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

duration of the action

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