PRESENT SIMPLE

FORMATION

AffirmativeI / You / We / They base formHe / She / It base form + s

We ride our bikes on Sundays. She teaches English.

-o, -s, -sh, -ch, -x

spelling

+ -es

-y + -s

+ -ies

vocal + y

consonante+ y

NegativeI / You / We / They don’t + base form

He / She / It doesn’t + base form

We don’t go walking.She doesn’t teach French.

InterrogativeDo I / You / We / They base form ?

Does He / She / It base form ?

Do you ride your bike? Does she teach French?

Yes, I do. No, she doesn’t.

USES

For a general statement.

To express a future action about which a decision has already been taken.

I come to the class every day.

She speaks French.

He always sleeps with his window open.

The earth moves around the sun.

His family come from Wales.

For a habitual, permanent or repeated action.

My train leaves at 6:30.

I have a Maths test next week.

TIME EXPRESSIONS

Once / twice / three times a day, a week, a year, ….

Frequency adverbs: always, usually, generally, often, seldom, hardly ever, never.

Every day, night, week, year, ….

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

FORMATION

Affirmative Present Simple TO BE + base form–ing

I am playing

You / We / They are playing

He / She / It is playing

We are riding our bikes today.

ending in -e

spellinge + -ing

monosyllabic verbs ending in vowel + cons

make - making

double the final consonant

run - running

ending in -ie change to –y + -ing

tie - tying

NegativePresent Simple TO BE + NOT + base

form–ingI’m not playing

You / We / They aren’t playing

He / She / It isn’t playing

We aren’t walking.

InterrogativeAm I playing?

Are you / we / they playing?

Is he / she / it playing?

Are you riding your bike?

Yes, I am.

USES

For an incomplete action that is happening in this period of time, although not necessarily now.

For an action we are sure it is going to happen as it has been planned in advance.

I am listening to music now.

We are redecorating our house this year.

For an action that is happening at the moment.

Tomorrow she is moving to a

new flat.

TIME EXPRESSIONS

These days, this year, nowadays, etc.

Now, at present, at the moment, etc.

Tonight, tomorrow, next in a minute, in a couple of days, etc.

Present simple

vs

Present continuous

USESPRESENT SIMPLE

For a habitual, permanent or repeated action.

For a general statement.

To express a future action about which a decision has already been taken.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

For an action that is happening at the moment.

For an incomplete action that is happening in this period of time, although not necessarily now.

For an action we are sure it is going to happen as it has been planned in advance.

PRESENT SIMPLE/ PRESENT CONTINUOUS

PRESENT SIMPLEPRESENT

CONTINUOUS

I usually go to school by bus, but today I’m driving my own car.

STATIVE VERBS

They are verbs which cannot be used in continuous: there is no action to show.

They are verbs that describe states: conditions or situations, NOT actions.

They describe:

Mental states: know, understand, believe, feel, remember, forget, think, want, mean, …

Emotional states: love, like, hate, prefer, mind, …

Possessions: possess, own, belong, have

Sense perceptions: taste, smell, see, hear

Other states: cost, weigh, be, look, seem, appear, sound, consist of, …

Double meaning verbs

Verbs which change meaning in continuous and simple forms

think

look / appear

stative verb

continuous

stative verb

To have an opinion

I think you are very lucky!

continuous

To be in a process of considering things

He is thinking about getting divorce.

To have a particular appearance / seem

You look sad.

Turn eyes towards sth, so that you can see it

She is looking in the mirror.

Double meaning verbs

see

admire

stative verb

continuous

stative verb

Notice someone or sth using your eyes

She sees a plane in the sky

continuous

Meet or visit someone by arrangement

I’m seeing my grandma next Sunday.

To have a good opinion of sth / smb

A lot of people admire Mother Teresa

Look at with appreciation

She is admiring the picture

Double meaning verbs

have

taste

stative verb

continuous

stative verb

own Pinocchio has a long nose

continuous

Have breakfast, lunch, …Have coffeeHave a good time

I’m having a sandwich for breakfast.

Have a particular flavour

Coffee tastes better with a friend

Eat or drink sth and to experience its flavour

She is tasting the soup.

Listening

Watch this video and try to copy the verbs they are using and explain why they are using those tenses.