Present

Present Continuous: watching

Uses: NOW, ACTIONS IN PROGRESS, NEAR FUTURE, REPETITIONS- ALWAYS,
CONSTANTLY

NON CONTINUOUS VERBS- She is loving this chocolate ice cream- WRONG
She loves this chocolate ice cream- RIGHT

ADVERBS BEFORE THE VERB- You are still watching TV?

Present Perfect: Have been

Uses: An Action Happened At An Unspecified Time Before Now- unspecific expressions
such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet
EXPERIENCE- I have the experience of… or have never had a certain experience
CHANGE OVER TIME
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AN UNCOMPLETED ACTION YOU ARE EXPECTING
MULTIPLES ACTIONS AT DIFFERENT TIMES

LAST YEAR- SIMPLE PAST- I went to Mexico last year.

IN THE LAST YEAR- PRESENT PERFECT- I have been to Mexico in the last year.

Duration From the Past Until Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)- "For five minutes," "for two
weeks," and "since Tuesday"- I have had a cold for two weeks.

ADVERB PLACEMENT- You have only seen that movie one time.

Present Perfect Continuous: have been waiting

DURATION FROM THE PAST UNTIL NOW- "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and
"since Tuesday", RECENTLY, LATELY

NON CONTINUOUS VERBS- Sam has been having his car for two years- WRONG
Sam has had his car for two years- RIGHT

ADVERB PLACEMENT- You have only been waiting here for one hour.

Past
Simple Past: called
Uses: COMPLETED ACTION IN THE PAST, A SERIES OF COMPLETED ACTIONS,
DURATION WHICH STARTS AND STOPS IN THE PAST- for two years, for five
minutes, all day, all year, HABITS IN THE PAST- used to- always, often, usually, never,
when I was a child, when I was younger, PAST FACTS OR GENERALIZATIONS- used
to

ADVERB PLACEMENT- You just called Debbie.

Past Continuous: were studying

Uses: A LONGER ACTION IN THE PAST WAS INTERRUPTED WITH USUALLY A
SHORT ACTION IN THE SIMPLE PAST, SPECIFIC TIME AS AN INTERRUPTION,
PARALLEL ACTIONS- BOTH ACTIONS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME,
ATMOSPHERE,REPETITION OR IRRITATION WITH ALWAYS AND CONSTANTLY

WHILE OR WHEN
WHILE- Past Continuous- Expresses the idea of during that time- While I was studying, she
called.
WHEN- Simple Past- I was studying when she called.

NON CONTINUOUS VERBS- Jane was being at my house when you arrived- WRONG
Jane was at my house when you arrived- RIGHT

ADVERB PLACEMENTS- You were just studying when she called.

Past Perfect: had cheated

Uses: COMPLETED ACTION BEFORE SOMETHING IN THE PAST- PASSADO MAIS
ANTIGO. DURATION BEFORE SOMETHING IN THE PAST (NON CONTINUOUS
VERBS)

SPECIFIC TIMES WITH THE PAST PERFECT- She had visited her Japanese relatives
once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska. Not Correct
She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT- You had previously studied English before you moved to New
York.
Past Perfect Continuous: had been waiting
Uses: SOMETHING STARTED IN THE PAST AND CONTINUED UP UNTIL
ANOTHER TIME IN THE PAST- "For five minutes" and "for two weeks", CAUSE OF
SOMETHING IN THE PAST

Past Continuous emphasizes interrupted actions;

Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes a duration of time before something in the past
He was tired because he was exercising so hard.
– This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he was exercising at that
exact moment.
He was tired because he had been exercising so hard.
– This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he had been exercising over
a period of time. It is possible that he was still exercising at that moment OR that
he had just finished.

NON CONTINUOUS VERBS- cannot be used in any continuous tenses.

Mixed Verbs- PAST PERFECT
The motorcycle had been belonging to George for years before Tina bought it. Not Correct
The motorcycle had belonged to George for years before Tina bought it. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT- You had only been waiting there for a few minutes when she
arrived.

