tense Affirmative/Negative/Question Use Signal Words

A:He speaks. action in the present taking placeonce, never or several times
always, every , never, normally, often,
seldom, sometimes, usually
N:He does not speak. facts if sentences type I (If Italk, )
Q:Does he speak? actions taking place one after another
action set by a timetable or schedule
A:He is speaking. action taking place in the moment of speaking
N:He is not speaking. action taking place only for a limited period of time
Q:Is he speaking? action arranged for the future
A:He spoke. action in the past taking placeonce, never or several times
yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other
day, last Friday
N:He did not speak. actions taking place one after another if sentence type II (If Italked, )
Q:Did he speak? action taking place in the middle of another action
A:He was speaking. actiongoing onat a certain time in the past
N:He was not speaking. actions taking place at the same time
Q:Was he speaking? action in the past that is interrupted by another action
A:He has spoken. putting emphasis on theresult
N:He has not spoken. action that is still going on
Q:Has he spoken? 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
A:He has been speaking. putting emphasis on thecourse or duration(not the result)
N:He has not been speaking. action that recently stopped or is still going on
Q:Has he been speaking? finished action that influenced the present
A:He had spoken. action taking place before a certain time in the past
already, just, never, not yet, once, until that
day
N:He had not spoken. sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive if sentence type III (If Ihad talked, )
Q:Had he spoken? putting emphasis only on thefact(not the duration)
A:He had been speaking. action taking place before a certain time in the past
N:He had not been speaking. sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple
Q:Had he been speaking? putting emphasis on theduration or courseof an action
A:He will speak. action in the future that cannot be influenced in a year, next , tomorrow
N:He will not speak. spontaneousdecision
If-Satz Typ I (If you ask her, shewill
helpyou.)
Q:Will he speak? assumption with regard to the future assumption: I think, probably, perhaps
A:He is going to speak. decisionmade for the future
N:He is not going to speak. conclusion with regard to the future
Q:Is he going to speak?
A:He will be speaking. action that isgoing onat a certain time in the future
N:He will not be speaking. action that is sure to happen in the near future
Q:Will he be speaking?
A:He will have spoken.
N:He will not have spoken.
Q:Will he have spoken?
A:He will have been speaking. action taking place before a certain time in the future
N:He will not have been speaking. putting emphasis on thecourseof an action
Q:Will he have been speaking?
A:He would speak. if sentences type II
N:He would not speak. (If I were you, Iwould gohome.)
Q:Would he speak?
A:He would be speaking. action that might take place
N:He would not be speaking. putting emphasis on thecourse/durationof the action
Q:Would he be speaking?
A:He would have spoken. if sentences type III
N:He would not have spoken. (If I had seen that, Iwould have helped.)
Q:Would he have spoken?
Simple Present
Present Progressive
at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!,
now, right now
Simple Past
Past Progressive when, while, as long as
Present Perfect Simple
already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till
now, up to now
Present Perfect
Progressive
all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?,
the whole week
Past Perfect Simple
Past Perfect
Progressive
for, since, the whole day, all day
Future I Simple
in one year, next week, tomorrow
Future I Progressive in one year, next week, tomorrow
Future I Simple
(going to)
Future II Simple action that will befinishedat a certain time in the future by Monday, in a week
Future II Progressive for , the last couple of hours, all day long
Conditional I Simple action thatmighttake place
Conditional I
Progressive
Conditional II Simple action thatmighthave taken place in the past
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 thecourse/durationof the action
Q:Would he have been speaking?
Conditional II
Progressive