tense Affirmative/Negative/Question Use Signal Words

action in the present always, every …,

Simple Present A: He speaks. never, normally,
N: He does not speak. taking place once, never or often, seldom,
Q: Does he speak? several times sometimes, usually
facts if sentences type I
(If I talk, …)
actions taking place
one after another
action set by a
timetable or schedule
Present Progressive A: He is speaking. action taking place at the moment,
N: He is not speaking. just, just now,
Q: Is he speaking? in the moment of speaking Listen!, Look!,
action taking place now, right now
only for a limited period of
time
action arranged for
the future
Simple Past A: He spoke. action in the past yesterday, 2
N: He did not speak. minutes ago, in
Q: Did he speak? taking place once, never or 1990, the other day,
several times last Friday
actions taking place if sentence type II
(If I talked, …)
one after another
action taking place in
the middle of another action
Past Progressive A: He was speaking. action going on at a when, while, as
N: He was not speaking. long as
Q: Was he speaking? certain time in the past
actions taking place
at the same time
action in the past that
is interrupted by another
action
Present Perfect Simple A: He has spoken. putting emphasis on already, ever, just,
N: He has not spoken. never, not yet, so
Q: Has he spoken? the result far, till now, up to
action that is still now
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
Present Perfect Progressive A: He has been speaking. putting emphasis on all day, for 4 years,
N: He has not been speaking. since 1993, how
Q: Has he been speaking? the course or duration (not long?, the whole
the result) week
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 already, just, never,
N: He had not spoken. not yet, once, until
Q: Had he spoken? before a certain time in the that day
past if sentence type III
sometimes (If I had talked, …)
interchangeable with past
perfect progressive
putting emphasis only
on the fact (not the duration)
Past Perfect Progressive A: He had been speaking. action taking place for, since, the
N: He had not been speaking. whole day, all day
Q: Had he been speaking? before a certain time in the
past
sometimes
interchangeable with past
perfect simple
putting emphasis on
the duration or course of an
action
Future I Simple A: He will speak. action in the future in a year, next …,
N: He will not speak. tomorrow
Q: Will he speak? that cannot be influenced If-Satz Typ I (If
spontaneous you ask her, she
decision will help you.)
assumption: I
assumption with think, probably,
regard to the future perhaps
Future I Simple A: He is going to speak. decision made for the in one year, next
N: He is not going to speak. week, tomorrow
(going to) Q: Is he going to speak? future
conclusion with
regard to the future
Future I Progressive A: He will be speaking. action that is going in one year, next
N: He will not be speaking. week, tomorrow
Q: Will he be speaking? on at a certain time in the
 future
action that is sure to
happen in the near future
Future II Simple A: He will have spoken. action that will be by Monday, in a
N: He will not have spoken. week
Q: Will he have spoken? finished at a certain time in
the future
Future II Progressive A: He will have been speaking. action taking place for …, the last
N: He will not have been speaking. couple of hours, all
Q: Will he have been speaking? before a certain time in the day long
future
putting emphasis on
the course of an action
Conditional I Simple A: He would speak. action that might if sentences type II
N: He would not speak. (If I were you, I
Q: Would he speak? take place would go home.)
Conditional I Progressive A: He would be speaking. action that might take
N: He would not be speaking.
Q: Would he be speaking? place
putting emphasis on
the course / duration of the
action
Conditional II Simple A: He would have spoken. action that might if sentences type
N: He would not have spoken. III
Q: Would he have spoken? have taken place in the past (If I had seen that,
I would have
helped.)
Conditional II Progressive A: He would have been speaking. action that might
N: He would not have been
speaking. have taken place in the past
Q: Would he have been speaking? puts emphasis on the
course / duration of the
action