Present tenses
Tenses are the way people talk about time in English (past, present,
future)
There are 2 basic ways to talk about present:
Present simple Present continuous
- Used to talk about something that is - Used to talk about something that is
general and permanent (“Permanent” happening now (at the moment of
doesn’t necessarily mean it lasts all the speaking, right now) or something
time); things that are true in general. temporary. It is only true at the
moment.
Example: I work. Example: I am working.
The idea “I work” implies that I may not The idea “I am working” is about
be working at this moment, but I have a something that is happening now (at the
job, I work in general. If you’re not moment of speaking, right now). It’s not
changing jobs every day, this is the jobs an activity that lasts forever. It is only
you’ll always have. This is your true for now.
permanent job.
Present simple
1. Uses
+ Permanent: We live in New York. (This is where they live most of the time, so it
is true most of the time that they live in New York. This is considered permanent.)
+ Routines: I wake up at 6.00 every day. (This is a regular activity, a routine.)
+ Facts: The sun rises in the East. (This is always true, permanent.)
+ Schedules: Our class starts at 7.00 a.m. (A schedule tells us when things
happen. It is more or less a routine, something permanent.)
+ Frequency: She always takes the bus. (This is how often something happens.)
2. Structures
Affirmativ S + V_s, es + ...
e
(+) S + be + ...
S + do not/does not (don’t/doesn’t) + V_inf
Negative + ...
Inf = Infinitive
(-)
S + be + not + ...
Do/Does + S + V_inf + …?
Yes/No - Yes, S + do/does. (No, S + don’t/doesn’t.) Do/does =
Questions
Be + S + …? Auxiliary
(?)
- Yes, S + be. (No, S + be + not.)
Wh-words = who,
Wh- Wh-words + do/does + S + V_inf + …?
what, where, when,
Questions
why, how, whom,
(?) Wh-words + be + S + …?
which, whose
3. Verbs
3.1. Verbs of action:
Action verbs are words that express actions (give, eat, walk, etc.). Action verbs
can be either transitive or intransitive.
+ Transitive Verbs: A transitive verb always has a noun that receives the action of
the verb, called the direct object.
- Example: Laurissa raises her hand. => The verb is raises. Her hand is
the object receiving the verb’s action. Therefore, raises is a transitive
verb.
Transitive verbs sometimes have indirect objects, which name the object to
whom or for whom the action was done.
- Example: Abdus gave Becky the pencil. => The verb is gave. The direct
object is the pencil. (What did he give? The pencil.) The indirect object
is Becky. (To whom did he give it? To Becky.)
+ Intransitive Verbs: An intransitive verb never has a direct or indirect object.
- Example: Laurissa rises slowly from her seat. => The verb is rises. The
phrase slowly from her seat modifies the verb, but no object receives the
action.
3.2. Be (is, am, are)
Be is a typical linking verbs, which a verb which is used to introduce the
relationship of the subject with the complement, not to indicate an action. It
introduces what the subject is or is like.
- Example: She is a teacher. => The linking verb be does not introduce an
action, but tells the listeners what the subject is.
3.3. Rules and spelling
3.3.1. Rules
Subject-verb Agreement: Subjects and verbs must AGREE with one another in
number (singular or plural). Thus, a singular subject takes a singular verb; a
plural subject takes a plural verb.
In present simple
Be
I Am
Plural We Are
You Are
They Are
Singular He Is
She Is
It Is
Action verb
+ If the subject is plural, we don’t change the verb.
+ If the subject is singular, the verb ends with –s, es.
3.3.2. Spelling
In most cases, the verbs end with “s”.
If a verb ends with “s, sh, ch, x, z”, we add “es”.
If a verb ends with a consonant and “y”, we change “y” -> “ies”.
If a verb ends with a vowel and “y”, we add “s”.
Subject Verbs
pronouns
I Work.
We Kiss.
You Run.
He Sleeps/watches/washes/carries/
She fixes.
It Goes/does/has.
Plays.
4. Signal words
These words tell you what tense you have to use.
For the Present Simple these are adverbs of frequency: Always –
usually/normally – frequently – often – sometimes – occasionally –
seldom/hardly – never (between subject and verb, after be and auxiliary);
or once/twice a week, three times a month, once every three months, once in
a while(the end of the sentence);
and other time expressions, such as: Every day, every week, every year,
every Thursday, on Saturdays, after school, at the weekend, on weekends,
etc. (usually the end of the sentence).
5. Exercises
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/complex_tests/simple_present1/index.php
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/complex_tests/simple_present2/index.php
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/
questions_answers_simple_present.htm
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/
questions_short_answers_simple_present.htm
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/simple_present_s.htm
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/simple_present_s2.htm
https://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-
transitive-intransitive-verbs.php
https://www.englishgrammar.org/transitive-or-intransitive-verb-exercise/
https://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=7330
Present continuous
1. Uses
+ Now: The baby is sleeping. (The activity “sleep” is happening right now, at the
moment of speaking).
+ Around now: He is writing a book. (He might not be writing it at this minute,
but he’s writing it around now. Maybe it’s going to take him a week or a year, but
it happens around now).
+ Temporary: We are staying at this hotel. (Temporary means it doesn’t happen
all the time. In your mind, it’s not something that happens forever; so, this is more
about how you view things.)
+ Trend: The prices are going up. (Trend is something that is changing,
developing; or something that is popular.)
+ Repeated action: They are always making noise. (When complaining or talking
about something negative that happens repeatedly, you use the present continuous.)
+ Future arrangements: She is flying to Mexico next week. (Future arrangement
means something that has been planned, and there is more than one person
involved. You also need to use future time expressions.)
When not to use present continuous:
+ Permanent: I am living in Canada. (Where you live is more or less permanent.
If you live in Canada for most of the time, it’d be wrong to use present
continuous.)
+ Stative verb: I am understanding. (A stative verb describes a state or a
condition. Understand is a stative verb describing your mental state. Do note that
native speakers use present continuous with stative verbs in casual conversations,
but that’s grammartically wrong.)
- Feelings: love, hate, like...
- Senses: smell, hear, see, feel...
- Thinking: forget, remember, know, be, imagine... (brain functions)
- Belongings: own, have, belong...
2. Structures
Affirmative
S + be + V_ing + ...
(+)
Negative
S + be not + V_ing + ...
(-)
Yes/No Be + S + V_ing + …?
Questions (?) - Yes, S + be. (No, S + be + not.)
Wh- Questions
Wh-words + be + S + V_ing + …?
(?)
3. Rules and spellings
Walk -> Walking
Most verbs Add –ing
Talk -> Talking
Drop –e Use -> Using
Ending in -e
Add –ing Take -> Taking
Drop –ie Lie -> Lying
Ending in -ie
Add –ying Tie -> Tying
Double the last Clap -> Clapping
Ending in c-v-c
letter
(consonant – vowel – consonant) Sit -> Sitting
Add –ing
4. Signal words
- Now, right now, at the moment...
- Today, tonight, this morning, this evening...
- Next week, next month...
- Look, listen, watch out...
Ex: Watch out! A car is coming!
5. Exercises
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/
present_progressive_rules.htm
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/complex_tests/present_progressive1/
index.php
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/complex_tests/present_progressive2/
index.php
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/
signal_words_present_progressive.htm
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/questions/
question_words_present_progressive.htm
