Present Tense.: The Simple Present of The Verb To Be

ALDAIR MARTIN ROMERO.
ACTIVIDADES INTEGRADORAS.
LICENCIATURA EN ADMINISTRACION
ACTIVIDAD 1.
PRESENT TENSE.
The simple present of the verb to be

This page will present the simple present of the verb to be:
 its form
 and its use
The verb to be
The verb to be is the most important verb in the English language. It is difficult to
use because it is an irregular verb in almost all of its forms. In the simple present
tense, to be is conjugated as follows:
Affirmative forms of the verb to be

Subject Full Contracted
Pronouns Form Form
I am 'm
you are 're
he/she/it is 's
we are 're
you are 're
they are 're
Interrogative forms of the verb to be:

A I?
m
Ar you?
e
Is he/she/i
t?
ACTIVIDAD 1.
Ar we?
e
Ar you?
e
Ar they?
e
Negative Forms of the verb to be:

Subject Full Contracted
Pronouns Form Form
I am not 'm not
you are not aren't
he/she/it is not isn't
we are not aren't
you are not aren't
they are not aren't
Examples:
 Is Brad Pitt French?

 No, he isn't. He's American.
 What about Angelina Joli? Is she American, too?
 Yes, she is. She is American.
 Are brad Pitt and Angelina Joli French?
No, They aren't. They are American. Use of the simple present of to be

The principal use of the simple present is to refer to an action or event that takes
place habitually, but with the verb "to be" the simple present tense also refers to a
present or general state, whether temporary, permanent or habitual.
ACTIVIDAD 1.
 I am happy.
 She is helpful.
The verb to be in the simple present can be also used to refer to something that is
true at the present moment.
 She is 20 years old.

 He is a student.
Remember:
 I, you, he, she, it, you, they are subject pronouns (also called personal

pronouns, a term used to include both subject and object pronouns.)
 am, are, is are forms of the verb to be in the simple present.
 'm, 're, 's are short (contracted) forms of am, are, is
 'm not, aren't, isn't are short (contracted forms) of am not, are not, is
not.
POSSESSIVE ADJETIVES.
2. Los possessive adjectives y los possessive pronouns
PERSONAL PRONOUN POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE POSSESSIVE PRONOUN
I My Mi, mis Mine Mío/a/os/as
You Your Tu, tus Yours Tuyo/a/os/as

ACTIVIDAD 1.
PERSONAL PRONOUN POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE POSSESSIVE PRONOUN
He His His
She Her Su, sus Hers Suyo/a/os/as
It Its Its1
We Our Nuestro/a/os/as Ours Nuestro/a/os/as
You Your Vuestro/a/os/as Yours Vuestro/a/os/as
They Their Su, sus Theirs Suyo/a/os/as
SIMPLE PRESENT:
1
The simple present (also called present simple or present indefinite) is a verb
tense which is used to show repetition, habit or generalization. Less commonly, the
simple present can be used to talk about scheduled actions in the near future and,
in some cases, actions happening now. Read on for detailed descriptions,
examples, and simple present exercises.
Simple Present Forms
The simple present is just the base form of the verb. Questions are made
with do and negative forms are made with do not.
 Statement: You speak English.
 Question: Do you speak English?
 Negative: You do not speak English.
ACTIVIDAD 1.
In the third person singular, -s or -es is added. Questions are made with does and
negative forms are made with does not.
 Statement: He speaks English.
 Question: Does he speak English?
 Negative: He does not speak English.
Prepositions of Time - at, in, on
We use:
 at for a PRECISE TIME
 in for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS
 on for DAYS and DATES
in on
PRECISE MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS DAYS and DATES
TIME
at 3 o'clock in May on Sunday
at 10.30am in summer on Tuesdays

ACTIVIDAD 1.
at noon in the summer on 6 March
at dinnertime in 1990 on 25 Dec. 2010
at bedtime in the 1990s on Christmas Day
at sunrise in the next century on Independence Day
Adverbs of Frequency
OVERVIEW | DEGREE | DURATION | FREQUENCY | MANNER | PLACE | PROB
ABILITY | TIME | ADVERBIAL
COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE
Adverbs of frequency tell us how often something is done.
Adverbs of frequency include; always, constantly, continually, frequently,

infrequently, intermittently, normally, occasionally, often, periodically, rarely,
regularly, seldom, sometimes etc.
For example:
I always do my homework on time. - In this sentence always shows us the

frequency (how often) I do my homework on time.
She goes out occasionally. - In this sentence occasionally shows us the
frequency (how often) she goes out.
Most
always
frequent
ACTIVIDAD 1.
constantly
nearly always
almost always
usually
generally
normally
regularly
often
frequently
sometimes
periodically
occasionally
now and then
once in a while
rarely
seldom
infrequently
hardly ever
Using the Imperative Form in English:
You can use the imperative form to give an order, to give a warning or advice, and
(if you use “please”) to make a request.
To make the imperative, use the infinitive of the verb without ‘to’:
“Come here!”
“Sit down!”To make a negative imperative, put “do not” or “don’t” before the
verb:“Don’t go!”
“Do not walk on the grass.”
The imperative can be used for all subjects (you, he, they and we), but you can
also use “let’s” before the verb if you are including yourself in the imperative:
“Let’s stop now.”

