TENSES PAST SIMPLE CONTINUOUS PRESENT PERFECT: -SIMPLE -CONTINUOUS PAST PERFECT: -SIMPLE -CONTINUOUS PRESENT SIMPLE CONTINUOUS FUTURE WILL  GOING TO  SHALL  PRESENT SIMPLE  PRESENT CONTINUOUS  FUTURE CONTINUOUS  FUTURE PERFECT

FORM:  -S/ES  DO/DOES  DO NOT/DOES NOT USE: For habits e.g. He drinks tea at breakfast. For repeated actions or events e.g. We catch the bus every morning. For general truths e.g. Water freezes at zero degrees.

USE:  To describe an action that is going on at this moment. e.g. You are using the Internet. You are studying English grammar.  To describe an action or event in the future, which has already been planned or prepared. e.g. We're going on holiday tomorrow. I'm meeting my boyfriend tonight. FORM: The present tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb.

FORM: The appropriate form of the auxiliary verb to have (present tense), plus the past participle of the main verb. The past participle of a regular verb is base+ed, e.g. played, arrived, looked. For irregular verbs, see the Table of irregular verbs. USE: To talk about recent past events which have some relevance to the present. e.g. They can`t afford to go on holiday, they have just bought a new car. To describe situations which started in the past and continue to the present. e.g. We have had these saucepans since we got married 43 years ago. To talk about events which occurred at some time between the past and present. The exact time they occurred is either unknown or unimportant. e.g. I`ve already seen United play three times this season.

FORM: HAVE/HAS + BEEN + V-ING USE: To emphasize the duration of a situation or activity. e.g. He`s been working on his first novel for about two years. To suggest that a situation or activity is temporary. e.g. My kitchen`s being redecorated so I`ve been eating at my mum`s. To suggest that a situation or activity is incomplete. e.g. I have been reading that book you lend me.