PRESENT TENSE

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

• The simple present tense is one of several forms of present tense in English.
It is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, to give
direction or instruction and fixed arrangements. The simple present tense is
simple to form. Just use the base form of the verb: (I take, you take, we
take, they take) The 3rd person singular takes an -s at the end. (he takes,
she takes)
• We often use time expressions when we use simple presents tense.
• E.g.. On Monday{days of the week}, once a week/a year, every
day/morning, on the weekend… etc
• We use Adverbs of frequency like never, often, always
• Grammar structure to form simple present tense

• Subject + verb1 + object

 • We add +s, +es or +ies into the main verbs when the subject is singular.

E.g. Add +s {he wants, she needs, he gives, she • add + ies
thinks, etc..}
• Verbs ending in -y : the third person
• To eat changes the -y to -ies:
She/he/it/ eats • fly --> flies, cry --> cries Exception: if there
I/you/we/they eat is a vowel before the -y: play --> plays,
• pray --> prays
• Add + es Add -es to verbs ending in:-ss, -x, -sh,
-ch: he passes, she catches, he fixes, it pushes
To try
E.g. To wash
 She/ he/ it tries
She/he/it washes
i/you/we/they wash
 I/you/we/they try

Examples

• He goes to school every morning.

• She understands English.
• It mixes the sand and the water.
• He tries very hard.
 Posetive,Negative and question forms
• Negative and question forms use DOES (= the third person of the auxiliary 'DO') + the infinitive of the verb.
example
• He wants ice cream.
• He doesn’t want ice cream.
• Does he want ice cream?

• They go to church every Sunday.

• They don’t go to church every Sunday.
• Do they go to church every Sunday?

We don’t use auxiliary ‘do’ or ‘does’ with verb to be, instead we use ‘not, for negative form.
Example
• He is Ethiopian.
• He is not Ethiopian.
• Is he Ethiopian?

• She is a student.
• She is not a student.
• Is she a student?
usage

1. Repeated actions or daily 2. emotions or for feelings [emotions

routines[something happens all or feelings that are always true.]
the time.] and habits [you must
mention when the repetition
happens.] Example
• fell, hate, like, love, prefer,
Example want….etc.
• I don’t eat any meat on • She loves playing piano.
Wednesdays and Fridays. I am
• I love dogs.
on fasting,
• I don’t like snake.
• I walk everyday.
• I hate pizza.
• I go to church every Sunday.
• She loves him a lot.
• She catches the bus everyday . • I prefer Ethiopian food than Chinese
• He smokes cigar.(habit) food.
3. to make statements (facts that are always
true) or general truths

• The moon orbits the earth.

• Light travels faster.
• Lion lives In the jungle.
• Water freezes at zero degrees.

4. For permanent situations

• I live in hawassa.
• I am a student. Am/is/are =verb to be
• She is an actress.
• I work as a waitress.
 5. To talk about future events or fixed
arrangements.
• I leave for work at 7:00.
• The exam starts at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow.

6. For instructions or directions

• Open the packet and pour the contents into hot
water.
• You go straight down and turn left………..

Be careful! The simple present is not used to express actions happening now.
 Present continuous tense

• Present Continuous Tense

• The present continuous tense is used for actions happening now or for
an action that is unfinished. This tense is also used when the action is
temporary.
• How to Form the Present Continuous Tense?
• The present continuous tense is formed with the subject plus the
present particle form (-ing) of the main verb and the present
continuous tense of the verb to be: am, is, are. One simple example of
this tense is: He is swimming. "He" is the subject, "is" is the present
tense of the verb to be and "swimming" is the present participle verb
form.

• Subject + verb to be (is,are,am) + verb+ing + object

• I am singing at church today.
• The boys are playing ball after school.
• He is talking to his friend.
• The baby is sleeping in his crib.
• I am talking to you.
• She is making pizza now.
• They are eating lunch right now.

• Present continuous tense can be used to express something happening

right now or to express something that is not happening right now.
Examples of this use include:

• He is not standing.
• You are not watching the movie.
• He is reading a book.
Present continuous tense can also be used to show that something will or will not happen in
the near future. Examples of this use include:
• She is not going to the game tonight.
• He is meeting his friends after school.
• Are you visiting your cousin this weekend?
• I am not going to the meeting after work.
• Is he playing football today?

Another use of this tense is when talking about a planned event in the future. Examples of
this use include:
• We are leaving for the beach tomorrow morning.
• The kids are arriving at six o'clock.
• She is speaking at the conference this evening.

