Present Tenses

Present simple tense
Formation:
The verb with an extra’s’ if the subject is 'he', 'she', or 'it'.
Let's take the verb 'play' as an example:
Positive (of 'play')
I play
you play
he plays
she plays
it plays
we play
they play
Negative (of 'play')
I don't play
you do not play
he does not play
she does not play
it does not play
we do not play
they do not play
How about the question form of the present simple tense?
We use 'do' or 'does' before the subject to make the 'yes / no' question:
Yes / No questions
do I play ?
do you play ?
does he play ?
does she play ?
does it play ?
do we play ?
do they play ?
if you'd like to make a 'wh' question, you just put the question word at the front:
Wh Questions
where do I play ?
what do you play ?
why does he play ?
who does she play ?
when do we play ?
how do they play ?
Uses of present simple:

1: We use the present simple when something is generally or always true.
2: The next use is for habits or things that we do regularly.
3: We use the present simple to talk about the future when we are discussing a timetable
or a fixed plan.
4: We use the present simple in the first and the zero conditionals.
Ex: If it rains, we won't come.

The Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous (sometimes called the present progressive) tense in English is
really easy to make and is the same for all verbs. We make it using the present simple
of 'be' + verb-ing:
Here is how we make the positive:
Positive Positive Short Form

I am sleeping I'm sleeping
you are sleeping you're sleeping
he is sleeping he's sleeping
she is sleeping she's sleeping
it is sleeping it's sleeping
we are sleeping we're sleeping
they are sleeping they're sleeping
We can make the negative by adding 'not':
Negative Negative Short Form

I am not sleeping I'm not sleeping
you are not playing you aren't playing
he is not reading he isn't reading
she is not working she isn't working
it is not raining it isn't raining
we are not cooking we aren't cooking
they are not listening they aren't listening
'yes / no' question:
am I eating chocolate ?
are you studying now ?
is he working ?
is she doing her homework ?
is it raining ?
are we meeting at six ?
are they coming ?
For 'wh' questions, just put the question word at the front:
Wh Questions
Why am I eating chocolate ?
What are you studying now ?
When is he working ?
What is she doing ?
Why is it raining ?
Who are we meeting ?
How are they travelling ?
Uses of present continuous tense:

1: First, we use the present continuous for things that are happening at the moment of
speaking.
2: We can also use this tense for other kinds of temporary situations, even if the action
isn't happening at this moment.
Ex: I'm reading a really great book.
3: We can use the present continuous for temporary or new habits.
Ex: He's eating a lot these days.
4: The next use is for definite future arrangements (with a future time word). In
this case we have already made a plan and we are pretty sure that the event
will happen in the future.
Ex: I'm meeting my father tomorrow.
The Present Perfect Simple Tense

How to form the present perfect
make the positive present perfect tense, use:
'have' / 'has' + the past participle

- Make the past participle by adding 'ed' to regular verbs (for example, 'play'
becomes 'played')
- There are a few verbs that change their spelling when you add 'ed' (for
example, 'study' becomes 'studied')
- We also have some completely irregular verbs.
Positive Short Form

Positive
I have played I've played
you have worked you've worked
he has written he's written
she has walked she's walked
it has rained it's rained
we have travelled we've travelled
they have studied they've studied
The negative is really simple too. Just put 'not' after 'have' or 'has':
Negative Short Form

Negative
I have not eaten breakfast today I haven't eaten
you have not been to Asia you haven't been
he has not seen the new film he hasn't seen
she has not played tennis she hasn't played
it has not snowed this winter it hasn't snowed
we have not slept all night we haven't slept
they have not tried the food they haven't tried
'Yes / No' Questions

have I missed the bus?
have you visited London?
has he worked as a waiter before?
has she met John?
has it been cold this week?
have we arrived too early?
have they studied English grammar before?
for 'wh' questions, we just put the question word before 'have' or 'has':
'Wh' Questions
where have I left my umbrella?
what have you done today?
why has he gone already?
where has she been in the UK?
why has it rained so much this summer?
what have we done?
where have they learned English before?
When should I use the Present Perfect Simple

Tense
1: We use this tense when we want to talk about unfinished actions or states or
habits that started in the past and continue to the present. Usually we use it to say
'how long' and we need 'since' or 'for'.
 Ex: I've known Karen since 1994.

