Tense Positive/Negative/Question Usage Signal Words
P: I work Permanent situations always, often, usually, sometimes,
Present N: I do not (don’t) work Habits and routines occasionally, rarely, never
Simple Q: Do I work? Scientific and other facts
Actions happening one after the other
P: He is working Action currently taking place at present, at the moment, currently, now,
Present
N: He is not working Action limited to a particular timeframe nowadays, right now, these days, this week
Continuous
Q: Is he working? Already planned or agreed-upon future action
P: I have (‘ve) worked Situation that started in the past and continues already/yet, just, ever/never, not yet, so far,
N: He has not (hasn’t) worked to the present till now, up to now, for/since
Present
Q: Has he worked? To talk about a series of actions up to the
Perfect
present
A past event that has a present result
Present P: He has been working Action or situation in progress from a time in the over the last few years, all week, for 10 years,
Perfect N: He has not (hasn’t) been working past up to now for ages, since nine o’clock, all day, since 1993,
Continuous Q: Has he been working? the whole week
P: I worked Completed actions in the past at ten o’clock, at the end of the month, at the
N: I did not (didn’t) work Actions happening one after the other in the weekend, in the morning, in July, in 2001, in
Past Simple Q: Did I work? past the 1980’s, in the summer, on Tuesday, on the
A new action that interrupts an action that was tenth of March, yesterday, a few days ago, last
already taking place week, when I was young
P: I was working Activity in progress in the past when, while, as long as
Past
N: I was not (wasn’t) working Background information
Continuous
Q: Was I working?
Emphasize that one past event happens before already, never, by, just, not yet, once, until
P: He had worked
another. (the earlier event) that day
Past Perfect N: He had not (hadn’t) worked
Often after verbs of thinking such as: think,
Q: Had he worked?
know, be sure, realize, remember, understand
, Tense Positive/Negative/Question Usage Signal Words
P: I will work Facts and predictions in a year, next …, tomorrow, supposition:
Future (will) N:I won’t work Instant decisions, promises, offers and requests I think, believe, be sure, expect, hope, know,
Q: Will I work? suppose,… probably, perhaps
P: He is going to work Plans and decisions that we have already made in one year, next week, tomorrow
Future N: He is not going to work in the future
(going to) Q: Is he going to work? Predictions (strong evidence in the present
situation)
Review: will, going to and present continuous:
Will Going to Present Continuous
- instant decision/promise/offer : made at the - plan made previously, before the moment of - fixed arrangement ‘in our diary’ with a time
moment of speaking speaking and a place
- prediction based on our opinions and beliefs - prediction based on strong evidence in the
present situation
P: I work Permanent situations always, often, usually, sometimes,
Present N: I do not (don’t) work Habits and routines occasionally, rarely, never
Simple Q: Do I work? Scientific and other facts
Actions happening one after the other
P: He is working Action currently taking place at present, at the moment, currently, now,
Present
N: He is not working Action limited to a particular timeframe nowadays, right now, these days, this week
Continuous
Q: Is he working? Already planned or agreed-upon future action
P: I have (‘ve) worked Situation that started in the past and continues already/yet, just, ever/never, not yet, so far,
N: He has not (hasn’t) worked to the present till now, up to now, for/since
Present
Q: Has he worked? To talk about a series of actions up to the
Perfect
present
A past event that has a present result
Present P: He has been working Action or situation in progress from a time in the over the last few years, all week, for 10 years,
Perfect N: He has not (hasn’t) been working past up to now for ages, since nine o’clock, all day, since 1993,
Continuous Q: Has he been working? the whole week
P: I worked Completed actions in the past at ten o’clock, at the end of the month, at the
N: I did not (didn’t) work Actions happening one after the other in the weekend, in the morning, in July, in 2001, in
Past Simple Q: Did I work? past the 1980’s, in the summer, on Tuesday, on the
A new action that interrupts an action that was tenth of March, yesterday, a few days ago, last
already taking place week, when I was young
P: I was working Activity in progress in the past when, while, as long as
Past
N: I was not (wasn’t) working Background information
Continuous
Q: Was I working?
Emphasize that one past event happens before already, never, by, just, not yet, once, until
P: He had worked
another. (the earlier event) that day
Past Perfect N: He had not (hadn’t) worked
Often after verbs of thinking such as: think,
Q: Had he worked?
know, be sure, realize, remember, understand
, Tense Positive/Negative/Question Usage Signal Words
P: I will work Facts and predictions in a year, next …, tomorrow, supposition:
Future (will) N:I won’t work Instant decisions, promises, offers and requests I think, believe, be sure, expect, hope, know,
Q: Will I work? suppose,… probably, perhaps
P: He is going to work Plans and decisions that we have already made in one year, next week, tomorrow
Future N: He is not going to work in the future
(going to) Q: Is he going to work? Predictions (strong evidence in the present
situation)
Review: will, going to and present continuous:
Will Going to Present Continuous
- instant decision/promise/offer : made at the - plan made previously, before the moment of - fixed arrangement ‘in our diary’ with a time
moment of speaking speaking and a place
- prediction based on our opinions and beliefs - prediction based on strong evidence in the
present situation
