Table Of English Tenses

Table of English Tenses

TENSE AFFIRMATIVE/NEGATIVE/QUESTION USE SIGNAL WORDS
***Simple Present
A: He speaks.
N: He does not speak.
Q: Does he speak?  action in the present taking placeonce,never or several times
 facts
 actions taking place one after another
 action set by a timetable or schedule always, every …, never, normally, often, seldom, sometimes, usually
if sentences typeI (If Italk, …)
****Present Progressive
A: He is speaking.
N: He is not speaking.
Q: Is he speaking?  action taking place in the moment of speaking
 action taking place only for a limitedperiod of time
 action arranged for the future at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!, now, right now
***Simple Past
A: He spoke.
N: He did not speak.
Q: Did he speak?  action in the pasttaking placeonce, never or several times
 actions taking place one after another
 action taking place in the middle of another action yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Fridayif sentence type II (If Italked, …)
***Past Progressive
A: He was speaking.
N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?  action going on at a certain time in the past
 actions taking place atthe same time
 action in the past that is interrupted by another action when, while, as long as
***Present Perfect Simple
A: He has spoken.
N: He has not spoken.
Q: Has he spoken?  puttingemphasis on the result
 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 timesbefore the moment of speaking already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now
*****Present Perfect Progressive
A: He has been speaking.
N: He has not been speaking.
Q: Has he beenspeaking?  putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result)
 action that recently stopped or is still going on
 finished action that influenced the present all day, for 4 years, since...