tense
Affirmative/Negative/Questio
n
Use
Simple Present
Present Progressive
Simple Past
A: He speaks.
N: He does not speak.
Q: Does he speak?
A: He is speaking.
N: He is not speaking.
Q: Is he speaking?
A: He spoke.
N: He did not speak.
Q: Did he speak?
A: He was speaking.
N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?
action in the present taking place
once, never or several times
always, every , never,
normally, often, seldom,
facts
sometimes, usually
if sentences type I (If I
actions taking place one after another
talk, )
action set by a timetable or schedule
action taking place in the moment of
speaking
at the moment, just, just now,
action taking place only for a limited
Listen!, Look!, now, right now
period of time
action arranged for the future
action in the past taking place once,
never or several times
Past Progressive
Signal Words
yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in
1990, the other day, last Friday
actions taking place one after another
if sentence type II (If I
talked, )
action taking place in the middle of
another action
when, while, as long as
action going on at a certain time in the
past
Present Perfect
Simple
Present Perfect
Progressive
A: He has spoken.
N: He has not spoken.
Q: Has he spoken?
A: He has been speaking.
N: He has not been speaking.
Q: Has he been speaking?
actions taking place at the same time
action in the past that is interrupted by
another action
putting emphasis on the result
action that is still going on
action that stopped recently
finished action that has an influence
on the present
action that has taken place once, never
or several times before the moment of
speaking
putting emphasis on the course or
duration (not the result)
already, ever, just, never, not
yet, so far, till now, up to now
all day, for 4 years, since
action that recently stopped or is still
1993, how long?, the whole
going on
week
finished action that influenced the
present
Past Perfect Simple
A: He had spoken.
N: He had not spoken.
Q: Had he spoken?
Past Perfect
Progressive
Future I Simple
Future I Simple
(going to)
A: He had been speaking.
N: He had not been speaking.
Q: Had he been speaking?
A: He will speak.
N: He will not speak.
Q: Will he speak?
A: He is going to speak.
N: He is not going to speak.
Q: Is he going to speak?
action taking place before a certain
time in the past
already, just, never, not yet,
sometimes interchangeable with past once, until that day
if sentence type III (If I had
perfect progressive
talked, )
putting emphasis only on the fact (not
the duration)
action taking place before a certain
time in the past
sometimes interchangeable with past for, since, the whole day, all
day
perfect simple
putting emphasis on the duration or
course of an action
action in the future that cannot be
influenced
spontaneous decision
assumption with regard to the future
decision made for the future
conclusion with regard to the future
in a year, next , tomorrow
If-Satz Typ I (If you ask her,
she will help you.)
assumption: I think, probably,
perhaps
in one year, next week,
tomorrow
Future I Progressive
Future II Simple
A: He will be speaking.
N: He will not be speaking.
Q: Will he be speaking?
A: He will have spoken.
N: He will not have spoken.
Q: Will he have spoken?
A: He will have been speaking.
N: He will not have been
Future II Progressive
speaking.
Q: Will he have been speaking?
A: He would speak.
Conditional I Simple N: He would not speak.
Q: Would he speak?
Conditional I
Progressive
A: He would be speaking.
N: He would not be speaking.
Q: Would he be speaking?
A: He would have spoken.
Conditional II Simple N: He would not have spoken.
Q: Would he have spoken?
action that is going on at a certain
time in the future
in one year, next week,
tomorrow
action that is sure to happen in the
near future
action that will be finished at a certain
by Monday, in a week
time in the future
action taking place before a certain
time in the future
putting emphasis on the course of an
action
action that might take place
action that might take place
putting emphasis on the course /
duration of the action
for , the last couple of
hours, all day long
if sentences type II
(If I were you, I would go
home.)
if sentences type III
action that might have taken place in
(If I had seen that, I would
the past
have helped.)
Conditional II
Progressive
A: He would have been
speaking.
N: He would not have been
speaking.
Q: Would he have been
speaking?
action that might have taken place in
the past
puts emphasis on the course / duration
of the action
