Table of English Tenses: Simple Present

Table of English Tenses
tense Affirmative/Negative/Question Use Signal Words
Simple Present A: He speaks.  action in the present taking place regularly, always, every …, never, normally, often,
N: He does not speak. never or several times seldom, sometimes, usually
Q: Does he speak? if sentences type I (If I talk, …)
 facts
 actions taking place one after another
 action set by a timetable or schedule
PresentProgressive A: He is speaking.  action taking place in the moment of speaking at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!
N: He is not speaking. , now, right now
Q: Is he speaking?  action taking place only for a limited period of time
 action arranged for the future
Simple Past A: He spoke.  action in the past taking place once, never or sev yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the othe
N: He did not speak. eral times r day, last Friday
Q: Did he speak? if sentence type II (IfI talked, …)
 actions taking place one after another
 action taking place in the middle of another action
Past Progressive A: He was speaking.  action going on at a certain time in the past while, as long as
N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?  actions taking place at the same time
 action in the past that is interrupted by another

action
Present Perfect A: He has spoken.  putting emphasis on the result already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till
Simple N: He has not spoken. now, up to now
Q: Has he spoken?  action that is still going on
 action that stopped recently
 finished action that has an influence on the
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present
 action that has taken place once, never or several

times before the moment of speaking
Present Perfect A: He has been speaking.  putting emphasis on the course or duration (not all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?,
Progressive N: He has not been speaking. the result) the whole week
Q: Has he been speaking?
 action that recently stopped or is still going on
 finished action that influenced the present
Past Perfect Simple A: He had spoken.  action taking place before a certain time in the already, just, never, not yet, once, until that
N: He had not spoken. past day
Q: Had he spoken? if sentence type III (If I had talked, …)
 sometimes interchangeable with past perfect
progressive
 putting emphasis only on the fact (not the

duration)
Past Perfect A: He had been speaking.  action taking place before a certain time in the for, since, the whole day, all day
Progressive N: He had not been speaking. past
Q: Had he been speaking?
 sometimes interchangeable with past perfect
simple
 putting emphasis on the duration or course of an

action
Future I Simple A: He will speak.  action in the future that cannot be influenced in a year, next …, tomorrow
N: He will not speak. If-Satz Typ I (If you ask her, she will
Q: Will he speak?  spontaneous decision helpyou.)
assumption: I think, probably, perhaps
 assumption with regard to the future
Future I Simple A: He is going to speak.  decision made for the future in one year, next week, tomorrow
N: He is not going to speak.
(going to) Q: Is he going to speak?  conclusion with regard to the future
Future I Progressive A: He will be speaking.  action that is going on at a certain time in the in one year, next week, tomorrow
N: He will not be speaking. future
Q: Will he be speaking?
 action that is sure to happen in the near future
Future II Simple A: He will have spoken.  action that will be finishedat a certain time in the by Monday, in a week
N: He will not have spoken. future
Q: Will he have spoken?
Future II Progressive A: He will have been speaking.  action taking place before a certain time in the for …, the last couple of hours, all day long
N: He will not have been speaking. future
Q: Will he have been speaking?
 putting emphasis on the course of an action
Conditional I Simple A: He would speak.  action that might take place if sentences type II
N: He would not speak. (If I were you, I would go home.)
Q: Would he speak?
Conditional I A: He would be speaking.  action that might take place

Progressive N: He would not be speaking.
Q: Would he be speaking?  putting emphasis on thecourse / duration of the
action
Conditional II Simple A: He would have spoken.  action that might have taken place in the past if sentences type III
N: He would not have spoken. (If I had seen that, Iwould have helped.)
Q: Would he have spoken?
Conditional II A: He would have been speaking.  action that might have taken place in the past
Progressive N: He would not have been
speaking.  puts emphasis on the course / duration of the
Q: Would he have been speaking? action

Table of English Tenses: Simple Present

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Table of English Tenses

tense Affirmative/Negative/Question Use Signal Words

 actions taking place one after another

 action set by a timetable or schedule

 action arranged for the future

 action taking place in the middle of another action

 action in the past that is interrupted by another

 action that stopped recently

 finished action that has an influence on the

 action that has taken place once, never or several

 finished action that influenced the present

 putting emphasis only on the fact (not the

 putting emphasis on the duration or course of an

(going to) Q: Is he going to speak?  conclusion with regard to the future

Conditional I A: He would be speaking.  action that might take place

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