Present simple, continuous, present perfect simple and continuous and stative verbs.
PRESENT SIMPLE
FORM
Affirmative: I/you/we/they work
he/she/ it (add -s or -es) works
Negative: I/you/we/they don't work
he/she/it doesn't work
Interrogative: Do I/you/we/they work?
Does he/she/it work?
USE
Routines
General Truths and Facts
Permanent situations
EXAMPLES
I always drive to work
Malta is a small island
I work in a High School
MORE
We can also use DO/DOES for emphasis.
I DO love drawing.
Present continuous
FORM
Affirmative: I'm driving
Negative: I'm not driving
Interrogative: Are you driving?
USE
Actions happening now
Temporary situations
Annoying habits( usually with always)
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EXAMPLES
She's speaking in English now
At the moment she is working as a nurse, but she 's a doctor
She's always doing this strange noise
MORE
Remember that the Present Continuous uses the verb TO BE+ Verb+ ING
Present perfect simple
FORM
HAVE/HAS+PAST PARTICIPLE
Affirmative: I've been to Italy.
Negative: I haven't been to New York
Interrogative: Have you ever been to Paris?
USE
Situations that started in the past and are still true or continuing.
Completed actions at a time in the past which is not mentioned.
EXAMPLES
He's lost his keys and he hasn't found them yet.
Have you ever flown in a balloon?
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Phrases such as It's the first, second...time ...are followed by the Present Perfect.
It's the third time I've been here.
present perfect continuous
FORM
Affirmative: I've been studying
Negative: I haven't been studying
Interrogative: Have you been studying?
USE
Actions continuing up to the present moment.
Actions stopping just before the present moment.
EXAMPLES
I've been studying for hours. Can't I have a break?
I've been cleaning the house, I've just stopped now.
MORE
The present perfect continuous is often used with words like all day/week/year , for, since, just.
It's not normally used with ever and never.
stative verbs
USE
Stative verbs are not normally used in continuous tenses because they don't describe actions.
They often refer to:
thinking
existence
emotions
appearance
possession
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EXAMPLES
Thinking: believe, imagine, know, mean, think...
Existence: be, exist
Emotions: hate, love, need, want...
Appearance: appear, look, resemble, seem
Possession: belong to, consist of, have, include, own...