Reviewing Present Verb Tenses
Estefanía Pérez
The Simple Present Tense
Expresses a habit or often repeated action.
Adverbs of frequency such as, often, seldom,
sometimes, never, etc. are used with this
tense.
She goes to work everyday.
They always eat lunch together.
The Simple Present Tense
This tense also expresses general truths or
facts that are timeless.
Snow falls in the December in Minnesota.
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
The Present Continuous
This tense is used to describe an action that
is occurring right now (at this moment, today,
this year, etc.). The action has begun and is
still in progress.
She is typing a paper for her class.
He can’t talk. He is fixing the sink right now.
The Present Continuous
The present progressive can also be used to
describe an action that is occurring in the
present, but is temporary.
John is living in Modesto, but he might move
soon.
SIMPLE PRESENT
TENSE
MEANING
 Activities
or events that
occurring in the present.
 Summarizing pieces of writing,
films, plays.
 Stating ongoing opinions, beliefs,
habits, and facts.
 Ex: I ride a bike to school
everyday.
USE

Use the Present Simple to express
the idea that an action is repeated
or usual. The action can be a habit,
a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled
event or something that often
happens. It can also be something a
person often forgets or usually does
not do.
ENGLISH
AFIRMATIVE
PRESENT SIMPLE
SuBJECT+ Infinitive sin “to”
I live in London.
Lions eat meat.
You like reading comics.
In THIRD person singular we add “S” to the verb
He plays football.
Alice comes to school by bus.
My dog sleeps in the garden.
If the verb ends in "s"-"sh"-"ch"-"x" o "z"
We add "es".
If the verb ends in "y" after a consonant
We chabge “y” into “i” and we add "es".
My brother watches TV at night.
His kite flies very high.
ENGLISH
NEGATIVE
PRESENT SIMPLE
Suject+ don't + Infinitive without “to”
I don't live in London.
Lions don't eat grass.
You don't like reading books.
don't = do not
In THIRD person singular we have :
Suject+ doesn't + Infinitive without “to”
He doesn't play football.
doesn't = does not
Alice doesn't come to school by car.
My dog doesn't sleep in the kitchen.
ENGLISH
INTERROGATIVE
PRESENT SIMPLE
Do + Subject +Infinitive without “to” +?
Do I live in London?
Do lions eat grass?
Do you like reading books?
Does + Subject+ Infinitive sin “to” +...?
Does he play football?
Does Alice come to school by car?
Does my dog sleep in the kitchen?
PRESENT SIMPLE
ENGLISH
ADVERBS
OF FREQUENCY
THEY GO BEFORE
THE MAIN VERB
If we have an auxiliar verb
(to be, have got, can..)
THEY GO BEFORE
I always live in London.
always > siempre
often > a menudo, con frecuencia
usually > generalmente
sometimes > algunas veces
never > nunca
She never walks alone.
Do you often study at night?
They are usually at home.
PRESENT
CONTINUOUS TENSE
USE
To express
1. Actions that occur in the moment we speak:
 “She’s watering the plants now”
2. Something that is happening in one moment:

“My brother is working in a pizza restaurant at the moment”
3. Future Plans:
 “He’s having dinner with us tonight”
4. We don´t use present continuous with the following verbs:
Know, like, want, hate, love, belong,
mean, understand, remember, prefer.
ENGLISH
AFIRMATIVE
I am living in London.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Lions are eating meat.
You are reading comics.
More examples:
I am writing
You/ we/ they are writing
He/ she/ it is writing
ENGLISH
NEGATIVE
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
I am not living in London. Lions are not eating meat.
You are not reading comics.
More examples:
I´m not writing
You/ we/ they aren´t
writing
He/ she/ it isn´t writing
ENGLISH
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
INTERROGATIVE
Am I living in London?
Are Lions eating meat?
Are You reading comics?
More examples:
Am I writing?
Are you/ we/ they writing?
Is he/ she/ it writing?
PRESENT SIMPLE
ENGLISH
ADVERBS
NOW
AT THE MOMENT
AT PRESENT
TONIGHT
TODAY
I am living in London now.
Are you studying French at the moment?
They are staying at home tonight.