Tense

Affirmative(A)
Negative(N)
Question(Q)

SimplePresent

A:
Hespeaks.
N:
Hedoesnotspeak.
Q:
Doeshespeak?

Use

PresentProgressive

A:
Heisspeaking.
N:
Heisnotspeaking.
Q:
Ishespeaking?

SimplePast

A:
Hespoke.
N:
Hedidnotspeak.
Q:
Didhespeak?

PastProgressive

A:
Hewasspeaking.
N:
Hewasnotspeaking.
Q:
Washespeaking?

SignalWords

actioninthe
presenttaking
place
once,never
orseveraltimes
facts
actionstaking
placeoneafter
another
actionsetbya
timetableor
schedule

always,every,never,normally,
often,seldom,sometimes,usually
ifsentencestypeI(
IfI
talk
,
)

actiontaking
placeinthe
momentof
speaking
actiontakingplace
onlyforalimited
periodoftime
actionarrangedfor
thefuture

atthemoment,just,justnow,
Listen!,Look!,now,rightnow

actioninthepast
takingplace
once,
neverorseveral
times
actionstaking
placeoneafter
another
actiontakingplace
inthemiddleof
anotheraction

yesterday,2minutesago,in1990,
theotherday,lastFriday
ifsentencetypeII(
IfI
talked
,
)

action
goingon
at
acertaintimein
thepast
actionstaking
placeatthesame
time

when,while,aslongas

PresentPerfectSimple

A:
Hehasspoken.
N:
Hehasnotspoken.
Q:
Hashespoken?

actioninthepast
thatisinterrupted
byanotheraction

puttingemphasis
onthe
result
actionthatisstill
goingon
actionthatstopped
recently
finishedactionthat
hasaninfluence
onthepresent
actionthathas
takenplaceonce,
neverorseveral
timesbeforethe
momentof
speaking

PresentPerfectProgressive

A:
Hehasbeenspeaking.
N:
Hehasnotbeenspeaking.
Q:
Hashebeenspeaking?

PastPerfectSimple

A:
Hehadspoken.
N:
Hehadnotspoken.
Q:
Hadhespoken?

already,ever,just,never,notyet,
sofar,tillnow,uptonow

puttingemphasis
allday,for4years,since1993,how
long?,thewholeweek
onthe
courseor
duration
(notthe
result)
actionthatrecently
stoppedorisstill
goingon
finishedactionthat
influencedthe
present
actiontakingplace
beforeacertain
timeinthepast
sometimes
interchangeable
withpastperfect
progressive
puttingemphasis
onlyonthe
fact
(nottheduration)

already,just,never,notyet,once,
untilthatday
ifsentencetypeIII(
IfI
hadtalked
,

PastPerfectProgressive

A:
Hehadbeenspeaking.
N:
Hehadnotbeenspeaking.
Q:
Hadhebeenspeaking?

FutureISimple

A:
Hewillspeak.
N:
Hewillnotspeak.
Q:
Willhespeak?

FutureISimple
(goingto)

FutureIProgressive

A:
Heisgoingtospeak.
N:
Heisnotgoingtospeak.
Q:
Ishegoingtospeak?

A:
Hewillbespeaking.
N:
Hewillnotbespeaking.
Q:
Willhebespeaking?

actiontakingplace
beforeacertain
timeinthepast
sometimes
interchangeable
withpastperfect
simple
puttingemphasis
onthe
durationor
course
ofan
action

for,since,thewholeday,allday

actioninthefuture
inayear,next,tomorrow
IfSatzTypI(
Ifyouaskher,she
will
thatcannotbe
help
you.
)
influenced
assumption
:

Ithink,probably,
spontaneous
perhaps
decision
assumptionwith
regardtothefuture
decision
madefor
thefuture
conclusionwith
regardtothefuture

inoneyear,nextweek,tomorrow

actionthatis
going
on
atacertaintime
inthefuture
actionthatissure
tohappeninthe
nearfuture

inoneyear,nextweek,tomorrow

FutureIISimple

A:
Hewillhavespoken.
N:
Hewillnothavespoken.
Q:
Willhehavespoken?

actionthatwillbe
finished
ata
certaintimeinthe
future

byMonday,inaweek

FutureIIProgressive

A:
Hewillhavebeenspeaking.
N:
Hewillnothavebeen
speaking.
Q:
Willhehavebeenspeaking?

actiontakingplace
beforeacertain
timeinthefuture

for,thelastcoupleofhours,all
daylong

puttingemphasis
onthe
course
of
anaction

ConditionalISimple

A:
Hewouldspeak.
N:
Hewouldnotspeak.
Q:
Wouldhespeak?

actionthat
might
takeplace

ifsentencestypeII
(
IfIwereyou,I
wouldgo
home
.)

ConditionalIProgressive

A:
Hewouldbespeaking.
N:
Hewouldnotbespeaking.
Q:
Wouldhebespeaking?

actionthatmight
takeplace
puttingemphasis
onthe
course
/
duration
ofthe
action

ConditionalIISimple

A:
Hewouldhavespoken.
N:
Hewouldnothavespoken.
Q:
Wouldhehavespoken?

actionthat
might
havetakenplace
inthepast

ifsentencestypeIII
(
IfIhadseenthat,I
wouldhave
helped
.)

ConditionalIIProgressive

A:
Hewouldhavebeen
speaking.
N:
Hewouldnothavebeen
speaking.
Q:
Wouldhehavebeen
speaking?

actionthatmight
havetakenplace
inthepast
putsemphasison
the
course
/
duration
ofthe
action