Handout 1

Lect. univ. dr.
Roxana Mihele
Handout 1 – Tenses: Present Simple & Present Continuous

In English we have 3 main verbal forms:
V1- the Short Infinitive V2- the Past Simple V3- the Past Participle
form form form
work worked worked →regular verbs (V1+ed)
eat ate eaten →irregular verbs
Based on these 3 forms and with the use of the auxiliary verbs TO BE, TO HAVE and TO DO we get all the
basic verbal “tenses” (12). They are formed by a combination of Tense (Past, Present, Future) and Aspect
(Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous).
Tense+Aspect→ Simple Continuous Perfect Perfect

↓ Continuous
Past
Present
Future
Present Simple Present Continuous

Formula rd
V1+(e)s→3 person singular TO BE (present simple) + V1 + ing
Verbal I work I am working
forms, You work You are working
Spelling He/she/it works He/she is working
We work We are working
You work You are working
They work They are working
Do I work? Am I working?
Do you work? Are you working?
Does he/she/it work? Is he/she/it working?
Do we work? Are we working?
Do you work? Are you working?
Do they work? Are they working?
I don’t work I’m not working

You don’t work You aren’t working
He/she/it doesn’t work He/she/it isn’t working
We don’t work We aren’t working
You don’t work You aren’t working
They don’t work They aren’t working
(Do+not→don’t) (is+not→isn’t)
(Does+not→doesn’t) (are+not→aren’t)
V1+es: when the verb ends in –o: I do/he V1+ing:

does; I go/He goes V1(ending in “e”)→omit the “e”: come→coming
V1+es: when the verb ends in -s,-z,-x, V1(ending in “ee”) →eeing: agree→agreeing
sh,-ch: I wash/he washes; I watch/He V1(single vowel+single consonant) →double the
1
watches consonant: run→running
V1(consonant+y) →ies: I cry/he cries V1(ending in “ic”) →”icking”: panic→panicking
die→dying tie→tying lie→lying
Types of  Habitual, recurrent, frequent  Actions taking place in the moment of

action/states action: e.g. Every morning I wake speaking: e.g. Tom is watching a movie at
shown up at 7 o’clock. the moment.
 Permanent state: e.g. I live in  Actions taking place over a limited
Cluj. period of time in the present (maybe
 Generally valid truths, scientific not right in the moment of speaking):
laws: e.g. The Sun rises in the e.g. Usually Tom washes the dishes, but
east. today I am washing them.
 A future action as part of an  A future action seen as a personal plan
official program/schedule: e.g. to do something: e.g. I am leaving for
The plane lands at 9 p.m. (va Bucharest tonight. (am de gând să plec)
ateriza)
Adverbs always, usually, often, frequently, never, at the moment, now, currently, this…(Monday,
every…./each… (day, week, month, week, year), tonight, today
year, Tuesday, night), sometimes
Present Perfect &Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Present Perfect Continuous

Formula TO HAVE (present simple) + V3 TO BE (present perfect) + V1+ing
Verbal I have worked I have been working
forms, You have worked You have been working
spelling He/She/It has worked He/she/it has been working
We have worked We have been working
You have worked You have been working
They have worked They have been working
Have I worked? Have I been working?

Have you worked? Have you been working?
Has he/she/it worked? Has he/she/it been working?
Have we worked? Have we been working?
Have you worked? Have you been working?
Have they worked? Have they been working?
I haven’t worked I haven’t been working

You haven’t worked You haven’t been working
He/she/it hasn’t worked He/she/it hasn’t been working
We haven’t worked We haven’t been working
You haven’t worked You haven’t been working
They haven’t worked They haven’t been working
Types of  This tense makes the connection  Action/ state of duration which began in
action between the past and the the past and continues in the present,
shown present. We don’t know exactly maybe even in the future: e.g. I have
when the action takes place, the been learning English since I was seven
time reference is not defined. It years old.
2
is generally used in  As compared to the present perfect
conversations. (see past Simple which emphasizes a finished action, the
for contrast) present perfect continuous emphasizes
 Action begun and finished in the continuity: e.g. I have been painting
the past with results in the this room. (action not finished) vs I have
present: e.g. I have read this painted the room. (action finished, I see
book before. (I know what it is the result).
about)
 Action begun in the past and
continuing to the present
moment: e.g. I have waited for
you since 2 o’clock.
 Action finished in the very
recent past: e.g. Tom has just
entered the room.
 To show the frequency of an
action from the past to the
present moment: e.g. I have
visited London twice so far.
Adverbs already, yet, just, since, for, lately, so far, for, since
ever, never, once, twice, three times.. (for - the whole period of time; since - the
beginning of the period of time)

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Lect. univ. dr.

Handout 1 – Tenses: Present Simple & Present Continuous

Tense+Aspect→ Simple Continuous Perfect Perfect

Present Simple Present Continuous

I don’t work I’m not working

V1+es: when the verb ends in –o: I do/he V1+ing:

Types of  Habitual, recurrent, frequent  Actions taking place in the moment of

Present Perfect &Present Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Present Perfect Continuous

Have I worked? Have I been working?

I haven’t worked I haven’t been working

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