THE PRESENT TENSE

PRESENT TENSE OF BE
AFFIRMATIVE

CONTRACTION

NEGATIVE

I AM
YOU ARE
HE IS
SHE IS
IT IS
WE ARE
YOU ARE
THEY ARE

IM
YOURE
HES
SHES
ITS
WERE
YOURE
THEYRE

IM NOT
YOU ARENT
HE ISNT
SHE ISNT
IT ISNT
WE ARENT
YOU ARENT
THEY ARENT

INTERROGATIVE
AM I?
ARE YOU?
IS HE?
IS SHE?
IS IT?
ARE WE?
ARE YOU?
ARE THEY?
NOTE: HE SHE IT (THIRD PERSON SINGULAR)
EXAMPLES

I AM FROM COLOMBIA.
YOU ARE A STUDENT.
HE IS A TEACHER.
SHE IS BEAUTIFUL.
IT IS A BOOK.
WE ARE SINGERS.
YOU ARE SMART.
THEY ARE LATE.
ARE YOU A TEACHER?
YES, I AM A TEACHER.
IS HE A STUDENT?
NO, HE ISNT A STUDENT. HE IS A TEACHER.
ARE THEY GOOD STUDENTS? YES, THEY ARE GOOD STUDENTS.

THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE

2

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

The indefinite article has two forms, A and An. Before a consonant (A) is used. Before a
vowel (An) is used.
EXAMPLE

A student.
An article.
A friend.
An idea.
A boy.
An umbrella.

EXERCISES
1. Circle the correct words or word parts.
PAM:
MARY:
PAM:
MARY:
PAM:
ELLEN:
PAM:
PAM:
MARY:
ELLEN:
CARLOS:

Hi. I (m / s) Pam.
Hello. We (s / re) Mary and Ellen Johnson.
Oh, you (re / nt) twins!
No, we (re not / isnt) twins. But we (m / re) sisters.
But you (s / re) exactly alike!
No, I (m / s) nineteen years old, but Mary (isnt / arent) even eighteen yet.
Oh. Well, I (m / are) glad to meet you!
Mary and Ellen, this (is / Hes) Carlos.
Hi, Carlos.
Hello, Carlos.
Hello. (to Pam) They (m / re) twins!

2.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb be.

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.

______John a teacher?
My sister______a good student.
The teacher______not here yet.
Carlos and Ron______late.
The snack bar______open.
Mary and Ellen______not twins.
My friends______smart.
My name______John.
______ you from Venezuela?
No, I______not from Venezuela. I______ from Colombia.

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

The present tense, describes activities and states which are generally and universally true.
Example: The teacher explains the lesson.
The simple present tense usually uses the simple form of a verb. For a third person singular subject
(He-She-It), the verb ends in (S)
TO CLEAN
I
clean
You clean
He cleans
She cleans
It
cleans
We clean
You clean
They clean

TO WORK
I
work
You work
He works
She works
It
works
We work
You work
They work

TO LIKE
I
like
You like
He likes
She likes
It
likes
We like
You like
They like

TO WALK
I
walk
You walk
He walks
She walks
It
walks
We walk
You walk
They walk

TO DANCE
I
dance
You dance
He dances
She dances
It
dances
We dance
You dance
They dance

TO KISS
I
kiss
You kiss
He kisses
She kisses
It
kisses
We kiss
You kiss
They kiss

TO PLAY
I
play
You play
He plays
She plays
It
plays
We play
You play
They play

TO STUDY
I
study
You study
He studies
She studies
It
studies
We study
You study
They study

NOTE

Verbs of one syllable that end in o, the ending es is added.

TO GO
HE GOES

Verbs that end in y preceded by a consonant, the

is added.
TO FLY

y is changed to i, and the ending es

SHE FLIES

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

Verbs that end in s, sh, ch, or x, the ending es is added.

