ENGLISH FOR TEACHING PURPOSES Grammar: Overview of the
tenses
Verb tenses show us when an action takes place: in the present, past or future. The table
below provides an overview of the different verb tenses with examples in the positive
(P), negative (N) and question form (Q). For more information, including exercises, click on
the name of the tense.
Signal
Tense positive/negative/question Usage
Words
Repeated/regular
action in the
always,
present
every …,
P: He speaks. Generally valid
never,
Simple Present N: He does not actions
normally,
speak. Actions
often,
Present Q: Does he happening one
seldom,
speak? after the other
sometimes,
Confirmed future
usually
actions (time
table, schedule)
at the
P: He is
Action taking moment,
Present speaking.
place now just, just
Progressive N: He is not
Already planned now,
speaking.
or agreed-upon Listen!,
Present Continuous Q: Is he
future action Look!, now,
speaking?
right now
a single or
yesterday,
repeated action
2 minutes
Simple Past P: He spoke. in the past
ago, in
N: He did not speak. actions
1990, the
Q: Did he speak? happening one
other day,
after the other in
last Friday
the past
Emphasis on the
process of an
Past Progressive P: He was speaking. action taking
N: He was not place in the past while, as
speaking. Action that was long as
Past Continuous Q: Was he speaking? taking place
when interrupted
by a new action
Present Perfect P: He has spoken. The result is already,
N: He has not spoken. emphasised ever, just,
Q: Has he spoken? Action that lasts never, not
to the present yet, so far,
Signal
Tense positive/negative/question Usage
Words
moment
Action that has
just been
till now, up
completed
to now
Completed action
with influence on
the present
The action is
P: He has been emphasised all day, for
Present Perfect speaking. Action that has 4 years,
Progressive N: He has not been lasted until the since 1993,
speaking. present time how long?,
Perfect Continuous Q: Has he been Completed action the whole
speaking? with influence on week
the present
Action taking
place before a
certain time in
the past
Sometimes
already,
interchangeable
Past Perfect P: He had spoken. just, never,
with past perfect
N: He had not spoken. not yet,
progressive
Q: Had he spoken? once, until
Emphasises only
that day
the fact that
something took
place before a
certain point in
the past
Action before a
certain point in
P: He had been the past
Past Perfect speaking. Sometimes
for, since,
Progressive N: He had not been interchangeable
the whole
speaking. with past perfect
day, all day
Q: Had he been simple
speaking? Emphasises the
action or length
of the action
Future (will) P: He will speak. Events in the in a year,
N: He will not speak. future that cannot next …,
Q: Will he speak? be influenced tomorrow,
Spontaneous first
decision conditional
Suppositions sentences
about the future (If you ask
Signal
Tense positive/negative/question Usage
Words
her, she will
help you.),
supposition:
I think,
probably,
perhaps
Pre-existing
P: He is going to intention
speak. regarding the
in one year,
N: He is not going to future
Future (going to) next week,
speak. Logical
tomorrow
Q: Is he going to conclusion
speak? regarding the
future
Action that will be
P: He will be speaking.
taking place at a
Future Progressive N: He will not be in one year,
certain point in
speaking. next week,
the future
Future Continuous Q: Will he be tomorrow
Certain or
speaking?
obvious events
P: He will have
spoken. Action that will
N: He will not have have been by Monday,
Future Perfect
spoken. completed by a in a week
Q: Will he have future time
spoken?
Action that will
P: He will have been
Future Perfect have been
speaking. for …, the
Progressive completed by a
N: He will not have last couple
future time
been speaking. of hours, all
Future Emphasises the
Q: Will he have been day long
Perfect Continuous length of the
speaking?
action