• Present continuous tense can be used in questions as well. Here are some more examples
of this use:
• Is she laughing?
• Are they listening to the teacher?
• Is the baby drinking his milk?
• Are you going?
• Present continuous tense can be used when speaking
about current trends. Examples of this use include:
• Shopping online is growing in popularity nowadays.
• The stocks are dropping constantly due to the economy.
• Today, most people are using text messages instead of
the phone.

When Not to Use Present Continuous Tense

• There are certain verbs that cannot be used in the
present continuous tense. The following verbs are non-
continuous:
• Communication: agree, promise, surprise
• Feelings: like, love, hate
• Senses: hear, see, smell, taste
• Thinking: believe, know, understand
PRESENT PERFECT
• Present Perfect - Form
• The present perfect of any verb is composed of two
elements: the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb to
have (present tense), plus the past participle of the main
verb. The past participle of a regular verb is base+ed,
e.g. played, arrived, looked and irregular verbs e.g.
seen,written,taken etc.

subject + Have/Has + V3….

• Example: to walk, present perfect
• I/You/We/They have walked.
• I/You/We/They haven't walked.
• Have I/You/We/They walked?
• He/she/it has walked.
• He/she/it hasn't walked.
• Has he/she/it walked?
• Present perfect, function
• The Present Perfect is used to indicate a link between the present and
the past. The time of the action is before now but not specified, and we
are often more interested in the result than in the action itself.
• BE CAREFUL! There may be a verb tense in your language with a
similar form, but the meaning is probably NOT the same.
• The Present Perfect is used to describe:
• An action or situation that started in the past and continues in the present.
Example: I have lived in Bristol since 1984 (= and I still do.)
• An action performed during a period that has not yet finished. Example: She
has been to the cinema twice this week (= and the week isn't over yet.)
• A repeated action in an unspecified period between the past and now.
Example: We have visited Portugal several times.
• An action that was completed in the very recent past, (expressed by 'just').
Example: I have just finished my work.
• An action when the time is not important. Example: He has read 'War and
Peace'. (the result of his reading is important)
• Note: When we want to give or ask details about when, where, who, we use
the simple past. Example: He read 'War and Peace' last week.
• Examples

1. Actions started in the past and continuing in the

present.
• They haven't lived here for years.
• She has worked in the bank for five years.
• We have had the same car for ten years.
• Have you played the piano since you were a child?

2. When the time period referred to has not finished.

• I have worked hard this week.
• It has rained a lot this year.
• We haven't seen her today.
3. Actions repeated in an unspecified period between the past and
now.
• They have seen that film six times.
• It has happened several times already.
• She has visited them frequently.
• We have eaten at that restaurant many times.

4. Actions completed in the very recent past (+just).

• Have you just finished work?
• I have just eaten.
• We have just seen her.
• Has he just left?

5. When the precise time of the action is not important or not known.
• Someone has eaten my soup!
• Have you seen 'Gone with the Wind'?
• She's studied Japanese, Russian and English.
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Present perfect continuous, function
• The present perfect continuous refers to an unspecified time between
'before now' and 'now'. The speaker is thinking about something that
started but perhaps did not finish in that period of time. He/she is
interested in the process as well as the result, and this process may still
be going on, or may have just finished.

Subject + Have/Has been + V1+ing….

The present perfect continuous is made up of two elements: the present perfect of the
verb 'to be' (have/has been), and the present participle of the main verb (base+ing).
Subject has/have been base+ing
• Affirmative
• She/He/It has been / She's been running
• Negative
• She/He/It hasn't been running
• Interrogative
• Has She/He/It been running?
• Interrogative negative
• Hasn't She/He/It been running?

• Example: to live, present perfect continuous

• Affirmative, Negative, Interrogative
• I/You/We/They have been living
• I/You/We/They haven't been living
• Have I/You/We/They been living?
• She/He/It has been living
• She/He/It hasn't been living
• Has She/He/It been living?
Examples
1. Actions that started in the past and continue in the
present.
• She has been waiting for you all day (= and she's
still waiting now).
• I've been working on this report since eight o'clock
this morning (= and I still haven't finished it).
• They have been travelling since last October (= and
they're not home yet).

2. Actions that have just finished, but we are

interested in the results:
• She has been cooking since last night (= and the
food on the table looks delicious).
• It's been raining (= and the streets are still wet).
• Someone's been eating my chips (= half of them
have gone).
 Verbs without continuous forms

With verbs not normally used in the continuous form, use

the present perfect simple. See list of these verbs under
'Present Continuous':

• I've wanted to visit China for years.

• She's known Robert since she was a child.
• I've hated that music since I first heard it.
• I've heard a lot about you recently.
• We've understood everything we've heard this morning