USES OF ENGLISH VERB TENSES

SIMPLE PRESENT

· Habitual activities: routines, habits, customs, traditions

· General statements of fact and timeless truths

SIMPLE PAST

· Definite past: activity or situation began and ended at a particular time in the past

SIMPLE FUTURE

· Event or situation will happen at a particular time in the future

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

· Continuous action in the present (at the moment of speaking or generally at the present time)

PAST PROGRESSIVE

· Continuous action in the past

FUTURE PROGRESSIVE

· Continuous action in the future

PRESENT PERFECT

· Indefinite past: event or situation completed before now at an unspecified time in the past (exact time is not important);

· Repetition of an activity before now at an unspecified time.

· Situation began in the past and continues up to now, especially with non-action verbs

PAST PERFECT

· Event or situation completed in the past before another time or event in the past

FUTURE PERFECT

· Activity completed in the future before another time or event in the future

PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

· Continuous action from the past up to now

PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

· Continuous action from a certain time in the past up to another time in the past

FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

· Continuous action from a certain time in the future up to another time or event in the future