Purpose. The author suggests that a new way of practical use of cognitive approach be applied to learning and teaching English complex verb forms. Methodology. The study is based on methods of phenomenological, hermeneutical and semantic-cognitive analysis. Results. The study demonstrates the approach to learning and teaching English grammar. The author makes a wide generalization of verb meanings based on cognitive analysis and divides English declarative sentences into three types depending on the verb constructions used. The author also shows the way lexic-grammatical meanings of particular verb forms combine within complex constructions. Practical implications. The results of the research can be used for developing new methods of studying English grammar by Russian-speaking students.