TENSE FORM USE TIME EXPRESSIONS

Present A: He speaks. ▪ a regular habit or routine How often…?

Simple N: He does not speak. ▪ facts always, usually, normally, often,
Q: Does he speak? sometimes, seldom, never
▪ action set by a timetable or schedule
every day, every week…
▪ stative verbs (taste, seem) once a month, in the morning, at
three o´clock, on Mondays
if sentences type I (If Italk, …)

Present A: He is speaking. at the moment, now

▪ action taking place in the moment of
Continuous N: He is not speaking. just, just now, right now
speaking Listen!, Look!
Q: Is he speaking?
▪ action taking place only for a limited Today, this year, at present
period of time (temporary action)
Tonight, tomorrow, next Sunday
▪ action arranged for the near future
(arrangements)

Past A: He spoke. When…?

▪ a completed action in the past
Simple N: He did not speak. yesterday, two minutes ago
▪ action taking place in the middle of in 1990
Q: Did he speak?
another action the other day, last Friday
if sentence type II (If Italked, …)

Past A: He was speaking. Last night

▪ an incomplete action in progress at a
Continuous N: He was not speaking. At nine o´clock
certain time in the past When
Q: Was he speaking?
▪ two incomplete actions in progress at While
the same time in the past as long as
as
▪ action in the past that is interrupted
by another action

Present A: He has spoken. How long…?

▪ action that took place at an
Perfect N: He has not spoken. For two years
undetermined time in the past Since 1998
Simple Q: Has he spoken?
▪ action that began in the past and already, yet, not yet
continues until the present ever, never
just
▪ finished action that has an influence so far, till now, up to now
on the present
▪ action that stopped recently

Present A: He has been speaking. all day, for 4 years, since 1993,
▪ putting emphasis on the course or
Perfect N: He has not been how long?, the whole week
duration (not the result)
Continuous speaking. ▪ action that recently stopped or is still
Q: Has he been speaking?
going on
▪ finished action that influenced the
present

Past A: He had spoken. For two years

▪ a completed action which took place
Perfect N: He had not spoken. Since 1998
before another action in the past (the already, yet, not yet
Simple Q: Had he spoken?
past of the past) ever, never
▪ sometimes interchangeable with past just
perfect continuous once, until that day
if sentence type III (If Ihad
▪ putting emphasis only on the fact (not talked, …)
the duration)
 TENSE FORM
Past A: He had been speaking.
▪ action taking place before a certain
Perfect N: He had not been speaking.
Q: Had he been speaking?
Continuous ▪ sometimes interchangeable with past
Future A: He will speak.
Simple N: He will not speak.
Q: Will he speak?
A: He is going to speak.
N: He is not going to speak.
(going to) Q: Is he going to speak?
Future A: He will be speaking.
Continuous N: He will not be speaking.
Q: Will he be speaking?
Future A: He will have spoken.
Perfect N: He will not have spoken.
Q: Will he have spoken?
Future A: He will have been speaking.
Perfect N: He will not have been
speaking.
Continuous Q: Will he have been
speaking?
Conditional A: He would speak.
Simple N: He would not speak.
Q: Would he speak?
Conditional A: He would be speaking. ▪ action that might take place
Continuous N: He would not be speaking.
Q: Would he be speaking?
Conditional A: He would have spoken. ▪ action that might have taken place in
Perfect N: He would not have spoken.
Q: Would he have spoken?
Conditional A: He would have been
Perfect speaking.
N: He would not have been
Continuous speaking.
Q: Would he have been
speaking?
USE TIME EXPRESSIONS
for, since
the whole day, all day
time in the past …
perfect simple
▪ putting emphasis on the duration or
course of an action
in a year, in an hour, in a few
▪ spontaneous decision
weeks, tomorrow
▪ prediction or assumption with regard this evening, next month,
to the future (without evidence) soon, at ten o´clock
on the 8th of May
▪ a timetable
If sentence type I (If you ask her,
▪ an offer she will help you.)
assumption: I think, probably,
perhaps
in a year, in an hour, in a few
▪ a planned action made for the future
weeks, tomorrow
▪ prediction or conclusion with regard this evening, next month,
to the future (with evidence) soon, at ten o´clock
on the 8th of May
▪ an action that is about to happen
in one year, next week, tomorrow,
▪ action in progress at a certain time in
the future
on Thursday
at this time tomorrow
▪ action that is sure to happen in the at this time next week
near future in the next decades
by Monday, in a week
▪ action that will be finished at a certain
by this time next week, by the end
time in the future (past of the future) of May, by ten o´clock
in two months, by April
for …, the last couple of hours, all
▪ action taking place before a certain
day long
time in the future
▪ putting emphasis on the course of an
action
▪ action that might take place
if sentences type II
(If I were you, I would go home.)
▪ putting emphasis on
the course /duration of the action
if sentences type III
(If I had seen that, Iwould have
the past helped.)
▪ action that might have taken place in
the past
▪ puts emphasis on
the course /duration of the action