PRESENT TENSES
A brief overview
PRESENT SIMPLE
• It is formed with the base form of the verb => try, explain,
play, arrive, phone
• We add -s or -es to the base form of the verb in the third
person singular => plays, arrives, explains, tries
• Some verbs are irregular => have, be
– I/you/we/they have, she/he/it has
– I am, you/we/they are, he/she/it is
Spelling of the third person singular
• We usually add only -s to form the 3rd person singular of
the present simple => plays, gets, snows, loves
• We add -es to form the 3rd person singular when the
verb ends in -o => does, -s => misses, -x => mixes, -ch =>
catches, -sh => wishes
• In verbs ending in a consonant + -y, we change -y to -i
before adding -es.
– try => tries; cry => cries BUT play => plays; buy => buys
Pronunciation of -s/-es ending
• “-s ending” is pronounced [s] after a voiceless sound =>
[f], [p], [k], [t] => laughs, hopes, kicks, fits
• “-s ending” is pronounced [z] after a voiced sound => [v],
[b], [g], [d], [l], [m], [n], vowels, etc. => loves, robs, digs,
adds, fills, dreams, runs, sees
• “-es ending” is pronounced [iz] after [z], [dʒ], [s], [ʃ], [tʃ],
[ks] => loses, manages, kisses, pushes, watches, relaxes
PRESENT SIMPLE - negatives
• We form negatives with do not/don’t + the base form of
the verb => I/You/We/They do not/don’t believe him.
• In the third person singular we use does not/doesn’t +
the base form of the verb => He/She does not/doesn’t speak
French. It does not/doesn’t take long.
• We use contracted forms (don’t/doesn’t) in speech and
informal writing.
PRESENT SIMPLE - questions
• Questions are formed with do + the base form of the
verb => Do you think so?
What do they think of her?
• In the third person singular we use does + the base form
of the verb =>
Does she/he live in London?
How long does it take to get there?
PRESENT SIMPLE is used:
• to describe habits, things that happen repeatedly
(I go jogging every morning. She doesn’t often stay up late. How
often do you go out?)
• to describe facts that are always true
(The Moon goes round the Earth. Spring follows winter.)
• to describe a present state which may continue
indefinitely
(I like chocolate. My brother works in a bank. She wears glasses.)
PRESENT SIMPLE is used:
• to talk about FUTURE events based on timetables,
programmes or events in the calendar.
(My plane takes off at 7:30 tomorrow. Does the film start at 4.30?)
• after if, unless, in case, as soon as, before, after, by the
time, the next time, till, until, when, etc. where we may
expect a simple future
(Wait, until you’re called. If it rains, I’ll stay at home.)
• to make a summary of the events in a film or a book
(They see each other at the ball for the first time and fall in love.)
Typical time expressions used with
PRESENT SIMPLE
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
always
often
frequently
usually
normally
sometimes
occasionally
ever/never
rarely/seldom
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
hardly ever
every day/week/month...
once/twice a year...
on Saturday(s)...
How often...?
in the morning(s)...
at seven o’clock...
...
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Form: be (am/is/are) + -ing form of the verb
+
+
I’m/am leaving next Sunday.
It’s/is getting late.
-
I’m not/am not working this week.
They aren’t/are not enjoying the party.
?
?
Is it snowing?
Why are you looking at me like that?
Spelling of the “-ing” form
• We add only -ing to most verbs without changing the
spelling of the base forms => playing, drinking, waiting, eating,
catching, enjoying, opening
• Verbs ending in -e drop the -e before adding -ing =>
come => coming, make => making, use => using
• Verbs ending in -ie change -ie to -y => lie => lying, die =>
dying, tie => tying
Spelling of the “-ing” form
• One-syllable verbs with a single vowel followed by a
single consonant double the final consonant.
– stop => stopping; beg => begging; sit => sitting; run => running
• We do not double the final consonant when:
– the verb ends in -w, -x => snow => snowing; box => boxing
– there are two consonants together => help => helping
– there are two vowels together => sleep => sleeping
Spelling of the “-ing” form
• Two-syllable verbs double the final consonant when
there is a single vowel followed by a single consonant in
the last syllable and the last syllable is stressed.
– be´gin => be´ginning; for´get => for´getting;
• We do not double the final consonant when the last
syllable is not stressed
– ´open => ´opening; ´profit => ´profiting
– !EXCEPTIONS! to the rule:
• ´label => ´labelling; ´quarrel => ´quarelling; ´signal =>
´signalling; ´travel => ´travelling
PRESENT CONTINUOUS is used:
• to describe actions which are in progress at the moment
of speaking (They can’t come they’re just having breakfast.)
