Tenses

Tenses: I'm not saying I'm perfect at remembering all the tenses, and you might not use them all, but there are: Simple Present, Present Continuous, Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous, Simple Past, Past Continuous, Past Perfect, Past Perfect Continuous, Simple Future, Future Continuous, Future Perfect, Past Perfect Continuous:

Simple Present:

• For repetitive or normal actions in current periods:
• She sleeps throughout most of the day
• He carpools to work
• For facts:
• Cats have four legs
• Chicago is the city of Illinois
• For habits:
• She puts her pants on before her shirt
• He brushes his teeth after each meal
• For things that are all true:
• People perspire when they sweat
• There were four United States presidents who were killed

Present Continuous:

• For actions happening now:
• You are playing too many video games. Go outside.
• My pen isn't working anymore. It needs ink. Can I borrow yours?
• For future plans:
• I'm going to the movies with Max. Maybe some other time.
• My sister is visiting again this Saturday.
• Repeating actions to annoy someone: * Note: The word "always" is in the sentences
• I'm getting tired of you always being late all the time.
• Why are you always correcting my grammar?

Present Perfect:

• Actions that happen at an unscheduled time before the current time:
• I have been to the Eiffel Tower
• How many times have you been to the Eiffel Tower?
• Have you met Ashley?
• Action that ends recently:
• She has broken her promise
• She hadn't finished her homework yet
• Mentions about things that happened in the past, and are still happening:
• Megan has lived in the same house for 22 years
• Skyler has always loved shopping

Present Perfect Continuous:

• Point out an action that's been finished, but evidence is still there
• Ruby must have cooked today, the kitchen smells like a restaurant
• I have a stiff back. I shouldn't have slept on the sofa
• Mention an action that hasn't finished yet
• I've been at my job for 10 years and still haven't gotten a raise
• I was told she'd be here in an hour and she hasn't shown up yet
• Talks about a list of actions
• I'm worried because she's been calling me every five minutes
• She has written her a letter every day 
• Often used with words such as "since," "for," "all week," "for days," "lately," "recently," or "over the last few months"
• I've been working here since 2006
• All she did for the last for days was complain about him

Simple Past:

• Actions that happened in the past:
• We moved here in 2001
• I met Alex yesterday
• Who do you work for?

Past Continuous:

• Event that happened in the past:
• Last night I was watching a comedic film
• The motorcycle was loud
• Actions that are interrupted:
• Heather was yelling at Wendell until their child came in
• The dog was walking nicely until he saw a squirrel
• Two or more things happening at the same time:
• I was reading while the tv commercials were on
• She was texting her friend while she was a foot away
• Polite questions:
• I was wondering if you could help me carry these heavy boxes?
• I was thinking you might help me with fixing my car?
• Annoyance:
• She was always coming late for dinner
• She was always early for the party, we couldn't get ready in time

Past Perfect:

• An action that happened prior to another action in the past:
• After I had begun exercising, I lost a lot of weight
• I realized I had left my cell phone in the car, so I couldn't check my voice mail
• An action that happened prior to a specific time in the past:
• I had fallen asleep in class an hour the teacher started his lesson
• The show had been filmed before a live studio audience
• Event that happened in the past and continued into the past:
• You were the last to had used the murder weapon before it went missing
• They had lived in England for 25 years before they moved to America

Past Perfect Continuous:

Simple Future:
Future Continuous:
Future Perfect:
Past Perfect Continuous: