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Webex Present Tenses

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20 views10 pages

Webex Present Tenses

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spiman0
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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PRESENT TENSES

PRESENT SIMPLE
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
The simple present
• The simple present (also called present simple or present indefinite) is a
verb tense which is used to show repetition, habit or generalization. Less
commonly, the simple present can be used to talk about scheduled
actions in the near future and, in some cases, actions happening now.
Read on for detailed descriptions, examples, and simple present
exercises.
• Simple Present Forms
• The simple present is just the base form of the verb. Questions are made
with do and negative forms are made with do not.
• Statement: You speak English.
• Question: Do you speak English?
• Negative: You do not speak English.
• In the third person singular, -s or -es is added. Questions are made
with does and negative forms are made with does not.
• Statement: He speaks English.
• Question: Does he speak English?
• Negative: He does not speak English.
Simple Present Uses I
• USE 1 Repeated Actions
• Use the simple present 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.
• Examples:
• I play tennis.
• She does not play tennis.
• Does he play tennis?
• The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.
• The train does not leave at 9 AM.
• When does the train usually leave?
• She always forgets her purse.
• He never forgets his wallet.
• Every twelve months, the Earth circles the Sun.
• Does the Sun circle the Earth?
Simple Present Uses II
• USE 2 Facts or Generalizations
• The simple present can also indicate the speaker believes that a
fact was true before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It
is not important if the speaker is correct about the fact. It is also
used to make generalizations about people or things.
• Examples:
• Cats like milk.
• Birds do not like milk.
• Do pigs like milk?
• California is in America.
• California is not in the United Kingdom.
• Windows are made of glass.
• Windows are not made of wood.
• New York is a small city. It is not important that this fact is untru
Simple Present Uses III
• USE 3 Scheduled Events in the Near Future
• Speakers occasionally use simple present to talk about scheduled events in the near future. This is
most commonly done when talking about public transportation, but it can be used with other
scheduled events as well.
• Examples:
• The train leaves tonight at 6 PM.
• The bus does not arrive at 11 AM, it arrives at 11 PM.
• When do we board the plane?
• The party starts at 8 o'clock.
• When does class begin tomorrow?

• USE 4 Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)


• Speakers sometimes use the simple present to express the idea that an action is happening or is not
happening now. This can only be done with non-continuous verbs and certain mixed verbs.
• Examples:
• I am here now.
• She is not here now.
• He needs help right now.
• He does not need help now.
• He has his passport in his hand.
• Do you have your passport with you?
The present continuous
• The present continuous (also called present progressive) is
a verb tense which is used to show that an ongoing action
is happening now, either at the moment of speech or now
in a larger sense. The present continuous can also be used
to show that an action is going to take place in the near
future. Read on for detailed descriptions, examples, and
present continuous exercises.
• Present Continuous Forms
• The present continuous is formed using am/is/are +
present participle. Questions are indicated by inverting
the subject and am/is/are. Negatives are made with not.
• Statement: You are watching TV.
• Question: Are you watching TV?
• Negative: You are not watching TV.
Present Continuous Uses I
• USE 1 Now
• Use the present continuous with normal verbs to express the idea
that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also
be used to show that something is not happening now.
• Examples:
• You are learning English now.
• You are not swimming now.
• Are you sleeping?
• I am sitting.
• I am not standing.
• Is he sitting or standing?
• They are reading their books.
• They are not watching television.
• What are you doing?
• Why aren't you doing your homework?
Present Continuous Uses II
• USE 2 Longer Actions in Progress Now
• In English, "now" can mean: this second, today, this month, this year, this century, and so
on. Sometimes, we use the present continuous to say that we are in the process of doing a
longer action which is in progress; however, we might not be doing it at this exact second.
• Examples: (All of these sentences can be said while eating dinner in a restaurant.)
• I am studying to become a doctor.
• I am not studying to become a dentist.
• I am reading the book Tom Sawyer.
• I am not reading any books right now.
• Are you working on any special projects at work?
• Aren't you teaching at the university now?

• USE 3 Near Future


• Sometimes, speakers use the present continuous to indicate that something will or will not
happen in the near future.
• Examples:
• I am meeting some friends after work.
• I am not going to the party tonight.
• Is he visiting his parents next weekend?
• Isn't he coming with us tonight?
Present Continuous Uses III
• USE 4 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"
• The present continuous with words such as "always" or
"constantly" expresses the idea that something irritating
or shocking often happens. Notice that the meaning is
like simple present, but with negative emotion.
Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly"
between "be" and "verb+ing."
• Examples:
• She is always coming to class late.
• He is constantly talking. I wish he would shut up.
• I don't like them because they are always
complaining.
Websites with useful tasks
• https://
www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs1.ht
m

• https://
www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs2.ht
m
• https://
learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-gr
ammar-reference/talking-about-present

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