Tense Affirmative/Negative/Question Use Signal Words: Simple Present

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
Signal Words
always, every ,
never, normally,
often, seldom,
sometimes, usually
if sentences type I
(If I talk, )
after another
action set by a timetable
or schedule
Present
A: He is speaking.
Progressive N: He is not speaking.
Q: Is he speaking?
action taking place in
the moment of speaking

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
future
Simple Past A: He spoke.
N: He did not speak.
Q: Did he speak?
yesterday, 2
minutes ago, in
place once, never or several 1990, the other day,
last Friday
times
if sentence type II
actions taking place one
(If Italked, )
after another
action in the past taking
action taking place in
the middle of another action

Past
A: He was speaking.
Progressive N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?
action going on at a
certain time in the past
when, while, as
long as
actions taking place 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
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
Present
A: He has been speaking.
Perfect
N: He has not been speaking.
Progressive Q: Has he been speaking?
putting emphasis on
the course or duration(not
the result)
all day, for 4 years,

since 1993, how
long?, the whole
week
action that recently

stopped or is still going on
finished action that

influenced the present
Past
Perfect
Simple
A: He had spoken.
N: He had not spoken.
Q: Had he spoken?
action taking place

before a certain time in the
past
sometimes
already, just, never,

not yet, once, until
that day
if sentence type III
(If I had talked, )
interchangeable with past

perfect progressive
putting emphasis only

on the fact (not the duration)
Past
A: He had been speaking.
Perfect
N: He had not been speaking.
Progressive Q: Had he been speaking?
action taking place

past
for, since, the whole

day, all day
sometimes
interchangeable with past
perfect simple
putting emphasis on
the duration or courseof 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
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
in a year, next ,
tomorrow
If-Satz Typ I (If you
ask her, shewill
help you.)
assumption: I think,
probably, perhaps
in one year, next
week, tomorrow
Future I
A: He will be speaking.
Progressive N: He will not be speaking.
Q: Will he be speaking?
action that is going
on at a certain time in the

future
in one year, next

week, tomorrow
action that is sure to
happen in the near future

Future II
Simple
A: He will have spoken.

N: He will not have spoken.
Q: Will he have spoken?
action that will
be finished at a certain time

in the future
Future II
A: He will have been speaking.
Progressive N: He will not have been
speaking.
Q: Will he have been speaking?
action taking place

future
by Monday, in a
week
for , the last

couple of hours, all
day long
putting emphasis on
the course of an action

Conditional
I Simple
A: He would speak.
N: He would not speak.
Q: Would he speak?
Conditional A: He would be speaking.

I
N: He would not be speaking.
Progressive Q: Would he be speaking?
action that might take
place
if sentences type II
(If I were you,
I would gohome.)
action that might take
place
putting emphasis on
the course / duration of the
action
Conditional
II Simple
A: He would have spoken.

N: He would not have spoken.
Q: Would he have spoken?
Conditional A: He would have been

II
speaking.
Progressive N: He would not have been
speaking.
Q: Would he have been
speaking?
action that might have

taken place in the past
if sentences type III

(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
Use of Passive
Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or
what is performing the action.
Example: My bike was stolen.
In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did
it.
Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows:
Example: A mistake was made.

In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made
a mistake.).
Form of Passive
Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)
Example: A letter was written.

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:
the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)
Examples of Passive
Tense
Simple Present
Subject
Active:
Passive:
Simple Past
Active:
Passive:
Present Perfect
Active:
Passive:
Future I
Active:
Passive:
Hilfsverben
Active:
Passive:
Examples of Passive
Verb
Object
writes
a letter.
is written
by Rita.
wrote
a letter.
A letter
was written
by Rita.
Rita
has written
a letter.
has been written
by Rita.
will write
a letter.
will be written
by Rita.
can write
a letter.
can be written
by Rita.
Rita
A letter
Rita
A letter
Rita
A letter
Rita
A letter
Tense
Present Progressive
Subject
Active:
Passive:
Past Progressive
Active:
Passive:
Past Perfect
Active:
Passive:
Future II
Active:
Passive:
Conditional I
Active:
Passive:
Conditional II
Active:
Passive:
Verb
Object
is writing
a letter.
is being written
by Rita.
was writing
a letter.
was being written
by Rita.
had written
a letter.
A letter
had been written
by Rita.
Rita
will have written
a letter.
will have been written
by Rita.
would write
a letter.
would be written
by Rita.
would have written
a letter.
Rita
A letter
Rita
A letter
Rita
A letter
Rita
A letter
Rita
A letter would have been written by Rita.
Statements
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
place and time expressions
tenses (backshift)
Type
Example
direct speech
I speak English.
reported speech
(no backshift)
He says that he speaks English.
reported speech
He said that he spoke English.
Type
Example
(backshift)
more on statements in reported speech
Questions
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
tenses (backshift)
Also note that you have to:
transform the question into an indirect question
use the interrogative or if / whether
Type
Example
direct speech
Why dont you speak English?
reported speech
He asked me why I didnt speak English.
direct speech
Do you speak English?
reported speech
He asked me whether / if I spoke English.
with interrogative
without interrogative
more on questions in reported speech
Requests
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
Type
Example
direct speech
Carol, speak English.
reported speech
He told Carol to speak English.
Conditional Sentence Type 1

It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future
Example: If I find her address, Ill send her an invitation.

more on Conditional Sentences Type I

It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form: if + Simple Past, Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)
Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.

more on Conditional Sentences Type II

It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.
Form: if + Past Perfect, Conditional II (= would + have + Past Participle)
Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.
more on Conditional Sentences Type III

Tense Affirmative/Negative/Question Use Signal Words: Simple Present

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Tense Affirmative/Negative/Question Use Signal Words: Simple Present

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tense

taking place once, never or

actions taking place one

action taking place in

the moment of speaking

at the moment, just,

for a limited period of time

action taking place in

the middle of another action

certain time in the past

actions taking place at

the same time

interrupted by another action

action that stopped

finished action that has

already, ever, just,

action that has taken

all day, for 4 years,

action that recently

finished action that

action taking place

already, just, never,

interchangeable with past

putting emphasis only

action taking place

for, since, the whole

action in the future that

assumption with regard

decision made for the

conclusion with regard

action that is going

on at a certain time in the

in one year, next

action that is sure to

happen in the near future

A: He will have spoken.

action that will

be finished at a certain time

action taking place

for , the last

the course of an action

Conditional A: He would be speaking.

action that might take

action that might take

A: He would have spoken.

Conditional A: He would have been

action that might have

if sentences type III

action that might have

Example: My bike was stolen.

Example: A mistake was made.

Example: A letter was written.

the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)

has been written

was being written

had been written

will have written

will have been written

would have written

A letter would have been written by Rita.

present tense verbs (3rd person singular)

place and time expressions