The Matrix Verb System Formulas

Here are the Formulas for the 12 Verb Tenses.

1. Past Simple Affirmative

Subject + past verb

  • She walked to school.

  • They ate lunch.

2. Past Simple Negative

Subject + did not (didn’t) + base verb

  • She didn’t walk to school.

  • They didn’t eat lunch.

3. Past Simple Question

Did + subject + base verb + ?

  • Did she walk to school?

  • Did they eat lunch?

4. Past Simple Negative Question

Didn’t + subject + base verb + ?
(or Did + subject + not + base verb + ?)

  • Didn’t she walk to school?

  • Did they not eat lunch?

5. Present Simple Affirmative

Subject + base verb
(add -s/-es for he/she/it)

  • I work.

  • He works.

6. Present Simple Negative

Subject + do/does not (don’t/doesn’t) + base verb

  • I don’t work.

  • He doesn’t work.

7. Present Simple Question

Do/Does + subject + base verb + ?

  • Do you work?

  • Does he work?

8. Present Simple Negative Question

Don’t/Doesn’t + subject + base verb + ?
(or Do/Does + subject + not + base verb + ?)

  • Don’t you work?

  • Does he not work?

9. Future Simple Affirmative

Subject + will + base verb

  • I will call you.

  • She will arrive soon.

10. Future Simple Negative

Subject + will not (won’t) + base verb

  • I won’t call you.

  • She won’t arrive soon.

11. Future Simple Question

Will + subject + base verb + ?

  • Will you call me?

  • Will she arrive soon?

12. Future Simple Negative Question

Won’t + subject + base verb + ?
(or Will + subject + not + base verb + ?)

  • Won’t you call me?

  • Will she not arrive soon?

1. Past Simple Affirmative (to be)

Subject + was/were

  • I was tired.

  • They were happy.

2. Past Simple Negative (to be)

Subject + was/were not (wasn’t/weren’t)

  • I wasn’t tired.

  • They weren’t happy.

3. Past Simple Question (to be)

Was/Were + subject + ?

  • Was she tired?

  • Were they happy?

4. Past Simple Negative Question (to be)

Wasn’t/Weren’t + subject + ?
(or Was/Were + subject + not + ?)

  • Wasn’t she tired?

  • Were they not happy?

5. Present Simple Affirmative (to be)

Subject + am/is/are

  • I am ready.

  • He is late.

  • They are here.

6. Present Simple Negative (to be)

Subject + am/is/are not (isn’t/aren’t)

  • I am not ready.

  • He isn’t late.

  • They aren’t here.

7. Present Simple Question (to be)

Am/Is/Are + subject + ?

  • Am I ready?

  • Is he late?

  • Are they here?

8. Present Simple Negative Question (to be)

Aren’t/Isn’t/Am not + subject + ?*
(*Note: “Amn’t I?” is non-standard; “Aren’t I?” is commonly used instead.)

  • Aren’t I ready?

  • Isn’t he late?

  • Are they not here?

9. Future Simple Affirmative (to be)

Subject + will be

  • I will be there.

  • She will be happy.

10. Future Simple Negative (to be)

Subject + will not (won’t) be

  • I won’t be there.

  • She won’t be happy.

11. Future Simple Question (to be)

Will + subject + be + ?

  • Will you be there?

  • Will she be happy?

12. Future Simple Negative Question (to be)

Won’t + subject + be + ?
(or Will + subject + not + be + ?)

  • Won’t you be there?

  • Will she not be happy?

1. Past Continuous Affirmative

Subject + was/were + verb-ing

  • I was working.

  • They were sleeping.

2. Past Continuous Negative

Subject + was/were not (wasn’t/weren’t) + verb-ing

  • I wasn’t working.

  • They weren’t sleeping.

3. Past Continuous Question

Was/Were + subject + verb-ing + ?

  • Was she working?

  • Were they sleeping?

4. Past Continuous Negative Question

Wasn’t/Weren’t + subject + verb-ing + ?
(or Was/Were + subject + not + verb-ing + ?)

  • Wasn’t she working?

  • Were they not sleeping?

5. Present Continuous Affirmative

Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing

  • I am eating.

  • He is running.

  • They are watching.

6. Present Continuous Negative

Subject + am/is/are not (isn’t/aren’t) + verb-ing

  • I am not eating.

  • He isn’t running.

  • They aren’t watching.

7. Present Continuous Question

Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing + ?

  • Am I eating?

  • Is he running?

  • Are they watching?

