tense

Affirmative/Negative/Question

Use

Simple Past A: He spoke.

N: He did not speak.

Q: Did he speak?
1.He visited his parents every
weekend.
2.He came in, took off his coat and

sat down.
3.When I was having breakfast, the
phone suddenly rang.
4.f I had a lot of money, I would

share it with you.

S.W. I saw you yesterday (in 1990, 2
minutes ago, the other day, last
Friday)

Past
A: He was speaking.

Progressive N: He was not speaking.

Q: Was he speaking?
1.Yesterday at six o'clock, Colin was
playing football.

2.While she was preparing dinner,

he was washing the dishes.
3.When I was having breakfast, the
phone suddenly rang.

Present
Perfect
Simple

A: He has spoken.
N: He has not spoken.
Q: Has he spoken?
1.She has written five letters.
2. I have known Pete for 6 years.
(and I still know him)
3. Have you heard the news? Brazil
have won the world cup.
4. I have lost my key so I cant get in
my house.
5. I have never been to Australia.

1.action in the past

taking place once,
never or several
times
2.actions taking
place one after
another

yesterday, 2
minutes ago, in
1990, the other
day, last Friday
if sentence
type II (4.If
Italked, )

3.shorter action
(simple past) taking
place in the middle
of longer action
(past progressive)
1.action going
on at a certain time
in the past

when, while,
as long as

2.actions taking
place at the same
time
3.longer action (past
progressive) that is
interrupted by
shorter action (past
simple)

1.putting emphasis
on the result

2.action that is still

going on

3.action that
stopped recently

4.finished action
that has an
influence on the
present

5.action that has

taken place once,
never or several
times before the
moment of speaking

Present
A: He has been speaking.

Perfect
N: He has not been speaking.
Progressive Q: Has he been speaking?
1.She has been writing for 2 hours.

Signal Words

1.putting emphasis
on the course or
duration (not the

already, ever,
just, never, not
yet, so far, till
now, up to now

all day, for 4

years, since
1993, how
long?, the

2.I have been living there since

2001. (and I am still living here)
3.I have been working the whole
week so I am very tired.

Past
Perfect
Simple

result)

2.action that
recently stopped or
is still going on

3.finished action
that influenced the
present

A: He had spoken.

N: He had not spoken.

Q: Had he spoken?
1. Tim and Jane had known each
other for only six month before they
got maried.
2.After I had been to the post office I
went to the bank.
3.If I had seen him I would have

talked to him.

1.to say how long

the action had been
in progress, using
state verbs (know,
be, like, etc.) and for
or since.

whole week

already, just,
never, not yet,
once, until that
day
if sentence
type III 3.(If
Ihad
talked, )

2.an action (Past

perfect simple) that
happened before
other action (Past
Simple)

Past
A: He had been speaking.

Perfect
N: He had not been speaking.
Progressive Q: Had he been speaking?
1.I had been playing the piano a lot
recently. (And I may continue to
play)
2.My hands are dirty because I have
been mending my bike.

3.The pavement was wet. It has

been raining.

1.For actions that

are still in progress.
2.to explain curent
situation in terms of
recent events
3.To show the
cause of something
in the past.

for, since, the

whole day, all
day