 She's lived in London for three years.
2: Life experience. These are actions or events that happened sometime

during a person's life. We don't say when the experience happened, and the
person needs to be alive now. We often use the words 'ever' and 'never' here.
 I have been to Tokyo.

 They have visited Paris three times.
3: With an unfinished time word (this month, this week, today). The period of
time is still continuing.
Ex: I haven't seen her this month.
4: A finished action with a result in the present (focus on result). We often use the
present perfect to talk about something that happened in the recent past, but that is
still true or important now.
Ex:
I've lost my keys (so I can't get into my house).
She's hurt her leg (so she can't play tennis today).
5: We can also use the present perfect to talk about something that happened
recently, even if there isn't a clear result in the present.
Ex: The Queen has given a speech.

I've just seen Lucy.
The present perfect continuous tense
Here's the positive:
Positive Short Form

Positive
I have been walking I've been walking
you have been running you've been running
he has been cooking he's been cooking
she has been swimming she's been swimming
it has been raining it's been raining
we have been studying we've been studying
they have been sleeping they've been sleeping
To make the negative, just add 'not':
Negative Short Form

Negative
I have not been walking I haven't been walking
you have not been running you haven't been running
he has not been cooking he hasn't been cooking
she has not been swimming she hasn't been swimming
it has not been raining it hasn't been raining
we have not been studying we haven't been studying
they have not been sleeping they haven't been sleeping
have I been walking?
have you been running?
has he been cooking?
has she been swimming?
has it been raining?
have we been studying?
have they been sleeping?
For 'wh' questions put the question word first:

what have I been doing?
where have you been running?
what has he been studying?
why has she been working today?
how long has it been raining?
how long have we been watching this film?
how long have they been living here?
Using the present perfect continuous
Unfinished actions
1: To say how long for unfinished actions which started in the past and continue to the
present. We often use this with 'for' and 'since'.
- I've been living in London for two years.

- She's been working here since 2004.
This use is very similar to how we use the present perfect simple, and often it's possible
to use either tense. Of course, with stative verbs, we can't use the present perfect
continuous.
- I've been here for hours.

- NOT: I've been being here for hours.
2: For temporary habits or situations. The action started in the past and continues to the
present in the same way as with use number 1, but we don't answer the questions
about 'how long' so clearly. Instead, we use a word like 'recently'.
- I've been going to the gym a lot recently.

- They've been living with his mother while they look for a house.
- I've been reading a lot recently.
This is very similar to the use of the present continuous for temporary habits and often
either tense is possible.
Finished actions
3: Actions which have recently stopped (though the whole action can be unfinished)
and have a result, which we can often see, hear, or feel, in the present. We don't use a
time word here.
- I'm so tired, I've been studying.

- I've been running, so I'm really hot.
- It's been raining so the pavement is wet.

Present Tenses

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Present simple tense

Negative (of 'play')

How about the question form of the present simple tense?

Uses of present simple:

2: The next use is for habits or things that we do regularly.

Ex: If it rains, we won't come.

Here is how we make the positive:

Positive Positive Short Form

We can make the negative by adding 'not':

Negative Negative Short Form

For 'wh' questions, just put the question word at the front:

Uses of present continuous tense:

Ex: I'm reading a really great book.

3: We can use the present continuous for temporary or new habits.

Ex: He's eating a lot these days.

Ex: I'm meeting my father tomorrow.

The Present Perfect Simple Tense

'have' / 'has' + the past participle

Positive Short Form

Negative Short Form

'Yes / No' Questions

When should I use the Present Perfect Simple

 Ex: I've known Karen since 1994.

2: Life experience. These are actions or events that happened sometime

 I have been to Tokyo.

Ex: I haven't seen her this month.

I've lost my keys (so I can't get into my house).

Ex: The Queen has given a speech.

Positive Short Form

To make the negative, just add 'not':

Negative Short Form

For 'wh' questions put the question word first:

'Yes / No' Questions

- I've been living in London for two years.

- I've been here for hours.

- I've been going to the gym a lot recently.

- I'm so tired, I've been studying.

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