Mastering English Verb Tenses, Modals, and Structures

English Grammar Essentials

Verb Tenses

Present Simple

Example: I eat → Yo como / He eats → Él come

Present Continuous

Example: I am eating → Yo estoy comiendo

Past Simple

Example: I ate → Yo comí / He ate → Él comió

Note: Use the past form of the verb. For regular verbs, add -ed. Irregular verbs have unique past forms.

Past Continuous

Example: I was eating → Yo estaba comiendo

Present Perfect Simple

Example: I have eaten → Yo he comido / He has eaten → Él ha comido

Past Perfect Simple

Example: I had eaten → Yo había comido

Future Simple

Example: I will eat → Yo comeré

Future with ‘Be going to’

Example: I am going to eat → Yo voy a comer

Future Continuous

Example: I will be eating → Yo estaré comiendo

Future Perfect Simple

Example: I will have eaten → Yo habré comido

Modal Verbs

Perfect Modals

Structure: Modal + have + Past Participle

The Passive Voice (La Voz Pasiva)

Focuses on the action or the object receiving the action, rather than the subject performing it.

Basic Structure: Object + Verb ‘to be’ (conjugated in the original active tense) + Past Participle + (by + Subject/Agent)

Passive Voice Formation by Tense

Active vs. Passive Structure Summary

Conditionals (Oraciones Condicionales)

Type 1 Conditional (Real/Possible Condition)

Use: To talk about real or possible situations in the future.

Structure: IF + Present Simple, Subject + Future Simple (will) / Imperative / Modal (can, may, must)

Example: If I study, I will pass the exam. (Si estudio, aprobaré el examen)

Example: If you see him, tell him to call me. (Si lo ves, dile que me llame)

Type 2 Conditional (Unreal/Hypothetical Condition – Present/Future)

Use: To talk about hypothetical or unlikely situations in the present or future.

Structure: IF + Past Simple, Subject + WOULD / COULD / MIGHT + Verb (Base Form)

Note: With the verb ‘to be’, ‘were’ is often used for all subjects in the IF clause (If I were you…).

Example: If you went to class, your mother would be very happy. (Si fueras a clase, tu madre se alegraría mucho)

Example: If I won the lottery, I could buy a house. (Si ganara la lotería, podría comprar una casa)

Type 3 Conditional (Unreal/Hypothetical Condition – Past)

Use: To talk about hypothetical situations in the past (things that didn’t happen).

Structure: IF + Past Perfect Simple, Subject + WOULD HAVE / COULD HAVE / MIGHT HAVE + Past Participle

Example: If he had gone, he would have suffered. (Si él hubiese ido, habría sufrido)

Example: If I had studied harder, I might have passed the exam. (Si hubiera estudiado más, podría haber aprobado el examen)

Important Note on UNLESS: ‘Unless’ means ‘if not’ (A menos que…). It can replace ‘If…not’ in conditional sentences (usually Type 1).

Example: You won’t pass unless you study. (= You won’t pass if you do not study.)

Reported Speech (Estilo Indirecto)

Use: To report what someone else said, without using their exact words. Tenses, pronouns, and time/place expressions often change.

Basic Structure

Verb Tense Changes

Modal Verb Changes

Changes in Time and Place Expressions

Relative Clauses (Oraciones de Relativo)

Use: To give more information about a noun (person, place, thing, time, possession) without starting a new sentence.

• Who: Refers to PEOPLE (Subject or Object). Example: The man who called you is my boss.
• Whom: Refers to PEOPLE (Object – more formal, often replaced by ‘who’ or omitted). Example: The man whom I met was friendly.
• Which: Refers to THINGS or ANIMALS. Example: This is the book which I recommended.
• That: Refers to PEOPLE, THINGS, or ANIMALS (often used informally instead of ‘who’ or ‘which’ in defining clauses). Example: The car that is parked outside is mine.
• When: Refers to a POINT IN TIME. Example: I remember the day when we first met.
• Where: Refers to a PLACE. Example: This is the house where I grew up.
• Whose: Refers to POSSESSION. Example: She’s the woman whose dog bit me.