10/3/2016 Present Simple - EnglishTenses.

com

Present Simple
Basicform
Subject+Verb(presentform)

Quickexamples

JohnlivesinNewYork.
Weplayfootballeveryday.
Youarereallykind.
Themeetingstartsat3PM.

ThePresentSimpleisthemostbasictenseintheEnglishlanguage.Itisaninterestingtensebecauseitcanbeused
toexpressthefuture(/future_tenses).Generally,though,weuseittodescribethepresentactivitiesortotalkabout
routinesorhabits.

Use

1.Facts,generalizationsanduniversaltruths(#use1)
2.Habitsandroutines(#use2)
3.Permanentsituations(#use3)
4.Eventsthatarecertaintohappen(#use4)
5.Arrangementsthatwecan'tchange(#use5)(e.g.timetables,officialmeetings)
6.Stateverbs(#use6)(e.g.be,have,suppose,know)
7.Narrations,instructionsorcommentaries(#use7)

Note

Apartfromtheaboveuses,thistenseisalsousedin:

ZeroConditional(/zero_conditional)("Ifitdoesn'trains,Igoplayfootball.")
FirstConditional(/first_conditional)("Wewon'tgetourpocketmoney,ifwedon'tpassthisexam.")
Insentencesafterwhen,before,till,after,assoonas("Beforeyouleave,pleasetakethekeys.")

Use1:Facts,GeneralizationsandUniveralTruths

WeusethePresentSimpletotalkaboutuniversaltruths(forexample,lawsofnature)orthingswebelieveare,orare
not,true.It'salsousedtogeneralizeaboutsomethingorsomebody.

Waterboilsat100degreesCelcius.UniversalTruth
Itisabighouse.Fact
TheEarthgoesaroundtheSun.UniversalTruth,Fact
Dogsarebetterthancats.Generalization

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BerlinisthecapitalcityofGermany.Fact
TheElephantdoesn'tfly.Fact
LondonisthecapitalcityofFrance.Fact(Remember:thesentencedoesnothavetobetrue)

Tounderstandthisusebetter,watchthisinteractiveanimation:

[Scientist:TheEarthgoesaroundtheSun]

Explanation
Inthiscartoon,youcanseeascientistwhosays:"TheEarthgoesaroundtheSun".

WhyisthePresentSimpleusedinthissentence?Becausethescientistexpressesafact,somethingthathe
believesistrue(inthiscase,heisright:theEarthreallyorbitstheSun).

Use2:HabitsandRoutines

Wealsousethistensetodescribeactionsthathappenfrequently.Forexample:habits,routines,tendencies.

Weleaveforworkat7:30AMeverymorning.Routine
MyhusbandwatchestheTVintheevening.Habit,Routine
Susanoftenmeetswithherfriendsafterschool.Habit,Routine
TheyusuallyplayfootballonSunday.Habit,Routine
Markrarelyvisitshissickgrandmother.Tendency
Pinocchiousuallytellslies.Tendency

AdverbsofFrequency

ThePresentSimpleisoftenusedwiththefrequencyadverbs(/adverbs_of_frequency.html):

always
frequently/often
usually

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10/3/2016 Present Simple - EnglishTenses.com
seldom/rarely
nowadays
never
everyweek/year
sometimes/occasionally
fromtimetotime
everynowandthen

Afewexampleshowtousetheminsentences:

IalwaysgotochurchonSundays.
Inevereatanythingafter10PM.

Tounderstandthisusebetter,watchthisinteractiveanimation:

[John:IplaybasketballeveryFriday]

Explanation
Inthiscartoon,youcanseeaboywhosays:"IplaybasketballeveryFriday"(clickonthepresentbuttontosee
this).

WhyisPresentSimple?Becausetheboytalksaboutahabit,somethingthathedoesregularly.

Use3:PernamentSituations

UsethePresentSimpletotalkaboutsituationsinlifethatlastarelativelylongtime.

IliveinBoston
Heworksasafireman.
MargaretdrivesaVolkswagen.

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Jerrydoesn'tteachmathsathighschool.

Use4:EventsCertaintoHappen

UsethePresentSimplewhenaneventiscertaintohappeninthefuture.

Mygrandmotherturns100thisJuly.
WinterstartsonDecember21.

Use5:StateVerbs

YoushouldusethePresentSimplewithstateverbs.

Ilikeswimming.
Weknowthisman.

