Affirmative/Negative/ Signal

tense Use
Question Words

 action in the present always,

Simple A: He speaks. every …,
taking
Present N: He does not speak. never,
Q: Does he speak? place regularly,
normally,
never or several
often,
times
seldom,
 facts sometime
 actions taking place s, usually
one after another if
sentences
 action set by a
type I (If
timetable or
I  talk,  …)
schedule

Present A: He is speaking.  action taking place at the

Progressi N: He is not speaking. in the moment of moment,
ve Q: Is he speaking? just, just
speaking
now,
 action taking place
Listen!,
only for a limited Look!,
period of time now, right
 action arranged for now
the future

Simple A: He spoke.  action in the past yesterday

Past N: He did not speak. taking place once, ,2
Q: Did he speak? minutes
never or several
ago, in
times
1990, the
 actions taking place other day,
one after another last Friday
 action taking place in if
the middle of sentence
another action type II (If
I  talked, 
…)
Past A: He was speaking.  action going on at a while, as
Progressi N: He was not speaking. certain time in the long as
ve Q: Was he speaking?
past
 actions taking place at
 the same time
 action in the past that
is interrupted by
another action

Present A: He has spoken.  putting emphasis on already,

Perfect N: He has not spoken. the result ever, just,
Simple Q: Has he spoken? never, not
 action that is still
yet, so
going on far, till
 action that stopped now, up
recently to now
 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.  putting emphasis on all day,

Perfect N: He has not been the course or for 4
Progressi speaking. years,
duration (not the
ve Q: Has he been speaking? since
result)
1993, how
 action that recently long?, the
stopped or is still whole
going on week
 finished action that
influenced the
present

Past A: He had spoken.  action taking place already,

Perfect N: He had not spoken. before a certain just,
Simple Q: Had he spoken? never, not
time in the past
yet, once,
 sometimes until that
interchangeable day
with past perfect if
progressive sentence
 putting emphasis only type III (If
on the fact (not the I  had
 duration) talked,  …)

Past A: He had been speaking.  action taking place for, since,
Perfect N: He had not been before a certain the whole
Progressi speaking. day, all
time in the past
ve Q: Had he been speaking? day
 sometimes
interchangeable
with past perfect
simple
 putting emphasis on
the duration or
course of an action

Future I A: He will speak.  action in the future in a year,

Simple N: He will not speak. that cannot be next …,
Q: Will he speak? tomorrow
influenced
If-Satz
 spontaneous decision
Typ I (If
 assumption with you ask
regard to the future her,
she  will
help  you.)
assumptio
n: I think,
probably,
perhaps
Future I A: He is going to speak.  decision made for the in one
Simple N: He is not going to future year, next
speak. week,
(going to)  conclusion with
Q: Is he going to speak? tomorrow
regard to the future

Future I A: He will be speaking.  action that is going in one

Progressi N: He will not be speaking. on at a certain time year, next
ve Q: Will he be speaking? week,
in the future
tomorrow
 action that is sure to
happen in the near
future

Future II A: He will have spoken.  action that will by

Simple N: He will not have be finished at a Monday,
spoken. in a week
certain time in the
Q: Will he have spoken?
future
Future II A: He will have been  action taking place for …, the
Progressi speaking. before a certain last
ve N: He will not have been couple of
time in the future
speaking. hours, all
 putting emphasis on
Q: Will he have been day long
speaking? the course of an
action

Condition A: He would speak.  action that might take if

al I N: He would not speak. place sentences
Simple Q: Would he speak? type II
(If I were
you,
I  would
go  home.)
Condition A: He would be speaking.  action that might take  
al I N: He would not be place
Progressi speaking.
 putting emphasis on
ve Q: Would he be speaking?
the course / durati
on of the action

Condition A: He would have spoken.  action if

al II N: He would not have that might have sentences
Simple spoken. type III
taken place in the
Q: Would he have spoken? (If I had
past
seen that,
I  would
have
helped.)
Condition A: He would have been  action that might have  
al II speaking. taken place in the
Progressi N: He would not have
past
ve been speaking.
 puts emphasis on
Q: Would he have been
speaking? the course / durati
on of the action