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• Start › Cram Up › Grammar › Tenses
Table of English Tenses
Affirmative/Negative/Questio
tense Use Signal Words
n
• action in the
present taking always,
place once, never every …,
or several times never,
• facts normally,
A: He speaks.
often, seldom,
Simple Present N: He does not speak. • actions taking sometimes,
Q: Does he speak? place one after usually
another if sentences
• action set by a type I (If I
timetable or talk, …)
schedule

• action taking
place in the
moment of
speaking at the moment,
A: He is speaking. just, just now,
• action taking
Present Progressive N: He is not speaking. Listen!, Look!,
place only for a
Q: Is he speaking? now, right
limited period of
now
time
• action arranged
for the future

• action in the past

taking place
once, never or yesterday, 2
several times minutes ago,
in 1990, the
A: He spoke. • actions taking
other day, last
Simple Past N: He did not speak. place one after
Friday
Q: Did he speak? another
if sentence
• action taking type II (If I
place in the talked, …)
middle of
another action
Past Progressive A: He was speaking. • action going on when, while,
N: He was not speaking. at a certain time as long as
Q: Was he speaking? in the past
• actions taking
place at the same
 time
• action in the past
that is
interrupted by
another action

A: He has spoken.
Present Perfect
N: He has not spoken.
Simple
Q: Has he spoken?
• putting emphasis
on the result
• action that is still
going on
• action that
stopped recently
already, ever,
• finished action just, never, not
that has an
yet, so far, till
influence on the
now, up to
present now
• 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) all day, for 4
A: He has been speaking. • action that years, since
Present Perfect
N: He has not been speaking. recently stopped 1993, how
Progressive
Q: Has he been speaking? or is still going long?, the
on whole week
• finished action
that influenced
the present
Past Perfect Simple A: He had spoken. • action taking already, just,
N: He had not spoken. place before a never, not yet,
Q: Had he spoken? certain time in once, until that
the past day
if sentence
• sometimes type III (If I
interchangeable had talked, …)
with past perfect
progressive
• putting emphasis
only on the fact
 (not the duration)

• action taking
place before a
certain time in
the past
• sometimes
A: He had been speaking. for, since, the
Past Perfect interchangeable
N: He had not been speaking. whole day, all
Progressive with past perfect
Q: Had he been speaking? day
simple
• putting emphasis
on the duration
or course of an
action
in a year,
• action in the next …,
future that tomorrow
cannot be If-Satz Typ I
A: He will speak. influenced (If you ask
Future I Simple N: He will not speak. • spontaneous her, she will
Q: Will he speak? decision help you.)
• assumption with assumption: I
regard to the think,
future probably,
perhaps
• decision made
Future I Simple A: He is going to speak. for the future in one year,
N: He is not going to speak. • conclusion with next week,
(going to)
Q: Is he going to speak? regard to the tomorrow
future

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

• action that will

A: He will have spoken.
be finished at a by Monday, in
Future II Simple N: He will not have spoken.
certain time in a week
Q: Will he have spoken?
the future
Future II Progressive A: He will have been speaking. • action taking for …, the last
N: He will not have been place before a couple of
 certain time in
the future
speaking. hours, all day
Q: Will he have been speaking? • putting emphasis long
on the course of
an action
if sentences
A: He would speak. type II
• action that might
Conditional I Simple N: He would not speak. (If I were you,
take place
Q: Would he speak? I would go
home.)
• action that might
take place
A: He would be speaking.
Conditional I • putting emphasis
N: He would not be speaking.
Progressive on the course /
Q: Would he be speaking?
duration of the
action
if sentences
A: He would have spoken. • action that might type III
Conditional II Simple N: He would not have spoken. have taken place (If I had seen
Q: Would he have spoken? in the past that, I would
have helped.)
• action that might
A: He would have been have taken place
speaking. in the past
Conditional II N: He would not have been
Progressive speaking. • puts emphasis on
Q: Would he have been the course /
speaking? duration of the
action

