English Tenses Overview
Table of English Tenses
Tense
Affirmative/Negative/Question
Use
action in the present taking place once,
Simple Present
A: He speaks.
N: He does not speak.
Q: Does he speak?
Present Progressive
A: He is speaking.
N: He is not speaking.
Q: Is he speaking?
never or several times
facts
actions taking place one after another
action set by a timetable or schedule
Signal Words
always, every , never,
normally, often, seldom,
sometimes, usually
if sentences type I (If I talk, )
action taking place in the moment of
speaking
action taking place only for a limited
period of time
at the moment, just, just now,
Listen!, Look!, now, right now
action arranged for the future
action in the past taking place once, never
Simple Past
A: He spoke.
N: He did not speak.
Q: Did he speak?
or several times
actions taking place one after another
action taking place in the middle of
yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in
1990, the other day, last Friday
if sentence type II (If I talked, )
another action
action going on at a certain time in the
Past Progressive
A: He was speaking.
N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?
past
actions taking place at the same time
action in the past that is interrupted by
when, while, as long as
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 recently
finished action that has an influence on
the present
already, ever, just, never, not
yet, so far, till now, up to now
action that has taken place once, never or
several times before the moment of
speaking
putting emphasis on the course or
Present Perfect
Progressive
A: He has been speaking.
N: He has not been speaking.
Q: Has he been speaking?
duration (not the result)
all day, for 4 years, since 1993,
action that recently stopped or is still going how long?, the whole week
on
finished action that influenced the present
action taking place before a certain time in
Past Perfect Simple
A: He had spoken.
N: He had not spoken.
Q: Had he spoken?
the past
already, just, never, not yet,
once, until that day
if sentence type III (If I had
perfect progressive
putting emphasis only on the fact (not the talked, )
duration)
sometimes interchangeable with past
action taking place before a certain time in
Past Perfect Progressive
A: He had been speaking.
N: He had not been speaking.
Q: Had he been speaking?
the past
sometimes interchangeable with past
perfect simple
for, since, the whole day, all day
putting emphasis on the duration or
course of an action
Future I Simple
A: He will speak.
N: He will not speak.
Q: Will he speak?
action in the future that cannot be
influenced
spontaneous decision
assumption with regard to the future
in a year, next , tomorrow
If-Sentence Type I (If you ask
her, she will help you.)
assumption: I think, probably,
perhaps
Future I Simple
(going to)
A: He is going to speak.
N: He is not going to speak.
Q: Is he going to speak?
decision made for the future
conclusion with regard to the future
action that is going on at a certain time in
Future I Progressive
A: He will be speaking.
N: He will not be speaking.
Q: Will he be speaking?
Future II Simple
A: He will have spoken.
N: He will not have spoken.
Q: Will he have spoken?
Future II Progressive
A: He will have been speaking.
N: He will not have been
speaking.
Q: Will he have been speaking?
Conditional I Simple
A: He would speak.
N: He would not speak.
Q: Would he speak?
action that might take place
Conditional I Progressive
A: He would be speaking.
N: He would not be speaking.
Q: Would he be speaking?
action that might take place
putting emphasis on the course / duration
Conditional II Simple
A: He would have spoken.
N: He would not have spoken.
Q: Would he have spoken?
Conditional II Progressive
A: He would have been speaking.
N: He would not have been
speaking.
Q: Would he have been speaking?
in one year, next week,
tomorrow
the future
action that is sure to happen in the near
in one year, next week,
tomorrow
future
action that will be finished at a certain
time in the future
by Monday, in a week
action taking place before a certain time in
the future
putting emphasis on the course of an
for , the last couple of hours,
all day long
action
if sentences type II
(If I were you, I would go
home.)
of the action
action that might have taken place in the if sentences type III
past
action that might have taken place in the
past
puts emphasis on the course / duration of
the action
(If I had seen that, I would have
helped.)
English Tenses Graphic Comparison
Problems with the English tenses? Have a look at the time line, it might help you understand when to use which tense. As there is a similarity
between past, present and future tenses, there are just a few rules to keep in mind.
If you know how to use the present progressive correctly to express present actions, you will as well be able to use the past progressive
correctly to express past actions.
Legend
action that takes place once, never or several times
action that started before a certain moment and lasts beyond that moment
action taking place before a certain moment in time
action taking place before a certain moment in time
actions that happen one after another
actions that suddenly take place
moment in time
actions taking place at the same time
period of time
puts emphasis on the result
Result
Course / Duration
puts emphasis on the course or duration of the action
English Tenses Examples
Moment
Explanation
Past
Present
Future
Simple Past
Simple Present
Future I Simple
action that takes place once,
never or several times
He played football every Tuesday. He plays football every Tuesday.
He will / is going to play football
every Tuesday.
actions that happen one after
another
He played football and then he
went home.
He plays football and then he
goes home.
He will play football and then he
will go home.
state
He loved football.
He loves football.
He will love football.
Period
Past Progressive
Result
Future I Progressive
action going on at that moment
He was playing football.
He is playing football.
He will be playing football.
actions taking place at the same
time
He was playing football and she
was watching.
He is playing football and she is
watching.
He will be playing football and
she will be watching.
Past Perfect Simple
action taking place before a
certain moment in time;
emphasises the result
He had won five matches until
that day.
Past Perfect Progressive
Duration
Present Progressive
action taking place before a
certain moment in time (and
beyond), emphasises the
duration
He had been playing football for
ten years.
Present Perfect Simple
He has won five matches so far.
Present Perfect Progressive
He has been playing football for
ten years.
Future II Simple
He will have won five matches by
then.
Future II Progressive
He will have been playing football
for ten years.
