Grammar Sense 3
Chapter 1: The Present
The Present
<Simple present>
 Express routines
(every day, twice a
week, etc.).
<Present continuous>
 Express an action that
is happening now.


Need “Subject + base
form verb.”
Need “Subject +
present “be” verb
(is/am/are) + verb
present participle (-ing).”
Types of subjects
1st person singular  I
1st person plural 
we
2nd person singular  you
2nd person plural  you
he, she, it, a man,
person singular  New York, a book
3rd
3rd person plural  they, pens, boys
Simple Present Sentences
3rd person singular needs:
base form verb + -s / -es
OR
does (questions or
negative sentences)
Simple Present: Affirmative
(Yessss!) statements
sub
I
verb
work
They
work
She
works
at Wal-Mart.
late.
on Sunday.
Special verbs!
The 3rd person singular form of “have” is
has.
The 3rd person singular form of “do” is
does.
Example: Amy does her homework when
she gets home from school.
Simple Present: Negative (Noooo!)
statements
sub
I
They
She
do/does+not
do not
don’t
verb
work
work
does not /
doesn’t
at Wal-Mart.
late.
work
on Sunday.
Let’s compare!
<Affirmative>
She
work s on Sunday.
<Negative>
does not work
She
on Sunday.
Important!
OR does.
You only need to use –s/-es
Simple Present: Questions & short
answers
Do/Does sub
verb
Do
you
work at Wal-Mart?
Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
Do
they
work
late?
Yes, they do. / No they don’t
she
work on Sunday?
Does
Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.
What’s wrong with these?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
My father always work s till late.
Do es your brother go to BC, too?
Does his cousin lives in Mexico?
Pete doesn’t drives a truck.
He drive s an SUV.
Simple Present: Information
questions
5Ws1H
Where
do/does sub
do
you
verb
work?
How often do Dora and Diego
Why
does
she
work?
work on Sunday?
Information questions: Let’s compare!
1.
2.
Q: Who do you work for?
A: I work for Rita (object).
Q: Who work s late?
A: Sam (sub) does
A: Kim and Ben do
.
.
NOTE: 5Ws1H is treated as the 3rd person singular.
Can you do this?
1.
2.
Q: Who do
they call every Sunday?
A: They call their mom.
Q: Who calls you every Sunday?
A: My girlfriends call me every
Sunday.

Simple Present &
Present Continuous
Simple
present
Now
Present
continous
Simple or continuous?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
this semester
simple
right now continuous
every morning
simple
on Monday
simple
at this minute continuous
Present Continuous: KEY WORDS
Present continuous needs:
Present “be” verb (is / am / are)
AND
Verb + ing (present participle form)
What is the present “be” verb for…?
1st person singular 
1st person plural 
am
I
 ____
we  ____
are
2nd person singular 
2nd person plural 
are
you  ____
are
you  ____
is
3rd person singular  she, it, a man  _____
are
3rd person plural  they, pens  ____
Present Continuous: Affirmative
statements
sub
I
be
am
--ing
working
now.
You
are
eating
a donut.
is
boiling
now.
The water
Present Continuous: Negative
statements
sub
be + not
---ing
are not
We
leaving yet.
sharing donuts.
You
are not
(Not nice!)
Students are not taking a test
now.
* are not = aren’t
Present Continuous: Yes / no Questions
& short answers
Be sub
--ing
dreaming?
Am I
No, you aren’t.
reading
a book?
Is he
Yes, he is.
sleeping
upstairs?
Are babies
No, they aren’t.
(Can’t you hear them crying?)
Present Continuous: Information Questions
5Ws1H
What
be
are
sub
you
When
is
the bus
How long is
she
---ing
doing
coming
staying
now?
?
here?
Let’s compare!
1.
2.
I
love you.
I do love you.
Helping verb
3. He
speaks Japanese.
4. He does speak Japanese.
Helping verb
Important! (1)

He is listening to music and he is also
doing his homework.
Use “be” verb once in a sentence.
 He is listening to music and doing his
homework.
Important! (2)
Stative verbs = not actions, but still
considered as verbs
e.g. have/has, own, love, remember
Stative verbs are not usually used with the
continuous. Use the simple present.
 I am owning a house.
 I own a house.
What’s wrong?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
My boyfriend say s he love s me.
I am
do not trust him.
He come s home late every night.
He is not answering his cell phone
right now.
is heis doing?
What he
He doesn’t
don’t
care about me any more.
Does he have
has a new girlfriend?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Uh-oh! He is coming in the house right
now.
He is having
has a little box in his hand.
He asks me, “Will you marry me?” and
give s me the ring.
I says , “Don’t you have
has
a new
girlfriend?”
He say s, “No! I was working over time
to buy you this ring.”
I say that I will marry him. We are very
happy!
*
The End!