1

Preparing to
Write

In order to write well in English, you should understand the basics of the
lan- guage. Probably the most difficult area for students learning English is
verbs. Although English verbs are used in complicated ways, they do not
have com- plicated conjugations with a different ending for each pronoun
like other lan- guages might.

GERMAN SPANISH RUSSIAN

ich fahre yo hablo
du fährst tu hablas
er fährt el habla
wir fahren nosotros hablamos
ihr fährt vosotros habláis
sie fahren ellos hablan

With most English verbs there is only one ending (-s or -es) in the third
per- son singular of the present tense. The only exception to that rule is the
verb to be:

TO SPEAK TO BE
I speak I am
you speak you are
he speaks he is
we speak we are
you speak you are
they speak they are

But English has other complexities. For example, there are three ways
to express the present tense:

• The simple conjugation of the verb means that the action of the verb is
a habit or is repeated. For example: “We speak.”
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2 WRITINg BETTER ENgLISH

• When the verb is conjugated with a form of to be (am, is, are, was,
were), the verb will have an -ing ending. It means that the action is
continuing or not yet completed. For example: “We are speaking.”
• The third present tense form uses a conjugation of to do (do, does)
with the verb and has three uses: (1) It is used to ask a question with
most verbs except to be or certain auxiliaries (can, must, should, and
so on).
(2) It is used as an emphatic response. (3) It is used to negate the verb
with not. Let’s look at some examples with the verb to speak:

I speak English. (This is my habit. I speak English all the time.)

I am speaking English. (I usually speak Spanish. At the moment I am speaking
English.)
Do you speak English? (A question with the verb to speak.)
I do speak English. (This is your emphatic response to someone who has just
said, “You don’t speak English.”)
I do not speak English. (Negation of the verb to speak with not.)

Conjugating English verbs is not difficult. But choosing the correct

tense form from the three just described requires practice. The exercises
that follow will help you to use English verb forms and tenses with
accuracy.

Verb Tenses
Study the following examples, which show how verbs change in the
various tenses. Some tenses require a form of to be and a present participle.
Present par- ticiples have an -ing ending: is going, were singing. Other
tenses require a past participle. Regular verbs form the past tense and past
participle in the same way—just add -ed: worked, have worked. Use
Appendix A of irregular verbs in the past tense and past participle to see
how they are formed.
The perfect tenses of both regular and irregular verbs are a combination of
a form of to have plus a past participle: I have worked. She has seen. You had
bro- ken. Tom will have discovered.
In the exercises that follow you will be making similar tense changes.

TO SPEAK—a habit or repeated action

Present She speaks well.
Past She spoke well.
 Present Perfect She has spoken well.
Past Perfect She had spoken well.
Future She will speak well.
Future Perfect She will have spoken well.

TO BE SPEAKING—a continuous action

Present Who is speaking?
Past Who was speaking?
Present Perfect Who has been speaking?
Past Perfect Who had been speaking?
Future Who will be speaking?
Future Perfect Who will have been speaking?

DO YOU SPEAK?—a question with a form of to do

Present Do you speak Spanish?
Past Did you speak Spanish?
Present Perfect Have you spoken Spanish?
Past Perfect Had you spoken Spanish?
Future Will you speak Spanish?
Future Perfect Will you have spoken Spanish?

(Because the perfect and future tenses in the preceding example have an
auxil- iary verb [have, had, will] in the question, a form of to do is not
necessary.)

SHE DOESN’T SPEAK—negation of the verb with a form of

to do

Present She doesn’t speak French.

Past She didn’t speak French.
Present Perfect She hasn’t spoken French.
Past Perfect She hadn’t spoken French.
Future She won’t speak French.
Future Perfect She won’t have spoken French.

(Because the perfect and future tenses in the preceding example have an
auxil- iary verb [hasn’t, hadn’t, won’t] in the sentence, a form of to do is not
necessary.)
Exercise 1.1 Rewrite the following sentences in the tenses given. Use the
exam- ples given previously to help you maintain accuracy.

