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ENGLISH TENSES INGLESIMPLE.BLOGSPOT.COM

TENSE AFFIRMATIVE/NEGATIVE/QUES USE SIGNAL WORDS

TION
SIMPLE PRESENT A: He sings. Action in the always, every …,
present
N: He does not sing. never, normally,
taking place
Q: Does he sing? often, seldom,
once, never or
sometimes,
several times
usually
Facts

Actions taking
place one

after another

Action set by a
timetable

or Schedule
PRESENT A: He is singing. Action taking at the moment,
PROGRESSIVE place in just,
N: He is not singing.
the moment of just now, Listen!,
Q: Is he singing?
speaking
Look!, now, right
Action taking
now
place only

for a limited
period of time

Action arranged
for the

future
SIMPLE PAST A: He sang. Action in the past yesterday, 2
taking minutes
N: He did not sing.
place once, ago, in 1990, the
Q: Did he sing? never or
other day, last
several
Friday
times

Actions taking
place one

after another

Action taking
place in

the middle of
another action
PAST PROGRESSIVE A: He was singing. Action going on when, while, as
at a long
N: He was not singing.
certain time in as
Q: Was he singing?
the past

Actions taking
place at

the same time

Action in the past

that is
interrupted by
another action
PRESENT PERFECT A: He has sung. Putting emphasis Already, ever,
SIMPLE on the result just, never, not

ORIGINAL- GRAMMAR: PART OF SPEECH & TENSES BY KHUSHAL KHAN

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N: He has not sung. Action that is still yet, so far, till

going on now, up to now.
Q: Has he sung?
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.
PRESENT PERFECT A: He has been singing. Putting emphasis All day, for 4
PROGRESSIVE on the course or years, since
N: He has not been duration (not 1993, how long?
singing.
the result) the whole week
Q: Has he been singing? Action that
recently stopped
or is still going
on.

Finished action
that influenced
the present
PAST PERFECT A: He had sung. Action taking Already, just,
SIMPLE place before a never, not yet,
N: He had not sung.
certain time in once, until, that
Q: Had he sung? the past day.

Sometimes
interchangeable
with past perfect
progressive

Putting emphasis
only on the fact
(not the duration)
PAST PERFECT A: He had been singing. Action taking For, since, the
PROGRESSIVE place before a whole day, all day
N: He had not been certain time in
singing.
the past
Q: Had he been singing? Sometimes
interchangeable
with past perfect
simple

Putting emphasis
on the duration
or course of an
action

FUTURE I SIMPLE A: He will sing Action in the future In a year, next…,

that cannot be tomorrow
(WILL) N: He will not sing. influenced
Q: Will he sing?
Spontaneous
decision

Assumption with
regard to the future
FUTURE I SIMPLE A: He is going to Decision made for In one year, next

ORIGINAL- GRAMMAR: PART OF SPEECH & TENSES BY KHUSHAL KHAN

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(GOING TO) sing the future week, tomorrow

N: He is not going Conclusion with

to sing. regard to the future

Q: Is he going to
sing?
FUTURE I PROGRESSIVE A: He will be Action that is going In one year, next
singing on at a certain time week, tomorrow
in the future
N: He will not be
Singing Action that is sure
to happen in the
Q: will he be near future
singing?
FUTURE II SIMPLE A: He will have Action that will be By Monday, in a
sung finished at a week
certain time in the
N: He will not have future
sung

Q: Will he have
sung?
FUTURE II A:He will have been Action taking place For…, the last
PROGRESSIVE singing before a certain couple of hours, all
time in the future day long
N: He will not have
been singing Putting emphasis
on the course of an
Q: Will he have action
been singing?
CONDITIONAL I SIMPLE A: He would sing Action that might Ex. If I were you, I
take place
N: He would not would go home
sing

Q: Would he sing?
CONDITIONAL I A: He would be Action that might
PROGRESIVE singing take place

N: He would not be Putting emphasis

singing on the
course/duration
Q: Would he be of the action
singing?
CONDITIONAL II SIMPLE A: He would have Action that might Ex. If I had seen
sung have taken place in that, I
the past
N: He would not would have
have sung helped.

Q: Would he have
sung?
CONDITIONAL II A: He would have Action that might
PROGRESSIVE been singing have taken place in
the past
N: He would not
have been singing Puts emphasis on
the
Q: Would he have course/duration
been singing?
of the action

ORIGINAL- GRAMMAR: PART OF SPEECH & TENSES BY KHUSHAL KHAN