Examples Examples Examples

Tense Signal words Use Form

affirmative negative interrogative
every day

sometimes
• something happens repeatedly
always • how often something happens I work. I don't work. Do I work?
• one action follows another
infinitive
often • things in general He works. He doesn't work. Does he work?
Simple • with verbs like (to love, to
Present hate, to think, etc.) he/she/it:
usually I go. I don't go. Do I go?
• future meaning: timetables, infinitive + s
programmes (official)
seldom He goes. He doesn't go. Does he go?
• in if-clauses and temporal
clauses
never

first ... then

now • something is happening at the I'm working. I'm not working. Am I working?
same time of speaking or
around it
at the moment He's working. He isn't working. Is he working?
Present • future meaning: when you be (am/are/is) +
Progressive have already decided and infinitive + ing
Look! arranged to do it (a fixed I'm going. I'm not going. Am I going?
plan, date)
Listen! • an exception to the usual He's going. He isn't going. Is he going?
program or behavior
• something that annoys the
speaker
last ... I worked. I didn't work. Did I work?
regular:
• action took place in the infinitive + ed
... ago He worked. He didn't work. Did he work?
Simple past, mostly connected
Past with an expression of irregular:
in 1990 time (no connection to I went. I didn't go. Did I go?
(2nd column of table
the present) of irregular verbs)
yesterday He went. He didn't go. Did he go?
 • Actions in progress at a I was working. I wasn't working. Was I working?
certain moment in the
past He was working. He wasn't working. Was he working?
Past Continuous actions, in was/were +
while •
Progressive simultaneous progress in the infinitive + ing
I was going. I wasn't going. Was I going?
past
He was going. He wasn't going. Was he going?
just

yet

never

ever • Action that happened at an I have worked. I haven't worked. Have I worked?
have/has + past
unspecified time
participle*
Simple already • you say that sth. has He has worked. He hasn’t worked. Has he worked?
Present happened or is finished in the
Perfect past and it has a connection to *(infinitive + ed) or
so far, I have gone. I haven't gone. Have I gone?
the present (3rd column of table
• an action finished in a period of irregular verbs)
up to now, He has gone. He hasn’t gone. Has he gone?
of time which itself didn’t
end (today, this week, this
since month, this year, etc)

for

recently,
lately
I have been I haven't been Have I been
all day working. working. working?
• the action began in the past
the whole day and continues at the
He has been He hasn't been Has he been
moment of speaking
Present Perfect have/has + been + working. working. working?
how long
Progressive • the action began in the past infinitive + ing
since and has just stopped I have been going. I haven't been going. Have I been going?

for He has been He hasn't been Has he been

emphasis: length of time of an
going. going. going?
action