Table of Verb Tenses in English Grammar

tense positive/negative/question usage signal words

 regular action in
 P: He speaks. the present, always, every …,
routines never, normally,
Simple Present  N: He does not- often, seldom,
DOESN’T speak.  actions done one
Present sometimes,
after another
 Q: Does he speak? usually if-
DO-DOES
 confirmed future clause type I (If I
actions (time talk, …)
table, schedule)

 action currently
Present continuous  P: He is speaking. taking place at the moment,
Present Continuous  N: He is not  already planned just, just now,
speaking. or agreed- Listen!, Look!,
AM-IS-ARE + VERB
immediate now, right now
IN ING  Q: Is he speaking?
future action

 a single action in
Simple Past the past
P: He spoke.  yesterday, 2
Preterite  actions one after minutes ago, in
Or
the other (past) 1990, the other
VERB+ED OR 2ND He cleaned day, last Friday 
COLUMN  a new action
N: He did not speak.  if-clause type II
that interrupts
DID Q: Did he speak? (If I talked, …)
an action that
was taking place.

 emphasis the
process of an
action in the
past

 multiple long
Past continuous P: He was speaking.  actions taking
while, as long as,
Was or were +verb N: He was not speaking.  place at the
during
in ing Q: Was he speaking? same time

 an action that
was taking place
when
interrupted by
an action
tense positive/negative/question usage signal words

 the result is
emphasized

 action that
started in the
past and lasts to
P: He has spoken. 
Present Perfect the present already, ever,
OR just, never, not
HAS-HAVE + VERB  action that has
yet, so far, till
IN ED OR 3RD P: He has cleaned just been
now, up to now,
COLUMN N: He has not spoken.  completed
for, since
Q: Has he spoken?
 completed
action with
influence on the
present

 the action is
emphasized (not
Present Perfect the result)
continuous  action that has
P: He has been speaking.  all day, for 4
lasted until the
N: He has not been years, since
present time,
Have or has + speaking.  1993, how long?,
long action
been+ verb in ing Q: Has he been speaking? the whole week
 completed
action with
influence on the
present

 action taking
Past Perfect place before a
certain time in already, just,
Had+ VERB IN ED the past never, not yet,
OR 3RD COLUMN P: He had spoken.  once, until that
N: He had not spoken.   emphasises only day 
Q: Had he spoken? the fact that if-clause type III
something took (If I had
place before a talked, …)
certain point in
the past

Past Perfect P: He had been speaking.   action before a for, since, the
continuous N: He had not been certain point in whole day, all
speaking.  the past day
Had+ been+ verb in
tense positive/negative/question usage signal words

ing  emphasizes the

Q: Had he been speaking? action or length
of the action

 events in the
future that in a year, next …,
cannot be tomorrow 
Future (will) influenced if-clause type I (If
P: He will speak. 
 spontaneous you ask her, she
N: He will not speak. 
decision will help you.) 
Q: Will he speak?
Will+verb supposition: I
 suppositions think, probably,
about the future perhaps, maybe
 predictions

 pre-existing
intention or plan
Future (going to) P: He is going to speak.  about the future in one year, next
IS-AM-ARE +GOING N: He is not going to speak. 
 logical week, tomorrow
TO+ VERB Q: Is he going to speak?
conclusion about
the future

 action that will

be taking place
Future Progressive P: He will be speaking.  at a certain point in one year, next
N: He will not be speaking.  in the future
Will+be+ v ing week, tomorrow
Q: Will he be speaking?
 certain or
obvious events

Future Perfect  action that will

P: He will have spoken. 
have been by Monday, in a
Will+have+ verb in N: He will not have spoken. 
completed by a week
ed or 3rd column. Q: Will he have spoken?
future time

 action that will

Future Perfect P: He will have been have been
Progressive speaking.  completed by a for …, the last
N: He will not have been future time
Will+have+been+ couple of hours,
speaking. 
verb in ed or 3rd  emphasises the all day long
Q: Will he have been
column speaking? length of the
action

Conditional I P: He would speak.   action that could if-clause type II 
 tense positive/negative/question usage signal words

Subjunctive II
N: He would not speak.  possibly take (If I were you, I
Present 
Q: Would he speak? place would go home.)
Form of Possibility

Conditional I  action that could

Progressive possibly take
P: He would be speaking.  place
Subjunctive II N: He would not be
Continuous  emphasises the 
speaking. 
(Present)  Q: Would he be speaking? action or the
Continuous Form length of the
of Possibility action

Conditional II
P: He would have spoken.   action that if-clause type III 
Subjunctive II N: He would not have otherwise might (If I had seen
(Past)  spoken.  have taken place that, I would
Perfect Form of Q: Would he have spoken? in the past have helped.)
Possibility

 action that
Conditional II P: He would have been otherwise might
Progressive speaking.  have taken place
Subjunctive II N: He would not have been in the past 
Continuous (Past)  speaking. 
Q: Would he have been  emphasises the
Continuous Perfect
speaking? action or length
Form of Possibility
of the action

Exercises

Tense Overview – Exercise

 Tense Overview – Exercise