TO MISS
TO WASH
TO TEACH
TO FIX

HE MISSES
SHE WASHES
IT TEACHES
HE FIXES

Verbs that end in ge,

TO CHANGE
TO PRODUCE
TO USE

ce, or se, the ending s is added.

HE CHANGES
SHE PRODUCES
IT USES

EXAMPLE
TO GO
TO DO
TO STUDY
TO TRY
TO CRY
TO FLY
TO REPLY
TO PAY
TO BUY
TO SAY
TO MISS
TO PASS
TO EXPRESS
TO NOTICE
TO PRONOUNCE
TO CLOSE
TO USE
TO CATCH

GOES
DOES
STUDIES
TRIES
CRIES
FLIES
REPLIES
PAYS
BUYS
SAYS
MISSES
PASSES
EXPRESSES
NOTICES
PRONOUNCES
CLOSES
USES
CATCHES

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

EXERCISES
Use the correct form of the simple present tense of the verb.

He______from Colombia. (come)

______you from New York? (be)
Mary______to class early. (go)
The teacher______the unit 5. (explain)
He______the words. (understand)
The teachers______North Americans. (be)
Pamela______the university. (like)
Alice______many books. (have)
The lesson______very important. (be)
Mr. Perez______the house. (rent)
Carol______on Garden Street. (live)
My mother_______to buy a car. (need)
I_____to the radio every night. (listen)
We______to speak English. (want)
The students______to learn English. (want)

HOW TO MAKE QUESTIONS IN THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

The helping verb DO/DOES is used in the present tense for questions and
negatives.
DO is used for all subjects except third person singular. (I-You-We-They).
DOES is used only for third person singular. (He-She-It).
AFFIRMATIVE

NEGATIVE

INTERROGATIVE

I DO
YOU DO
HE DOES
SHE DOES
IT DOES
WE DO
YOU DO
THEY DO

I DONT
YOU DONT
HE DOESNT
SHE DOESNT
IT DOESNT
WE DONT
YOU DONT
THEY DONT

DO I?
DO YOU?
DOES HE?
DOES SHE?
DOES IT?
DO WE?
DO YOU?
DO THEY?

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

EXAMPLES

They like the English class.

Do they like the English class?
Yes, they like the English class.
No, they dont like the English class.

(Interrogative)
(Affirmative)
(Negative)

Carlos wants to eat now.

Does he want to eat now?
Yes, he wants to eat now.
No, he doesnt want to eat now.

(Interrogative)
(Affirmative)
(Negative)

EXERCISES
Change these sentences to questions.
A. They know English.
________________________________________________________________?
B. They listen to the radio in the evening.
________________________________________________________________?
C. Alice goes to the store with him.
________________________________________________________________?
D. Mrs. Brown has many things to buy.
________________________________________________________________?
E. Herb lives on Clark Street.
________________________________________________________________?
F. The house has a nice green lawn.
________________________________________________________________?
G. He speaks Spanish very well.
________________________________________________________________?
H. The Browns have a new car.
________________________________________________________________?

I.

My mother puts the tomatoes in the sun.

________________________________________________________________?

J.

They go to Miami on business.

________________________________________________________________?

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

The present continuous tense describes present time. It is used for actions which are
happening in the present, and for a period of time which includes the present. It consists of
a form of the verb be before the ing form of a verb.

BE + VERB + ING
Example:

SHE IS STUDYING ENGLISH

The present continuous tense, uses combinations to mark the common time: this week, this
month, this year, these days, today, now, at the moment, and tonight.
AFFIRMATIVE
I AM EATING
YOU ARE PLAYING
HE IS STUDYING
SHE IS COOKING
IT IS TALKING
WE ARE SINGING
YOU ARE CRYING
THEY ARE WORKING

CONTRACTION
IM EATING
YOURE PLAYING
HES STUDYING
SHES COOKING
ITS TALKING
WERE SINGING
YOURE CRYING
THEYRE WORKING

NEGATIVE
IM NOT EATING
YOU ARENT PLAYING
HE ISNT STUDYING
SHE ISNT COOKING
IT ISNT TAKING
WE ARENT SINGING
YOU ARENT CRYING
THEY ARENT WORKING

INTERROGATIVE
AM I EATING?
ARE YOU PLAYING?
IS HE STUDYING?
IS SHE COOKING?
IS IT TALKING?
ARE WE SINGING?
ARE YOU CRYING?
ARE THEY WORKING?