Speaker1:Ronaldinho,doyoulikefootball?(Use4)
Ronaldinho:Yes,Ido.

Note

Someoftheverbsusedinthesimpleformcanalsoappearinthecontinuousform.Thisistypicallywhenthey
haveanactivemeaningoremphasizechange.

I'mthinkingofmovingtoSanFrancisco.
I'mlovingyournewhairdo!

Readmore(/present_simple_table)

Use6:FutureArrangements

UsethePresentSimpletotalkabouteventsthatwecan'tchange(forexample,anofficialmeetingoratrain
departure).

Themeetingstartsat4PM.
Thetrainleavesatthenoon.
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Whendoestheplanetakeoff?
Jerrydoesn'tteachmathsathighschool.

Use7:Narrations,Instructionsorcommentaries

ThePresentSimpleisalsousedinnarrations(e.g.totellastoryorajoke),instructions(e.g.cooking)orcommentaries
(especiallysportcommentaries).

"Amangoestovisitafriendandisamazedtofindhimplayingchesswithhisdog.Hewatchesthegamein
astonishmentforawhile[...]"

Readmore(/narrations_presentsimple)

Form
FormingasentenceinthePresentSimpleiseasy.Toformadeclarativesentence,allyouneedisthesubjectofthe
sentence(e.g.I,you,he,adog)andtheverb(e.g.be,talk,swim).Questionsandnegativesentencesareonlyalittle
moredifficult,becausetheyrequireanauxiliaryverb(/auxiliary_verbs).

DeclarativeSentences

Subject Verb(presentform)
+
e.g.he,she,adog,etc. e.g.go,make,have,etc.

Sharkshavesharpteeth(Use1)

EXAMPLES USE(CLICKTOREAD)

Adogisananimal. 1(#use1)

IlearnEnglishtwiceaweek. 2(#use2)

Ihavetwoeggs. 5(#use5)

ThecoursestartsinApril. 6(#use6)

Themanenterstheroomandlooksattheclock. 7(#use7)

Questions

Questionsrequiretheauxiliaryverb"todo"(/to_do_auxiliary_verb)or,inthethirdpersonsingular,"does".

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10/3/2016 Present Continuous - EnglishTenses.com

Present Continuous
Basicform
Subject+IS/ARE+Verb(continuousform)

Quickexamples

Heissleeping.
Iamvisitinggrandpaintheafternoon.
Youarealwayscominglateforthemeetings!

ThePresentContinuousismainlyusedtoexpresstheideathatsomethingishappeningatthemomentofspeaking.
ThePresentContinuousalsodescribesactivitiesgenerallyinprogress(notatthemoment).Anotheruseofthetense
istotalkabouttemporaryactionsorfutureplans.

Use

1.Presentactions(#use1)
2.Temporaryactions(#use2)
3.Longeractionsinprogress(#use3)
4.Future(personal)arrangementsandplans(#use4)
5.Tendenciesandtrends(#use5)
6.Irritation(#use6)

Use1:PresentActions

Mostoften,weusethePresentContinuoustensetotalkaboutactionshappeningatthemomentofspeaking.

Heiseatingadinner.
Maryistalkingwithherfriends.
Theyareswimminginthepool.

Stative(State)Verbs
ThereisacertaingroupofverbsthatusuallydoesnotappearintheContinuousform.TheyarecalledStative
(State)Verbs,andifusedintheContinuousform,theyhaveadifferentmeaning.

Examples:

Ithinkyoulookprettytoday.meaning:Opinion
I'mthinkingofmovingtoSanFrancisco.meaning:Actofthinking

Readmore(/present_simple_table)

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[I'mhavingashowernow.]

Explanation
Inthiscartoon,youcanseeamanintheshowerwhosays:"I'mtakingashowernow".

WhyisthePresentContinuoustenseusedinthisexample?BecausetheJohnyistakingshoweratthis
precisemoment.

Use2:TemporaryActions

Thistenseisalsousedforactivitiescontinuingonlyforalimitedperiodoftime.

I'mridingabiketogettoworkbecausemycarisbroken.TemporaryAction(Hiscarwillsoonberepaired)
Theyarenottalkingwitheachotherafterthelastargument.TemporaryAction(Theywillsoonmakeup)
MaryisworkingatMcDonald's.TemporaryAction(Sheisworkingthereonlyduringthesummerholidays)

Use3:LongerActionsinProgress

WealsousethePresentContinuouswhenweareinthemiddleofdoingsomethingtimeconsuming(i.e.something
thattakestimetocomplete).Anexampleofsuchanactivityiswritingabook,savingmoneyorstudyingforanexam.