1. Present Her brother looks for us.

Past
Past Perfect
Future

2. Present
Past Were you looking for your wallet?
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

3. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future Will she help Tom?

4. Present
Past

Present Perfect I haven’ t filled out the application .

Past Perfect
Future

5. Present Do they play soccer?

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

6. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future He will be making a good salary.
 7. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect Juan had visited his aunt and uncle.
Future
Future Perfect

8. Present
Past She carried the child to her bed.
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

9. Present My sister often dates Michael.

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

10. Present
Past
Present Perfect They have hired him.
Past Perfect
Future

11. Present
Past How did they do that?
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

12. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future The boys will never eat broccoli.
13. Present I am studying for an exam.
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

14. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect The manager had fired the entire staff.
Future

15. Present
Past She taught herself to play the guitar.
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

Exercise 1.2 Rewrite the following sentences in the tenses given. Use the exam-
ples to help you maintain accuracy.

1. Present Her brother is very rich.

Past
Past Perfect
Future

2. Present
Past Were the children good?
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

3. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future Will she be ill?
4. Present
Past
Present Perfect I have not been angry at all.
Past Perfect
Future

5. Present Do you go there often?

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

6. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future What will you do?

7. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect The girls had had a bad day.
Future
Future Perfect

8. Present
Past Maria had ten dollars.
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

9. Present My brother does nothing all day.

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
10. Present
Past

Present Perfect They haven’ t gone to the movies.

Past Perfect
Future

11. Present
Past We got a letter from a distant relative.
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

12. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect Hadn’ t you expected that ?
Future

13. Present Mr. Phillips is writing a novel.

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

14. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future Car men won’ t believe you .

15. Present
Past
Present Perfect Have you stopped for gas there?
Past Perfect
Future

Exercise 1.3 Rewrite the following sentences in the tenses given. Use the
exam- ples to help you maintain accuracy. Notice that you will be dealing
with a wider variety of verbs here.
1. Present Mark likes the new girl.
Past
Past Perfect
Future

2. Present Her boss is trying to understand.

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

3. Present
Past The letter carriers went into the office.
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect

4. Present
Past Were you talking to Richard?
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

5. Present
Past
Present Perfect His son has broken a window.
Past Perfect
Future

6. Present
Past
Present Perfect The secretary has been writing letters.
Past Perfect
Future

7. Present
Past
Present Perfect
 Past Perfect
Future Won’ t you sing , too?

8. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future They won’ t be going shopping.

9. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect Carlos will have gotten up before dawn.

10. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect By seven-thirty he will have left for home.
11. Present Ms. Jones arrives by noon.
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect

12. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect He had done nothing.
Future
Future Perfect

13. Present
Past
Present Perfect
 Past Perfect
Future She will exercise before breakfast.
Future Perfect

14. Present
Past The chef roasted a turkey.
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect

15. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect Little Tommy will probably have broken it.

Exercise 1.4 Rewrite the following sentences in the tenses given, but change
the subject of each sentence to a different pronoun (I, you, he, she, it, we,
they, or who).

Present He sees you.

Past I saw you.
Present Perfect She has seen you. Past
Perfect They had seen you. Future We
will see you.

1. Present Are you on time?

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

2. Present
Past Didn’ t she like the book ?
Past Perfect
Future
3. Present
Past
Present Perfect I have been driving very slowly.
Past Perfect
Future

4. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect We had found him just in time.
Future
Future Perfect

5. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future They will arrange a party for her.
Future Perfect

6. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect He will have brought it home by noon.

7. Present You eat too much.

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

8. Present
Past I put the tools back before lunch.
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect
 9. Present She cuts out the dress before bedtime.
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect

10. Present
Past
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect He will have stolen the money by midnight.

11. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future We will gain nothing by doing this.
Future Perfect

12. Present They get up by seven A.M.

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect

13. Present
Past
Present Perfect Who has won the contest?
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect

14. Present
Past You didn’ t unders tand a thing he said .
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect
15. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future I will depart before dawn.
Future Perfect

You have been forming the future tense by using will with a verb (I
will go, she will sing, they will be taking). The auxiliary shall is often used
in the first person singular and plural (I and we). But in casual English will
is used nearly all the time.

