GRAMMAR 1 (CONTINUOUS)

Present simple

The present simple is used to talk about actions we see as long term or permanent. It is very common and very important.

In these examples, we are talking about regular actions or events.

• I drive to work every day.
• She doesn't come very often.
• The games usually start at 8.00 in the evening.
• What do you usually have for breakfast?

In these examples, we are talking about facts.

• Water freezes at 0° C or 32° F.
• I have three children.
• What does this word mean?
• I don't have any of my original teeth left.

In these examples, we are talking about future facts, usually found in a timetable or a chart.

• The plane leaves at 5.00 tomorrow morning.
• Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year.
• Ramadan doesn't begin for another 2 weeks.
• Does the class begin this week or next?

In these examples, we are talking about our thoughts and feelings at the time of speaking. Notice that, although these feelings can be short-term, we use the present simple and not the present continuous.

• I think you are wrong.
• She doesn't want to do it.
• They don't agree with us.
• Do you understand what I am trying to say?

Present simple

We use the Present Simple for:

regular actions or events

• I watch TV most evenings.

facts

• The sun rises in the east.

facts known about the future

• The plane leaves at 5.00 in the morning.

thoughts and feelings about the time of speaking

• I don't understand.

We use the Present Continuous for

the time of speaking ('now')

• I'm watching a movie on TV.

things which are true at the moment but not always

• I'm looking for a new job.

present plans for the future

• I'm taking my husband to New York for his birthday.

Look at these sentences :

• I usually don't drink coffee but I'm having one this morning because there is nothing else.
• I often drive to work but I'm taking the train this morning because my car is in for repair.
• I'm thinking about dying my hair blonde but I don't think my wife will be very happy about it.
• My parents live in New York but I'm just visiting.

Notice how in all these examples we use the present continuous to talk about events which are temporary/limited in time and the present simple to talk about events which are habits/permanent

Present continuous

The present continuous is used to talk about present situations which we see as short-term or temporary. We use the present simple to talk about present situations which we see as long-term or permanent.

In these examples, the action is taking place at the time of speaking.

• It's raining.
• Who is Kate talking to on the phone?
• Look, somebody is trying to steal that man's wallet.
• I'm not looking. My eyes are closed tightly.

In these examples, the action is true at the present time but we don't think it will be true in the long term.

• I'm looking for a new apartment.
• He's thinking about leaving his job.
• They're considering making an appeal against the judgment.
• Are you getting enough sleep?

In these examples, the action is at a definite point in the future and it has already been arranged.

• I'm meeting her at 6.30.
• They aren't arriving until Tuesday.
• We are having a special dinner at a top restaurant for all the senior managers.
• Isn't he coming to the dinner?

Past simple

We use the past simple to talk about actions and states which we see as completed in the past.

We can use it to talk about a specific point in time.

• She came back last Friday.
• I saw her in the street.
• They didn't agree to the deal.

It can also be used to talk about a period of time.

• She lived in Tokyo for seven years.
• They were in London from Monday to Thursday of last week.
• When I was living in New York, I went to all the art exhibitions I could.

You will often find the past simple used with time expressions such as these:

• Yesterday
• three weeks ago
• last year
• in 2002
• from March to June
• for a long time
• for 6 weeks
• in the 1980s
• in the last century
• in the past

Past continuous

We use the past simple to talk about actions and states which we see as completed in the past.

We can use it to talk about a specific point in time.
We use the past continuous to talk about past events which went on for a period of time.

We use it when we want to emphasize the continuing process of an activity or the period of that activity. (If we just want to talk about the past event as a simple fact, we use the past simple.)

• While I was driving home, Peter was trying desperately to contact me.
• Were you expecting any visitors?
• Sorry, were you sleeping?
• I was just making some coffee.
• I was thinking about him last night.
• In the 1990s few people were using mobile phones.

We often use it to describe a "background action" when something else happened.

• I was walking in the street when I suddenly fell over.
• She was talking to me on the phone and it suddenly went dead.
• They were still waiting for the plane when I spoke to them.
• The company was declining rapidly before he took charge.
• We were just talking about it before you arrived.
• I was making a presentation in front of 500 people when the microphone stopped working.

Past simple or continuous

Both the past simple and the past continuous refer to completed actions in the past.

Most of the time when we are talking about such actions, we use the past simple. This is by far the most common way of talking about the past.

• I lived there for 6 years.
• I only found out a few moments ago.
• I asked her but she didn't know anything.
• The company made 100 people redundant last year.

Only use the past continuous when you want to emphasize the continuity of the action.

• Everybody was talking about it all evening.
• They were really trying hard but couldn't do it.
• I was thinking about you the other day.
• Were you expecting that to happen?

