|
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 place once, 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 type I (If I talk, …)
|
|
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 limited period 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 past taking place once, 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 Friday
if sentence type II (If I talked, …)
|
|
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 at the 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?
|
§ putting emphasis 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 times before 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 been speaking?
|
§ 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 1993, how long?, the whole week
|
|
Past Perfect Simple
|
A: He had spoken.
N: He had not spoken.
Q: Had he spoken?
|
§ action taking place before a certain time in the past
§ sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive
§ putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration)
|
already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day
if sentence type III (If I had talked, …)
|
|
Past Perfect Progressive
|
A: He had been speaking.
N: He had not been speaking.
Q: Had he been speaking?
|
§ action taking place before a certain time in the past
§ sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple
§ putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action
|
for, since, the whole day, all day
|
|
Future I Simple
|
A: He will speak.
N: He will not speak.
Q: Will he speak?
|
§ action in the future that cannot be influenced
§ spontaneous decision
§ assumption with regard to the future
|
in a year, next …, tomorrow
If-Satz Typ I (If you ask her, she will help you.)
assumption: I think, probably, perhaps
|
|
Future I Simple
(going to)
|
A: He is going to speak.
N: He is not going to speak.
Q: Is he going to speak?
|
§ decision made for the future
§ conclusion with regard to the future
|
in one year, next week, tomorrow
|
|
Future I Progressive
|
A: He will be speaking.
N: He will not be speaking.
Q: Will he be speaking?
|
§ action that is going on at a certain time in the future
§ action that is sure to happen in the near future
|
in one year, next week, tomorrow
|
|
Future II Simple
|
A: He will have spoken.
N: He will not have spoken.
Q: Will he have spoken?
|
§ action that will be finished at a certain time in the future
|
by Monday, in a week
|
|
Future II Progressive
|
A: He will have been speaking.
N: He will not have been speaking.
Q: Will he have been speaking?
|
§ action taking place before a certain time in the future
§ putting emphasis on the course of an action
|
for …, the last couple of hours, all day long
|
|
Conditional I Simple
|
A: He would speak.
N: He would not speak.
Q: Would he speak?
|
§ action that might take place
|
if sentences type II
(If I were you, I would go home.)
|
|
Conditional I Progressive
|
A: He would be speaking.
N: He would not be speaking.
Q: Would he be speaking?
|
§ action that might take place
§ putting emphasis on the course / duration of the action
|
|
|
Conditional II Simple
|
A: He would have spoken.
N: He would not have spoken.
Q: Would he have spoken?
|
§ action that might have taken place in the past
|
if sentences type III
(If I had seen that, I would have helped.)
|
|
Conditional II Progressive
|
A: He would have been speaking.
N: He would not have been speaking.
Q: Would he have been speaking?
|
§ action that might have taken place in the past
§ puts emphasis on the course / duration of the action
|
|