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, we might …, 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