English Tenses

ENGLISH TENSES

TENSE

INGLESIMPLE.BLOGSPOT.COM

AFFIRMATIVE/NEGATIVE/QUES

USE

SIGNAL WORDS

Action in the present

always, every …,

TION

SIMPLE PRESENT

A: He sings. N: He does not sing. Q: Does he sing?

never, normally,

taking place once, never or

often, seldom,

several times

sometimes, usually

Facts Actions taking place one after another Action set by a timetable

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

A: He is singing. N: He is not singing.

or Schedule Action taking place in the moment of speaking

Q: Is he singing?

Action taking place only

at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!, now, right now

for a limited period of time Action arranged for the

SIMPLE PAST

future Action in the past taking

A: He sang. N: He did not sing. Q: Did he sing?

yesterday, 2 minutes

place once, never or several

ago, in 1990, the

times

Friday

other day, last

Actions taking place one after another Action taking place in

PAST PROGRESSIVE

A: He was singing. N: He was not singing. Q: Was he singing?

the middle of another action Action going on at a certain time in the past

when, while, as long as

Actions taking place at the same time

PRESENT PERFECT

Action in the past that is interrupted by another action Putting emphasis on the result

A: He has sung.

SIMPLE

ORIGINAL- GRAMMAR: PART

OF

SPEECH & TENSES

BY

Already, ever, just, never, not

KHUSHAL KHAN

1

ENGLISH TENSES

INGLESIMPLE.BLOGSPOT.COM

N: He has not sung.

Action that is still going on

Q: Has he sung?

yet, so far, till now, up to now.

Action that stopped recently Finished action that has an influence on the present

PRESENT PERFECT

A: He has been singing.

PROGRESSIVE

N: He has not been singing.

Action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking. Putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result)

Q: Has he been singing?

PAST

PERFECT

SIMPLE

Action that recently stopped or is still going on. Finished action that influenced the present Action taking place before a certain time in the past

A: He had sung. N: He had not sung. Q: Had he sung?

All day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long? the whole week

Already, just, never, not yet, once, until, that day.

Sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive

PAST PERFECT

A: He had been singing.

PROGRESSIVE

N: He had not been singing.

Putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration) Action taking place before a certain time in the past

Q: Had he been singing?

For, since, the whole day, all day

Sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple Putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action

FUTURE I SIMPLE

A: He will sing

(WILL)

N: He will not sing. Q: Will he sing?

FUTURE I SIMPLE

A: He is going to

ORIGINAL- GRAMMAR: PART

OF

Action in the future that cannot be influenced

In a year, next…, tomorrow

Spontaneous decision Assumption with regard to the future Decision made for

SPEECH & TENSES

BY

In one year, next

KHUSHAL KHAN

2

ENGLISH TENSES

(GOING

TO)

FUTURE I PROGRESSIVE

INGLESIMPLE.BLOGSPOT.COM

sing

the future

N: He is not going to sing.

Conclusion with regard to the future

Q: Is he going to sing? A: He will be singing

Action that is going on at a certain time in the future

N: He will not be Singing

FUTURE

II

SIMPLE

Q: will he be singing? A: He will have sung

Q: Will he have sung? A:He will have been singing

PROGRESSIVE

N: He will not have been singing

CONDITIONAL I SIMPLE

Q: Will he have been singing? A: He would sing

Q: Would he sing? A: He would be singing

PROGRESIVE

N: He would not be singing

CONDITIONAL II SIMPLE

Q: Would he be singing? A: He would have sung N: He would not have sung

CONDITIONAL PROGRESSIVE

II

Q: Would he have sung? A: He would have been singing N: He would not have been singing Q: Would he have been singing?

ORIGINAL- GRAMMAR: PART

OF

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

For…, the last couple of hours, all day long

Putting emphasis on the course of an action Action that might take place

N: He would not sing

CONDITIONAL I

In one year, next week, tomorrow

Action that is sure to happen in the near future

N: He will not have sung

FUTURE II

week, tomorrow

Ex. If I were you, I would go home

Action that might take place Putting emphasis on the course/duration of the action Action that might have taken place in the past

Ex. If I had seen that, I would have helped.

Action that might have taken place in the past Puts emphasis on the course/duration of the action

SPEECH & TENSES

BY

KHUSHAL KHAN

3