• to describe actions happening “around now” not
necessarily at the moment of speaking (I’m reading an
excellent book at the moment.)
• to describe actions which are temporary (My cousin’s living
with me until she finds her own flat.)
PRESENT CONTINUOUS is used:
• to talk about things that are changing or developing over
a period of time (It’s getting late. He’s balding.)
• when we are exaggerating or complaining, especially
with “always” (You’re always losing your keys.)
• to refer to activities planned for the FUTURE. We usually
need a time adverbial. => “personal arrangements or
appointments” which may be written in a diary
(I’m travelling to Dublin on Saturday. What are you doing tonight?)
Typical time expressions used with
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
now
at the moment
for the moment
at present
just
still
this week
these days
nowadays
...
PRESENT SIMPLE or CONTINUOUS?
PRESENT SIMPLE
• describes something that is
permanent
• describes something that is
repeated (habits, routines)
• describes facts that are
always true
• describes general situations
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
• describes something that is
temporary not finished yet
• describes something that is in
progress now
• describes events happening
at the moment
• describes a particular
situation
Compare:
• I live in Prague. (It is my
permanent home.)
• I’m living in Prague. (Just for
a month. My home is in Paris.)
• Do you usually work a lot? (Is
it your habit?)
• Are you working a lot now?
(What’s happening now?)
• What do you do? (What’s your
job?)
• What are you doing here?
(right now)
• The water boils at 100
degrees Celsius. (a fact)
• The kettle is boiling. Turn it
off, please. (right now)
State verbs
• State verbs describe states and are not usually used in
continuous tenses.
• examples of state verbs are:
– thinking: admit, agree, believe, consider, forget, know, mean,
prefer, realise, remember, suppose, seem, think, understand
– feeling: adore, admire, like, dislike, love, hate, hope, want
– having: belong to, contain, have, include, own, possess
– being:
appear, disappear, be, exist
– senses: feel, hear, look, see, smell, sound, taste
– other:
cost, depend on, mean, need
State verbs
• Some state verbs can also refer to activity. In this
meaning they can be used in a continuous tense:
– I think it’s a great idea. (think = believe > state)
– What are you thinking about. (think = consider > activity)
– We have a second-hand car. (have = possess > state)
– She is having some tea. (have = drink > activity)
– The soup tastes great. (state)
– I’m tasting the soup to see if it needs more salt. (action)
DON’T FORGET that:
1.
some verbs are used only in simple tenses => state
verbs (know, want, need ...)
2.
when describing a picture/a photo we usually describe
the scene using the PRESENT CONTINUOUS
3.
PRESENT SIMPLE and PRESENT CONTINUOUS
can also refer to future
4.
where some languages use PRESENT TENSES,
English uses PRESENT PERFECT
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
Form: have/has + the past participle of the verb
+
+
I’ve burnt/have burnt myself.
Fred’s been/has been ill a lot recently.
-
I haven’t seen/have not seen Tom this morning.
She hasn’t told/has not told them about the accident yet.
?
?
Have you read Hamlet?
How long has she known you?
PAST PARTICIPLE (regular verbs)
• Regular verbs add -ed to the base form of the verb.
– open => opened; explain => explained
• Verbs ending in -e add -d to the base form of the verb.
– arrive => arrived; phone => phoned
• In verbs ending in a consonant + -y, we change -y to -i
before adding -ed.
– try => tried; cry => cried BUT play => played; obey => obeyed
PAST PARTICIPLE (regular verbs)
• One-syllable verbs with a single vowel followed by a
single consonant double the final consonant.
– stop => stopped; beg => begged
• Two-syllable verbs double the final consonant when
there is a single vowel followed by a single consonant in
the last syllable and the last syllable is stressed.
– pre´fer => pre´ferred; ad´mit => ad´mitted
– !EXCEPTIONS! to the rule:
• ´label => ´labelled; ´quarrel => ´quarelled; ´signal => ´signalled;
´travel => ´travelled
PAST PARTICIPLE (irregular verbs)
• There are about 150 irregular verbs in English. Their
past participle forms must be studied and remembered.
– put-put => put; cut-cut => cut; cost-cost => cost
– ring-rang => rung; sing-sang => sung; sink-sank => sunk
– know-knew => known; blow-blew => blown; grow-grew =>
grown
– learn-learnt => learnt; mean-meant => meant
– write-wrote => written; drive-drove => driven
– buy-bought => bought; bring-brought => brought
– go-went => gone; be-was/were => been
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE is used:
TO DESCRIBE PAST EVENTS WHICH ARE
CONNECTED TO THE PRESENT
• to talk about experiences in our life up to now
(I have never smoked. Have you ever ridden a horse? This is the first
time he has driven a car. Have you been to Italy?)