When we use these two forms in the same sentence, we use the past continuous to talk about the "background action" and the past simple to talk about the shorter completed action.

• It was raining hard when we left the building.
• I was reading the report when you rang.
• He was going out to lunch when I saw him.
• The company was doing well when I last visited it.

Present perfect continuous

This tense is used to talk about an action or actions that started in the past and continued until recently or that continue into the future:
We can use it to refer to an action that has finished but you can still see evidence.

• Oh, the kitchen is a mess. Who has been cooking?
• You look tired. Have you been sleeping properly?
• I've got a a stiff neck. I've been working too long on computer.

It can refer to an action that has not finished.

• I've been learning Spanish for 20 years and I still don't know very much.
• I've been waiting for him for 30 minutes and he still hasn't arrived.
• He's been telling me about it for days. I wish he would stop.

It can refer to a series of actions.

• She's been writing to her regularly for a couple of years.
• He's been phoning me all week for an answer.
• The university has been sending students here for over twenty years to do work experience.

The present perfect continuous is often used with 'since', 'for', 'all week', 'for days', 'lately', 'recently', 'over the last few months'.

• I've been wanting to do that for ten years.
• You haven't been getting good results over the last few months.
• They haven't been working all week. They're on strike
• He hasn't been talking to me for weeks.
• We've been working hard on it for ages.
• I've been looking at other options recently.
• He's been working here since 2001.

Past perfect continuous

We use the past perfect continuous to look back at a situation in progress.

• It was a good time to invest. Inflation had been falling for several months.
• Before I changed jobs, I had been working on a plan to reduce production costs.
• We had been thinking about buying a new house but then we decided to stay here.

We use it to say what had been happening before something else happened.

• It had been snowing for a while before we left.
• We had been playing tennis for only a few minutes when it started raining.
• He was out of breath when he arrived because he had been running.

We use it when reporting things said in the past.

• She said she had been trying to call me all day.
• They said they had been shopping.
• I told you I had been looking for some new clothes.

Present perfect simple or continuous

Often there is very little difference between the present perfect simple and the present perfect continuous. In many cases, both are equally acceptable.

• They've been working here for a long time but Andy has worked here for even longer.
• I've lived here for 10 years and she has been living here for 12 years.

To emphasize the action, we use the continuous form.

• We've been working really hard for a couple of months.
• She's been having a hard time.

To emphasize the result of the action, we use the simple form.

• I've made fifteen phone calls this morning.
• He's written a very good report.

Look at the difference in these examples.

• I've been reading this book for two months but I've only read half of it. It's very difficult to read.
• She's been trying to convince him for 20 minutes but she hasn't managed to yet.
• They've been talking about this for month and they still haven't found a solution.

When an action is finished and you can see the results, use the continuous form.

• The phone bill is enormous. You've been calling your boyfriend in Australia, haven't you?
• You're red in the face. Have you been running?

When you use the words 'ever' or 'never', use the simple form.

• I don't know them. I've never met them.
• Have you ever heard anything so strange in your life.

Present perfect or past simple

(British English and American English have different rules for the use of the present perfect. The comments being made here and the exercises state the correct grammar for British English. However, in American English, it is often considered acceptable to use the past simple in some of these examples.)

We use the past simple to talk about actions in the past that have finished. It talks about 'then' and definitely excludes 'now'.

We use the present perfect simple to look back on actions in the past from the present. It always includes 'now'.

These sentences are in the past with no connection to the present.

• I first met him 10 years ago.
• I started work here in 1987.
• I ate too much at lunchtime.

Now look at these same situations seen from the present.

• I've known him for 10 years.
• I've worked here since 1987.
• My stomach hurts. I've eaten too much.

Typical time phrases that we use with the past simple are 'yesterday', 'ago', 'last year', 'in 1999'.

• I spoke to him yesterday.
• She came in a few moments ago.
• We made our last purchase over a year ago.
• He joined the company in 1999.

Typical time phrases that we use with the present perfect are 'ever', 'never', 'since'.

• I've never seen so many people.
• Have you ever been more shocked?
• I've done a lot since we last spoke.

Typical time phrases always used with the present perfect in British English but often used with the past simple in American English are 'already', 'just', 'yet'.

• I haven't done it yet. (UK)
• I didn't do it yet. (US)
• I've just done it. (UK)
• I just did it. (US)
• I've already done it. (UK)
• I already did it. (US)

The time phrase 'for' can be used with both forms, but with different meanings.

• I went to Munich for the weekend but I came back on Sunday evening.
• I've been in Munich for the weekend and I've brought you back some German sausages.