THE PRESENT SIMPLE

FORMS
1. Affirmative Form = Short Infinitive (to)
Examples: We study English.
These gentlemen come from Spain.

!!! In the 3rd person singular (he, she, it) we add an -(e)s to the verb:
Examples: My husband works in a multinational company.
That lady teaches piano to small children.

2. Negative Form = don't / doesn't + Vb I

Examples: I don't speak German.
Students don't study as much as they should.
Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn't play in action movies anymore.

3. Interrogative Form = Do / Does + Subject + Vb I

Examples: Do you smoke?
Do your students have classes on Saturdays?
Does the Romanian President speak any foreign languages?

!!! Short answers (“Yes / No” type) follow the rule: Adverb + Pronoun Subject + Do(es)/Do(es)n't
Examples: Do you smoke? > Yes, I do. / Yes, I smoke. / Yes, I do smoke.
Do your students have classes on Saturdays? > Yes, they do.
> Yes, my students have.
> Yes, they have.
Does the Romanian President speak any foreign languages? > Yes, he does.
> Yes, the President speaks.
> Yes, he speaks.

USES
 We use the Present Simple to talk about repeated actions or habits.
Examples: I have a shower every morning.
Most evenings my parents stay at home and watch TV.
What time does Kate finish work?
Do you go to the theatre very often?
  We use the Present Simple to talk about situations which are permanent (continuing for a long period of
time)
Examples: Mr. and Mrs. Shaw live in Bristol. (That is their permanent home.)

 We use the Present Simple to talk about general truths.

Examples: Vegetarians don't eat meat or fish.
In our country it doesn't snow in summer.
Water boils at 100 oC and freezes at 0 oC.

 We use the Present Simple to talk about future events which are part of a fixed timetable or fixed
programme.
Examples: What time does your plane leave tomorrow?
Next summer the workshops begin on 25th July and end on 10th September.
 THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

FORMS
1. Affirmative Form = TO BE + Vb-ing
Examples: I am listening to the teacher.
Those gentlemen are looking at us.
We are taking piano lessons this semester.

2. Negative Form = am not / are not / is not + Verb-ing

Examples: I'm not listening to you anymore.
She isn't going to school this week.
He's not doing his homework, he's playing computer games.

3. Interrogative Form = TO BE + subject + Vb-ing

Examples: Are you listening to me?
Why is she talking to that girl?
Where are we having lunch?

!!! Short answers (“Yes / No”) follow the rule: Adverb + Pronoun Subject + TO BE (auxiliary)

Examples: Are you listening to me? > Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.
Isn't she going to school this week? > Yes, she is. / No, she isn't.
> Yes, she is going. / No, she isn't going.
> Yes, she goes. / No, she doesn't go.
Are they going to the conference this afternoon?
> Yes, they are. / Yes, they are going. / Yes, they go.

!!! There are some verbs which don't have a continuous aspect:

 modals

 verbs of intellect (to know, to understand etc.), feeling (to (dis)like, to fear, to respect, to appreciate
etc.) and perception (to taste, to smell, to see, to hear, to feel *)
* the verbs of perception reject the continuous aspect only when they express an innate
feature. When they refer to a mere activity, they can always be continuous.

Examples: Can / Do you see that man over there? He's my new boyfriend. – Oh, you're seeing him?

 The verbs to be and to have are not usually used in continuous forms (being and having) when they
are a main verb with their basic meaning (be = 'to exist', have = 'to possess'):
Examples: These people are among the most disadvantaged in society. (not 'are being')
They have a loving family to look after them. (not 'are having')
  To be and to have are sometimes used as a main verb with a different meaning in a continuous form
to emphasise a temporary state or action:

Examples: She's having a shower at the moment – can she call you back? (= 'showering')
We're having a great time here in New York. (= 'enjoying our visit')
I feel you're not being entirely honest with me. (= 'you're keeping something from me')

 Being + Adjective is only used with adjectives which describe an attitude or behaviour (honest,
patient, etc.), not those describing feelings (happy, sad, etc.).
Examples: My boss is being awkward about giving me time off. (= 'behaving in an awkward way')

USES
 We use the Present Continuous to talk about actions which happen over a determined period of time,
or on a particular occasion (as opposed to a general situation or event).
Examples: They are taking piano classes this semester.
Most evenings my parents stay at home and watch TV, but tonight they are going out.

 We use the Present Continuous with Adverbs of frequency (always, never, forever etc.) to talk about
situations which annoy or upset us.
Examples: My big brother is always telling me what to do. → it annoys me
My big brother always tells me what to do. → I'm okay with it

 We use the Present Continuous for future to talk about personal plans. In these cases, we often use
time expressions.
Examples: We're visiting some friends in Scotland next weekend.
You're not going to school tomorrow, are you?
I'm going out with my friends on Saturday.

!!! Never mistake the verb GO the Present Continuous (am/are/is going) for the expression BE GOING
TO (meaning 'to intend', 'to plan').
Examples: I'm going to a ballet performance tonight. → it's already been arranged
I'm going to see a ballet performance. → I intend to, but it has not been set yet
 THE PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

FORMS

1. Affirmative Form: HAVE / HAS + Past Participle (Vb. III)

'VE / 'S

Examples: We have been here since 2 o'clock.

Paul has studied English for two months.

2. Negative Form: HAVEN'T / HASN'T + Past Participle

Examples: They haven't seen each other for ages.

