water to 100 degrees, it doesn't boil. What happens if/when you heat water to 100 degrees?
The zero conditional – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
If/when people eat too much, they will get fat.

Water boils when it will reach 100°C. 		If/when people eat too much, they get fat.

Water boils when it reaches 100°C. 		We use the present simple in both clauses of the zero conditional. We are saying that the condition can be true at any time (it is a fact).
If means the same as when in a zero conditional sentence. We can also use whenever .

First conditional

Structure of the first conditional
positive negative question
If I see him, I'll (I will) tell him.   If you don't hurry, you'll miss the bus. What will you do if there is a problem?
The first conditional – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
If you will go to England, you will improve your English. If you go to England, you will improve your English. We use the present simple in the if-clause.
If I find his address, I send him the letter. If I find his address, I will send him the letter. We use will in the main clause, to express certainty in the future.
I'll tell him if I will see him. I'll tell him if I see him. We use the present simple in the if-clause.

Second conditional

Structure of the second conditional
positive negative question
If I had more time, I'd (I would) travel more. I wouldn't (would not) refuse if you offered me $10,000. What would you say if you met Queen Elizabeth?
If I were you, I'd leave the job. I wouldn't (would not) leave the job if I were you. Would you leave the job if you were me?
The second conditional – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
If I would have enough money, I would buy a new computer. If I had enough money, I would buy a new computer. We use the past simple (here I had ) in the if-clause. It shows we are talking about something which is unlikely to happen or is an imaginary situation.
If you didn't hurry so much, you will feel more relaxed. If you didn't hurry so much, you would feel more relaxed. The main clause has would + infinitive.

Third conditional

Structure of the third conditional
positive negative question
If I'd (I had) known you were coming, I would have waited for you. If she hadn't (had not) been ill, she would have gone to the cinema. Would you have done it if you'd (you had) known earlier?
The third conditional – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
If I would have asked him, he would have helped me. If I had asked him, he would have helped me. In the if-clause we use the past perfect (had + past participle ). We don't use 'would' or 'would have' in the if-clause.
If you had spoken to my mother, she would tell you where I was. If you had spoken to my mother, she would have told you where I was. The main clause has
would + have + past participle.

Questions

Forming questions

Structures of questions

If there is an auxiliary (helping) verb ( be, have, can, will, etc.) we put it before the subject ( he, she, I, etc.)

Is anybody in the office?
Have you ever visited London?
What time Will they be here?

If there is no auxiliary (helping) verb, we put do, does or did before the subject.

Do you know my older brother?
Did he come in time?

We put wh- words ( when, where, why, who, how, etc.) at the beginning of the question.

How long have you been waiting for me?
Where is their office?
Which colour do you like best?

We don't use do, does or did when we use what, which, who or whose as the subject.

What happened to you?
Who told you about it?

Questions – common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?

What meant you by saying that?

What did you mean by saying that?

If there is no auxiliary (helping) verb, we put do, does or did before the subject.

You like this film?

Do you like this film?

Where you are going this afternoon?

Where are you going this afternoon?

We put an auxiliary verb before the subject.

You did read the letter?

Did you read the letter?

Who did give you the information?

Who gave you the information?

We don't use do, does or did when we use what, which, who or whose as the subject.

Does he knows your sister?

Does he know your sister?

When there is an auxiliary verb, the main verb is in the infinitive form.

Where will she studies?

Where will she study ?

Can you tell me where can I buy a good camera?

Can you tell me where I can buy a good camera?

Word order in indirect question is the same as in a normal sentence: SUBJECT + VERB + ...

Indirect questions

Structure of indirect questions

Word order in indirect question is the same as in a normal statement sentence:
SUBJECT + VERB + ...

Direct question

Indirect question

Where can I buy ink for the printer?

Can you tell me where I can buy ink for the printer?

Why do you want to work for our company?

He asked me why I wanted to work for their company.

What is the number of the last invoice?

I'm calling to ask you what the number of the last invoice is .

How much did it cost ?

Do you know how much it cost ?

How did it happen ?

Did she tell you how it happened ?