Choosing the Correct Verb Tense

1. Does Tense = Time ?

Not Always

2. Situation and Time Words determine Time

3. Time chooses Tense (not the other way around)

4. Present Time (Now)

Present Continuous Tense
I am eating my dinner right now.

Present Tense for ?non-action? verbs
I want some chocolate ice cream.

5. Future Time

Future with ?will?
I will leave tomorrow

Future with ?be going to?
I am going to leave tomorrow.

Future Continuous tense
I will be leaving tomorrow.

Future with Present Continuous tense
I am leaving tomorrow

Future with Present tense
I leave tomorrow.

Past Time

Facts: Use Simple Past Tense only
I ate my breakfast at 7:00 this morning.

Relationship between two times.
I had eaten my breakfast when my roommate left.

Relationship between events.
I was eating my breakfast when the telephone rang.

For Practice: See

Verb Choice (from The Internet TESL Journal)

See also: Grammar: Verb List

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