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

 action that is sure to


A: He will have spoken.
Future II Simple 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?
A: He would be speaking.
Conditional I Progressive 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?
A: He would have been
speaking.
N: He would not have been
Conditional II Progressive
speaking.
Q: Would he have been
speaking?
happen in the near
future
 action that will be
by Monday, in a
finished at a certain
week
time in the future
 action taking place
before a certain time
in the future for …, the last
couple of hours,
 putting emphasis on all day long
the course of an
action
if sentences type
 action that might II
take place (If I were you, I
would go home.)
 action that might
take place
 putting emphasis on
the course / duration
of the action
if sentences type
 action that might III
have taken place in (If I had seen
the past that, I would
have helped.)
 action that might
have taken place in
the past
 puts emphasis on the
course / duration of
the action
 Timpurile verbelor in engleza
Present Simple Tense: Forme
Afirmativ :
Subiect + Verbul la infinitiv
Exceptie : La pers a III sg verbul se termina mereu in –s sau –es :
The boy wants a toy car for Christmas. – Baiatul vrea o masina de jucarie pentru
Craciun.

Atentie: 1. Verbele care se termina in -y la pers a III sg, y se transforma in -ies:

I cry – She cries.
I play – He plays.

2. Verbele care se termina in –o, -ss, -x, -sh, -ch primesc la pers a III sg - es
My mother usually goes to the market in the morning. – Mama se duce de obicei in
piata dimineata.

Negativ :
Subiect+ do not/ does not + verb
She does not sing in the school chorus. – Ea nu canta in corul scolii.

Interogativ :
do not/ does not + Subiect + verb
Does she want to participate in the competition? - Vrea ea sa participle in competitie?

Present Continuous Tense: Forme

Afirmativ :
Subiect + Prezentul verbului “a fi” + ing :
She is cutting the cake in slices. (Ea taie prajitura felii.)
Negativ :
Subiect + Prezentul verbului “a fi” + not + verb + ing :
She is not talking at the moment, she is eating. (In acest moment ea nu vorbeste,
mananca.)

Interogativ :
Prezentul verbului “a fi” + Subiect + verb + ing :
Is she smiling ? (Ea zambeste ?)

Present Perfect Tense: Forme

Afirmativ :
Subiectul + Auxiliarul HAVE la prezent + past participle al verbului de conjugat
We are not going on holiday since the prices have rise. – Noi nu mai mergem in vacant
deoarece preturile au crescut.

Negativ :
Subiectul + have/has not + past participle al verbului de conjugat
I haven’t seen her this morning, she is probably sleeping. – Nu am vazut-o de dimineata,
probabil doarme.

Interogativ :
Auxiliarul HAVE la prezent + Subiectul + past participle al verbului de conjugat
Haven’t you eaten too much chocolate already? – Nu ai mancat deja destula ciocolata?
 Present Perfect Continuous Tense: Forme
Afirmativ :
Subiectul + prezentul perfect al verbului to be (have/has been)+ participul prezent al
verbului de conjugat (baza + ing)
They have been reading a lot of book lately. – Ei au citit o multime de carti in ultima
vreme.

Negativ :
Subiectul + prezentul perfect al verbului to be (have/has been)+ NOT + participul
prezent al verbului de conjugat
They haven’t been watching TV this afternoon. – Ei nu s-au uitat la tv in acesta dupa-
amiaza.

Interogativ :
Prezentul perfect al verbului to be + Subiectul + participul prezent al verbului de conjugat

What have you been doing ? I have been working on a new project. – Ce ai mai facut?
Am lucrat la un nou proiect.

Simple Past Tense : Forme

Afirmativ :
S + verbul la forma a II a de pe lista verbelor iregulate
We went to the zoo yesterday. – Am fost la zoo ieri.

S + verb + ed – pentru cele regulate

I phoned her. – I-am dat telefon.
Negativ :
S + aux DO la trecut (did) + not + verbul la infinitiv
We did not finish the project in due time. – Noi nu am terminat proiectul la timp.

Interogativ :
Did + S + verbul la infinitiv ?
Did you eat all the chocolate? – Ai mancat toata ciocolata?