Theyareworkinghardtoearnmoney.
Iamtrainingtobecomeaprofessionalfootballer.
Mikeisstudyinghardtobecomeadoctor.
Elizabethiscurrentlywritingachildren'sbooktitledIamtheWorld.

Tounderstandthisusebetter,watchthisinteractiveanimation:

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10/3/2016 Present Continuous - EnglishTenses.com

I'mwritinganadventurebook.

Explanation
Inthiscartoon,youcanamanwhosays:"I'mwritinganadventurebook".

WhyisthePresentContinuoustenseusedinthisexample?ClickonthebuttonslocatedontheTimelineto
seetheotherscenes.YouwillfindoutthatAlex(thewriter)waswritingthebookamonthago,twomonthsago
andfourmonthsago.Clearly,it'salongeractioninprogress.

Use4:Future(Personal)ArrangementsandPlans

SometimesweusethePresentContinuoustoshowthatsomethingisplannedandwillbedoneinthenearfuture.

I'mmeetingKatieintheevening.
He'sflyingtoRomeinSeptember.
We'renotgoinganywheretomorrow.

Use5:TendenciesandTrends

Thistenseisalsousedforexpressingtendenciesortrends.

Ourcountryisgettingricher.
TheInternetisbecominglessofanovelty.
TheUniverseisexpanding.

Use6:IrritationorAnger

Andthelastuseofthistenseistoexpressirritationorangeroversomebodyorsomethinginthepresentwithadverbs
suchas:always,continuallyorcontantly.

Sheiscontinuallycomplainingabouteverything!
Johnyisalwaysaskingstupidquestions!
Mybossiscontantlycritisingme!
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10/3/2016 Present Perfect - EnglishTenses.com

Present Perfect
Basicform
Subject+HAS/HAVE+Verb(pastparticipleform)

Quickexamples

Ihavereadthisbook.
Themanhasgoneaway.
Johnhasworkedasateacherforover25years.

ThePresentPerfectisusedtoexpressactionsthathappenedatanindefinitetimeorthatbeganinthepastand
continueinthepresent.Thistenseisalsousedwhenanactivityhasaneffectonthepresentmoment.

Use

1.Actionswhichhappenedatanindefinite(unknown)timebeforenow(#use1)
2.Actionsinthepastwhichhaveaneffectonthepresentmoment(#use2)
3.Actionswhichbeganinthepastandcontinueinthepresent(#use3)

Use1:Indefinitetimebeforenow

UsethePresentPerfecttotalkaboutactionsthathappenedatsomepointinthepast.Itdoesnotmatterwhenexactly
theyhappened.

Ihavealreadyhadabreakfast.
HehasbeentoEngland.

Remember
Youshouldnotusethistensewithtimeexpressionslikeyesterday,aweekago,lastyear,etc.

Ihaveseenityesterday.
WehavegonetoParislastyear.

Use2:Effectonthepresentmoment

Wealsousethistensetowhenanactivityhasaneffectonthepresentmoment.

Hehasfinishedhiswork.(sohecannowrest)
Ihavealreadyeatenthedinner.(soI'mnothungry)
Hehashadacaraccident.(that'swhyheisinthehospital)
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Tounderstandthisusebetter,watchthisinteractiveanimation:

[Marcus:Ihavebeenstruckbyaboltoflightning!]

Explanation
Inthiscartoon,youcanseeamotheraskingherson:"Markus,what'shappened".Marcusreplies:"Ihavebeenstruck
byaboltoflightning".

WhyisthePresentPerfecttenseusedinthisexample?Clickonthebuttonlabledas"event1".Youcansee
thatMarcuswasstrucklightningbolt.Nowclickontheotherbutton.TheuseofPresentContinuousiscorrect
herebecausetheactionhasaneffectonthepresentmoment(itexplainswhyhelooksthisway).

Use3:Continuationinthepresent

WeoftenusethePresentPerfectwhenwewanttoemphasizethataneventcontinuesinthepresent.

Maryhasworkedasateacherforover25years.
Patrickhasachievedalotinhislife.

