Past Tense and Certain Time
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Table of English Tenses
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 after another action set by a timetable or schedule Present
Progressive
A: He is speaking.
N: He is not speaking.
Q: Is he speaking?
action taking place in the moment of speaking action taking place only for a limited period of time
Signal
Words
always, every …, never, normally, often, seldom, sometimes, usually if sentences type I (If I talk, …) at the moment, just, just now, Listen!,
Look!, now, right now
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 after another action taking place in the middle of another action
Past
Progressive
A: He was speaking.
N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?
action going on at a certain time in the past actions taking place
yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in
1990, the other day, last Friday if sentence type II (If I talked, …)
when, while, as long as
at the same time action in the past that is interrupted by 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 already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now
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.
N: He has not been speaking.
Q: Has he been speaking?
putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result) action that recently stopped or is still going on
all day, for
4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week finished action that influenced the
Table of English Tenses
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 after another action set by a timetable or schedule Present
Progressive
A: He is speaking.
N: He is not speaking.
Q: Is he speaking?
action taking place in the moment of speaking action taking place only for a limited period of time
Signal
Words
always, every …, never, normally, often, seldom, sometimes, usually if sentences type I (If I talk, …) at the moment, just, just now, Listen!,
Look!, now, right now
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 after another action taking place in the middle of another action
Past
Progressive
A: He was speaking.
N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?
action going on at a certain time in the past actions taking place
yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in
1990, the other day, last Friday if sentence type II (If I talked, …)
when, while, as long as
at the same time action in the past that is interrupted by 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 already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now
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.
N: He has not been speaking.
Q: Has he been speaking?
putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result) action that recently stopped or is still going on
all day, for
4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week finished action that influenced the