Unit 1 Grammar Present Tenses

Present tenses

Present simple: is used to refer to habitual or routine actions:

Most people work from 9.00 a.m to 5 p.m and have three or four weeks' holiday a year.

My father leaves home at 7 o'clock and commutes to work.

The present simple is also used to refer to facts that are always true:

Water boils at 100 ºC.

Time expressions used with present simple verbs

These are some of the expressions of time and frequency used with simple present verbs:

always, every day/week, etc., every so often, most weekends, never, occasionally, often, rarely, sometimes, twice a week, usually.

Notice where these words and phrases can be used in sentences:

•                     I always / hardly ever / never / occasionally / rarely / sometimes / usually wear bright clothes.

•                     Every day / Every so often / Most weekends / Occasionally / Sometimes / Usually I wear bright clothes.

•                     I wear bright clothes every day / every so often / most weekends / occasionally / sometimes / usually.

Present continuous: is used to refer to current trends or on-going situations:

We're staying with friends while our house is repaired.

I'm reading War and Peace at present.

The present continuous is also used to refer to actions taking place at the moment of speaking:

Paul's cooking lunch at the moment. Could you please ring back this afternoon, please?

Time expressions used with present continuous verbs

These are some of the expressions of time and frequency used with present continuous verbs:

at present, at the moment, currently, now, this week, today

Currently, they're working on new antibiotics.

Notice where these words and phrases can be used in sentences:

•                     My sister is currently / now appearing in a new production of a Shakespeare play.

•                     Currently, / At present, / At the moment / This week / Today my sister is appearing in a new production of a Shakespeare play.

•                     My sister is appearing in a new production of a Shakespeare play at present / at the moment / this week / today.

NOTE: Always can be used with present continuous verbs to mean “again and again” or “too frequently”.

I'm always losing my keys.

Verbs which are not normally used in the continuous form

The following groups of verbs, which describe states or conditions rather than actions are not normally used in the continuous form:

Verbs referring to

being	having	opinions	feelings	senses
appear, seem, exist, consist of, look, mean, resemble	own, belong, contain, hold, possess, have	agree, believe, disagree, expect, hope, know, realize, think, understand	dislike, fear, hate, like, love, regret, respect, trust	feel, hear, taste, see, smell

NOTE:

Many of these verbs can also be used to refer to actions. In this case, they can be used in the continuous form. Examples:

I have three brothers (have=a state verb) / I'm having a shower (have=an action verb)

She expects to ger that job (expect=a state verb) / She's expecting a baby (expect= an action verb)