by Phil Williams | Dec 11, 2014 | Grammar
As the present simple has complex uses, often relating to timeless facts, the present continuous is the main tense we use for talking about what is happening now. It can describe temporary actions that are happening (ongoing) now, processes of change, habits, and,...
by Phil Williams | Dec 4, 2014 | General English
Though the present simple is mostly used to show timeless actions or events, it does have different, less general uses. It can, for instance, show temporary states or be used in storytelling. As such, it is sometimes misunderstood to say it describes the time...
by Phil Williams | Jun 3, 2013 | Exercises, Grammar
Continuing our look at the tenses, here’s a practice exercise to compare uses of the present simple and the present continuous tenses. These uses are covered in full detail in The English Tenses Practical Grammar Guide, but this brief summary should help....
by Phil Williams | Apr 22, 2013 | Grammar
One of the things that makes English a rich language is the variety and flexibility of the tenses. This is covered in huge detail in my book, The English Tenses Practical Grammar Guide, but this post will give you a quick introduction! The future tense is possibly the...