PRESENT TENSE

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

USE
PRESENT SIMPLE
1. PERMANENT STATES, ROUTINE ACTIONS e.g. He works in a software company. 2. GENERAL TRUTH e.g. The sun rises in the east. 3. TIMETABLES, HABITS e.g. We start work at 9 every day. !!!!ANNOYING HABITPRESENT CONTINUOUS e.g. You are always interrupting me. 4. SPORTS COMMENTS, INDICATIONS e.g. Hill passes the ball to Dawson. So, ladies, now you mix everything and beat hard.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
1. TEMPORARY STATES,

EXCEPTION TO THE RULE ACTIONS e.g. I am working for a software company this month. 2. AN ACTION, A PHENOMENON IN CHANGE e.g. Pollution is growing bigger and bigger. 3. ACTIONS HAPPENING IN THE MOMENT OF SPEECH e.g. Do you mind, I am talking on the phone now! 4. ARRANGED, PLANNED ACTIONS e.g. I am meeting the director today.

STRUCTURE
PRESENT SIMPLE
The Infinitive form of the verb for most persons, with the exception of 3rd person singular. I work, you work, we work, they work. The Infinitive + -s for 3rd person singular He, she, it sleeps.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
2 elements: auxiliary verb TO BE + verb + -ing I am working You are working He (she, it) is working We are working You are working They are working

NEGATIVE FORM
PRESENT SIMPLE
PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Auxiliary verb (DO, DOES) in the negative + verb

Negative form of the auxiliary verb TO BE+ verb + -ing I am not working. She isnt (is not) sleeping. They arent (are not) working.

I dont (do not) work. He (she, it) doesnt (does not) sleep.

INTERROGATIVE FORM
PRESENT SIMPLE
PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Auxiliary verb (DO, DOES) + Subject + verb

Auxiliary verb TO BE + Subject + verb+ -ing Are you working today? Is she still sleeping ?

Do you work? Does he sleep?

SPECIFIC ADVERBS
PRESENT SIMPLE
ALWAYS USUALLY EVERY DAY EVERY WEEK / MONTH / YEAR ON MONDAYS / TUESDAYS IN THE MORNING / EVENING REGULARLY OFTEN SELDOM

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

NOW AT THE MOMENT THESE DAYS AT PRESENT NOWADAYS STILL JUST THESE DAYS / MONTH

GENERAL RULES
SPELLING RULES PRESENT SIMPLE: ADDING S (3rd person singular) verb + -s : set sets, get gets, drop drops, eat - eats verbs ending in ss, sh, ch, x, o + -es : guess guesses, blush blushes, scratch scratches, fix - fixes, go goes verbs ending in vowel + y + -s : say says, play - plays verbs ending in consonant + y + -ies : try tries, cry cries, fry fries
1.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS : ADDING -ING verb + -ing : draw drawing verb ending in ie turns the ending into y + -ing : die dying, lie lying verb ending in -e drops the vowel and adds -ing : make making, dive diving verb ending in a stressed vowel + consonant doubles the consonant: put putting, sit sitting, cut - cutting

GENERAL RULES
2. OTHER GRAMMAR RULES PRESENT SIMPLE: NEGATIVE FORM, 3RD PERSON SINGULAR: NO S FOR THE VERB IN THE NEGATIVE, BECAUSE OF DOESNT e.g. She doesnt wakes up at 7. She doesnt wake up at 7. PRESENT SIMPLE: INTERROGATIVE FORM, 3RD PERSON SINGULAR: NO S FOR THE VERB IN THE INTERROGATIVE, BECAUSE OF DOES e.g. Does she wakes up at 7? Does she wake up at 7? PRESENT CONTINUOUS: ALWAYS EXPRESS IT WITH 2 ELEMENTS e.g. I working from 8 today, instead of 9. I am working from 8 today, instead of 9.