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Moment in time
- action that takes place once, never or several times
+ Simple Past: He played football every Tuesday.
+ Simple Present: He plays football every Tuesday.
+ Future I Simple: He will / is going to play football every Tuesday.
- actions that happen one after another
+ Simple Past: He played football and then he went home.
+ Simple Present: He plays football and then he goes home.
+ Future I Simple: He will play football and then he will go home.
- actions that suddenly take place
+ Simple Past: He loved football.
+ Simple Present: He loves football.
+ Future I Simple: He will love football.

Period of time
- action that started before a certain moment and lasts beyond that moment
+ Past Progressive: He was playing football.
+ Present Progressive: He is playing football.

+ Future I Progressive: He will be playing football.

- actions taking place at the same time
+ Past Progressive: He was playing football and she was watching.
+ Present Progressive: He is playing football and she is watching.
+ Future I Progressive: He will be playing football and she will be watching.
Result
- action taking place before a certain moment in time; puts emphasis on the result
+ Past Perfect Simple: He had won five matches until that day.
+ Present Perfect Simple: He has won five matches so far.
+ Future II Simple: He will have won five matches by then.

Course / Duration
- action taking place before a certain moment in time: puts emphasis on the course or
duration of the action
+ Past Perfect Progressive: He had been playing football for ten years.
+ Present Perfect Progressive: He has been playing football for ten years.
+ Future II Progressive: He will have been playing football for ten years.
Cc th:

Simple Present

A/N/Q (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 - Colin always plays
soccer on Tuesdays.
- facts - The sun sets in the west.
- actions taking place one after another - She takes her bag and leaves.
- action set by a timetable or schedule - The train leaves at 9 pm.
Signal Words
always, every ..., often, normally, usually, sometimes, seldom, never
"if" sentences type I <<<(s la m) (If I talk, )
*Note:
When you love someone, that's a state, a fact or emotion, but not an action (like running
for example). Whenever you want to express a state, possession, sense or emotions, use
the simple form (not the progressive). The following words all belong to this group:
state: be, remain

mental activity: believe, mean, prefer, think, understand, realize

possession: belong
feeling and emotion: hate, like, love, seem, want, wish
senses: hear, see, smell

Present Progressive/Continuous

A/N/Q
A: He is speaking.
N: He is not speaking.
Q: Is he speaking?
Use
- action taking place in the moment of speaking - He is playing football now.
- action taking place only for a limited period of time - Jim is helping in his brother's firm
this week.
- action arranged for the future - I'm going to the theatre tonight.
- actions taking place around now (but not at the moment of speaking) - I'm studying for
my exams.
- development, changing situations - The population of China is rising very fast.
Signal Words
at the moment, now / just now / right now, Listen!, Look!
in the morning / in the afternoon / in the evening, at noon / tonight, tomorrow, next ...
this week / this month / this year
more and more

Simple Past
A/N/Q
A: He spoke.
N: He did not speak.
Q: Did he speak?
Use
- action in the past taking place once, never or several times - He visited his parents
every weekend.
- actions taking place one after another - He came in, took off his coat and sat down.
- action taking place in the middle of another action - When I was having breakfast, the
phone suddenly rang.
- "if" sentence type II (If I talked, ) - If I had a lot of money, I would share it with you.

Signal Words
yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday
If-Satz Typ II (If I talked, )

Past Progressive/Continuous
A/N/Q
A: He was speaking.
N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?
Use
- action going on at a certain time in the past - He was playing football.
- actions taking place at the same time - While she was preparing dinner, he was washing
the dishes.
- action in the past that is interrupted by another action - When I was having breakfast,
the phone suddenly rang.
Signal Words
when, while, as long as

Present Perfect Simple

A/N/Q
A: He has spoken.
N: He has not spoken.
Q: Has he spoken?
Use
- putting emphasis on the result - She has written five letters.
- action that is still going on - School has not started yet.
- action that stopped recently - She has cooked dinner.
- finished action that has an influence on the present - I have lost my key.
- action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking
- I have never been to Australia.
Signal Words
already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now

Present Perfect Progressive/Continuous

A/N/Q
A: He has been speaking.
N: He has not been speaking.
Q: Has he been speaking?
Use
- putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result) - She has been writing for
two hours.
- action that recently stopped or is still going on - I have been living here since 2001.
- finished action that influenced the present - I have been working all afternoon.

Signal Words
all day, for 4 years, since 1992, how long?, the whole week

Past Perfect Simple

A/N/Q
A: He had spoken.
N: He had not spoken.
Q: Had he spoken?
Use
- action taking place before a certain time in the past; putting emphasis only on
the fact (not the duration) - Before I came here, I had spoken to Jack.
- sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive
- Conditional Sentences Type III (condition that was not given in the past) - If I had seen
him, I would have talked to him.
Signal Words
already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day
If-Satz Type III (If I had talked, )

Past Perfect Progressive/Continuous

A/N/Q
A: He had been speaking.
N: He had not been speaking.
Q: Had he been speaking?
Use
- action taking place before a certain time in the past
- sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple
- putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action
Signal Words
for, since, the whole day, all day

Future I Simple (will)

A/N/Q
A: He will speak.
N: He will not speak.
Q: Will he speak?
Use
- action in the future that cannot be influenced - It will rain tomorrow.
- spontaneous decision - Wait, I will help you.
- an opinion, hope, uncertainty or assumption regarding the future - He will probably come
back tomorrow.
- a promise - I will not watch TV tonight.
- conditional clauses type I - If I arrive late, I will call you.
Signal Words
in a year, next , tomorrow

If-Satz Type I (If you ask her, she will help you.)
assumption: I think, probably, we might , perhaps

Future I Simple (going to)

A/N/Q
A: He is going to speak.
N: He is not going to speak.
Q: Is he going to speak?
Use
- decision made for the future - I am going to study harder next year.
- conclusion with regard to the future - The sky is absolutely dark. It is going to rain.
Signal Words
in one year, next week, tomorrow

Future I Progressive/Continuous
A/N/Q
A: He will be speaking.
N: He will not be speaking.
Q: Will he be speaking?
Use
- action that is going on at a certain time in the future
- action that is sure to happen in the near future
Signal Words
n one year, next week, tomorrow

Future II Simple
A/N/Q
A: He will have spoken.
N: He will not have spoken.
Q: Will he have spoken?
Use
- action that will be finished at a certain time in the future
Signal Words
by Monday, in a week

Future II Progressive/Continuous
A/N/Q
A: He will have been speaking.
N: He will not have been speaking.
Q: Will he have been speaking?
Use
- action taking place before a certain time in the future
- putting emphasis on the course of an action

Signal Words
for , the last couple of hours, all day long

Conditional I Simple
A/N/Q
A: He would speak.
N: He would not speak.
Q: Would he speak?
Use
- action that might take place
Signal Words
"if" sentences type II
(If I were you, I would go home.)

Conditional I Progressive
A/N/Q
A: He would be speaking.
N: He would not be speaking.
Q: Would he be speaking?
Use
- action that might take place
- putting emphasis on the course / duration of the action

Conditional II Simple
A/N/Q
A: He would have spoken.
N: He would not have spoken.
Q: Would he have spoken?
Use
- action that might have taken place in the past
Signal Words
"if" sentences type III
(If I had seen that, I would have helped.)

Conditional II Progressive
A/N/Q
A: He would have been speaking.
N: He would not have been speaking.
Q: Would he have been speaking?
Use
- action that might have taken place in the past
- puts emphasis on the course / duration of the action