English Verb Tenses

English Verb Tenses

Active Voice, Affirmative

Using: "I, play, (the) drums."

Simple

• Present: "I play the drums."
• Past: "I played the drums."
• Future: "I will play the drums."

Continuous

• Present: "I am playing the drums."
• Past: "I was playing the drums."
• Future: "I will be playing the drums."

Perfect

• Present: "I have played the drums."
• Past: "I had played the drums."
• Future: "I will have played the drums."

Perfect Continuous

• Present: "I have been playing the drums."
• Past: "I had been playing the drums."
• Future: "I will have been playing the drums."

Modal

• Can: "I can play the drums."
• Could: "I could play the drums." (past ability)
• May: "I may play the drums." (present permission or possibility)
• Might: "I might play the drums." (future possibility)
• Should: "I should play the drums." (obligation or advice)
• Would: "I would play the drums." (habitual action in the past or hypothetical action in the present)

Interrogative Direct Questions

• Present Simple: "Do you play the drums?"
• Present Continuous: "Are you playing the drums?"
• Present Perfect: "Have you played the drums?"
• Present Perfect Continuous: "Have you been playing the drums?"
• Past Simple: "Did you play the drums?"
• Past Continuous: "Were you playing the drums?"
• Past Perfect: "Had you played the drums?"
• Past Perfect Continuous: "Had you been playing the drums?"
• Future Simple: "Will you play the drums?"
• Future Continuous: "Will you be playing the drums?"
• Future Perfect: "Will you have played the drums?"
• Future Perfect Continuous: "Will you have been playing the drums?"

Wh- Question Words

Direct questions using Wh- question words (what, who, when, where, why).

Simple (past, present, future)

• Who
  • Who plays the drums? (Present)
  • Who played the drums? (Past)
  • Who will play the drums? (Future)
• What
  • What are you playing on the drums?
  • What kind of music do you play on the drums?
• When
  • When did you start playing the drums?
  • When are you going to play the drums next?
• Where
  • Where do you usually practice the drums?
  • Where did you learn to play the drums?
• Why
  • Why did you stop playing the drums?
  • Why do you enjoy playing the drums?

Continuous

• Who
  • Who is playing the drums? (Present)
• What
  • What are you playing the drums for?
  • What are you trying to achieve by playing the drums?
• When
  • When will you be playing the drums again?
• Why
  • Why are you practicing the drums right now?

Perfect

• Who
  • Who has played the drums before?
  • Who has never played the drums?
• What
  • What song have you been practicing on the drums?
  • What have you learned by playing the drums?
• When
  • When have you played the drums most recently?
• Why
  • Why have(n't) you played the drums in a while?

Perfect Continuous

• Who
  • Who has been playing the drums for the past hour?
  • Who has never been in a band that plays drums?
• What
  • What have you been working on lately with your drumming?
• When
  • When will you have been playing the drums for 10 years?
• Why
  • Why have you been neglecting your drumming lately?

Modal

• Can
  • Who can play the drums well?
  • Can you teach me how to play the drums?
• Could
  • Could you play the drums when you were a child?
  • Could you please play the drums quieter?
• May
  • May I borrow your drumsticks?
  • May you have the chance to play the drums on stage someday?
• Might
  • Who might be playing the drums at the concert tomorrow?
  • Might you join a drumming club?
• Should
  • Should you practice your drums more often?
  • Should I get you a new drum set for your birthday?
• Would
  • Would you like to play the drums with me right now?
  • Would you have played the drums differently if you knew what you know now?