NOTE:
If we want to say when the events happened we use the past simple.
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE is used:
• to talk about a situation that began in the past and
continues until the present => unfinished past
(He’s been ill for a month. I haven’t seen him since Monday.)
NOTE:
We often use SINCE and FOR when we refer to “unfinished past”.
SINCE + point of time
FOR + period of time
2015
seven years
Sunday
ages
I was born
half an hour
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE is used:
• to express a past event with a result in the present =>
present result
I’ve lost my keys. => I haven’t got them now.
They’ve already eaten. => They aren’t hungry.
He hasn’t got up yet. => He’s still in his bed.
NOTE:
We focus on the present. It is not important when the actions
happened. If we want to express when the actions happened, we
use the past simple.
Typical time expressions used with
PRESENT PERFECT
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ever/never
yet (questions, negatives)
so far (up to now)
already
just
recently
lately
still
before
today
•
•
•
•
this year/month/week ...
for weeks/years/ages ...
since 2007/Monday ...
This is the first / second /
third time…
• It’s the first / second /
third time…
• ...
PRESENT PERFECT or PAST
SIMPLE
PRESENT PERFECT
• connects a past event to
the present
PAST SIMPLE
• describes a past event in
a completed time period
I’ve broken my wrist. => it is
broken now
She’s worked for him for two
years. => she still does
Have you talked to John this
morning? => it is still morning
How long have you had your cat?
=> you still have it
I broke my wrist last year. => it
happened last year
She worked for him for two years.
=> then she left
Did you talk to John this morning?
=> it is now afternoon/evening
When did you buy your cat? => I
ask about the definite past
PRESENT PERFECT or PRESENT
SIMPLE
PRESENT PERFECT
• describes the time until
the present
PRESENT SIMPLE
• describes habits and
states in the present
I’ve worked as an actor for a year.
=> I started last year and I still
do it
I work as an actor. => a
permanent state, it is my job
have been to and have gone to
HAVE BEEN TO
HAVE GONE TO
Sarah has been to Greece.
=> she was there but now
she is back home
Sarah has gone to Greece.
=> she is in Greece now
or she is on her way there
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Form: have/has + been + -ing form of the verb
+
+
They’ve/have been waiting here for over an hour.
She’s/has been working very hard.
-
I haven’t/have not been reading much recently.
He hasn’t/has not been waiting long.
?
?
You’re out of breath. Have you been running?
How long has Jane been learning French?
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
is used:
• to talk about a repeated or continuous activity that
started in the past and hasn’t been finished =>
unfinished past
She’s been doing her geography project for about two months. => she
is still working on it
How long have you been waiting for him? => you are still waiting 
NOTE:
We often use SINCE, FOR, ALL DAY, RECENTLY, LATELY, etc. with
the present perfect continuous
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
is used:
• to talk about an activity from the recent past which has
consequences in the present => present result
It’s been raining all morning. => That’s why the streets are wet now.
Why are you so dirty? What have you been doing?
Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE or
CONTINUOUS?
PRESENT PERFECT
SIMPLE
PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
• describes a finished activity
(achievement)
• describes an unfinished
activity
I’ve read King Lear. => I finished
reading it.
They’ve painted the bedroom. =>
They started and finished
painting it.
I’ve been reading King Lear. => I
haven’t finished reading it.
They’ve been painting the
bedroom. => That’s why their
clothes are dirty. We don’t
know whether they finished or
not.
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE or
CONTINUOUS?
PRESENT PERFECT
SIMPLE
• is used when we focus on a
result of an activity especially
when we give a number or
quantity:
– how much we have done
– how many things we have
done
– how many times we have
done something
PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
• is used when we focus on the
activity itself especially to
explain visible consequences
of it
• is used to say how long
something has been
happening
• is used to describe repeated
actions
Compare:
• how much/how many
• how long
He’s run three miles. => focus on
the result: he’s covered the
distance of three miles
He’s been running for an hour.
=> focus on the activity: this is
why he is exhausted now
Jill has played squash three
times this week.
Jill has been playing squash
since two o’clock.
I’ve written twenty emails today.
I’ve been writing emails all day.
How many pages of that novel
have you read?
How long have you been reading
that novel?
References
• ALEXANDER, L.G.: Longman English Grammar. New York:
Longman, 1991. ISBN 0-582-55892-1
• MURPHY, R.: English Grammar In Use. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1992. ISBN 0-521-28723-5.
• VINCE, M. and EMMERSON, P.: Intermediate Language Practice
with key. Oxford: Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2003. ISBN 1-40500768-0.
• VINCE, M. and EMMERSON, P.: First Certificate Language Practice
with key. Oxford: Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2003. ISBN 1-40500765-6.