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

NOTE
In English, a certain group of verbs can not take any continuous tense. These are verbs
which describe mental states or mental activity or conditions of things.
BELIEVE
HATE
HEAR
KNOW

PREFER
REALISE
SUPPOSE
MEAN

WANT
SEEM
CONTAIN
LIKE

UNDERSTAND
DEPEND
LOVE
REMEMBER

OWN
NEED
BELONG

HAVE (meaning to own; some exceptions are idioms with have. These idioms are use
in continuous tenses: to have fun, to have a party, to have a good time, to have
a bad time, to have trouble)
THINK (meaning to believe. Think about has a different meaning and can take
continuous tenses)
These are some of the verbs in present continuous
TO DANCE
TO STUDY
TO PRONOUNCE
TO MISS
TO WATCH
TO WALK
TO ASK
TO LEARN
TO PASS
TO EXPRESS
TO LISTEN
TO LIVE
TO CLOSE
TO USE
TO ARRIVE
TO CHANGE
TO SPEAK
TO TALK
TO SEND

DANCING
STUDYING
PRONOUNCING
MISSING
WATCHING
WALKING
ASKING
LEARNING
PASSING
EXPRESSING
LISTENING
LIVING
CLOSING
USING
ARRIVING
CHANGING
SPEAKING
TALKING
SENDING

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

TO SLEEP
TO SWIM
TO TAKE
TO BREAK
TO BUY
TO DO
TO GIVE

SLEEPING
SWIMMING
TAKING
BREAKING
BUYING
FLY
GIVING

SPECIAL RULES

If the simple form ends in silent e after a consonant, drop the e and add ing.
Example:

SNEEZING

If the simple form ends in ie, change the ie to y and add ing.
Example:

TO SNEEZE

TO DIE
TO UNTIE

DYING
UNTYING

If the simple form has one syllable and ends in one consonant after one vowel, double the
last consonant (except x) an add ing.
Example:

TO GET
TO RUN

NOTE: The letters

GETTING
RUNNING

w and y

at the end of a word are vowels,

not consonants.
Example:

TO ROW
TO PLAY

ROWING
PLAYING

If the simple form ends in an accented (stressed) syllable, follow the rule above for
one final consonant after one vowel.
Example:

TO BEGN

BEGINNING

NOTE: If the last syllable is not accented, just add

Example:

10

TO HPPEN

ing.

HAPPENING

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

In all other cases, add ing to the simple form.

Example:

TO WALK
TO EAT
TO CARRY

WALKING
EATING
CARRYING

EXAMPLES

They are studying to pass the test.

Are they studying to pass the test?
Yes, they are studying to pass the test.
No, they are not studying to pass the test.

(Interrogative)
(Affirmative)
(Negative)

The bear is eating our food.

Is the bear eating our food?
Yes, the bear is eating our food.
No, the bear is not eating our food.

(Interrogative)
(Affirmative)
(Negative)

EXERCISES
Use present continuous tense and complete the sentences.

11

Miguel_______gifts (buy)
The little boys_______ (play)
The little girl and her mother_______a walk (take)
They_______at toys (look)
The Teenage girls_______for the test (study)
The woman_______home (go)
The teenage boy_______to music (listen)
The old man_______the newspaper (read)
My sister_______a letter now (send)
The doorbell_______now (ring)

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

THE PAST TENSE

THE PAST TENSE OF BE
INTERROGATIVE

AFFIRMATIVE

NEGATIVE

I WAS
YOU WERE
HE WAS
SHE WAS
IT WAS
WE WERE
YOU WERE
THEY WERE

I WASNT
YOU WERENT
HE WASNT
SHE WASNT
IT WASNT
WE WERENT
YOU WERENT
THEY WERENT

WAS I?
WERE YOU?
WAS HE?
WAS SHE?
WAS IT?
WERE WE?
WERE YOU?
WERE THEY?