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Changed: 28th Jan 2010 19:45
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Englishpage.com > Verb Tense Tutorial > Simple Future

• Verb Tense
Intro. Simple Future
• Types of Verbs Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going
• Active/Passive to." Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably,
they often express two very different meanings. These different
• Simple
meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time and practice, the
Present
differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a
• Present specific time in the future.
Continuous
• Simple Past
• Past
Continuous
• Present FORM Will
Perfect [will + verb]
• Present Perf.
Examples:
Cont.
• You will help him later.
• Past Perfect
• Will you help him later?
• Past Perfect
Cont. • You will not help him later.
• Simple Future FORM Be Going To
• Future [am/is/are + going to + verb]
Continuous
Examples:
• Future Perfect
• You are going to meet Jane tonight.
• Future Perfect
Cont. • Are you going to meet Jane tonight?
• Used to • You are not going to meet Jane tonight.
• Would Always Complete List of Simple Future Forms
• Future in the USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action
Past
"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A
voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often,
we use "will" to respond to someone else's complaint or request for help.
We also use "will" when we request that someone help us or volunteer
to do something for us. Similarly, we use "will not" or "won't" when we
refuse to voluntarily do something.
Examples:
• I will send you the information when I get it.
• I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.
• Will you help me move this heavy table?
• Will you make dinner?
• I will not do your homework for you.
• I won't do all the housework myself!
• A: I'm really hungry.
B: I'll make some sandwiches.
• A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.
B: I'll get you some coffee.
• A: The phone is ringing.
B: I'll get it.

USE 2 "Will" to Express a Promise

"Will" is usually used in promises.
Examples:
• I will call you when I arrive.
• If I am elected President of the United States, I will
make sure everyone has access to inexpensive health
insurance.
• I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.
• Don't worry, I'll be careful.
• I won't tell anyone your secret.

USE 3 "Be going to" to Express a Plan

"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea
that a person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter
whether the plan is realistic or not.
Examples:
• He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.
• She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.
• A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?
B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.
• I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.
• Michelle is going to begin medical school next year.
 • They are going to drive all the way to Alaska.
• Who are you going to invite to the party?
• A: Who is going to make John's birthday cake?
B: Sue is going to make John's birthday cake.

USE 4 "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction

Both "will" and "be going to" can express the idea of a general
prediction about the future. Predictions are guesses about what might
happen in the future. In "prediction" sentences, the subject usually has
little control over the future and therefore USES 1-3 do not apply. In the
following examples, there is no difference in meaning.
Examples:
• The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.
• The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.
• John Smith will be the next President.
• John Smith is going to be the next President.
• The movie "Zenith" will win several Academy Awards.
• The movie "Zenith" is going to win several Academy
Awards.

IMPORTANT
In the Simple Future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has
in mind. Often, there is more than one way to interpret a sentence's
meaning.
No Future in Time Clauses
Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses
beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by
the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Simple Future, Simple
Present is used.
Examples:
• When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner.
Not Correct
• When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner.
Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
• You will never help him.
• Will you ever help him?
 • You are never going to meet Jane.
• Are you ever going to meet Jane?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
• John will finish the work by 5:00 PM. Active
• The work will be finished by 5:00 PM. Passive
• Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight.
Active
• A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally
tonight. Passive
More About Active / Passive Forms
EXERCISES AND RELATED TOPICS
• Verb Tense Exercise 18 Will and Be Going to
• Verb Tense Exercise 19 Will and Be Going to
• Verb Tense Exercise 20 Will and Be Going to
• Verb Tense Exercise 21 Simple Present and Simple
Future
• Verb Tense Exercise 22 Simple Present and Simple
Future
• Verb Tense Exercise 23 Simple Future and Future
Continuous
• Verb Tense Exercise 24 Simple Present, Simple Future,
Present Continuous, and Future Continuous
• Verb Tense Practice Test Cumulative Verb Tense Review
• Verb Tense Final Test Cumulative Verb Tense Review
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