8. Present Continuous Negative Question

Aren’t/Isn’t/Am not + subject + verb-ing + ?*
(*Note: Use “Aren’t I?” for question form.)

  • Aren’t I eating?

  • Isn’t he running?

  • Are they not watching?

9. Future Continuous Affirmative

Subject + will be + verb-ing

  • I will be studying.

  • She will be travelling.

10. Future Continuous Negative

Subject + will not (won’t) be + verb-ing

  • I won’t be studying.

  • She won’t be travelling.

11. Future Continuous Question

Will + subject + be + verb-ing + ?

  • Will you be studying?

  • Will she be travelling?

12. Future Continuous Negative Question

Won’t + subject + be + verb-ing + ?
(or Will + subject + not + be + verb-ing + ?)

  • Won’t you be studying?

  • Will she not be travelling?

1. Past Perfect Affirmative

Subject + had + past participle

  • She had finished the project.

  • They had left early.

2. Past Perfect Negative

Subject + had not (hadn’t) + past participle

  • She hadn’t finished the project.

  • They hadn’t left early.

3. Past Perfect Question

Had + subject + past participle + ?

  • Had she finished the project?

  • Had they left early?

4. Past Perfect Negative Question

Hadn’t + subject + past participle + ?
(or Had + subject + not + past participle + ?)

  • Hadn’t she finished the project?

  • Had they not left early?

5. Present Perfect Affirmative

Subject + has/have + past participle

  • I have seen that movie.

  • He has gone home.

6. Present Perfect Negative

Subject + has/have not (hasn’t/haven’t) + past participle

  • I haven’t seen that movie.

  • He hasn’t gone home.

7. Present Perfect Question

Have/Has + subject + past participle + ?

  • Have you seen that movie?

  • Has he gone home?

8. Present Perfect Negative Question

Haven’t/Hasn’t + subject + past participle + ?
(or Have/Has + subject + not + past participle + ?)

  • Haven’t you seen that movie?

  • Has he not gone home?

9. Future Perfect Affirmative

Subject + will have + past participle

  • I will have finished by noon.

  • They will have arrived.

10. Future Perfect Negative

Subject + will not (won’t) have + past participle

  • I won’t have finished by noon.

  • They won’t have arrived.

11. Future Perfect Question

Will + subject + have + past participle + ?

  • Will you have finished by noon?

  • Will they have arrived?

12. Future Perfect Negative Question

Won’t + subject + have + past participle + ?
(or Will + subject + not + have + past participle + ?)

  • Won’t you have finished by noon?

  • Will they not have arrived?

1. Past Perfect Continuous Affirmative

Subject + had been + verb-ing

  • She had been working all day.

  • They had been travelling together.

2. Past Perfect Continuous Negative

Subject + had not (hadn’t) been + verb-ing

  • She hadn’t been working all day.

  • They hadn’t been travelling together.

3. Past Perfect Continuous Question

Had + subject + been + verb-ing + ?

  • Had she been working all day?

  • Had they been travelling together?

4. Past Perfect Continuous Negative Question

Hadn’t + subject + been + verb-ing + ?
(or Had + subject + not + been + verb-ing + ?)

  • Hadn’t she been working all day?

  • Had they not been travelling together?

5. Present Perfect Continuous Affirmative

Subject + has/have been + verb-ing

  • I have been studying English.

  • He has been waiting for an hour.

6. Present Perfect Continuous Negative

Subject + has/have not (hasn’t/haven’t) been + verb-ing

  • I haven’t been studying English.

  • He hasn’t been waiting long.

7. Present Perfect Continuous Question

Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing + ?

  • Have you been studying English?

  • Has he been waiting long?

8. Present Perfect Continuous Negative Question

Haven’t/Hasn’t + subject + been + verb-ing + ?
(or Have/Has + subject + not + been + verb-ing + ?)

  • Haven’t you been studying English?

  • Has he not been waiting long?

9. Future Perfect Continuous Affirmative

Subject + will have been + verb-ing

  • I will have been working for 8 hours.

  • She will have been driving all day.

10. Future Perfect Continuous Negative

Subject + will not (won’t) have been + verb-ing

  • I won’t have been working for 8 hours.

  • She won’t have been driving all day.

11. Future Perfect Continuous Question

Will + subject + have been + verb-ing + ?

  • Will you have been working for 8 hours?

  • Will she have been driving all day?

12. Future Perfect Continuous Negative Question

Won’t + subject + have been + verb-ing + ?
(or Will + subject + not + have been + verb-ing + ?)

  • Won’t you have been working for 8 hours?

  • Will she not have been driving all day?

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