Signal

tense Affirmative/Negative/Question Use

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

Fill the gaps with the correct tenses.

1. I (learn) English for seven years now.

2. But last year I (not / work) hard enough for English, that's why my

marks (not / be) really that good then.

3. As I (pass / want) my English exam successfully next year,

I (study) harder this term.

4. During my last summer holidays, my parents (send) me on a language

course to London.

5. It (be) great and I think I (learn) a lot.

6. Before I (go) to London, I (not / enjoy) learning English.

7. But while I (do) the language course, I (meet) lots of young

people from all over the world.

8. There I (notice) how important it (be) to speak foreign

languages nowadays.

9. Now I (have) much more fun learning English than I (have)

before the course.

10. At the moment I (revise) English grammar.

11. And I (begin / already) to read the texts in my English textbooks again.

12. I (think) I (do) one unit every week.

13. My exam (be) on 15 May, so there (not / be) any time to be
lost.

14. If I (pass) my exams successfully, I (start) an

apprenticeship in September.

15. And after my apprenticeship, maybe I (go) back to London to work

there for a while.

16. As you (see / can) , I (become) a real London fan already.

Fill the gaps with the correct tenses.

1. I have been learning English for seven years now.

2. But last year I was not working hard enough for English, that's why my
marks were not really that good then.
3. As I want to pass my English exam successfully next year, I am going to study
harder this term.
4. During my last summer holidays, my parents sent me on a language course to
London.
5. It was great and I think I learned a lot.
6. Before I went to London, I had not enjoyed learning English.
7. But while I was doing the language course, I met lots of young people from all
over the world.
8. There I noticed how important it is to speak foreign languages nowadays.
9. Now I have much more fun learning English than I had before the course.
10. At the moment I am revising English grammar.
11. And I have already begun to read the texts in my English textbooks again.
12. I think I will do one unit every week.
13. My exam is on 15 May, so there is not any time to be lost.
14. If I pass my exams successfully, I will start an apprenticeship in September.
15. And after my apprenticeship, maybe I will go back to London to work there for a
while.
16. As you can see, I have become a real London fan already.
1. We TV when it started to rain. (to watch)
2. I to visit you yesterday, but you not at home. (to
want) (to be)
3. Look! It , so we can't to the beach. (to rain) (to
go)
4. There are a lot of clouds! It soon. (to rain)
5. The sun in the east. (to rise)
6. Since 2011 they their son every year. (to visit)
7. While the doctor Mr Jones this morning, his son
outside. (to examine) (to wait)
8. I for my girlfriend for two hours. (to wait)
9. After Larry the film on TV, he decided to buy the book. (to see)
10. Wait a minute, I this box for you. (to carry)
1. We were watching TV when it started to rain.
2. I wanted to visit you yesterday, but you were not at home.
3. Look! It is raining, so we can't go to the beach.
4. There are a lot of clouds! It is going to rain soon.
5. The sun rises in the east.
6. Since 2011 they have visited their son every year.
7. While the doctor was examining Mr Jones this morning, his son was
waiting outside.
8. I have been waiting for my girlfriend for two hours.
9. After Larry had seen the film on TV, he decided to buy the book.
10. Wait a minute, I will carry this box for you.