I've never heard such nonsense.

The astronaut hasn't walked since he went into space six months ago.

3. Interrogative Form: HAVE / HAS + Subject + Past Participle

Examples: Have you heard the news?

Have they already arrived?

Has anyone seen the teacher?

!!! Short answers (“Yes / No” type) follow the rule: Adverb + Pronoun Subject + Have(n't)/Has(n't)

Examples: Have you ever eaten coconuts? > Yes, I have. / Yes, I have eaten. / Yes, I did.

Have your students sat the exam already? > Yes, they have. / Yes, they did.

Has Mary come in yet? > No, she hasn't. / No, she didn't. / No, she hasn't come.

USES

 We use the Present Perfect Simple to talk about actions which happen at an unspecified time.

Examples: – Are you learning any languages? – Yes, I've begun to learn English.

I have told them the news.

 We use the Present Perfect Simple to talk about actions whose ‘author’ is still alive, and we use the Past
Tense Simple when the subject is no longer able to perform any actions.

Examples: The headmaster, Mr. Shaw, has written a letter to my parents.

George Bernard Shaw wrote many plays.

  We use the Present Perfect Simple to express a past action which has results / consequences in the
present time. In most cases, the verb is not accompanied by an adverb of time. [THE RESULTATIVE
PERFECT]

Examples: John has been in a car crash. → his car is damaged, he is hurt

– What happened to you? – I slipped on the ice and I've broken my leg. → my leg is
broken at present

results, events, consequences

past event now

THE RESULTATIVE PERFECT

 We use the Present Perfect Simple to talk about an event which begins in the past and extends over a
period of time up to the present. The time reference is always expressed by SINCE or FOR. [THE
CONTINUATIVE PERFECT]

Examples: We haven't seen each other for ages. → for + period of time

They have been here since 2 o'clock. → since + the beginning of the action

since
now

past for
THE CONTINUATIVE PERFECT

 We use the Present Perfect Simple to talk about events which have / have not happened in the speaker's
experience up to the present moment. We always use adverbials / phrases such as: never, before, always,
it's the first / second / third time, and so on. [THE PERFECT OF EXPERIENCE]

Examples: – Have you ever been abroad? – Yes, I have. I went to Italy twice, in 2003 and in 2007.

I have never missed school. → Present Perfect: I'm still in school.

I never missed school. → Past Tense: I'm no longer a student.

past event(s) now

THE PERFECT OF EXPERIENCE

  We use the Present Perfect Simple to talk about events which happened in the recent past. This is shown
by adverbials or expressions such as: just, recently, lately, not yet, in recent years and so on. [THE
RECENT PERFECT]

Examples: They've just returned from their trip around Europe.

I haven't seen Paul lately. Is he O.K.?

recent event(s) now

THE RECENT PERFECT

 We use the Present Perfect Simple in temporal clauses, when the event in the temporal clause is
completed before the present/future event in the main clause begins. Tag phrases: as soon as, when,
after, not until and so on.

Examples: The students may leave the room as soon as they have finished the test.

You will get desserts only after you've finished your meals.

temporal clause main clause

past now
 THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

FORMS

1. Affirmative Form = HAVE / HAS + BEEN + Vb.-ing

'VE / 'S

Examples: We’ve been waiting since 2 o'clock.

Paul has been studying English for two months

2. Negative Form = HAVEN'T / HASN'T + BEEN + Vb.-ing

Examples: They haven't been doing their job.

She hasn’t been feeling very well lately.

3. Interrogative Form = HAVE / HAS + Subject + + BEEN + Vb.-ing

Examples: Have you been waiting for me all this time?

How long have you been living in Manchester?

!!! Short answers (“Yes / No” type) follow the rule: Adverb + Pronoun Subject + Have(n't)/Has(n't)

Examples: Has it been snowing? > Yes, it has. / Yes, it is. / Yes, it has been.

Have you been smoking? > No, I have not. / No, I haven’t. / No, I didn’t. / No, I haven’t been.

USES

 We use the Present Perfect Continuous to talk about something which started in the past and has been in
progress up to the present.

Examples: Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you for an hour!
I’ve been waiting for you since 9 a.m.!

waiting waiting waiting

9 a.m. now, 10 a.m.

 We use the Present Perfect Continuous when an action has been in progress up to the recent past,
especially when there are results in the present.

Examples: It’s been snowing. → it isn’t snowing now, but there is snow on the ground.

Have you been painting? → you aren’t painting now, but there is paint in your hair.
  We use the Present Perfect Continuous to talk about repeated actions / situations in a period up to the
present or the recent past.

Examples: They’ve been having an affair for the past six months.

She’s been taking piano lessons since April.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS vs PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

- the action may be finished or not finished; - the action is finished;

Example: I’ve been cleaning my car. Example: I’ve cleaned my car.

(perhaps I’m still cleaning it) (it’s all nice and shiny)

- how long something has been in progress; - what has been achieved in a period of time;

Example: I’ve been walking all morning. Example: I’ve walked 6 km so far this morning.

- situations which are more temporary (continuing - situations which are more permanent (continuing for a
for a short time); longer time);

Example: He’s been living there for just a Example: He’s always lived there.
few weeks.

Sometimes, there is little difference between the two tenses:

How long has she been working for the company?

How long has she worked for the company?

I’ve been teaching English for a number of years.

I’ve taught English for a number of years.