| 1. For temporary states |
| A. My hands are very dirty. I’ ve been repairing the car. |
| 2. For general truths |
| B. You are always leaving my CDs on the floor! |
| 3. In sports commentaries |
| C. The Queen of England lives in Buckingham Palace. |
| 4. For recently completed actions |
| D. Water freezes at 0o Centigrade. |
| 5. To refer to the plot of a book, film, TV programme, etc. |
| E. Tourism is becoming an important industry in many East European countries. |
| 6. To express annoyance |
| F. My brother is working as a lifeguard this summer. |
| 7. For future actions related to timetables and programmes |
| G. The magazine is open on Barbara's knee, but she does not look at it. She sits with her mouth open, her fur coat kept on, her face staring through the window. |
| 8. For actions which started in the past and continue up to the present (emphasis on the activity and not on the result of the action) |
| H. My parents always go on trips where lodging and meals are all-inclusive. |
| 9. For situations that are changing or developing around the present time |
| I. The ball hits the net, and she loses the point. |
| 10. To show annoyance resulting from a recent action |
| J. Have you been playing games from my computer again? |
| 11. For permanent situations |
| K. When do we board the plane? |
| 12. For a planned future action |
| L. Mary is going to a new school next term. |
| 13. For a repeated habitual action |
| M. Jake Heath has just returned from a fascinating trip to the historic second largest island in Europe. |
