Part 7Grammar TroubleshootingSection 4 of 6
7.4Tenses that decide your band
| Tense | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | Facts, habits, general truths | The centre opens at six. |
| Present continuous | Now, or a temporary situation | I am staying with my cousin this month. |
| Past simple | A finished action at a finished time | I moved here in August. |
| Present perfect | A past action with a present result, or no stated time | I have lived here for two months. |
| Past continuous | A background action interrupted by another | I was cooking when the power went off. |
| Future with will | A decision made now, a prediction | I will send you the details tomorrow. |
| Going to | A plan made before now | I am going to apply next year. |
The most common tense error
Using the present perfect with a finished time expression. I have moved here in August is wrong, because in August is a finished time; write I moved here in August. Use the present perfect only when the time is unfinished or unstated: I have lived here since August, or I have already applied.