Tense Affirmative/Negative/

Use Signal Words

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