PRESENT SIMPLE:

We are going to start with Present Simple, as it is the base form of the tenses in English. There are some important questions that we have to answer to know everything about a tense. What do we use PRESENT SIMPLE for? We use the present simple to talk about routines, actions that we normally do in a day, week or just in life. E.g: I live in Burgos. I like chips. I wake up at 8 oclock How do we form the PRESENT SIMPLE? Well.. here we have to be careful because there are three types of sentences: Affirmative, negative and interrogative. That means that there are three different constructions :

Affirmative: SUBJECT + VERB* + COMPLEMENTS

We have to be careful with the verb, because if its third person (he/she/it) we have to add an s or es at the end of the verb. So be careful because this is one of the WORST mistakes.

Negative: SUBJECT DONT/DOESNT VERB COMPLEMENTS

Ok, here we have a problem... we need to and not to the sentences because that what we want to say, that we NO do something. You dont have to forget that to say no we need an auxiliary verb (in most of the cases) and in present simple the auxiliary verb is DO. So, we put not together with do, and the result is Dont, but if its the third person, we need to add an s but where?!... again to the auxiliary not to the main verb!

Interrogative: (WH) DO/DOES SUBJECT VERB* COMPLEM.

As I always say, in interrogative sentences the subject and the verb change places, as a result we have the auxiliary before the subject. Dont forget to take into account if it is third person or not and add the s. And finally, if we have a Wh- word it cames at the beginning. Which words are going to help us to know if it is a PRESENT SIMPLE tense? In most of the exercises, exams etc you will do at class, you are going to be asked to write the

correct form of the verb in brackets. That means that you have to know the structure of the tense and when do we use it or what do we use it for. We have already know those two aspects, but sometimes we still dont know which one is the correct one. Fortunately, there are some keywords that helps us. Here you have some of them for the PRESENT SIMPLE: Adverbs of frequency: always, usually, often, sometimes, hardly ever, never. ( Their collocation in the sentence is between the subject and the verb).E.g: I usually go swimming in the afternoons. Frequency expressions: every day/week/year. on Tuesdays and Thursdays etc (Be careful because these expressions comes at the end of the sentences) Tip: The longest expressions comes at the end.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS:
Once we know the Present Simple, we can continue with the Present Continuos. Lets answer the same questions. What do we use PRESENT CONTINUOUS for? We use the present continuous to talk about actions that is being made at the same time we are talking. E.g. I cant talk to you now, Im driving. How do we form the PRESENT SIMPLE? Ok, we have to bare in mind that in present continuous tenses we have to write or say; first of all the verb to be, and secondly the -ing suffix. Affirmative: SUBJECT + VERB* + COMPLEMENTS

We have to be careful with the verb, because if its third person (he/she/it) we have to add an s or es at the end of the verb. So be careful because this is one of the WORST mistakes. Negative: SUBJECT DONT/DOESNT VERB COMPLEMENTS

Ok, here we have a problem... we need to and not to the sentences because that what we want to say, that we NO do something. You dont have to forget that to say no we need an auxiliary verb (in most of the cases) and in present simple the auxiliary verb is DO. So, we put not together with do, and the result is Dont, but if its the third person, we need to add an s but where?!... again to the auxiliary not to the main verb!

Interrogative: (WH) DO/DOES SUBJECT VERB* COMPLEM.

As I always say, in interrogative sentences the subject and the verb change places, as a result we have the auxiliary before the subject. Dont forget to take into account if it is third person or not and add the s. And finally, if we have a Wh- word it cames at the beginning. Which words are going to help us to know if it is a PRESENT SIMPLE tense? In most of the exercises, exams etc you will do at class, you are going to be asked to write the correct form of the verb in brackets. That means that you have to know the structure of the tense and when do we use it or what do we use it for. We have already know those two aspects, but sometimes we still dont know which one is the correct one. Fortunately, there are some keywords that helps us. Here you have some of them for the PRESENT SIMPLE: Adverbs of frequency: always, usually, often, sometimes, hardly ever, never. ( Their collocation in the sentence is between the subject and the verb).E.g: I usually go swimming in the afternoons. Frequency expressions: every day/week/year. on Tuesdays and Thursdays etc (Be careful because these expressions comes at the end of the sentences) Tip: The longest expressions comes at the end.