Unit Three:
Simple & Progressive Verbs; Gerunds &
Infinitives
English Center Tutor Training
ESOL
Table of Contents
Unit 1: Parts of Speech
 Unit 2: Phrases, Clauses, and Sentence
Structure
 Unit 3: Simple & Progressive Verbs
 Unit 4: Perfect & Passive Verbs
 Unit 5: Complex Sentences
 Unit 6: Overview of City ESOL Program

Simple Present

Habitual Actions
My dog Punch goes to bed at 8pm every night.
I drink coffee when I eat breakfast.

General Truths
The sky is blue.
Stress causes high blood pressure.

With Non-Action/Stative Verbs (describing states or
situations)
I hope to move abroad again soon.
This class knows how to write an introduction.
Four Types of
Non-Action/Stative Verbs:
1. Express Emotions
(hate, like, love, want, feel)
2. Describe Mental States
(know, remember, believe, understand)
3. Show Possession
(have, own, possess, belong)
4. Describe Perception and Senses
(hear, see, smell, taste, feel, notice, appear)
Simple Present: Let’s Review…
Habitual
Action
Express
Emotions
Describe
Mental
States
Show
Possession
SIMPLE
PRESENT
Non
Action/Stative
Verbs
Describe
Perceptions
and Senses
General
Truths
Present Progressive

be + V-ing
Actions Happening Right Now
I am talking to the class.
The students are wearing shoes.

Extended Present Actions (which may not be happening at
the moment of speaking)
We are studying essay structure.
Mark is training for a 100-mile bike ride this month.

Temporary Actions
I am staying with friends, but I plan to leave soon.
Present Progressive
Now
Past
Future
We are not sleeping right now because we are learning about
grammar.
Happening
now
Occurring over a period of time
Do not use non action verb
Some verbs can have an active or stative (nonaction) meaning, depending on the context. You
need to be able to help students identify the
difference.
Common verbs that may be used with either
meaning include have, think, taste and look.
For example…
The soup tastes good. Try some.
(non-action/stative)
She’s tasting the soup to see if it needs more salt.
(active)
For each pair, use the present (nonaction/stative) or present progressive (active)
have


have
We _______
two textbooks in this class.
are having
They ___________
a hard time with grammar.
think


is thinking
She _____________about
her boyfriend, not about
grammar.
thinks
He ___________
we should go to the
library after class.
look


am looking
I _____________for
a new book to read.
look
You ____________
great today.
At the beginning levels, students tend to easily
distinguish the simple present from the present
progressive (habitual vs. happening now). As their
learning advances and they realize that the present
and present progressive tenses are used in more
varied situations, they can become confused.
Therefore, it’s important to be able to explain the
different uses of these two tenses.
Additionally, with the progressive tenses, students
tend to omit the “be” verb. If you notice that a
student as omitted a “be” verb, ask the student to
self correct. What’s missing here?
Is this verb complete?
Simple Past
To talk about actions, states, or situations that are now
finished.
Now
Past
I wanted to eat chocolate ice cream before class.
I went to Paris in 1998.
I hiked Half Dome two years ago.
Future
Past Progressive

To describe an action that was in progress over a period
of time in the past. Now
Past
Future
We were hiking for many hours before we reached the summit.
*I was hating the hike down.
 Happened in the past
 Occurred over a period of time
 REMINDER: Do not use non action/stative verb in progressive
Past Progressive

Two actions in progress at the same time in the past
Now
Past
was watching
Future
was talking
While I was talking on the phone, he was watching TV.
He was watching TV while I was talking on the phone.
Past Progressive & Simple Past

An action interrupted by another action
phone
rang
Past
Now
Future
was taking a shower
When = simple past While = past-progressive
I was taking a shower when the phone rang.
While I was taking a shower, the phone rang.
Simple Past & Simple Past

One action occurs in the past, then another action
occurs in the past.
Now
Past
I walked into class, and I sat in a chair.
Future
Future Forms
scheduled
events
Simple
present
Be going
Present
progressive
to + verb
FUTURE
Will +
be + V -ing
Will + verb
The plane leaves at 5:00pm tonight.
The plane is leaving at 5:00pm tonight.
Future Forms
I am going to
have a
wonderful
experience.
My flight
departs on a
Monday
morning.
Simple
present
Be going
Present
progressive
to + verb
FUTURE
I will be hiking in
Patagonia for one
week next
January.
Will +
be + V -ing
Will + verb
I am
changing
planes in
Mexico City.
Will you go to
Argentina with
me?
In most cases will and be going to can be used
interchangeably. In the few situations where one
or the other is correct, just correct it for the
student because those differences are very subtle.