Present Tenses.

By; Abril Teran, Oliverio Llobet, Trinidad Porretti and Marcos Okecki.

Formula\Structure;

Present SimplePositive; Negative;

I\You\We\They

+verb in infinitive

I\You\We\They

+don’t + verb in infinitive

He\She\It +verb in infinitive +”S”

He\She\It +doesn’t +verb in infinitive

Keywords; often, always, never, every (day, month, year), usually, sometimes, seldom, generally, normally, on (mondays, tuesday, wednesday…), irst....then…

Ex: I generally look for my brother from school

Questions: WH+do (I, You, We, They)/does (He, She, It)+Subject+Verb in infinitive

1. We use the present simple to express an action that is repeated or usual. It can be a habit, routine, a scheduled event or a hobby.

Ex: I play hockey every Tuesday.

2. We use the present simple to express facts. It is also used to make generalizations about people or things.

Ex: The sun rises in the east.

3. We use the present simple to express scheduled events in the near future.

Ex: The plane leaves tonight.

4. We use present simple to express a sequence of actions in the present

Ex: First I get up, then I have breakfast.

5. We use the present simple to express instructions

Ex: Open the box and take out the medicine.

Uses

6. We use the present simple for headlines (newspapers)

Ex: Macri visits France

7. We use the present simple for narratives

Ex: At the beginning of the story a big spaceship comes to Earth.

8. We use the present simple for summaries.

Ex: 1945-England attacks Germany.

Present ContinuousKeywords;now, at present, at this/the moment, any longer, still, even now, any more, no longer, always

Ex: At the present I am doing a cooking course

Formula\Structure;

Positive; Negative;

He\She\It +is +verb + ING He\She\It +isn’t + verb in infinitive + ING

I +am +verb + ING I +am not + verb in infinitive + ING

You\We\They

+are +verb + ING You\We\They

+aren’t +verb in infinitive + ING

Questions: WH+are (you, we, they)/is (He, She, It)/am (I)+Subject+Verb ING

Present ContinuousUses;1. We use the present continuous to express actions.Ex: I am reading a book at the moment.2. We use the present continuous to express processes/trends.Ex: The number of accidents is growing. 3. We use the present continuous to express temporary actions.Ex: My mother is working in Italy this month.4. We use the present continuous to express annoyance.Ex: I am forever picking up your clothes.5. We use the present continuous for narratives (to describe

background scenes of the environment)Ex: Peter enters and meets Jane. She is preparing dinner.6. We use the present continuous to express plans fixed in the near future.Ex: She is going to Rome on Saturday.

Present Perfect Keywords;already, yet, ever, never, just, for, since, so far, up to now, not yet, lately and recently

Ex: I have just eaten a hamburger.

Formula\Structure;

Positive; Negative;

He\She\It

+has +verb in past participle

He\She\It +hasn’t(has not)

+verb in past participle

I\You\We\They

+have +verb in past participle

I\You\We\They

+haven’t(have not)

+verb in past participle

Questions: WH+Has(she, he, it)/Have (I, you, we, they)+ Subject+Verb in past participle

1. We use the present perfect to express an action in an unspecific moment of the past with has results in the present.

Ex: I have cleaned my room (it is clean now).

2. We use the present perfect to express experiences.

Ex: I have been to Tokyo.

3. We use the present perfect to express a state beginning in the past and still continuing.

Ex: I have known Catherine since 2009.

4. We use the present perfect to express actions that finished recently.

Ex: I have just seen Lucy.

Present PerfectUses;

Present Perfect Continuous

Keywords;for, since, all day.

Ex: She has been in this school for 2 years

Positive; Negative;

He\She\It has +been +verb+ING

He\She\It +hasn’t been +verb+ING

I\You\we\they

have +been +verb+ING

I\You\we\they

+haven’t been +verb+ING

Questions: WH+has (he, she,it)/have(I, you, we, they)+ subject+ been+ verb in ING

Present Perfect ContinuousUses;

1. We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued to the present (has a duration).

Ex: I have been living in London for two years.

2. We use the Present Perfect Continuous to express temporary habits or situations.

Ex: I have been reading a lot recently.

3. We use the Present Perfect Continuous to express finished actions with a duration.

Ex: I'm so tired, I have been studying.