THE USE OF PRESENT TENSES

THE USE OF TENSES

THE PRESENT INDEFINITE OR [SIMPLE PRESENT]
IT IS USED TO EXPRESS A HABITUAL ACTION, AS- HE GOES OUT FOR A WALK EVERY
MORNING.  MY WATCH KEEPS GOOD TIME

TO EXPRESS GENERAL TRUTHS; AS.-FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE.  HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY.

IN EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES TO EXPRESS WHAT IS ACTUALLY TAKING PLACE AT THE PRESENT MOMENT; AS,- SEE HOW IT RAINS!, HERE COMES THE BUS!

TO INDICATE A FUTURE EVENT , PROVIDED THAT THE FUTURE TIME IS IMPLIED BY THE CONTEXT ; AS ,
HE COMES [ = WILL COME ] IN A FEW DAYS TIME . 
WE GO [ = SHALL GO ] TO SHIMLA NEXT WEEK . 
THEY LEAVE FOR LONDON BY THE NEXT FLIGHT . 
WE SAIL FOR AMERICA NEXT SATURDAY . 

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS 
THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS IS USED TO EXPRESS AN ACTION GOING AT THE TIME OF SPEAKING ; AS HE IS WRITING A LETTER . HE IS ALWAYS TELLING LIES .
TO EXPRESS SOME HABITS OR CUSTOMS ; AS , SHE IS WORKING REGULARLY THESE DAYS . HE IS ALWAYS TELLING LIES .
TO INDICATE AN ACTION THAT IS PLANNED TO TAKE PLACE IN THE FUTURE ; AS , I AM GOING TO BOMBAY TOMORROW . SHE IS COMING HERE IN THE EVENING .
TO DESCRIBE A TEMPORARY ACTION WHICH MAY NOT BE ACTUALLY GOING ON AT THE TIME OF SPEAKING ; AS , I AM PLAYING CRICKET THESE DAYS . WE ARE LEARNING FRENCH AT SCHOOL .
THE CONTINUOUS TENSE IS CHIEFLY USED  FOR DELIBERATE ACTIONS . SOME VERBS ARE THEREFORE , NOT NORMALLY USED IN THE CONTINUOUS FORM . THEY ARE USED ONLY IN THE SIMPLE PRESENT . THESE ARE AS FOLLOWS
VERB OF SENSES [ FEEL , HEAR , SEE , SMELL , TASTE , NOTICE ]
VERBS EXPRESSING FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS [ WANT , WISH , LOVE , LIKE, HATE , FEAR ,PREFER , REFUSE , HOPE ]
VERBS OF MENTAL ACTIVITY [ AGREE , APPRECIATE , UNDERSTAND , THINK , BELIEVE , KNOW , FORGET , MEAN , SUPPOSE , REMEMBER , MIND ]
VERBS OF POSSESSION [ HAVE , OWN , BELONG TO , POSSESS , OWE , CONTAIN , CONSIST OF ]
THESE VERBS MAY BE USED IN THE CONTINUOUS TENSE IF THE ACTION IS DELIBERATE AS - I AM THINKING OF A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM . I AM MINDING MY NEW BUSINESS .

THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE 

THE PRESENT PERFECT IS USED TO DENOTE AN ACTION THAT HAS JUST BEEN COMPLETED AS - HE HAS REACHED HOME  SAFELY . HE HAS JUST GONE OUT .  TO DESCRIBE SOME   PAST EVENT THE  PRESENT IMPORTANCE OR EFFECT OF WHICH  IS TO BE EMPHASISED ; AS - HE HAS COME TO MY HOUSE MANY A TIME [ SO IT IS NOTHING STRANGE THAT HE HAS COME AGAIN . THIS DISEASE HAS KILLED MANY CHILDREN [ AND SO SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT IT ] .

 TO EXPRESS SOME PAST EXPERIENCE WHOSE TIME IS NOT GIVEN ; AS - MY FATHER HAS WORKED WITH GANDHIJI . I HAVE STUDIED IN THIS SCHOOL . 
TO REPRESENT A PAST ACTION AS CONTINUING TO THE PRESENT ; AS - WE HAVE LIVED HERE 10 YEARS [ WE ARE STILL LIVING HERE ] . HE HAS BEEN ILL SINCE LAST WEEK [ HE IS STILL NOT WELL ] . 
SO THE PRESENT PERFECT , SINCE IT DENOTES PRESENT TIME , CANNOT BE QUALIFIED BY AN ADVERB OR PHRASE DENOTING PAST TIME . AS WE CAN'T SAY - HE HAS COME YESTERDAY . WE SHOULD SAY HE CAME YESTERDAY .