The Present Tense

1.1 Forming the Present Simple

What do we need to form the Present Simple?
subject + verb in basic form (infinitive) + rest of sentence

Positive form:
I	run	every day.
You	run	every day.
We	run	every day.
You	run	every day.
They	run	every day.

Maybe you’re wondering if we forgot the third person – HE / SHE / IT. We only mention it separately because we add the ending -s to the verb in its basic form:

He	runs	every day.
She	runs	every day.
It	runs	every day.

• The negative of the Present Simple is formed by adding the negative NOT before the auxiliary verb DO (I do not run every day).
• DO does not mean “doing” here, it only helps us to form the negative.
• The short form we commonly use in spoken English is DON’T
  (I don’t run every day).

Negative form:
I	don't run	every day.
You	don't run	every day.
We	don't run	every day.
You	don't run	every day.
They	don't run	every day.

• There is a change again in the third person. Instead of do not / don’t we use does not/doesn’t:
• Caution – the action verb remains in the infinitive and we no longer use the ending -s.
  • He doesn’t run every day.
  • No: He doesn’t runs every day.

He	doesn't run	every day.
She	doesn't run	every day.
It	doesn't run	every day.

• • When forming a question, we switch the subject of the sentence with the auxiliary verb DO:

Question:
Do I	run	every day?
Do you	run	every day?
Do we	run	every day?
Do you	run	every day?
Do they	run	every day?

• When forming the third person, we switch the subject of the sentence with the auxiliary verb DOES
• Caution – the action verb remains in the infinitive and we no longer use the ending -s.
  • Does he run every day?
  • Not: Does he runs severy day?

Does he	run	every day?
Does she	run	every day?
Does it	run	every day?

Very often we encounter so-called short answers. For example, to the question Do you speak English? we answer Yes, I do.

1.2 Use of the Present Simple

Now we know how to form the Present Simple. Let’s look at the situations in which we use it:

1) When we repeat an action

I visit my grandparents every weekend.

He always watches the news in the morning.

We usually eat dinner together.

2) When it comes to hobbies, attitudes and habits

She loves animals.

Does your father smoke?

3) When something is generally true

The sun rises in the morning.

Apples grow on trees.

4) When we want to express long-term activity

Where does your boyfriend live?

I work as a teacher.

5) When we want to express a feature or skill of a topic

You speak English really well!

6) When we talk about an order

The bus leaves at 5 o’clock.

The movie starts at 8 o’clock.

1.3 Adverbs related to the Present Simple

The Present Simple is characterized by frequent use of the following vocabulary. If we are not sure what tense to use, these words can help us:

• OFTEN

In a sentence OFTEN is placed before the action verb (i.e. before the verb that bears the main meaning of the sentence (for example PLAY)):

I often play tennis.

Do you often play tennis?

I don't often play tennis.

However, if the sentence contains the verb TO BE, OFTEN is placed in the positive sentence after it. In a question the adverb is placed behind the pronoun and in the negative it is placed after the NOT:

I am often tired.

Are you often tired?

I'm not often tired.

But if we want to emphasize that we do something VERY OFTEN, we put the adverb at the end of the sentence:

I play tennis very often.

Do you play tennis very often?

I don't play tennis very often.

• USUALLY, SOMETIMES, ALWAYS

All these adverbs belong before the action verb:

I usually agree with you.

Do you sometimes cook for your family at weekends?

I don't always spend so much money.

However, if the verb TO BE is in the sentence, these adverbs belong in the positive sentence after it. In a question the adverbs are behind the pronoun and in the negative they are after the NOT:

I am usually very busy.

You are sometimes very annoying.

I am not always so tired.

But if we want to emphasize these adverbs, they can also appear at the beginning of the sentence:

Usually, I agree with you.

Sometimes, I cook for my family at weekends.

Always, I spend so much money.

• NEVER

NEVER also appears before the action verb:

I never drink alcohol.

Like with other adverbs, if the verb TO BE is in the sentence, the adverb NEVER appears after it. But it is a negative adverb, so what seems to be the positive sentence at first glance is actually the negative one.

I am never tired.

• If there is a negative adverb in the English sentence, we do not put a negative NOT in the sentence.
  We don’t say: I am not never tired.
• To emphasize this adverb, the rest of the sentence is inverted::

Never have I experienced such treatment.

Never have I seen such a beautiful sight.

To put it simply, if we want to put NEVER at the beginning of a sentence, we form the rest of the sentence as if it was a question.
We don’t say: Never I have experienced such treatment. Never I have seen such a beautiful sight.

• Other adverbs

Other words that occur frequently with the Present Simple are adverbs that begin with EVERY. We usually place these adverbs at the end of the sentence. But if we want to emphasize them, we’ll place them at the beginning:

EVERY DAY

I dance every day.

Every day, I dance.

EVERY WEEK

I play the piano every week.

Every week, I play the piano.

EVERY WEEKEND

I relax every weekend.

Every weekend, I relax.

EVERY YEAR

I go abroad every year.

Every year, I go abroad.

Of course, with the word EVERY, there are many other adverbs, such as: EVERY MONTH, EVERY MONDAY, EVERY WEEKDAY, etc.

2.1 Forming the Present Continuous

What is necessary to form the Present Continuous?

subject + auxiliary verb TO BE + action verb with ending -ING

To remind you – the auxiliary verb TO BE is in the chart in the second column and depends on the person we are talking about. The action verb is in the third column and conveys the main meaning of the sentence.

Positive form:
I	am	running.
You	are	running.
He	is	running.
She	is	running.
We	are	running.
You	are	running.
They	are	running.

• We create the negative form by adding NOT to the auxiliary verb TO BE. This verb only serves as a helper to create the tense here, it does not mean to actually BE here.
• The shortened form is ISN’T or AREN’T
  She isn’t running. You aren’t running.
• But we can also say She’s not running. You’re not running.
  The meaning remains the same.

Negative form:
I	am not	running.
You	are not	running.
He	is not	running.
She	is not	running.
We	are not	running.
You	are not	running.
They	are not	running.

• We form a question by switching a subject for the auxiliary verb TO BE.

Question:
Am	I	running?
Are	you	running?
Is	he	running?
Is	she	running?
Are	we	running?
Are	you	running?
Are	they	running?

As we’ve already mentioned, we often encounter so-called short answers. For example, to the question Are you running? we might answer Yes, I am.

2.2 Use of the Present Continuous

Let’s now look at when we use the Present Continuous.

• We’re talking about something that’s happening right now

I am watching TV.

Are you watching TV?

We are not watching TV.

2.3 Adverbs related to the Present Continuous

When we are not sure which tense to use in a given situation, the words that are typical for the tense can help us to decide. These are the adverbs that are related to the Present Continuous:

• We are talking about the present

If we are talking about the present moment, we use the adverbs NOW and AT THE MOMENT. We put them at the end of the sentence.

What are you doing now?

I am writing a letter at the moment.

If we want to emphasize these adverbs, we can put them at the beginning.

Now, I am listening.

At the moment, I am concentrating.