| tense | Affirmative/Negative/Question | Use | Signal Words |
| Simple Present | A: He speaks. N: He does not speak. Q: Does he speak? | § 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 | always, every …, never, normally, often, seldom, sometimes, usually if sentences type I (If I talk, …) |
| 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 § action arranged for the future | at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!, now, right now |
| 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 | yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday if sentence type II (If I talked, …) |
| 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 at the same time § action in the past that is interrupted by another action | when, while, as long as |
| 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 § action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking | already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now |
| 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 § finished action that influenced the present | all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week |
| 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 interchangeable with past perfect progressive § putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration) | already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day if sentence type III (If I had talked, …) |
| Past Perfect Progressive | A: He had been speaking. N: He had not been speaking. Q: Had he been speaking? | § 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 | for, since, the whole day, all day |
| 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 | in a year, next …, tomorrow If-Satz Typ I (If you ask her, she will help you.) assumption: I think, probably, perhaps |
| 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 one year, next week, tomorrow |
| Future I Progressive | A: He will be speaking. N: He will not be speaking. Q: Will he be speaking? | § action that is going on at a certain time in the future § action that is sure to happen in the near future | in one year, next week, tomorrow |
| 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 | by Monday, in a week |
| Future II Progressive | A: He will have been speaking. N: He will not have been speaking. Q: Will he have been speaking? | § action taking place before a certain time in the future § putting emphasis on the course of an action | for …, the last couple of hours, all day long |
| Conditional I Simple | A: He would speak. N: He would not speak. Q: Would he speak? | § action that might take place | if sentences type II (If I were you, I would go home.) |
| Conditional I Progressive | A: He would be speaking. N: He would not be speaking. Q: Would he be speaking? | § 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? | § action that might have taken place in the past | if sentences type III (If I had seen that, I would have helped.) |
| Conditional II Progressive | A: He would have been speaking. N: He would not have been speaking. Q: Would he have been speaking? | § action that might have taken place in the past § puts emphasis on the course / duration of the action | |
| Группа | Время | Примеры (с комментариями) |
| Simple (Indefinite) | Present Simple | o My mother waters plants every week - Моя мама поливает растения каждую неделю (постоянное действие - каждую неделю). o I don't let my friends be impolite - Я не позволяю своим друзьям быть невежливыми (действие, свойственное подлежащему). |
| Past Simple | o The doctor invited me yesterday - Доктор пригласил меня вчера (действие, которое произошло в истекшем периоде времени - вчера). o I came home, called Mary and went to bed - Я пришел домой, позвонил Марии и лег спать (последовательные действия в прошлом). |
| Future Simple | o Tom will help you - Том поможет тебе (действие, которое совершится или будет совершаться в будущем). o My father and I will take French lessons twice a week - Мы с папой будем ходить на уроки французского два раза в неделю (действие, которое совершится или будет совершаться в будущем). |
| Continuous | Present Continuous | o Boris is looking for his bag now - Борис сейчас ищет свою сумку (действие, совершающееся в данный момент). o They are swimming in the river at the moment - В данный момент они купаются в реке (действие, совершающееся в данный момент). |
| Past Continuous | o My mother was cooking at 3 o'clock - Моя мама готовила в 3 часа (длительное действие, совершавшееся в определенный момент в прошлом). o It was snowing when you called me - Шел снег, когда ты позвонил мне (длительное действие, совершавшееся в определенный момент в прошлом). |
| Future Continuous | o I will still be playing tennis at 4 o'clock - Я еще буду играть в теннис в 4 часа (длительное действие, которое будет совершаться в определенный момент в будущем). o They will be looking for a new office in September - Они будут искать новый офис в сентябре (длительное действие, которое будет совершаться в определенном отрезке времени). |
| Perfect | Present Perfect | o I have found the key you lost; here it is - Я нашел ключ, который вы потеряли; вот он (действие результат которого имеется налицо в настоящем). |
| Past Perfect | o She had called me by three o'clock - Она (уже) позвонила мне к трем часам (действие, совершившееся до определенного момента в прошлом). | o My friends had sold all the flowers when your father came - Мои друзья (уже) продали все цветы, когда пришел твой отец (действие, совершившееся до другого прошедшего действия). | |
| Future Perfect | o We will have translated the book when your father comes - Мы уже переведем книгу, когда придет твой отец(будущее действие, которое совершится до определенного момента в будущем). |
| Perfect Continuous | Present Perfect Continuous | | o They have been playing football since 8 o'clock - Они играют в футбол с 8 часов (действие, совершающееся в настоящем, с указанием как долго оно совершается). o Mary has been learning English since 2000 - Мария учит английский с 2000 года (действие, совершающееся в настоящем, с указанием как долго оно совершается). | | | | |
| Past Perfect Continuous | o Your neighbour had been looking for you for 3 hours, when you came - Твой сосед уже искал тебя 3 часа, когда ты пришел (длительное прошедшее действие, совершавшееся в момент наступления другого прошедшего действия с указанием, как долго оно совершалось). |
| Future Perfect Continuous | o By September, 2012, he will have been working at the office for 30 years - К сентябрю он будет работать в этом офисе уже 30 лет (это время употребляется крайне редко). |