“Let’s have some lunch.”
The negative of “let’s” is “let’s not”:

ACTIVIDAD 1.
“Let’s not argue!
“Let’s not tell her about it.”
COUNT AND NONE-COUNTS: SOME AND ANNY.
The words some and any are used for countable and uncountable nouns. In

general, we could say that some means a few / a little and any means none in
negative clauses or a few / a little in questions.
Positive Clauses
In positive clauses, we usually use some.
Example:
I have bought some bread.
I have bought some apples.
Negative Clauses
In negative clauses, we use any. Note, however, that any alone is not a negative -

it must be not ... any
Example:
I have not bought any bread.
I have not bought any apples.
Questions
In questions, we usually use any.
Example:
Have you bought any bread?
Have you bought any apples?
ACTIVIDAD 1.
Compound Words with some & any
Some & any can also be part of compound words such as:
 something / anything
 someone / anyone
 somewhere / anywhere
Note that some & any have to be used with a noun while compound words

with some & any can stand on their own.
Example:
I have bought some bread.
I have bought something.
However, some and any need not stand directly before the noun. Sometimes, the

noun appears somewhere before some or any and is not repeated. So if you are
not sure whether to use some orsomething for example, check if there is a noun in
the sentence that you can place after some.
Example:
I do not have to buy bread. Rachel has already bought some [bread].
Exceptions
Positive Clauses with Any
We usually use some in positive clauses. But after never, without, hardly, we

use any.
Example:
We never go anywhere.
She did her homework without any help.
There’s hardly anyone here.
Also in if clauses, we usually use any.
Example:
If there is anything to do, just call me.
Questions with Some
ACTIVIDAD 1.
We usually use any in questions. But if we expect or want the other to answer
‚yes‘, we use some.
Example:
Have you got any brothers and sisters?
→ some people have brothers or sisters, others don't - we cannot expect

the answer to be ‚yes‘
Would you like some biscuits?
→ we offer something and want to encourage the other to say ‚ja‘
HOW MUCH QUANTIFIERS: LOTS OF, A FEW, A LITTLE.

A lot of vs. Lots of
A lot of and lots of are used to express that there is a large quantity of something.
We use a lot of in positive sentences, negative sentences and questions. This expression can
be used with countable or uncountable nouns.
 There are a lot of dogs in the street. (Countable noun)

 I have a lot of time to answer your questions. (Uncountable noun)
 I saw a lot of people waiting in the queue. (Countable)
 We did have a lot of fun, didn't we? (Uncountable)
We use lots of in positive and negative sentences, however it is more informal. It can be used
with countable or uncountable nouns, and occasionally in questions.
 We have lots of time to catch the plane, let's relax. (Uncountable noun)

 There are lots of people in the queue today. (Countable)
 Oh my, you have spent lots of money on clothes! (Uncountable)
 I have lots of questions. (Countable)
She has a lot of money = She has lots of money

ACTIVIDAD 1.
Much vs. Many

Much and Many are used to express that there is a large quantity of something.
Much and Many are used in negative sentences and questions.

Many is used with countable nouns
Much is used with uncountable nouns.
 I don't have many CDs in my collection. (Countable noun)

 They don't have much money to buy a present. (Uncountable noun)
 How many brothers do you have? (Countable noun)
 Is there much milk in the fridge? (Uncountable noun)
Note: we almost never use Much and Many in positive sentences, we almost always use a lot
of or lots of.
I have much money. (Incorrect because the sentence is positive / affirmative)

I have a lot of money. (Correct)
With the word "times" we use many times more than a lot of times / lots of times. It
sometimes means frequently or often.
 That is my favourite book. I've read it many times.

 Don't worry, I've done this many times.
 We have stayed at this hotel many times over the years.
Few vs. Little

We use a few and a little to suggest a small quantity or not much of something.
A few is used with countable nouns (= some; not many)
A little is used with uncountable nouns (= some; not much)
 There are only a few days left until Christmas. (Countable noun)

 I have a few crazy friends. (Countable noun)
 I would like a little milk for my coffee. (Uncountable noun)
 There is little hope of finding your wallet. (Uncountable noun)
While Few and Little usually have negative meanings, especially when used with very.
 He is sad because he has few friends. (Countable noun)

ACTIVIDAD 1.
 There are few honest politicians. (Countable noun)
 There is little hope of finding your wallet. (Uncountable noun)
 They have very little knowledge about politics. (Uncountable noun)
Present continuous
Level: beginner
The present continuous is made from the present tense of the verb be and the –
ingform of a verb:
I am working
You are playing
He is talking
ACTIVIDAD 1.
She is living
It is eating
We are staying
They are sleeping
Present continuous questions
We make questions by putting am, is or are in front of the subject:
Are you listening?
Are they coming to your party?
When is she going home?
What am I doing here?
Present continuous negatives
We make negatives by putting not (or n't) after am, is or are:

