How to choose your English tenses

Using the correct tense and verb form is important in English grammar. Here's a simple
rule to help you choose which tense to use which tense you use depends on how you
see the event or action.
Routine or permanent situations
use the simple form. For example, ! live in "ondon tells you that live is true all the
time "ondon is my home.
! lived in the countryside when ! was a child this was a long#term situation in the
past.
Temporary or continuing situations
use the continuous form. For example, I'm working as a secretary at the moment
the $ob isn't permanent and maybe !'m doing it for a while until ! get another $ob.
House prices are rising they are continuing to rise and haven't stopped rising yet.
%he was wearing a blac& dress she put it on before ! saw her and she still wore it
after ! saw her wearing the dress continued over a period of time.
Connecting different times
use the perfect form to show that one event was completed before another, or to show
that one situation continues from one time to another.
For example, ! have lived here for two years ! started to live here two years ago and !
still live here.
! will have finished the report before next wee& some time before next wee&, but !
don't &now exactly when.
He had studied law before he met her he studied law before he met her, but we don't
&now when.