Table of Verb Tenses in English Grammar

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Tense positive/negative/question Usage Signal Words

Simple P: He speaks. repeated/regular always,

Present N: He does not speak. action in the every …,
Present Q: Does he speak? present never,
general validity normally,
actions often, seldom,
happening one sometimes,
after the other usually
confirmed future
actions (time
table, schedule)

Present P: He is speaking. action currently at the

Progressive N: He is not speaking. taking place moment, just,
Present Q: Is he speaking? action limited to just now,
Continuous a particular Listen!, Look!,
timeframe now, right now
already planned
or agreed-upon
future action

Simple Past P: He spoke. a single or yesterday, 2

Preterite N: He did not speak. repeated action minutes ago,
Q: Did he speak? in the past in 1990, the
actions other day, last
happening one Friday
after the other in
the past
a new action
that interrupts an
action that was
already taking
place

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 Tense positive/negative/question Usage Signal Words

Past P: He was speaking. emphasis on the while, as long

Progressive N: He was not speaking. process of an as
Preterite Q: Was he speaking? action taking
Continuous place in the past
Past multiple actions
Continuous taking place at
the same time
an action that
was taking place
when interrupted
by a new action

Present P: He has spoken. the result is already, ever,

Perfect N: He has not spoken. emphasised just, never,
Perfect Q: Has he spoken? action that lasts not yet, so far,
to the present till now, up to
moment now
action that has
just been
completed
completed
action with
influence on the
present
an action that
has
never/once/more
than once taken
place up to the
time of speaking

Present P: He has been speaking. the action is all day, for 4

Perfect N: He has not been emphasised (not years, since
Progressive speaking. the result) 1993, how
Perfect Q: Has he been speaking? action that has long?, the
Continuous lasted until the whole week
present time
completed
action with
influence on the
present

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 Tense positive/negative/question Usage Signal Words

Past P: He had spoken. action taking already, just,

Perfect N: He had not spoken. place before a never, not yet,
Pluperfect Q: Had he spoken? certain time in once, until that
Past Anterior the past day
sometimes
interchangeable
with past perfect
progressive
emphasises only
the fact that
something took
place before a
certain point in
the past

Past P: He had been speaking. action before a for, since, the

Perfect N: He had not been certain point in whole day, all
Progressive speaking. the past day
Pluperfect Q: Had he been speaking? sometimes
Continuous interchangeable
Past Anterior with past perfect
Continuous simple
emphasises the
action or length
of the action

Future (will) P: He will speak. events in the in a year,

N: He will not speak. future that next …,
Q: Will he speak? cannot be tomorrow,
influenced first
spontaneous conditional
decision sentences (If
suppositions you ask her,
about the future she will help
you.),
supposition: I
think,
probably,
perhaps

Future P: He is going to speak. pre-existing in one year,

(going to) N: He is not going to speak. intention next week,
Q: Is he going to speak? regarding the tomorrow
future
logical
conclusion
regarding the
future

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 Tense positive/negative/question Usage Signal Words

Future P: He will be speaking. action that will in one year,

Progressive N: He will not be speaking. be taking place next week,
Future Q: Will he be speaking? at a certain point tomorrow
Continuous in the future
certain or
obvious events

Future P: He will have spoken. action that will by Monday, in

Perfect N: He will not have spoken. have been a week
Q: Will he have spoken? completed by a
future time

Future P: He will have been action that will for …, the last
Perfect speaking. have been couple of
Progressive N: He will not have been completed by a hours, all day
Future speaking. future time long
Perfect Q: Will he have been emphasises the
Continuous speaking? length of the
action

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