EXAMPLES

12

I WAS AN ENGLISH TEACHER

YOU WERE A GOOD STUDENT.
HE WAS AN AEROBICS INSTRUCTOR.
SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL QUEEN.
IT WAS A NICE ISLAND.
WE WERE FAMOUS SINGERS.
YOU WERE SMART GIRLS.
THEY WERE LATE.
WERE YOU A STUDENT?
YES, I WAS A STUDENT.
WAS HE A PILOT?
NO, HE WASNT A PILOT.
WERE THEY GOOD STUDENTS? YES, THEY WERE GOOD STUDENTS.

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

The most basic use of the past tense is to describe one completed action in the past.
Example: The fire started at 9:00 pm.
The simple past tense uses combinations to mark the common time: yesterday, yesterday
morning, yesterday afternoon, yesterday evening, last night, last month, last
year, two days ago, two weeks ago, three years ago, in 1998, on Monday, at
5:30.
TO CLEAN
I
cleaned
You cleaned
He cleaned
She cleaned
It
cleaned
We cleaned
You cleaned
They cleaned

TO WORK
I
worked
You worked
He worked
She worked
It
worked
We worked
You worked
They worked

TO FIX
I
fixed
You fixed
He fixed
She fixed
It
fixed
We fixed
You fixed
They fixed

TO WALK
I
walked
You walked
He walked
She walked
It
walked
We walked
You walked
They walked

TO DANCE
I
danced
You danced
He danced
She danced
It
danced
We danced
You danced
They danced

TO START
I
started
You started
He started
She started
It
started
We started
You started
They started

TO PLAY
I
played
You played
He played
She played
It
played
We played
You played
They played

TO STUDY
I
studied
You studied
He studied
She studied
It
studied
We studied
You studied
They studied

REGULAR VERBS: If a verb is regular, the past simple and past

participle end in ed.

NOTE

In the simple past tense of regular verbs, the regular ending is ed; it is added to the simple
form of the verb. If the verb ends in e, only d is added.
TO WALK
TO DANCE

13

WALKED
DANCED

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

When the simple form of the verb ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel
and the stress is on the last syllable, the consonant is doubled before a suffix beginning
with a vowel.
TO STOP

STOPPED

When the simple form of the verb ends in y preceded by a consonant, the y changes to i
before ed.
TO STUDY

STUDIED

EXAMPLE
TO DANCE
TO NOTICE
TO STUDY
TO PRONOUNCE
TO MISS
TO OMIT
TO WATCH
TO WALK
TO ASK
TO FINISH
TO LEARN
TO PASS
TO EXPRESS
TO LISTEN
TO LIVE
TO CLOSE
TO USE
TO ARRIVE
TO CHANGE
TO ORDER
TO ANSWER

14

DANCED
NOTICED
STUDIED
PRONOUNCED
MISSED
OMITTED
WATCHED
WALKED
ASKED
FINISHED
LEARNED
PASSED
EXPRESSED
LISTENED
LIVED
CLOSED
USED
ARRIVED
CHANGED
ORDERED
ANSWERED

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

EXERCISES
Give the past tense of the verbs in parentheses.

