Present Tenses

Present Simple

Robert plays football for a small team in Birmingham.

facts & permanent states

It rarely rains in the desert.

general thruts & laws of nature

He usually trains for 5 hours a day.

habits & routines (with always, usually, etc)

The next match starts at 5:30 next Sunday.

timetables & programmes (in the future)

Robert takes the ball, passes it to Ben and

scores.sporting commentaries, reviews & narrations

The fans love him. He is a very good player.

feelings & emotions

usually, often, always, every day / week / month / year, in the morning / afternoon / evening, at night / the weekend, on Fridays etc.

TIME EXPRESSIONS

Present Continuous

Arthur is learning how to ski this week.

actions taking place at or around the moment of speaking

We are staying at an expensive hotel at the

moment.temporary situations

Our friends are visiting us tomorrow.

fixed arrangements in the near future

The team is playing better and better all the time.

currently changing & developing situations

They are always talking in class.

with adverbs such always to express anger or irritation at a repeated action

now, at the moment, at present, these days, nowadays, still, today, tonight etc.

TIME EXPRESSIONS

Stative Verbs

You look gorgeous today.

verbs of the senses (see, hear, smell, taste, feel, look, sound, seem, appear, etc)

They know what to do.

verbs of perception (know, believe, understand, realise, remember, forget, etc)

Susan prefers to go to the theatre than to the

cinema.verbs which express feelings & emotions (like, love, hate, enjoy, prefer, detest, desire, want, etc)

The tour includes meals and

transportation.some other verbs (be, contain, include, belong, fit, need, matter, cost, own, want, owe, weigh, wish, have, keep, etc)

BE

a permanent characteristic

a temporary condition

She’s usually quite honest.

She isn’t being very honest.

THINK

= believe = are considering

I think they will win the championship this year.

They are thinking of buying a laptop.

HAVE

= own, possess= 1) are experiencing 2) is taking 3) are eating

They have a good coach.

They are having a wonderful season.

He is having a bath. They are having their

breakfast now.

SEE

= 1) it is visible 2) understand

= is meeting

I can see the tower from here.

I can see what you are trying to do.

Kelly is seeing her boss at one o’clock.

TASTE

= it is, has the flavour of

= is testing

The cake tastes fruity. Mum is tasting the food to check if it’s too salty.

SMELL

= has the aroma = is sniffing

The cake smells very good.

Aunt Vicky is smelling the roses.

APPEAR

= seem to = is performing

They appear to be tired.

My favourite actor is appearing in this play.

FIT

= is the right size = are installing

This dress fits me very well.

The technicians are fitting the new scoreboards at the stadium.

EXPECT

= think = anticipate

I don’ expect you like this, but I’m leaving the company.

I’ve been expecting you to arrive since 8 o’clock this morning.

Present Perfect

We have been to the stadium twice.

an action happened at unstated time in the past; the time is unimprotant or unknown

They have known them for five years.

an action started in the past and continues up to the present, especially with stative verbs

John has cleaned the house.

a recently sompleted action, when the event is still relevant or is still news

She has lost five kilos.

personal experiences & changes

We have typed five letters today.

an action happened within a specific time period which is not over at the moment of speaking (today, this morning / evening / week / month, etc)

A new zoo for endangered species has opened in the

Lake District. It took five years to build and runs

entirely on solar energy.general news or information, followed by more detail using the past simple

She has gone to school.(= She’s on her way there or she’s there now. She hasn’t come back yet)

She has been to Chicago.( = She has visited Chicago but she isn’t there now. She has come back.)

She has been in Japan for two years. (= She lives in Japan now.)

HAVE BEEN or HAVE GONE

for, since, already, always, just, ever, never, so far, today, this week / month, how long, lately, recently, still, yet, by now, etc.

TIME EXPRESSIONS

Present Perfect Continuous

They have been playing well the

whole match.to put emaphasis on the duration of an action which started in the past and continues up to the present

He’s sweating because he has been running all day.

an action which started in the past and lasted for some time; it may still be continuing or have already finished with the result visible in the present

Somebody has been using my computer.

to express anger, irritation or annoyance

They are very likely to win the cup because they have

been training a lot.for repeated actions in the past continuing to the present

for, since, how long, all day / morning / month, lately, recently, etc.

TIME EXPRESSIONS