Tounderstandthisusebetter,clickonthebuttonsandreadthemessage:

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10/3/2016 Present Perfect - EnglishTenses.com

Person Singular Plural

ForandSince
SinceandForareverycommontimeexpressionsusedwiththePresentPerfect.

WeuseForwithaperiodoftime,forexample:

Ihavelivedherefor20years.

Whentalkingaboutastartingpoint,weuseSince,forexample:

Ihavelivedheresince1960.

Moreabouttimeexpressions.(/node/1049)

Form
ToformasentenceinthePresentPerfect,youneed:

1.Theproperconjugationoftheauxiliaryverb"tohave"(/to_have_auxiliary_verb).
2.ThePastParticiple(/past_participle)ofyourverb.

1.AuxiliaryVerb"tohave"
Weconjugatetheauxiliaryverb(/auxiliary_verbs)"tohave"thesamewaywewouldconjugatethenormalverb"tohave".

Person Singular Plural

First Ihave Wehave

Second Youhave Youhave
Third He/she/ithas Theyhave

Asyoucansee,thethirdpersonsingularisirregular(/irregular_verbs).
Moreexamples:

Shehasneverseenmybrother.
NeitherMikenorTomhaseverdrivenatruck.

2.ThePastParticiple
Thepastparticipleofaverbisaverbformthatappearswiththeperfecttenses(/page/perfect_tenses.html).Thepast
participlecanbeeitherregular(/regular_verbs)orirregular(/irregular_verbs).

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Present Perfect Continuous

Basicform
Subject+HAS/HAVE+BEEN+Verb(continuousform)

Quickexamples

Ihavebeenworkingasateacherfor30years.
Whathaveyoubeendoing?

ThePresentPerfectContinuous(Progressive)hasalongandscaryname.Butdon'tworry!Readontolearnhowto
useit.

Use

1.Actionsthatstartedinthepastandcontinueinthepresent(#use1)
2.Actionsthathaverecentlystopped(#use2)
3.Temporaryactionsandsituations(#use3)

Use1:ContinuationinthePresent

WeusethePresentPerfectContinuoustoshowthatsomethingstartedinthepastandcontinuesinthepresent.

Hehasbeenpaintingthehousefor5hours.He'sstillpaintingit
Ihavebeenworkingasafiremansince1973.Istillworkasafireman

Use2:Pastactionsrecentlystopped

Usethistensealsototalkaboutactionsthatbeganinthepastandhaverecentlystopped.

Ihavebeenwaitingforyouforhalfanhour!I'mnotwaitinganymorebecauseyouhavecome
Lookathereyes!I'msureshehasbeencrying.Shestoppedcryingwhenshesawthem

ForandSince
SinceandforareverycommontimeexpressionsusedwiththePresentPerfectContinuous.

Weuseforwithaperiodoftime,forexample:

Ihavebeenlivingherefor20years.

Whentalkingaboutastartingpoint,weusesince,forexample:

Ihavebeenlivingheresince1960.

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Learnmore(/node/1049)

Tounderstandthisusebetter,watchthisinteractiveanimation:

[Mother:Whathaveyoubeendoing?]

Explanation
Inthiscartoon,youcanseeamotheraskingherson:"Whathaveyoubeendoing?".Theboyreplies:"Nothing,mum".

WhyisthisinPresentPerfectContinuous?Clickonthebuttonlabled"event1".Youcanseethattheboyis
playingacomputergame.Nowclickonthebuttonlabeled"event2".Inthisscene,someoneknocksatthedoor.
It'shismother.Inthenextscene,sheaskshim"whathaveyoubeendoing?".TheuseofPresentPerfect
ContinuousiscorrectherebecauseinthislastsceneMarcusnolongerisplayingacomputergame(hestopped
themomentheheardsomeoneknockingatthedoor).Thisisexactlyuse2describedabove.

Use3:TemporaryActionsandSituations

Weusethistensewhenanactionorsituationistemporary.

IhavebeenlivinginBostonfortwomonths.
Ihavebeenworkingasawaitressforthepastweek.

Form
ToformasentenceinthePresentPerfectContinuous,youneed:

1.Theproperconjugationoftheauxiliaryverbtohave.
2.TheauxiliaryverbtobeinthePastParticipleform:"been".
3.ThePresentParticipleofyourverb(verb+ing)

1.AuxiliaryVerb"tohave"

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