He______hard yesterday. (work)

We______to the radio for an hour. (listen)
Mary______a great deal of English last year. (learn)
The teacher______the unit 5. (explain)
He______as far as the church with them. (walk)
The teachers______to go to the factory. (decide)
Pamela______the University. (like)
Alice______us to her house. (invite)
The guys______very well. (play)
Mr. Perez______the house. (rent)
Carol______on Garden Street two years ago. (live)
My mother_______to buy a car. (need)
I_____to the radio yesterday night. (listen)
We______to speak English. (want)
The students______to learn English. (want)

HOW TO MAKE QUESTIONS IN THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

The helping verb DID is used in the past tense for questions and negatives.
DID is used for all subjects. (I-You-He-She-It-We-They).
AFFIRMATIVE
I DID
YOU DID
HE DID
SHE DID
IT DID
WE DID
YOU DID
THEY DID

15

NEGATIVE
I DIDNT
YOU DIDNT
HE DIDNT
SHE DIDNT
IT DIDNT
WE DIDNT
YOU DIDNT
THEY DIDNT

INTERROGATIVE
DID I?
DID YOU?
DID HE?
DID SHE?
DID IT?
DID WE?
DID YOU?
DID THEY?

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

EXAMPLES

They liked the last English class.

Did they like the last English class?
Yes, they liked the last English class.
No, they didnt like the last English class.

(Interrogative)
(Affirmative)
(Negative)

Carlos studied English two years ago.

Did he study English two years ago?
Yes, he studied English two years ago.
No, he didnt study English two years ago.

(Interrogative)
(Affirmative)
(Negative)

EXERCISES
Change these sentences to questions.
1. They learned English.
________________________________________________________________?
2. They listened to the radio yesterday morning.
________________________________________________________________?
3. Alice danced with him.
________________________________________________________________?
4. Mrs. Brown received a letter this morning.
________________________________________________________________?
5. Herb lived on Clark Street.
________________________________________________________________?
6. They signed the contract two weeks ago.
________________________________________________________________?
7. He missed the bus this morning.
________________________________________________________________?
8. The Browns followed the instructions.
________________________________________________________________?
9. My mother rented her house.
________________________________________________________________?
10. They answered all the questions.
________________________________________________________________?

16

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

NOTE
Some common verbs have an irregular past tense and are therefore called irregular verbs.

IRREGULAR VERBS: When the past simple and past participle dont end
in ed, the verb is irregular.

With some irregular verbs, all three forms (infinitive, past simple and past participle) are
the same. For example, HIT-HIT-HIT.
With other irregular verbs, the past simple is the same as the past participle, but different
from the infinitive. For example, TELL-TOLD-TOLD.
With other irregular verbs, all three forms are different.
For Example, BREAK-BROKE-BROKEN.

The following verbs can be regular or irregular:

BurnBurned or Burnt
DreamDreamed or Dreamt
LeanLeaned or Leant
LearnLearned or Learnt

SmellSmelled or Smelt
SpellSpelled or Spelt
SpillSpilled or Spilt
SpoilSpoiled or Spoilt

LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS

INFINITIVE

PAST SIMPLE

PAST PARTICIPLE

Be
Beat
Become
Begin
Bend
Bet
Bite
Blow
Break
Bring
Broadcast
Build
Burst
Buy
Catch
Choose
Come
Cost
Creep
Cut

Was/Were
Beat
Became
Began
Bent
Bet
Bit
Blew
Broke
Brought
Broadcast
Built
Burst
Bought
Caught
Chose
Came
Cost
Crept
Cut

Been
Beaten
Become
Begun
Bent
Bet
Bitten
Blown
Broken
Brought
Broadcast
Built
Burst
Bought
Caught
Chosen
Come
Cost
Crept
Cut

17

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

INFINITIVE

PAST SIMPLE

PAST PARTICIPLE

Deal
Dig
Do
Draw
Drink
Drive
Eat
Fall
Feed
Feel
Fight
Find
Flee
Fly
Forbid
Forget
Forgive
Freeze
Get
Give
Go
Grow
Hang
Have
Hear
Hide
Hit
Hold
Hurt
Keep
Kneel
Know
Lay
Lead
Leave
Lend
Let
Lie
Light
Lose
Make
Mean
Meet
Pay
Put
Read
Ride
Ring

