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