English tenses

How to fill in the verbs

Here you will find 4 examples where you have to fill in the correct form of the verb. Study the steps which show you you to fill in the verb form into different types of sentences. Do not follow the text in grey.

What are signal words?

What are auxiliaries?

Is there a signal word in the sentence?
yes	no
	What action is it?
Define the tense.
Form the verbform.
What type of sentence do you have to fill in the verb?
Is it a statement?	Is it a question?
yes	yes
	Is there an auxiliary in the question?
	yes	no
		do or does in Simple Present did in Simple Past
Is the statement or the question negative?
Put in not after the auxiliary. (Simple Present don't or doesn't; Simple Past didn't)
Now fill in the verbform into the gap.

Example 1: Peter always ________ (to play) football.

Is there a signal word in the sentence?
yesalways	no
	What action is it?
Define the tense.Simple Present
Form the verbform. plays
What type of sentence do you have to fill in the verb?
Is it a statement?	Is it a question?
yes	no
	Is there an auxiliary in the question?
	yes	no
		do or does in Simple Present did in Simple Past
Is the statement or the question negative? no
Put in not after the auxiliary. (Simple Present don't or doesn't; Simple Past didn't)
Now fill in the verbform into the gap. plays Peter always plays football.

Example 2: Peter ________ (always/not/to play) football.

Is there a signal word in the sentence?
yesalways	no
	What action is it?
Define the tense. Simple Present
Form the verbform. plays
What type of sentence do you have to fill in the verb?
Is it a statement?	Is it a question?
yes	no
	Is there an auxiliary in the question?
	yes	no
		do or does in Simple Present did in Simple Past
Is the statement or the question negative?yes
Put in not after the auxiliary. (Simple Present don't or doesn't; Simple Past didn't)
Now fill in the verbform into the gap. doesn't play (Do not put an -s on the full verb, the -s is in doesn't. The adverb of frequency always goes before the full verb play.) Peter doesn't always play football.

Example 3: When ______ Peter always ________ (to play) football?

Is there a signal word in the sentence?
yes always	no
	What action is it?
Define the tense.Simple Present
Form the verbform. plays
What type of sentence do you have to fill in the verb?
Is it a statement?	Is it a question?
no	yes
	Is there an auxiliary in the question?
	yes	no
		do or does in Simple Present (Peter) did in Simple Past
Is the statement or the question negative? no
Put in not after the auxiliary. (Simple Present don't or doesn't; Simple Past didn't)
Now fill in the verbform into the gap. does play (Do not put an -s on the full verb, the -s is in doesn't.) When does Peter always play football?

Example 4: Where ______ it ________ (not/to rain) tomorrow?

Is there a signal word in the sentence?
yes	no
	What action is it? Prediction
Define the tense. will-future
Form the verbform. will rain
What type of sentence do you have to fill in the verb?
Is it a statement?	Is it a question?
yes	yes
	Is there an auxiliary in the question?
	yes	no
		do or does in Simple Present (it) did in Simple Past
Is the statement or the question negative? yes
Put in not after the auxiliary. (Simple Present don't or doesn't; Simple Past didn't)
Now fill in the verbform into the gap. will not rain (oder won't rain) Where won't it rain tomorrow?