Present Simple USE EXAMPLE NOTES Routine/regular repeated actions That dog always barks at me Often with adverbs of frequency: always, usually, often, sometimes, never, every Saturday morning, twice a week…) We usually go to the beach on Sundays Permanent situations Mary lives in Rome Scientific facts With stative (non-action) verbs She comes from Scotland Water freezes at 0° C I have two cats and a dog This sandwich tastes a bit funny Does he want a beer? When talking about the future in terms of timetables, regulations and programmes In time clauses with a future meaning Non-action verbs not usually take the continuous form: be, have, depend, know, think, understand, disagree, like, want, hear, love, see smell, taste) The train leaves from Termini at 7.45 I am going to take a shower as soon as I get home Mary will see you when she is free After: as soon as, if, until, when Present Perfect Simple USE EXAMPLE NOTES to talk about states, single or repeated actions over a long period of time up to the present Have you ever been to London? Often with ever, never, often, and always To talk about recent single actions with a result in the present I have always wanted to go to London I have just finished my homework Has the bus arrived yet? Often with: just, already and yet NOTE: In US English, you can use the past simple in sentences such as: I already saw that film (USA) To talk about an unfinished period of time up to the present They have been together for five years I have already seen that film (UK) Often with: for/since, this week/month/year I have lived here since 1992 Past Simple USE EXAMPLE To talk about a finished event that took place at a specific time in the past To describe a sequence of finished events in chronological order I went to the cinema last night I put on my coat, pulled on my gloves, and grabbed my hat NOTES To talk about habits in the past To talk about states in the past In reported speech My sister went to visit my grandmother everyday when we were little The house belonged to my father from 1990 to 2001 Mary said that she didn’t want to go to the cinema