Past Perfect Tense : Forme

Afirmativ :
S + Past tense al verbului To HAVE + participiu trecut
Atentie: La verbele regulate participiul trecut = verb + ed iar la cele neregulate este
forma a 3a de pe lista verbelor iregulate.
At last she showed me the dress she had bought. – Intr-un sfarsit, mi-a aratat rochia pe
care si-o cumparase.

Negativ :
S + Past tense al verbului To HAVE + Not + participiu trecut
They hadn’t gone to Mt. Omu, they had gone to another peak. – Ei nu au mers pe varful
Omu, au mers pe alt varf.

Interogativ :
Past tense al verbului To HAVE + S + participiu trecut
Hadn’t he loved you? – Nu te iubea?
Past Continuous Tense : Forme
Afirmativ :
S + verbul To BE la past tense + verbul de conjugat + ING
I was reading the lesson when the teacher came in. – Citeam lectia cand a intrat
profesoara.

Negativ :
S + verbul To BE la past tense la forma negativa + verbul de conjugat + ING
They weren’t looking for Susan; they were looking for her sister. – Ei nu o cautau pe
Susan, ei o cautau pe sora ei.

Interogativ :
Verbul To BE la past tense + S + verbul de conjugat + ING
Was he driving too fast when he had the accident? – Conducea el prea repede cand a
avut accidentul?

Past Perfect Continuous Tense : Forme

Afirmativ :
S+ had been + participiu prezent Participiu prezent = verb + ing
I have been thinking of writing you a mail when you called me. – Eu ma gandisem sa iti
scriu un mail cand tu m-ai sunat.

Negativ :
S + had + Not + been + present participle
I hadn’t been waiting long in a queue when I heard a voice calling my name. – Nu
stateam de mult la rand, cand au auzit o voce strigandu-mi numele.

Interogativ:
Had + S + been + present participle
They hadn’t been doing their tasks so they didn’t get a bonus. – Ei nu si-au indeplinit din
taskuri deci nu au primit un bonus.

Simple Future Tense: Forme

Afirmativ :
S + will + verbul la infinitiv
You will feel better if you take this pill. - Tu o sa te simti mult mai bine daca iei acesta
pastila.

Negativ :
S + will not (won’t) + verbul la infinitiv
I won’t tell where she is. – Nu iti voi spune unde este ea.

Interogativ:
Will + S + verbul la infinitiv
Will you love me in 10 years? – O sa ma iubesti si peste 10 ani?
Future Perfect Tense: Forme
Afirmativ :
S + will have + past participle al verbului de conjugat past participle = forma a III
a verbului
Tomorrow at 9 they will have left for Sibiu. – Maine la ora 9 ei vor fi plecat spre Sibiu.

Negativ :
S + will not have + past participle al verbului de conjugat
When you phone Julie I will not have arrived at the station. – Cand o suni pe Julie eu nu
voi fi ajuns in statie.

Future Continuous Tense: Forme

Afirmativ :
S + Will be + present participle
The Health Organisation will be opening a new hospital in this city. – Organizatia de
sanatate va deschide un nou spital in acest oras.

Negativ :
S + will not (won’t) + present participle
The train won’t be arriving any time soon; there was an accident on the road. – Trenul nu
va ajunge prea curand, a avut loc un accident pe drum.

Interogativ:
Will + S + be + present participle
Will you be shouting at me if I tell you the truth? – Vei tipa daca iti voi spune adevarul?

Future Perfect Continuous Tense: Forme

Afirmativ :
S + will have been + present participle al verbului de conjugat present participle =
verbul + ing
While Michael will have been writing his exercices, Maria will have been playing the
violin. – Cat timp Mihai isi va fi scris exercitiile, Maria va fi cantat la vioara.

Negativ :
S + will not have been + present participle al verbului de conjugat
You will not have been working here by this summer. – Tu nu vei fi lucrat aici pana in
aceasta vara.

Future-in-the-Past Tense: Forme

Afirmativ :
S + would + infinitivul verbului de conjugat
She told me I would be in trouble – Ea mi-a spus ca voi intra in bucluc.

Negativ :
S + would not + infinitivul verbului de conjugat
We never thought they would not win. – Noi nu ne-am gandit niciodata ca ei nu vor
castiga