How to read no spin or backspin serve?

Hi Alois and Jeff,

Yesterday I played table tennis with my teacher. I realized that he used the no spin and backspin serve, but I can't decided what serve between the no spin and backspin. He swung the back up and finished down below, I thought that was a backspin serve, so I turn my bat open. When I hit it, the ball went up high and he executed it easily with flick or forehand/backhand topspin. I couldn't defend the ball properly, I tried to track the ball but it went too fast before I could defend it. Is there a way to execute them?

Thanks a lot
Regards, Archel