1. Overview:
Different tenses in English help us express time and duration. They show whether an action is happening now, happened in the past, or will happen in the future. Understanding these tenses allows us to communicate more clearly.
2. Cases of Usage:
Present Simple - Used for habits, facts, and routines.
Example: I play soccer every Saturday.
Present Continuous - Used for actions happening right now or temporary actions.
Example: She is studying for her exam.
Past Simple - Used for completed actions in the past.
Example: They visited Paris last year.
Past Continuous - Used for actions that were ongoing in the past.
Example: He was watching TV when I called.
Future Simple - Used for actions that will happen in the future.
Example: We will go to the beach next weekend.
"Be going to" - Used for planned actions or intentions.
Example: I am going to start a new hobby.
3. Exceptions or Things to Pay Attention To:
Some verbs do not use the continuous form, like "know," "like," and "want."
Example: We say "I like pizza" (not "I am liking pizza").
Also, the future simple can express predictions based on feelings.
Example: I think it will rain tomorrow (not planned, just a prediction).
4. Additional Notes:
Common mistakes include mixing up the tenses, especially Present Simple and Present Continuous. Remember that the Present Simple is for routines, while the Present Continuous is for actions happening now.
