1. PRESENT AND PAST TENSES
Tense Affirmative/Negative/Question Use Time expressions
Simple Present A: He writes  action in the present taking place once, never or several times always, every …, never,
N: He does not write.  facts normally, often, seldom,
Q: Does he write?  actions taking place one after another sometimes, usually
 action set by a timetable or schedule if sentences type I (If I talk, …)
Present A: He is writing.  action taking place in the moment of speaking at the moment, just, just now,
Continuous N: He is not writing.  action taking place only for a limited period of time Listen!, Look!, now, right now
Q: Is he writing?
 action arranged for the future
Simple Past A: He wrote.  action in the past taking place once, never or several times yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in
N: He did not write.  actions taking place one after another 1990, the other day, last Friday
Q: Did he write? if sentence type II (If
 action taking place in the middle of another action
Italked, …)
Past A: He was writing.  action going on at a certain time in the past when, while, as long as
Continuous N: He was not writing.  actions taking place at the same time
Q: Was he writing?
 action in the past that is interrupted by another action
Present Perfect Simple
A: He has written.  putting emphasis on the result already, ever, just, never, not
N: He has not written.  action that is still going on yet, so far, till now, up to now
Q: Has he written?
 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 A: He has been writing.  putting emphasis on the course or duration(not the result) all day, for 4 years, since 1993,
Perfect N: He has not been writing.  action that recently stopped or is still going on how long?, the whole week
Continuous Q: Has he been writing?
 finished action that influenced the present
Past Perfect Simple
A: He had written.  action taking place before a certain time in the past already, just, never, not yet,
N: He had not written.  sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive once, until that day
Q: Had he written? if sentence type III (If I had
 putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration)
talked, …)
Past Perfect A: He had been writing.  action taking place before a certain time in the past for, since, the whole day, all
Continuous N: He had not been writing.  sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple day
Q: Had he been writing?
 putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action