There are five basic patterns around which most English sentences are built.

* They are as follows:

S-V Subject-Verb Akhil sleeps. Anil is eating. Sunil will arrive next week. S-V-O Subject-Verb-Object I like rice. She loves her job. He's eating an orange. S-V-Adj Subject-Verb-Adjective He is funny. The workers are lazy. Kiran seems angry. S-V-Adv Subject-Verb-Adverb Deo is here. Flowers are everywhere. No one was there. S-V-N Subject-Verb-Noun She is my mom. The men are doctors. Mr. Jones is the teacher.

At the heart of every English sentence is the Subject-Verb relationship. Other elements can be added to make a sentence more interesting, but they are not essential to its formation.

The following sentences are examples of the S-V pattern.

She sleeps. She sleeps soundly. She sleeps on the sofa. She sleeps every afternoon. She is sleeping right now. Core sentence An adverb is added to describe how she sleeps. A prepositional phrase is added to tell where she sleeps. A time expression is added to tell when she sleeps. Verb tense is changed, but S-V relationship remains the same.

Mary will sleep later. The dogs are sleeping in the garage.

Subject is named and another tense is used. New subject may require a different form of the verb.

Note: Any action verb can be used with this sentence pattern.

The following sentences are examples of the S-V-O pattern.

They like rice. The people like rice. The friendly people like rice. The people in the restaurant like rice. The people like boiled rice. The people like hot, white rice. Core sentence Specific subject Subject modified with an adjective Subject modified with an adjective Object modified with an adjective Object modified with more than one adjective

Note: Only transitive action verbs can be used with this sentence pattern.

The following sentences are examples of the S-V-Adj pattern.

He is fine. He seems happy. Jordan is tall, dark and handsome. He appears very comfortable. George became sick last night. Basic sentence with "be" verb Basic sentence with another linking verb Series of adjectives Adverb or intensifier added Different tense and linking verb

Note: Only linking verbs can be used with this sentence pattern.

The following sentences are examples of the S-V-Adv pattern.

The teacher is here. The teacher is over there. Teachers are everywhere. The teachers are in the lobby. Basic sentence Using an adverb phrase Plural noun and verb used Prepositional phrase functioning as adverb

Note: Only linking verbs can be used with this sentence pattern.

The following sentences are examples of the S-V-N pattern.

The man is a doctor. The women are doctors. My father is a nice Person. My grandparents are senior citizens. Basic sentence Using plural noun and verb Modified subject and complement Modified plural subject and complement

PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE

How to form the present simple tense in English. Structure of present simple positive I work in a bank. You work in a bank. We work in a bank. They work in a bank. He works in a bank. She works in a bank. The bank opens at 9 o'clock. negative I don't (do not) work. You don't (do not) work. We don't (do not) work. They don't (do not) work. He doesn't (does not) work. She doesn't (does not) work. It doesn't (does not) open at 9 o'clock. question Do I work in a bank? Do you work in a bank? Do we work in a bank? Do they work in a bank? Does he work? Does she work? Does it open at 9 o'clock?

Present simple - common mistakes Common mistakes I working in London. Correct version I work in London. Why? The gerund ing form is not used in the present simple. The third person he, she, itadds the letter s. He work in London? Does he work in London? Questions - third person: does + subject + infinitive. Work he in London? Does he work in London? All other persons: do + subject + infinitive. He not work in London. He doesn't work in London. Negatives - third person:

He work in London.

He works in London.

subject + doesn't + infinitive. All other persons: subject + don't + infinitive.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

The present continuous tense is sometimes called the present progressive. Here is how to form the present continuous tense in English. Structure of present continuous positive I'm (I am) reading a book. You're (you are) reading. We're (we are) reading. They're (they are) reading. negative I'm (I am) not reading. You're (you are) not reading. We're (we are) not reading. They're (they are) not reading. He's not / he isn't (he is not) He's (he is) reading a book. She's (she is) reading a book. It's (it is) raining. reading. She's not / she isn't (she is not) reading. It's not / it isn't (it is not) raining. Is he reading? Is she reading? Is it raining? question Am I reading? Are you reading? Are we reading? Are they reading?