Future
Simple Future- will or be going to
WILL- Express a decision or voluntary action (either yours or someone else’s)
Refuse to do something voluntarily (either yours or someone else’s)
Express a promise

BE GOING TO- Expressing plans

WILL AND BE GOING TO- Expressing a prediction

Talking in anger- WILL AND BE GOING TO

Future Continuous- will be doing or be going do be doing

Uses: INTERRUPTED ACTION IN THE FUTURE, SPECIFIC TIME AS AN
INTERRUPTION IN THE FUTURE, PARALLEL ACTIONS IN THE FUTURE

NO FUTURE IN TIME CLAUSES- when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if,
unless

NON CONTINUOUS VERBS- cannot be used in any continuous tenses

MIXED VERBS- use Simple Future
ADVERB PLACEMENT- You will still be waiting for her when her plane arrives.

Future Perfect- will have done or be going to have done

Uses: COMPLETED ACTION BEFORE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE, DURATION
BEFORE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE (NON CONTINUOUS VERBS)

NO FUTURE IN TIME CLAUSES- when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if,
unless
USE PRESENT PERFECT
I am going to see a movie when I will have finished my homework- WRONG
I am going to see a movie when I have finished my homework- RIGHT

ADVERB PLACEMENT- You will only have learned a few words.

Future Perfect Continuous: will have been doing or be going to have been doing
Uses: DURATION BEFORE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE, CAUSE OF SOMETHING
IN THE FUTURE

NO FUTURE IN TIME CLAUSES- when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if,
unless.
Use Present Perfect Continuous

NON CONTINUOUS VERBS- cannot be used in any continuous tenses

Use Future Perfect

ADVERB PLACEMENT- You will only have been waiting for a few minutes when her
plane arrives.

Present Perfect I have danced.

She/He/It has danced.
Perfect Continuous I have been dancing.
She/He has been dancing.
Past Perfect I had danced.
Perfect Continuous I had been dancing.
Future Perfect I will have danced.
Perfect Continuous I will have been dancing.

Present
Present Continuous: watching
Present Perfect: Have/Has been
Present Perfect Continuous: have/has been waiting
Past
Simple Past: called
Past Continuous: were/was studying
Past Perfect: had cheated
Past Perfect Continuous: had been waiting

Future
Simple Future- will or be going to
Future Continuous- will be doing or be going do be doing
Future Perfect- will have done or be going to have done
Future Perfect Continuous: will have been doing or be going to have been doing

NO FUTURE IN TIME CLAUSES- After words like when, while after, before, as soon as,
if, unless, by the time use present tenses.

I will go to bed after I will finish my homework.

I will go to bed after I finish my homework.

Non-Continuous Verbs & Mixed Verbs Explained

What Are Non-Continuous Verbs?

Non-continuous verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses because they describe states,
emotions, or abstract ideas, rather than actions in progress.

Common Categories of Non-Continuous Verbs:

1. Emotions → love, like, hate, need, want, prefer

She is loving this chocolate. → She loves this chocolate.

2. Possession → own, have (for possession), possess, belong

I am having a car. → I have a car.

 3. Senses → see, hear, smell, taste

I am seeing a bird. → I see a bird.

4. Thoughts & Opinions → know, believe, understand, mean, remember

I am knowing the answer. → I know the answer.

5. Other Abstract Verbs → appear, seem, consist, depend

It is seeming difficult. → It seems difficult.

What Are Mixed Verbs?

Some verbs can be both continuous and non-continuous, depending on the meaning.
These are called mixed verbs.

Examples of Mixed Verbs:

1. Have
○ Non-Continuous (possession): She has a new phone.

○ Continuous (experience): She is having a great time.

2. Think

○ Non-Continuous (opinion): I think she is right.

○ Continuous (mental process): I am thinking about my trip.

3. See

○ Non-Continuous (sense): I see the bird.

○ Continuous (meeting): I am seeing my doctor tomorrow.

4. Taste

○ Non-Continuous (sense): This soup tastes delicious.

○ Continuous (action): She is tasting the soup.