Table of English Tenses
tense Affirmative/Negative/Question
Simple Present
Present Progressive
Simple Past
Past Progressive
Present Perfect Simple
Present Perfect Progressive
A: He speaks.
N: He does not speak.
Q: Does he speak?
A: He is speaking.
N: He is not speaking.
Q: Is he speaking?
A: He spoke.
N: He did not speak.
Q: Did he speak?
A: He was speaking.
N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?
A: He has spoken.
N: He has not spoken.
Q: Has he spoken?
A: He has been speaking.
Use Signal Words
action in the present taking place once, never or always, every …, never,
normally, often, seldom,
several times
sometimes, usually
facts if sentences type I (If I talk, …)
actions taking place one after another
action set by a timetable or schedule
action taking place in the moment of speaking at the moment, just, just now,
Listen!, Look!, now, right now
action taking place only for a limited period of
time
action arranged for the future
action in the past taking place once, never or yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in
1990, the other day, last Friday
several times
if sentence type II (If I
actions taking place one after another talked, …)
action taking place in the middle of another action
action going on at a certain time in the past when, while, as long as
actions taking place at the same time
action in the past that is interrupted by another
action
putting emphasis on the result already, ever, just, never, not yet,
so far, till now, up to now
action that is still going on
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 all day, for 4 years, since 1993,
1
 N: He has not been speaking.
Q: Has he been speaking?
Past Perfect Simple A: He had spoken.
N: He had not spoken.
Q: Had he spoken?
Past Perfect Progressive A: He had been speaking.
N: He had not been speaking.
Q: Had he been speaking?
Future I Simple A: He will speak.
N: He will not speak.
Q: Will he speak?
Future Simple A: He is going to speak.
N: He is not going to speak.
(going to) Q: Is he going to speak?
Future Progressive A: He will be speaking.
N: He will not be speaking.
Q: Will he be speaking?
Future Perfect A: He will have spoken.
N: He will not have spoken.
Q: Will he have spoken?
Future Perfect Progressive A: He will have been speaking.
N: He will not have been speaking.
Q: Will he have been speaking?
the result) how long?, the 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 already, just, never, not yet, once,
until that day
past
if sentence type III (If I had
sometimes interchangeable with past perfect talked, …)
progressive
putting emphasis only on the fact (not the
duration)
action taking place before a certain time in the for, since, the whole day, all day
past
sometimes interchangeable with past perfect
simple
putting emphasis on the duration or course of an
action
action in the future that cannot be influenced in a year, next …, tomorrow
If-sentences Type I (If you ask
spontaneous decision her, she will help you.)
assumption with regard to the future assumption: I think, probably, we
might …, perhaps
decision made for the future in one year, next week, tomorrow
conclusion with regard to the future
action that is going on at a certain time in the in one year, next week, tomorrow
future
action that is sure to happen in the near future
action that will be finished at a certain time in the by Monday, in a week
future
action taking place before a certain time in the for …, the last couple of hours,
all day long
future
putting emphasis on the course of an action
2
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.
Q: Would he be speaking? putting emphasis on the course / duration of the
action
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
Q: Would he have spoken? helped.)
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
Q: Would he have been speaking? action

3
 English Tenses – Examples
  Explanation Past
Simple Past
action that takes place once, never or He played football every Tuesday.
several times
actions that happen one after another He played football and then he went
home.
state He loved football.
  Past Progressive
action going on at that moment He was playing football.
actions taking place at the same time He was playing football and she was
watching.
  Past Perfect Simple
action taking place before a certain He had won five matches until that day. He has won five matches so far.
moment in time; emphasises the result
  Past Perfect Progressive
action taking place before a certain He had been playing football for ten
moment in time (and beyond), years.
emphasises the duration
Present
Simple Present
He plays football every Tuesday.
He plays football and then he goes
home.
He loves football.
Present Progressive
He is playing football.
He is playing football and she is
watching.
Present Perfect Simple
Present Perfect Progressive
He has been playing football for ten
years.
Future
Future I Simple
He will / is going to play football every
Tuesday.
He will play football and then he will go
home.
He will love football.
Future I Progressive
He will be playing football.
He will be playing football and she will
be watching.
Future II Simple
He will have won five matches by then.
Future II Progressive
He will have been playing football for
ten years.