Lesson
Table of English Tenses
Tense | Affirmative/Negative/Question | Use | Signal Words |
A: He speaks. | ° action in the present taking place once, never or several times ° facts ° actions taking place one after another ° action set by a timetable or schedule | always, every …, never, normally, often, seldom, sometimes, usually | |
A: He is speaking. | ° action taking place in the moment of speaking ° action taking place only for a limited period of time ° action arranged for the future | at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!, now, right now | |
A: He spoke. | ° action in the past taking place once, never or several times ° actions taking place one after another ° action taking place in the middle of another action | yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday | |
A: He was speaking. | ° action going on at a certain time in the past ° actions taking place at the same time ° action in the past that is interrupted by another action | when, while, as long as | |
A: He has spoken. | ° putting emphasis on the result ° 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 | already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now | |
A: He has been speaking. | ° putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result) ° action that recently stopped or is still going on ° finished action that influenced the present | all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week | |
A: He had spoken. | ° action taking place before a certain time in the past ° sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive ° putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration) | already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day | |
A: He had been speaking. | ° action taking place before a certain time in the past ° sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple ° putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action | for, since, the whole day, all day | |
A: He will speak. | ° action in the future that cannot be influenced ° spontaneous decision ° assumption with regard to the future | in a year, next …, tomorrow | |
(going to) | A: He is going to speak. | ° decision made for the future ° conclusion with regard to the future | in one year, next week, tomorrow |
A: He will be speaking. | ° action that is going on at a certain time in the future ° action that is sure to happen in the near future | in one year, next week, tomorrow | |
A: He will have spoken. | ° action that will be finished at a certain time in the future | by Monday, in a week | |
A: He will have been speaking. | ° action taking place before a certain time in the future ° putting emphasis on the course of an action | for …, the last couple of hours, all day long | |
A: He would speak. | ° action that might take place | if sentences type II | |
A: He would be speaking. | ° action that might take place ° putting emphasis on the course / duration of the action |
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A: He would have spoken. | ° action that might have taken place in the past | if sentences type III | |
A: He would have been speaking. | ° action that might have taken place in the past ° puts emphasis on the course / duration of the |