I'm not doing that.
You aren't listening. (or You're not listening.)
They aren't coming to the party. (or They're not coming to the party.)
She isn't going home until Monday. (or She's not going home until Monday.)
ACTIVIDAD 1.
STATIVE VERBS.
Some English verbs, which we call state, non-continuous or stative verbs, aren't
used in continuous tenses (like the present continuous, or the future
continuous). These verbs often describe states that last for some time. Here is a
list of some common ones:
Stative (or State) Verb List
like know belong
love realise fit
hate suppose contain
want mean consist
need understand seem
prefer believe depend
agree remember matter

ACTIVIDAD 1.
mind recognise see
own appear look (=seem)
sound taste smell
hear astonish deny
disagree please impress
satisfy promise surprise
doubt think (=have an opinion) feel (=have an opinion)
wish imagine concern
dislike be have
deserve involve include
measure (=have length

lack possess
etc)
owe weigh (=have weight)

A verb which isn't stative is called a dynamic verb, and is usually an action.
Some verbs can be both stative and dynamic:
Be
be is usually a stative verb, but when it is used in the continuous it means

'behaving' or 'acting'
you are stupid = it's part of your personality

you are being stupid = only now, not usually
Think
think (stative) = have an opinion

I think that coffee is great
think (dynamic) = consider, have in my head
ACTIVIDAD 1.
what are you thinking about? I'm thinking about my next holiday
Have
have (stative) = own

I have a car
have (dynamic) = part of an expression
I'm having a party / a picnic / a bath / a good time / a break
See
see (stative) = see with your eyes / understand

I see what you mean
I see her now, she's just coming along the road
see (dynamic) = meet / have a relationship with
I've been seeing my boyfriend for three years
I'm seeing Robert tomorrow
Taste
taste (stative) = has a certain taste

This soup tastes great
The coffee tastes really bitter
taste (dynamic) = the action of tasting
The chef is tasting the soup
('taste' is the same as other similar verbs such as 'smell')

Present Tense.: The Simple Present of The Verb To Be

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ALDAIR MARTIN ROMERO.

The simple present of the verb to be

Affirmative forms of the verb to be

you are 're

you are 're

they are 're

Interrogative forms of the verb to be:

Negative Forms of the verb to be:

I am not 'm not

you are not aren't

he/she/it is not isn't

we are not aren't

you are not aren't

they are not aren't

 Is Brad Pitt French?

No, They aren't. They are American. Use of the simple present of to be

 She is 20 years old.

 I, you, he, she, it, you, they are subject pronouns (also called personal

2. Los possessive adjectives y los possessive pronouns

PERSONAL PRONOUN POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE POSSESSIVE PRONOUN

I My Mi, mis Mine Mío/a/os/as

You Your Tu, tus Yours Tuyo/a/os/as

PERSONAL PRONOUN POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE POSSESSIVE PRONOUN

She Her Su, sus Hers Suyo/a/os/as

We Our Nuestro/a/os/as Ours Nuestro/a/os/as

You Your Vuestro/a/os/as Yours Vuestro/a/os/as

They Their Su, sus Theirs Suyo/a/os/as

Simple Present Forms

Prepositions of Time - at, in, on

 at for a PRECISE TIME

 in for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS

 on for DAYS and DATES

at 3 o'clock in May on Sunday

at 10.30am in summer on Tuesdays

at noon in the summer on 6 March

at dinnertime in 1990 on 25 Dec. 2010

at bedtime in the 1990s on Christmas Day

at sunrise in the next century on Independence Day

Adverbs of frequency tell us how often something is done.

Adverbs of frequency include; always, constantly, continually, frequently,

I always do my homework on time. - In this sentence always shows us the

“Let’s stop now.”

The negative of “let’s” is “let’s not”:

COUNT AND NONE-COUNTS: SOME AND ANNY.

The words some and any are used for countable and uncountable nouns. In

In positive clauses, we usually use some.

In negative clauses, we use any. Note, however, that any alone is not a negative -

In questions, we usually use any.

Some & any can also be part of compound words such as:

Note that some & any have to be used with a noun while compound words

However, some and any need not stand directly before the noun. Sometimes, the

Positive Clauses with Any

We usually use some in positive clauses. But after never, without, hardly, we

Also in if clauses, we usually use any.

→ some people have brothers or sisters, others don't - we cannot expect

Would you like some biscuits?

→ we offer something and want to encourage the other to say ‚ja‘

HOW MUCH QUANTIFIERS: LOTS OF, A FEW, A LITTLE.

 There are a lot of dogs in the street. (Countable noun)

 We have lots of time to catch the plane, let's relax. (Uncountable noun)

She has a lot of money = She has lots of money

Much vs. Many