Dealt
Dug
Did
Drew
Drank
Drove
Ate
Fell
Fed
Felt
Fought
Found
Fled
Flew
Forbade
Forgot
Forgave
Froze
Got
Gave
Went
Grew
Hung
Had
Heard
Hid
Hit
Held
Hurt
Kept
Knelt
Knew
Laid
Led
Left
Lent
Let
Lay
Lit
Lost
Made
Meant
Met
Paid
Put
Read
Rode
Rang

Dealt
Dug
Done
Drawn
Drunk
Driven
Eaten
Fallen
Fed
Felt
Fought
Found
Fled
Flown
Forbidden
Forgotten
Forgiven
Frozen
Got
Given
Gone
Grown
Hung
Had
Heard
Hidden
Hit
Held
Hurt
Kept
Knelt
Known
Laid
Led
Left
Lent
Let
Lain
Lit
Lost
Made
Meant
Met
Paid
Put
Read
Ridden
Rung

18

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

INFINITIVE

PAST SIMPLE

PAST PARTICIPLE

Rise
Run
Say
See
Seek
Sell
Send
Set
Sew
Shake
Shine
Shoot
Show
Shrink
Shut
Sing
Sink
Sit
Sleep
Slide
Speak
Spend
Spit
Split
Spread
Spring
Stand
Steal
Stick
Sting
Stink
Strike
Swear
Sweep
Swim
Swing
Take
Teach
Tear
Tell
Think
Throw
Understand
Wake
Wear
Weep
Win
Write

Rose
Ran
Said
Saw
Sought
Sold
Sent
Set
Sewed
Shook
Shone
Shot
Showed
Shrank
Shut
Sang
Sank
Sat
Slept
Slid
Spoke
Spent
Spat
Split
Spread
Sprang
Stood
Stole
Stuck
Stung
Stank
Struck
Swore
Swept
Swam
Swung
Took
Taught
Tore
Told
Thought
Threw
Understood
Woke
Wore
Wept
Won
Wrote

Risen
Run
Said
Seen
Sought
Sold
Sent
Set
Sewn/Sewed
Shaken
Shone
Shot
Shown/Showed
Shrunk
Shut
Sung
Sunk
Sat
Slept
Slid
Spoken
Spent
Spat
Split
Spread
Sprung
Stood
Stolen
Stuck
Stung
Stunk
Struck
Sworn
Swept
Swum
Swung
Taken
Taught
Torn
Told
Thought
Thrown
Understood
Woken
Worn
Wept
Won
Written

19

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

EXERCISES
Answer these sentences in affirmative form.
1. Did you take a train?
Yes, ____________________________________________________________
2. Did he give you his seat?
Yes, ____________________________________________________________
3. How much money did you lend him?
4. Did they go last night?
Yes, ____________________________________________________________
5. Did she forget her book?
Yes, ____________________________________________________________
6. Did he tell you the truth?
Yes, ____________________________________________________________
7. Did you send the package?
Yes, ____________________________________________________________
8. Did he pay for the tickets?
Yes, ____________________________________________________________
9. Did you win the prize?
Yes, ____________________________________________________________
10. Did the English class begin on time?
Yes, ____________________________________________________________

20

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

THE AUXILIARY VERB CAN

CAN expresses ability, mental or physical. We can use CAN, to say that something is
possible or that somebody has the ability to do something.
We use CAN + INFINITIVE
Example: I can study English.
AFFIRMATIVE

NEGATIVE

I CAN
YOU CAN
HE CAN
SHE CAN
IT CAN
WE CAN
YOU CAN
THEY CAN

I CANT
YOU CANT
HE CANT
SHE CANT
IT CANT
WE CANT
YOU CANT
THEY CANT

INTERROGATIVE
CAN I?
CAN YOU?
CAN HE?
CAN SHE?
CAN IT?
CAN WE?
CAN YOU?
CAN THEY?

