Sumary Tenses Table

tense

Simple Present

Affirmative/Negative/Question

A: He speaks. N: He does not speak. Q: Does he speak?

Use

action in the present



taking place once, never or several times 

facts



actions taking place one

Signal Words al"a!s# ever! $# never# normall!# often# seldom# sometimes# usuall! if sentences t!pe % & If  If I talk  talk   , …' …'

after another  action set ! a timetale



or schedule Present A: He is speaking. Progressive N: He is not speaking. Q: %s he speaking?

action taking place in



the moment of speaking

at the moment#  (ust# (ust no"# no"# )isten*# )ook*# no"# right no"

action taking place onl!



for a limited period of time action arranged for the



future Simple Past A: He spoke. N: He did not speak. Q: Did he speak?

action in the past taking



 place once, never or several times 

actions taking place one

!esterda!# + minutes ago# in ,--# the other da!# last rida! if sentence t!pe %% & If  If I talked   , …' …' talked 

after another  

action taking place in the middle of another action

Past A: He "as speaking. Progressive N: He "as not speaking. Q: Was he speaking?



action going on at a

"hen# "hile# as long as

certain time in the past 

actions taking place at the same time



action in the past that is interrupted ! another action

Present Perfect Simple

A: He has spoken. N: He has not spoken. Q: Has he spoken?



 putting emphasis on the result



action that is still going on



action that stopped

alread!# ever# (ust# never# not !et# so far# till no"# up to no"

recentl! 

finished action that has an influence on the present



action that has taken place once# never or several times  efore the moment of speaking

Present A: He has een speaking. Perfect N: He has not een speaking. Progressive Q: Has he een speaking?



 putting emphasis on the course or duration  ¬ the result'



all da!# for 0 !ears# since ,--1# ho" long?# the "hole "eek 

action that recentl! stopped or is still going on



finished action that influenced the present

Past Perfect Simple

A: He had spoken. N: He had not spoken. Q: Had he spoken?



action taking place efore a certain time in the past



sometimes

alread!# (ust# never# not !et# once# until that da! if sentence t!pe %%% & If I had talked   , …'

interchangeale "ith past  perfect progressive 

 putting emphasis onl! on the fact ¬ the duration'

Past A: He had een speaking. Perfect N: He had not een speaking. Progressive Q: Had he een speaking?



action taking place efore

for# since# the "hole da!# all da!

a certain time in the past 

sometimes interchangeale "ith past  perfect simple



 putting emphasis on the duration or course  of an action

Future I Simple

A: He "ill speak. N: He "ill not speak. Q: Will he speak?







in a !ear# ne2t $# tomorro" %f3Sat4 5!p % & If cannot e influenced  you ask her, spontaneous decision  shewill help you.' assumption6 % assumption "ith regard to think# proal!#  perhaps the future action in the future that

Future I Simple

A: He is going to speak. N: He is not going to speak. Q: %s he going to speak?

decision made for the



in one !ear# ne2t "eek# tomorro"

future

&going to'

conclusion "ith regard to



the future Future I A: He "ill e speaking. Progressive N: He "ill not e speaking. Q: Will he e speaking?



in one !ear# ne2t action that is going on at a "eek# tomorro" certain time in the future action that is sure to



happen in the near future Future II Simple

A: He "ill have spoken. N: He "ill not have spoken. Q: Will he have spoken?

action that "ill



 ! 7onda!# in a "eek 

 e finished at a certain time in the future

Future II A: He "ill have een speaking. Progressive N: He "ill not have een speaking. Q: Will he have een speaking?

action taking place efore



a certain time in the future

for $# the last couple of hours# all da! long

 putting emphasis on



the course of an action Conditional A: He "ould speak. I Simple N: He "ould not speak. Q: Would he speak? Conditional A: He "ould e speaking. I N: He "ould not e speaking. Progressive Q: Would he e speaking?

action that might take



 place

if sentences t!pe %% & If I were you,  I would gohome.'

action that might take



 place 

 putting emphasis on the course /duration of the action

Conditional A: He "ould have spoken. II Simple N: He "ould not have spoken. Q: Would he have spoken?

Conditional A: He "ould have een speaking. II N: He "ould not have een Progressive speaking. Q: Would he have een speaking?



action that might have taken place in the past



action that might have taken place in the past



 puts emphasis on the course / duration of the action

if sentences t!pe %%% & If I had seen that,  I would have helped .'