Present Simple, Present

PRESENT TENSES Simple Continuous,

Present Perfect, Present
Perfect Continuous
PRESENT SIMPLE:
Form:
- Sb + Vb (short inf) (+) I work
Spelling ↓
[3rd pers sg → add S] She/He/It works
[if Vb ends in Ch, Sh, SS, O, Zz, X →add ES] She watches TV/ He washes his face/the cat
crosses the street/ Timmy goes to school
[verbs that end in a consonant + y, the letter y is replaced by the suffix –ies: cry→cries]

- Sb + don’t / doesn’t + Vb (-) I don’t work on Saturdays / He doesn’t go to school on

Sunday

- Do/Does + Sb + Vb (?) Do you go to church on Sunday? / Does your friend like music,
too?
Use:
1. for permanent states or situations
He works in a hospital / She has blue eyes and blonde hair. / I live in Romania.
2. for general truths and laws of nature
Water boils at 100⁰ C / The Earth revolves around the Sun
3. for repeated/habitual action {with adverbs of frequency: always, often, usually etc}
He always does his homework / I usually go shopping on Friday / We sometimes have dinner
out.
4. for timetables (future meaning)
The film starts at 8 pm / The bus leaves in half an hour / My plane takes off at 6 am.
5. for reviews/sports commentaries/ narrations.
Ronaldo gets the ball, he shoots and scores! /
Narration: …and then the thief enters the room and opens the safe!
PRESENT CONTINUOUS:
Form:
- Sb + to be (pres) + Vb-ing (+) I am working
Short forms: I’m, you’re, he’s, she’s, it’s, we’re, they’re working.

Spelling ↓
[Verbs that ended with -e, drop the -e and add –ing : make→making]
[Verbs ended with a consonant preceded by a vowel, double the consonant and add –ing:
swim→swimming]
[Two-syllable verbs: the last consonant is doubled when the last syllable is stressed :
forget→forgetting ]
[Verbs ended with -ie, change -ie to -y, add –ing : lie→lying]

- Sb + to be + NOT +Vb ing (-) I am not working

- To be + Sb + Vbing (?) Are you working?

Use:
1. For temporary situations:
She is working in Paris this week. /

1. Changing/developing situations
Johnny is getting taller and taller / the weather is getting colder and colder / the
situation is getting worse and worse.

1. Actions happening at or around the moment of speaking

I’m trying to concentrate right now/ The baby is sleeping at the moment.

1. Arrangements in the near future

I’m seeing the doctor at 3. / I’m having coffee with my friends tonight.

1. For annoying actions with always, constantly, continually etc.

He’s always asking stupid questions / She’s constantly talking!
Stative verbs:
Stative verbs express a permanent state and don’t usually have continuous forms.

1: verbs of the senses [ feel, hear, see, smell, taste ]

2: verbs of feelings and emotions [ adore, detest, dislike, enjoy, forgive, hate, like etc ]

3: verbs of opinion [ agree, believe, suppose, understand ]

4: other verbs [seem, belong concern, contain , know, mean, need, want, prefer ]

Some verbs have continuous forms but with a difference in meaning:

Naturally, we can use the verbs with the active meaning in the simple form, too:
How often do you see your dentist?
They usually have dinner at 6.

But we cannot use the verbs with the stative meaning in the continuous form:
This melon is weighing 2 kilos. X
The soup was smelling good.X
Stative meaning Active meaning

Do you have a car? (own) They are having dinner at the moment. (eating)

You are my best friend. (it's a fact) She's being silly again. (behaving in a silly way)

That soup smells good. (has a good smell) He is smelling the soup. (sniffing at)

This milk tastes sour. (has a sour taste) I was just tasting the food. (testing)

You look great! (your current appearance) He was looking out the window when I saw him. (directing his eyes towards)

What do you see? (notice with eyes) I'm seeing my dentist this afternoon. (visiting)

I don't hear well. (pick up with ears) The judge will be hearing the evidence later this week. (listening to)

I expect that you are tired. (assume) Are you expecting visitors this evening? (waiting for them to arrive)

I feel that you are wrong. (think) How have you been feeling? (asking about physical state)

This melon weighs 2 kg. (its weight is 2 kg) He is weighing the melon. (measuring its weight)
PRESENT PERFECT
Form:
- Sb +have/has + Vb 3rd form (+) I have worked / He has worked
Spelling↓
[after a final e only add d : love – loved ]
[final consonant after a short, stressed vowel or l as final consonant after a vowel is
doubled: admit – admitted; travel – travelled]
[final y after a consonant becomes i: hurry – hurried ]

- Sb + have not/has not + Vb 3rd (-) I haven’t worked / He hasn’t worked.

- Have/Has +Sb+Vb 3rd (?) Have you worked today?

Use:
1.Recently completed actions
He has just cut the grass.

2. Actions whose results are visible in the present

She can’t compete in the race, she has broken her leg.

3. Actions that started in the past and continue up to the present (with stative verbs like be,
have, like, know, etc) + for/since
Mrs Jones has been a secretary for ten years. She has worked here since 2010.

4. Life experiences
She has tried windsurfing / I’ve been to Italy five times.

5. Actions which happened within a specific time period which is not over at the time of
speaking (today, this morning, this month, this year etc)
He has read two novels this week. I’ve written my homework and tidied my room so far
today.

Time Expressions:
Just, ever, never, already, yet (negations & questions), always, how long, so far, recently,
since, for, today, this week/month etc.
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Form:
- Sb + have/has been +Vb ing (+) I have been working / She has been working
- Spelling rules apply for Vbing form!

- Sb + have not/ has not + been + Vb ing (-) I haven’t been working / She hasn’t been
working

- Have / Has + Sb + been + Vb ing (?) Have you been working? / has she been
working?
 Use:

1. For actions started in the past that continue up to the present (emphasis on duration)
He has been washing his bike for an hour. / I’ve been doing homework for 3 hours!

2. For past actions of certain duration having visible results in the present
He has been fighting; that’s why he has got a black eye.

3. To express anger or irritation

Someone has been using my laptop. / My flatmate has been eating my snacks.

Time words: FOR and SINCE, just, ever, never, already, yet (negations & questions),
always, how long, so far, recently,