But what is the difference?
To understand why these two sentences are different, you need to understand grammar times in English.
The grammatical times in English tell you the moment in which an action takes place. If you are wrong with this, you can cause confusion and misunderstanding.
At first, it may seem difficult to learn grammar times in English, although all you have to do is remember some sentence structures and learn a few simple rules.
Past, present and future!
In English there are 3 grammatical times in English that are the basic ones: the past, the present and the future.
The past tense is used for any action that occurred before the present.
The present tense is used for anything that is happening in these moments or general statements.
The future tense is used for everything that will happen at any time after the present.
(There is also the perfect tense , although in this article we will only talk about the 3 basic grammar times in English that we mentioned earlier).
Of course, if it were that simple, you wouldn't be reading this guide!
These times have some variations that make them more specific.
These variations describe the exact time at which the action takes place.
The 3 times have 2 types of main variations: simple and continuous .
Continuous times are used for actions that are repeated several times over a period of time.
Simple times are used for ... everything else!
You will discover when to use each of them in the following guide.
Since past and present times are closely related, it is best to study them together.
The future tense will appear later in the article.
This is a basic guide that will help you understand when you should use each of these times.
The definitive guide for beginners about grammar times in English
Simple times
Go back to the first example you saw in this article: "I eat fish". This sentence is in the present simple.
Simple present
The simple present tense is mainly used for 3 things:
1. Describe permanent or never changing things.
2. Describe the regularity with which an action occurs.
3. Talk about scheduled events.
To use this tense, add an -s at the end of the verb when you use the pronouns "he" or "she." For example: "he speaks" (he speaks) or "she eats" (she eats).
With any other pronoun, you don't have to change the verb. Example: "we speak" (we speak) or "I eat" (I eat).
The simple present tense is ideal for talking about your hobbies, communicating something you think is true, or asking what time you can take the bus at the next stop.
Here are some examples: If you like to play the violin, you can say: “I play the violin” (I play the violin). Since it is a hobby, you can add: "I am not a professional violinist". I am not a professional violinist.
Maybe you worry about a friend who bites his nails. In this case, you can affirm: "He bites his nails when he's nervous" (He bites his nails when he's nervous).
You have to get ready quickly if you want to arrive at your friend's party, since she has just called to say: “The party starts in an hour”.
Maybe you should remind your friend to bring a gift, because: "He never remembers birthdays" (He never remembers birthdays).
Simple past
The past simple is used in a manner very similar to the present simple.
Simple past verbs have a -ed (I walked, he smiled). However, there are many irregular verbs that do not use the -ed , so you have to learn them (I spoke, he ate).
This time does not speak of the present, but of an action that occurred or is no longer true.
Use the past simple to describe an action that has already happened.
This description of a trip uses the simple past tense: “Last year I visited New York. I lived in a hotel for a month. I rode the train, took many pictures and walked all around Central Park ”(Last year I visited New York. I lived in a hotel for a month. I got on the train, took many pictures and walked in Central Park).
You can also use this time for many of the same reasons that you would use the present simple. The past simple serves to describe a hobby or habit that you have left or something that you no longer believe is true.
The words "used to" are used frequently at this time. You can say it anyway. For example: “I used to play the violin when I was young” means the same thing as “I played the violin when I was young” (I played the violin when I was young).
Continuous times
The word continues refers to an ongoing action that is being developed at this time.
Continuous tense uses the suffix -ing for verbs (eating, speaking), both in the present and in the past.
Wait. If continuous time is passing "right now," how is it possible that there is a continuous past? Keep reading to find out!
Present continuous
You can use the present continuous to talk about an ongoing action that is happening right now or that will happen very soon.
For example: "You are reading this article". “You are drinking some coffee or taking a break from work”. Now an example of actions that will happen very soon: “You might be meeting some friends for dinner”.
You can express the frequency of the action with the words “always” (always) or “constantly” (constantly). For example: "My mother-in-law is always complaining " or "that child is constantly crying ". None of these phrases is good, although they use the correct time!
Past continuous
This time is used to describe a continuous action that was interrupted. If you receive a call late at night, you can say, "I was sleeping last night when I got the call".
You can also use this time to communicate what you were doing at a specific time in the past. Example: "I was already writing at 6 in the morning" or "Yesterday in the evening I was eating dinner" (Last night I was eating dinner).
Looking at the future
The future is any action that has not yet occurred. It can happen in a few seconds or even several years.
Simple future
It is one of the simplest English grammar tenses: you just have to add the words "will" or "is going to" before the verb.
When should you use "will" or "is going to"?
Don't worry, usually either is fine! You can say: "I will call you later" or "I am going to call you later". Both sentences are correct.
The small difference is the meaning. "Going to" is used more for planned events. So, in the previous example, the first sentence is improvised (without thinking too much about it) and the second one sounds as if you make sure to call later.
The difference is subtle and there is no problem with using any of the sentences. Just remember that "will" is used more often for promises and things you do on your own, while "going to" is used to make plans.
You can also use any of these phrases to make predictions. For example: "The world will end in ten years". You can also say: "The world is going to end in ten years", although we expect your predictions to be wrong!
Future continuous
The last way to talk about the future has the same uses as the past continuous.
This time is used to talk about things that may be interrupted in the future or events that will occur at a specific time.
Simply add the suffix -ing to the verb after the words "will be" or "going to be".
If you know that your friend comes to visit you tomorrow and at your house dinner is at 7, you can tell him to arrive earlier because: “We will be eating dinner at 7 ″ (We will have dinner at 7). If you decide to wait for him at the train station, tell him: “I will be waiting for you at the train station”.
A quick summary of grammar times in English
Here is a quick list that summarizes everything covered by this article:
Simple present
Something that is immutable, general, programmed or that occurs at certain intervals.
Uses : "verb + s".
Present continuous
Something that is happening now or in the near future.
Uses : "Is + verb + ing".
Simple past
Something that happened before now.
Uses : "Verb-ed".
Past continuous
Something that an event or moment interrupted.
Uses : "Was + verb + ing".
Simple future
Something that will happen later.
Uses: "Will + verb", "Is going to + verb".
Future continuous
Something that an event or moment will interrupt in the future.
Uses : "Will be + verb + ing", "Is going to be + verb + ing".
PHEW! Breathe deeply . You just learned a lot!
Pay attention to the way grammatical tenses are used in English. Learn the rules and practice your verbal expression skills and you'll never have misunderstandings about using the wrong time!