FORMAL CASUAL
I shall visit my uncle. I will visit my uncle.
We shall borrow some money. We will borrow some money.

The future tense meaning is also expressed with the phrase to be going
to (I am going to, you are going to, he is going to). It means the same thing
as will and can replace it.

WILL TO BE GOING TO
They will buy a new car. They are going to buy a new
car. Will you help me? Are you going to help me?

The phrase to be going to can be conjugated in the past tense. Then it

means that this was something that someone planned to do in the future.

They were going to buy a new car.

Were you going to help me?

Exercise 1.5 Rewrite the following future tense sentences by changing will to
to be going to.

1. Will they bring some dessert along?

2. I’ll be home at midnight.

 3. The janitor will sweep the offices after closing time.

4. He won’t return the money he borrowed.

5. This movie will be very exciting.

6. The party will be held at Maria’s house.

7. Will Martin apply for a new job?

8. She will probably spend the night at Mary’s apartment.

9. Will you order a hamburger or a hot dog?

10. The boys will clean the kitchen for you.

11. Someone will get a wonderful surprise today.

12. Professor Martin will travel to Egypt.

13. Will James and Tina attend the concert?

14. Michael and I will prepare lunch for you.

15. Will you be at home tonight?

Auxiliaries
It’s very common to use to have or to be as auxiliaries or helping verbs. For
example:

• Have you seen that film? (a form of to have plus a past participle)
• I haven’t had a chance to go to the store today. (a form of to have
plus a past participle)
• Are you learning a lot of new words? (a form of to be plus a
present participle)
• She isn’t studying for her exams. (a form of to be plus a
present participle)

But there are other auxiliary verbs that are used with infinitives (to go, to
run, to help, to find, and so on).
Note that many of these special verbs cannot be used in all tenses. And
in some cases, you have to change to a different verb to form a specific
tense. The examples that follow will be conjugated with the third person
pronoun he.

TO BE ABLE TO TO BE SUPPOSED TO
Present is able to is supposed to
Past was able to was supposed to
Present Perfect has been able to has been supposed to
Past Perfect had been able to had been supposed to
Future will be able to will be supposed to
Future Perfect will have been able will have been supposed
to to
 CAN TO HAVE TO
Present can has to
Past could or was able to had to
Present Perfect has been able to has had to
Past Perfect had been able to had had to
Future will be able to will have to
Future Perfect will have been able will have had to
to

MAY MUST
Present may must
Past might had to
Present Perfect — has had to
Past Perfect — had had to
Future — will have to
Future Perfect — will have had to

OUGHT TO SHOULD
Present ought to should
Past — —
Present Perfect — —
Past Perfect — —
Future — —
Future Perfect — —

TO WANT TO NEED TO
Present wants needs to
Past wanted needed to
Present Perfect has wanted has needed to
Past Perfect had wanted had needed to
Future will want will need to
Future Perfect will have wanted will have needed
to

Exercise 1.6 Rewrite the following sentences in the tenses given. Use the
pre- ceding examples to help you maintain accuracy. Notice that these
sentences con- tain auxiliaries, and remember that not all the tenses can be
formed with some of these verbs.

1. Present Can you hear me well enough?

Past
Present Perfect
 Past Perfect
Future

2. Present
Past Martin wanted to buy a car.
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

3. Present
Past I was supposed to go home by eight o’clock.
Past Perfect

4. Present May I try on your new coat?

Past

5. Present She is not able to visit you today.

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

6. Present
Past
Present Perfect Have you had to study before the test?
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect

7. Present The younges t children shouldn’ t s tay out late .

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

8. Present You ought to sell that old bike.

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
 Future
Future Perfect

9. Present Juan must work all day.

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Future Perfect

10. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect She hadn’ t needed to get there on time .
Future

11. Present
Past They couldn’ t unlock the door.
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

12. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect I had never wanted to become a lawyer.
Future

13. Present Jack needs to find work again.

Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future

14. Present
Past
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future Will you be able to stand up?