Simple Continuous
I study English grammar every day. I’m studying English grammar next
Action in the present taking place regularly,
never or several times
Facts
Present
Actions taking place one after another
Action set by a timetable or schedule
always, every…, never, normally, often,
seldom, sometimes, usually
If sentence type I (If I talk, …)
I studied English grammar last Monday.
Action in the past taking place once, never
or several times
Actions taking place one after another
Past
Action taking place in the middle of another
action
yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other
day, last Friday
If sentence type II (If I talked, …)
I will study English grammar tomorrow.
Spontaneous decision
Assumption/prediction with regard to the
Future
future
Promises
in a year, next…, tomorrow
assumption: I think, probably, perhaps
He said he would study English grammar
Future in the past
Action that might take place
If sentence type II (If I were you, I would
…)
Perfect
I have just studied English grammar.
Saturday.
Action taking place at the moment of
speaking
Action taking place only for a limited
period of time
Action arranged for the future
at the moment, just, just now,
Listen!, Look!, now, right now
I was studying English grammar when he
entered the room.
Action going on at a certain time in the
past
Actions taking place at the same time
Action in the past that is interrupted by
another action
while, as long as
This time next year I will be studying
English grammar.
Action that is predicted to start before a
particular point of future time, and that
may continue after this point
in a week, tomorrow, next …
I was told you would be studying English
grammar
Action that might take place
Putting emphasis on the course/duration of
the action
Perfect Continuous
I have been studying English all
Putting emphasis on the result
Action that is still going on
Action that stopped recently
Finished action that has an influence on the
present
Action that has taken place once, never or
several times before the moment of
speaking
already, ever, just, never, yet, so far
She was sure I had studied English
grammar before.
Action taking place before a certain time in
the past
Putting the emphasis only on the fact (not
the duration)
already, just, never, not yet, once, until the
day
If sentence type III (If I had talked, …)
By the time you get home I will have
studied English grammar.
Action will be ended, completed, or
achieved by a particular point in the future
by Monday, by the time…, next …
He promised that he would have studied
English grammar by 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Action that might have taken place in the
past
If sentence type III (If I had seen that, I
would have helped)
day.
Action in progress until recently
or until the time of speaking
Putting emphasis on the course of
duration (not the result)
all day, for 4 years, since 2019,
the whole week
I had been studying English
grammar when he arrived.
Action taking place before a
certain time in the past
Putting emphasis on the duration
of course of an action
for, since, the whole day
I will have been studying English
grammar all Saturday to pass the
test.
Action taking place before a
certain time in the future
Putting emphasis on the course of
action
all day long, for …
I would have been studying
English grammar by then.
Action that might have taken
place in the past
Puts emphasis on the
course/duration of the action