Tense Affirmative/Negative/Question Use Signal Words

Present Simple A: He speaks. • action in the present taking place once, always, every …, never,
N: He does not speak. never or several times normally, often, seldom,
Q: Does he speak? • facts sometimes, usually
• actions taking place one after another if sentences type I (If I
talk, …)
• action set by a timetable or schedule
Present Continuous A: He is speaking. • action taking place in the moment of at the moment, just, just now,
N: He is not speaking. speaking Listen!, Look!, now, right now
Q: Is he speaking? • action taking place only for a limited
period of time

• action arranged for the future

Past Simple A: He spoke. • action in the past taking place once, never yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in
N: He did not speak. or several times 1990, the other day, last Friday
Q: Did he speak? • actions taking place one after another if sentence type II (If I
• action taking place in the middle of another talked, …)
action
Past Continuous A: He was speaking. • action going on at a certain time in the past when, while, as long as
N: He was not speaking. • actions taking place at the same time
Q: Was he speaking? • action in the past that is interrupted by
another action
Present Perfect Simple A: He has spoken. • putting emphasis on the result already, ever, just, never, not
N: He has not spoken. • action that is still going on yet, so far, till now, up to now
Q: Has he spoken? • 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
Present Perfect Continuous A: He has been speaking. • putting emphasis on the course or duration all day, for 4 years, since 1993,
N: He has not been speaking. (not the result) how long?, the whole week
Q: Has he been speaking? • action that recently stopped or is still going
on

• finished action that influenced the present

Past Perfect Simple A: He had spoken. • action taking place before a certain time in already, just, never, not yet,
N: He had not spoken. the past once, until that day
 Q: Had he spoken? • sometimes interchangeable with past if sentence type III (If I had
perfect progressive talked, …)
• putting emphasis only on the fact (not the
duration)
Past Perfect Continuous A: He had been speaking. • action taking place before a certain time in for, since, the whole day, all
N: He had not been speaking. the past day
Q: Had he been speaking? • sometimes interchangeable with past
perfect simple
• putting emphasis on the duration or course
of an action
Future Simple A: He will speak. • action in the future that cannot be in a year, next …, tomorrow
N: He will not speak. influenced If-sentence Type I (If you ask
Q: Will he speak? • spontaneous decision her, she will help you.)
assumption: I think, probably,
• assumption with regard to the future perhaps
Future Simple (going to) A: He is going to speak. • decision made for the future in one year, next week,
N: He is not going to speak. tomorrow
Q: Is he going to speak? • conclusion with regard to the future
Future Continuous A: He will be speaking. • action that is going on at a certain time in in one year, next week,
N: He will not be speaking. the future tomorrow
Q: Will he be speaking?
• action that is sure to happen in the near
future
Future Perfect Simple A: He will have spoken. • action that will be finished at a certain time by Monday, in a week
N: He will not have spoken. in the future
Q: Will he have spoken?
Future Perfect Continuous A: He will have been speaking. • action taking place before a certain time in for …, the last couple of hours,
N: He will not have been speaking. the future all day long
Q: Will he have been speaking?
• putting emphasis on the course of an action