ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR IS USE UNITS 5, 6, 7

Instructor: Sarah Torabian

Intro
The present simple and the present continuous tenses are the most common ways of expressing present time in English. The present simple describes things that are generally true, while the present continuous describes things that are true at the time of speaking, but which may change. Lets take a look at the present time uses of these two tenses.

PRESENT SIMPLE

The form of the present simple verb only changes after he, she or it, when we add s to the base form (-es after o, s, sh, ch and x; -ies when the base form ends in y): I read- he reads; we watch- she watches; they carry-it carries x Carina enjoy hospital dramas so she watch ER every week. Carina enjoys hospital dramas so she watches ER every week.

Negative

We form the negative and questions with the auxiliary do. In the negative we usually use the contracted forms dont and doesnt in speech and informal writing: Japanese cooking doesnt use a lot of dairy food. Do interest rates usually go up in order to reduce inflation?

General truths and facts

We often use the present simple to state truths and to describe things which we feel are facts or permanent situations: Things which are generally true: British people drink a lot of tea, while Americans drink more coffee. Facts:

Broken bones in adults dont heal as fast as they do in children.

Permanent situations:

Repeated events/actions

We use the present simple to describe things that happen on a regular basis: As temperatures fall with the approach of winter, the soil freezes and contracts The Blairs take their summer holiday in a quiet part of Tuscany. We often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency (always, usually, often, sometimes, never) and expressions of frequency (every , once a ):

Share prices usually change on a daily basis but often by very little. Our two chefs provide an excellent choice of hot meals every day.

Series of events/actions

We use the present simple to describe a series of events or actions (e.g. to give directions or instructions) often with impersonal you: From here you cross the road, go through an iron gate and follow the path west

This is similar to the imperative, but the imperative can sound more abrupt:
Cross the road, go through an iron gate and follow the path west We use the present simple when we want to express the immediacy of an event, e.g. in sports commentaries, particularly when the action being described is a quick one and is therefore over before the description finishes:

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

We form the present continuous with the present of the verb be and the present participle of the main verb: 'What are the children doing? We usually contract is or are to s or re in speech and informal writing: Well, Alans drawing in his room and Sophies watching TV with me.

Spelling
Note the following spelling rules for forming the present participle: Base form + -ing: draw -drawing, watch -watching, speak -speaking Base form ending in -e + -ing: take -taking, receive receiving, create -creating Base form + consonant + -ing: swim -swimming, run running

! We often omit the pronoun and auxiliary (is or are) when we repeat the present continuous in the same sentence:

Things which are true now

The present continuous describes an action in progress at the moment of speaking or around the time of speaking. The action is likely to continue after the time of speaking, but is likely to stop at some point, i.e. it is temporary: Ill be with you in a minute. Im just finishing something in the kitchen. We are staying with John to try and find out if his place really is haunted.

Common adverbs with this form are now, just, still and at the moment:
Were studying the writings of Gnter Grass on the German course now.

Which question is correct? 1.She stays in the Waldorf Astoria on this visit to New York, doesnt she? 2.Shes staying in the Waldorf Astoria on this visit to New York, isnt she?

We use live, work, study and stay in the continuous if the action is temporary.

We also use the present continuous to describe things which are changing: British summers are getting hotter and winters are getting wetter. We do not use the present simple to express this:

x British summers get hotter and winters get wetter.

The present simple describes a regular event which we see as unchanging: We get a lot of rain during the winter in this part of the world.

Repeated events

It is possible to use the present continuous to talk about repeated events or actions, usually if they happen within a temporary period: Im feeding the neighbor's cat this week while shes in hospital.

Grahams a confirmed smoker. He smokes about fifty cigarettes a day. (repeated action over a long period of time, possibly most of Grahams life)
Grahams having a tough time at the office at the moment and hes smoking about fifty cigarettes a day! (repeated action in a temporary period)

We can use the present continuous with an adverb such as always, forever or continually to talk about repeated actions that happen very often, perhaps too often as far as the speaker is concerned: The babys always making cute little gurgling noises. The neighbours are forever slamming doors and shouting during the night. Im always forgetting peoples birthdays. Its so annoying

Series of events

You may hear the present continuous used in sports commentaries, when the action is in progress throughout the time of speaking: ( and he crosses the line two seconds ahead of his closest rival

VERBS RARELY USED IN THE CONTINUOUS

There are a number of verbs in English which we rarely use in a continuous tense. They often describe states of being, thinking, possessing or feeling:
Which sentence is correct? 1.Most people arent believing in the existence of UFOs. 2.Most people dont believe in the existence of UFOs.

The most common of these verbs are: verbs of existing or being be, consist of, contain, exist verbs of possessing belong to, have (= own), include, lack, own, possess

verbs of feeling or wanting adore, desire, despise, detest, dislike, envy, hate, like, love, need, pity, prefer, trust, want, wish

verbs of thinking or believing believe, doubt, expect, feel (= think), forget, imagine, intend, know, realise, recognise, remember, see (= understand), suppose, think, understand

verbs of appearance appear, resemble, seem other verbs concern, depend, deserve, fit, matter, measure, mean, mind, weigh

Which sentence is correct?

1. Im noticing that your wife doesnt come to the wine tastings. Doesnt she drink? 2. I notice that your wife doesnt come to the wine tastings. Doesnt she drink?
We do not usually use the continuous form with verbs which describe a sense or a form of perception, e.g. hear, notice, see, smell, taste.

With verbs which describe a sense, we usually use the simple form or can/could + the verb when we do not deliberately use the sense, i.e. the use is involuntary: Can you smell the fertiliser? Were really in the countryside now!