NOTE: CAN is used in all subjects (I-You-He-She-It-We-You-They)

CAN has only two forms. Can (present) and Could (past)
CAN has no present perfect, so sometimes is necessary to use be able to.
CAN has no infinitive.

EXAMPLES

21

They can see the lake from our bedroom window.

Can they see the lake from our bedroom window?
Yes, they can see the lake from our bedroom window.
No, they cant see the lake from our bedroom window.

(Interrogative)
(Affirmative)
(Negative)

Herb can speak any foreign languages.

Can he speak any foreign languages?
Yes, he can speak any foreign languages.
No, he cant speak any foreign languages.

(Interrogative)
(Affirmative)
(Negative)

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

COULD
Sometimes COULD is the past tense of CAN.
AFFIRMATIVE
I COULD
YOU COULD
HE COULD
SHE COULD
IT COULD
WE COULD
YOU COULD
THEY COULD

NEGATIVE

INTERROGATIVE

I COULDNT
YOU COULDNT
HE COULDNT
SHE COULDNT
IT COULDNT
WE COULDNT
YOU COULDNT
THEY COULDNT

COULD I?
COULD YOU?
COULD HE?
COULD SHE?
COULD IT?
COULD WE?
COULD YOU?
COULD THEY?

EXAMPLES

My grandfather could swim.

Could he swim?
Yes, he could swim.
No, he couldnt swim.

(Interrogative)
(Affirmative)
(Negative)

Herb and Ron could smell burning.

Could they smell burning?
Yes, they could smell burning.
No, they couldnt smell burning.

(Interrogative)
(Affirmative)
(Negative)

EXERCISES
Complete the sentences with can / cant / could /couldnt + one of these verbs:
Come

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Eat

Hear

Run

Sleep

Wait

Im afraid I_________to your party next week.

When John was 20, he was fast runner. He__________100 metres in 11 seconds.
Are you in a hurry? No, I have got plenty of time. I__________.
I was feeling sick yesterday. I__________anything.
Can you speak up a bit? I__________you very well.
You look tired. Yes, I__________last night.

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

DO AND MAKE
DO as a principal verb, is often confused with MAKE, because both verbs are the same in
Spanish.
TO INDICATE A GENERAL ACTIVITY.

What are you doing now?

What did you do yesterday?
The maid did everything that I told her to do.
What can I do for you?

WITH CERTAINS NOUNS.

She always does her work carefully.

Did you do your homework for today?
Mr. Brown does his own housework.
I have to do my English lesson now.
The maid does the dishes after each meal.
He did a lot of business last month.
Im going downtown to do some errands.
Can you do me a favor?

The verb MAKE is used with several common meanings.

Make usually means perform, create, form, produce, construct, or manufacture.

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He is going to make a speech tonight.

Lets make a fire in the fireplace.
I always make a list of the things I have to do.
She made herself a new dress.
He made a diagram to show us the way to go.
The best belts are made in Italy.
They are making plans for an expensive trip.
She didnt make many mistakes in her English test.

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

LIST OF SOME WORDS WITH DO AND MAKE

DO

MAKE

Work
Homework
Housework
Lesson
The dishes
Business
Errands
Favor

Speech
Fire
Sandwiches
Dress
Diagram
Plans
Mistakes
Money
Difference
Effort
The bed
Friends

EXERCISES
Answer these questions, using the correct form of the verbs Do or Make.

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Do you do an effort or make an effort? ________________________________

Do you do your work or make your work? ______________________________
Do you do an errand or make an errand? _______________________________
Do you do a mistake or make a mistake? _______________________________
Do you do a favor or make a favor? ___________________________________
Do you do the dishes or make the dishes? ______________________________
Do you do a list or make a list? ______________________________________
Do you do a speech or make a speech? ________________________________

English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

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English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.

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English Tutor: Virginia Padilla Camacho.