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SIMPLE PRESENT (base or base + -s/-es)

The simple present says something that was true in the past, is true in the present and will
be true in the future.
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It is used for habitual or everyday activity.


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It is used with verbs which arent usually used in the continuous (-ing) forms to indicate a
situation that exists right now, at the moment of speaking.
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PRESENT PERFECT (have/has + base + -ed/-en)

The present prefect expresses the idea that something happened (or never happened)
before now, at an unspecified time in the past. The exact time is not important. What is
important is that the time is viewed from the present.
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It also expresses the repetition of an activity before now. The exact time of each repetition
is not important.
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When used with for or since the present perfect expresses a situation that began in the past
and continues to the present. NOTE: since + particular time, for + a duration of time.
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PRESENT CONTINUOUS (am/is/are + base + -ing)

The present continuous expresses an activity that is in progress at the moment of speaking.
It began in the recent past, is continuing, and will probably end at some future time.
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Often the activity is of a general nature: in progress this week, this month, this year or even
a longer period.
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SIMPLE PAST (base + -ed or irregular form)

The simple past indicates that an activity or situation began and ended at a particular time
in the past.
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If a sentence contains when and uses the the simple past in both clauses, the action in the
when clause happened first.
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PAST CONTINUOUS (was/were + base + -ing)

The past continuous expresses an activity that was in progress when something else
occurred in the past.
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When two actions progress simultaneously, the past continues is used in both parts of the
sentence.
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Sometimes, the simple past and the past continuous have almost the same meaning.
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SIMPLE FUTURE (will + base form, or be going to + base)

The simple future is used to express plans or predictions likely to occur.


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The future is often expressed in a conditional statement expressing a time frame in which
some action(s) will occur. In such statements the time clause, beginning with words such as
when, before, after, as soon as and until uses the simple present and the main clause
uses the simple future.
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FUTURE CONTINUOUS (will + be + base + -ing, OR be going to be + base + -ing)

The future continuous expresses an activity that is expected to progress at a time in the
future when something else will happen.
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Sometimes there is little or no difference between the future continuous and the simple
future, especially when the events will occur at an indefinite time in the future.
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