Verbs and tenses

Roger Woodham explains how these auxiliary verbs are used in different tenses.

You can use 'do' in a positive sentence in order to give extra emphasis.

There are several ways that we use 'do' as an auxiliary verb in positive sentences.

How to say you tried to do something but didn't succeed.

Discover the different ways that we use 'being'.

Afreen in India asks about the difference between 'can' and 'could'.

Roger Woodham explains the different uses of the different forms of the verb 'concern'.

These verbs are not usually used in the continuous form.

Find out how to talk about ability and success in the past.

Nyu Shvei from Hong Kong wants to know when to use 'I didn't go home' and 'I wouldn't go home'.

What is the difference between 'He wouldn't know' and 'He doesn't know'?

Is it correct to use two 'nots' in a sentence? Don't dare to not read this!

Trudi Faulkner-Petrova explains the use of these two questions: 'Are you finished?' and 'Have you finished?'

Did 'she marry him', or did she 'get married to him'?

Ruben from Italy asks for advice about using the verb 'happen'.

An interesting way to talk about making someone do something.

You need to be careful with the grammar of these verbs with similar meanings.

Karen Adams explains that the correct negative depends on the grammatical use of 'have'.

You have to read this if you haven't read it already.

Yukiazb in Japan is confused by all the different future forms in English.

Find out about three ways to talk about future plans.

Anna in the Netherlands asks about the differences between 'will' and 'going to'.

Marcel Fehlmann in Switzerland asks which of these forms is more natural.

Sometimes, a future event is actually in the past! How do we refer to that?

We often use this structure to talk about official plans and arrangements.

We can use this future form to talk about official arrangements.

Julio Molina from Peru asks why he is not to smoke.

George Pickering explains the differences and similarities between these two words.

Callum Robertson explains that both are possible, but one is more natural.

Definite plans vs. slight possibilities.

What's the difference between 'I’ll miss you' and 'I’ll be missing you'?

Agata from Poland asks: What grammatical constructions are possible after 'hope'?

Mark Shea explains why we sometimes say 'I were'.

Does Roger's advice 'help to explain' the grammar, or does it 'help explain' it?

Which is correct - "I heard the dog / dog's barking"?

Some verbs need an object, others never have one. Find out which are which.

Martin Parrot discusses inverted subject-verb word order in conditionals.

Salman from Pakistan would like to know the difference between 'let' and 'leave'.

You 'lie on a bed', but you 'lay the baby on the bed'. What is the difference?

Do you 'like' to use 'like' as a preposition, or are you confused by this?

How to use the word 'likely'

There are different ways to make these verbs negatives. Does it change the meaning?

Samanth Hague takes on a question about a non-standard grammatical form.

Roger Woodham shows the different tenses in the passive form.

Which passive continuous forms are usually avoided?

These complex forms of the passive are explained by Roger Woodham.

This is a way to say that you arranged for someone to do something for you.

Rachel Wicaksono discusses two slightly different usages of 'to have something done'.

Comparing different tenses can help you understand when to use them.

Carmen from Hong Kong asks if there are any rules for making the past form of a verb.

Students often make mistakes when using the past simple and the past perfect together.

Find out why these verb forms have been giving Niki from Hungary a headache for weeks.

Why do we use the past simple in the expression 'it's time we left'?

Paul from Russia asks when we use 'used to' to refer to the past.

Bahito from Algeria asks for the exact difference between these verb forms.

Burcin from Turkey says her biggest problem is with the present perfect.

Sabz Ali Khan from Saudi Arabia finds it difficult to use 'have' with 'had'.

Find out the difference between these similar forms.

He's been to London; he's gone to London. What is the difference?

Read this if you have been studying the present perfect for a long time.

Learning about these time expressions will help you use the present perfect.

Mi Mi Khin from Myanmar has many problems with these forms. Can Catherine Walter help?

Learn how the meaning of a verb can affect the tenses we use.

Hana from Poland is confused as to whether or not 'have meeting' is a state verb.

Rachel Wicaksono explains which types of verb you can use with 'used to' or 'would'.

Wojciech in Poland wants to know when you can use state verbs in the continuous form.

Susan Fearn deals with the basics of subject-verb agreement.

Why do we say 'there is a table and a chair', and not 'there are...' ?

What is the subjunctive form in English? Is it the same as 'should'?

John in Ireland asks for some examples of the subjunctive in English.

Umed from Iraq asks if you can use two different tenses to refer to the same event.

What is the difference between 'He is naughty' and 'He is being naughty'?

Gareth Rees explains why newspapers use the present tense in their story headlines.

Hossein is confused by a seemingly mistaken use of 'do' on a BBC Learning English page.

With which tenses can you use these time expressions?

We use different time expressions for the finished, unfinished and future time.

Alex Gooch explains the difference between these ways to refer to the past.

Sarah Bradshaw explains how the '-ing' form can be a noun.

I 'enjoy swimming', but I 'want to fly'. Why?

After which verbs do we use '-ing' or 'to'?

Gareth Rees talks about verb patterns that affect meaning.

'Show it to me' and 'show me it': Is there a difference in meaning?

Using the auxiliary 'do' in questions.

Roger Woodham explains this complicated area of grammar.