Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar Année académique 2020-2021

Faculté des Sciences et Techniques Ntab

L1BCGS

REVIEWING THE SIMPLE PRESENT AND THE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I - THE SIMPLE PRESENT

The simple present is generally used to talk about:

 General truth
Example: - Water boils at 100° C.
- The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
- All that glitters is not gold

 Things or events that happen every day, repeatedly, or frequently

Example: -She attends her experimental classes on Saturday afternoon.
-He spends the Christmas holidays at Casablanca with his family.
-They go to the mosque each Friday noon.
 To describe or show the characteristic of something or someone
Example: -Our Physics teacher speaks in a very deep voice.
-Nouakchott remains the capital city of Mauritania.
-It is hot/cold/windy today.
Forms
In the simple present, all the forms of the verb, except that of the third person of
singular, are made of the infinitive without to. The third person of singular always
ends with –s –
Singular Plural
First person I like after-lunch tea We like after-lunch tea
Second person You like after-lunch tea You like after-lunch
Third person He/she/it likes after-lunch They like after-lunch tea
tea

 Verbs ending with –ss, -sh, -ch, and -x form their third person of singular with
–es.
Example: -Aminta washes her clothes on Sunday morning.
 -He only watches TV during the weekend.
-She fixes the kitchen door with nails.

 For verbs ending with the consonant –y, this -y becomes –ies at third person of
singular.
Example: To try (essayer) –He tries to do his homework without help.
To reply (répondre, répliquer) –She replies to all the letters people write
her.

 But verbs which end with a vowel + y form their third person of singular with
an –s simply.
Example: To enjoy (aimer) -The little boy enjoys the delicious dish made by her
mother.
To play (jouer) – Absa plays basketball

II – THE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

Forming: Auxiliary TO BE in simple present + infinitive in ING

Examples: -Little Astou is playing with her doll.

- The dogs are barking at the old man.

 The present progressive is generally used to talk about actions or events which
are still in progress, and which include the present.

Examples: -We are examining these particles in a microscope.

-I am listening carefully to the president’s speech.

-She is giving an interesting presentation on Quantum Physics.

-I’m feeling very well today.

-It’s raining

 The present progressive is also used for describing people’s clothing.

Examples: -She is wearing a nice blue dress.

-They are wearing similar shirts and trousers, they might be schoolboys.

 The present progressive can also be used to express the future, and particularly
to express events which have all the chances to be realized in a near future.
Examples: -I’m starting a training course at ICS as a chemist on Monday.

-Steve is coming home tomorrow.

-‘What are you doing next weekend?’ ‘We are going to Saly.’

-Are you staying in a hotel or with friends?

 The present progressive can also be used to express the threat or determination.

Examples: -You are going to see grandpa in the weekend and that’s all!

-I’m not eating that Mum! I always told you that I don’t like this dish.

-Stop playing the fool Abdou! I’m going to kill you if you break my glasses!

 In the interrogative form, there is always inversion of the subject with the
auxiliary.

Examples: Are we doing our home work correctly?

Am I listening carefully to the president’s speech?

Is Annie helping her mother in the kitchen?

Restrictions

 Some verbs are never used in the progressive form.

 Perception verbs like to feel, to hear, to see, etc. They are always used with
‘can’

Example: -I can clearly hear what the teacher is saying.

-We can see him shaking hands with the president.

 Verbs expressing intellectual, psychological or speculative attitudes like to

imagine, to know, to suppose, to understand, etc. They are simply put in
simple present.

Example: -Do you believe in God?

-She understands very well the teacher’s explanations.

 Verbs expressing affective attitudes like to hate, to like, to prefer, to dislike, to

want, etc. We still use them in simple present.

Example: -Abdou loves Aby

-She hates the way I am looking at her.