| Present Simple |
- Routine, habits, repetitive actions :
- I play tennis every Saturday.
- Tastes :
- I like chocolate, I hate doing homework.
- Facts :
- The sun rises in the east.
|
| Present Continuous |
- Continuous actions :
- - at the time of speaking
- I am reading this explanation now.
- - around now :
- I am learning English this year.
- Planned future arrangements :
- I am visiting Rome next Monday.
|
| Present Perfect |
- Continuous form:
- An action started in the past that continues today :
- I have been learning English since September.
- Simple form :
- The completed or finished part of that action :
- We have revised grammar rules and verb tenses.
|
| Past Simple |
- Finished actions at a specific finished time in the past.
- Last year I bought a new car.
- I saw your dog 5 minutes ago.
|
| Past Continuous |
- Continuous actions
- A continuous action at a specific time in the past :
- I was having breakfast at 7 o'clock this morning.
- A continuous action taking place when another brief event
occurred :
- I was watching television when the phone rang.
|
| Past Perfect |
- Continuous form:
- A past continuous action prior to another event in the past:
- I had been driving for 3 hours before I stopped.
- Simple form :
- A completed action before another action in the past :
- I had finished the book before I gave it to Tom.
|
