Table of English Tenses

Affirmative/Negative/Questio Signal
tense Use
n Words
• action in the
present
always,
taking place
every …,
once, never
never,
or several
normally,
times
A: He speaks. often,
• facts
Simple Present N: He does not speak. seldom,
• actions taking
Q: Does he speak? sometimes,
place one
usually
after another
if sentences
type I (If I
• action set by
talk, …)
a timetable or
schedule
• action taking
place in the
moment of
speaking
at the
• action taking
moment, just,
A: He is speaking. place only for
just now,
Present Progressive N: He is not speaking. a limited
Listen!,
Q: Is he speaking? period of
Look!, now,
time
right now
• action
arranged for
the future
• action in the
past taking
place once,
never or yesterday, 2
several times minutes ago,
• actions taking in 1990, the
A: He spoke.
place one other day,
Simple Past N: He did not speak.
after another last Friday
Q: Did he speak?
if sentence
• action taking type II (If I
place in the talked, …)
middle of
another
action
 • action going
on at a
certain time
in the past
• actions taking
A: He was speaking. place at the
when, while,
Past Progressive N: He was not speaking. same time
as long as
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
• finished
already, ever,
action that
A: He has spoken. just, never,
Present Perfect has an
N: He has not spoken. not yet, so
Simple influence on
Q: Has he spoken? far, till now,
the present
up to now
• action that
has taken
place once,
never or
several times
before the
moment of
speaking
Present Perfect A: He has been speaking. • putting all day, for 4
Progressive N: He has not been speaking. emphasis on years, since
Q: Has he been speaking? the course or 1993, how
duration (not long?, the
the result) whole week
• action that
recently
stopped or is
still going on

• finished
 action that
influenced
the present
• action taking
place before a
certain time
in the past
already, just,
• sometimes
never, not
interchangeab
yet, once,
A: He had spoken. le with past
until that day
Past Perfect Simple N: He had not spoken. perfect
if sentence
Q: Had he spoken? progressive
type III (If I
had
• putting
talked, …)
emphasis
only on the
fact (not the
duration)
• action taking
place before a
certain time
in the past
• sometimes
interchangeab
A: He had been speaking. le with past for, since, the
Past Perfect
N: He had not been speaking. perfect whole day,
Progressive
Q: Had he been speaking? simple all day

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