Present continuous - common mistakes Common mistakes They still waiting for you. They are still waiting for you? Do they still waiting for you? Where they are waiting for you? Correct version They are still waiting for you. Are they still waiting for you? Are they still waiting for you? Where are they waiting for you? To form the negative we put notafter the verb be (am not, is not = isn't, are not = aren't). I'm believing you. I believe you. Some verbs are not used in continuous tenses - these are In questions the subject (they) and the auxiliary verb (be) change places. Why? to form a continuous tense we use be + -ing.

She doesn't watching TV.

She isn't watching TV.

called stative verbs (e.g.believe, come from, cost, depend, exist, feel, hate, like).

PAST SIMPLE TENSE

Here is how to form the past simple tense in English. Structure of past simple positive I arrived yesterday. You arrived yesterday. He/she/it arrived. We arrived. They arrived. negative I didn't (did not) arrive. You didn't (did not) arrive. He/she/it didn't arrive. We didn't arrive. They didn't arrive. question Did I arrive yesterday? Did you arrive? Did he/she/it arrive? Did we arrive? Did they arrive?

Past simple - common mistakes Common mistakes Correct version Why? In positive sentences, a I was work in London. I worked in London. helping verb such as 'was' or 'did' is not used. He worked in London? Did he work in London? The helping verb 'did' is used in past simple questions. The helping verb 'did' is used in past simple questions. The main verb is used in the Did he wrote a letter? Did he write a letter? infinitive form in questions and negatives. The main verb is used in the He didn't wrote a letter. He didn't write a letter. infinitive form in questions and negatives.

Worked he in London?

Did he work in London?

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

The past continuous tense is also sometimes called the past progressive. Here is how to form the past continuous in English.

Structure of past continuous positive I was reading a book. He/she was talking. It was raining. You were reading a book. We were waiting. They were drinking. negative I wasn't (was not) reading. He/she wasn't talking. It wasn't raining. You weren't (were not) reading. We weren't talking. They weren't drinking. question Was I reading? Was he/she talking? Was it raining? Were you reading? Were we waiting? Were they drinking?

Past continuous - common mistakes Common mistakes I waiting for him almost two hours. What did he doing when you saw him? We were playing tennis every morning. Correct version I was waiting for him almost two hours. What was he doing when you saw him? We played tennis every morning. We use the past simple for repeated actions in the past. We use the past continuous They watched TV when I came. They were watching TV when I came. when we want to say what was happening (what was in progress) at a particular time in the past. To form the past continuous we use was/were + ing. Why?

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE TENSE

How to form the present perfect simple tense in English. The second table shows you some common mistakes and how to correct them. Structure of present perfect simple positive I've (I have) seen him. You've done it. We've been there. They've eaten it. negative I haven't (have not) seen him. You haven't done it. We haven't been there. They haven't eaten it. question Have I seen him? Have you seen her? Have we finished it? Have they been there?

He's (he has) gone. She's (she has) gone. It's (it has) gone.

He hasn't (has not) gone. She hasn't gone. It hasn't gone.

Has he been here? Has she finished? Has it gone?

Present perfect simple - common mistakes Common mistakes Correct version Why? The past participle of the verb must be used - wrote is past simple, written is the past participle. The helping verb 'have' is used Did you have seen him before? Have you seen him before? in the present perfect- it is inverted with the person (you have becomes have you). The helping verb 'have' is used I didn't have seen him before. I haven't seen him before. in the present perfect- to make it negative we simply add not(n't). The present perfect is used to I am here since last week. I have been here since last week. show an action which continues to the present (an unfinished action). Verbs such as know, want,like, I've been knowing him for 5 years. etc. (stative verbs) suggest I've known him for 5 years. permanent states, not actions, so are used in the simple form, NOT the -ing form.

Steven has wrote a new book.

Steven has written a new book.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Structure of present perfect continuous positive I have (I've) been living here for two years. He has (he's) been waiting for question negative

Have you been living here for a I have not (haven't) been long time? What has she been doing? waiting for long. He has not (hasn't) been

you.

working.

Present perfect continuous - common mistakes Common mistakes Correct version It has been raining heavily all day. Why? The structure of the present perfect continuous is have/has been -ing. Verbs such as sit, wait, speak, I have sat here for two hours. I have been sitting here for two hours. etc. (non-stative verbs) suggest continuity and so are mostly used in the continuous (-ing) form. Which? I have worked here for five years. I have been working here for five years. When BOTH the simple and continuous forms are possible, native speakers prefer to use the continuous.

It has been rain heavily all day.