01. The Tenses: Present Simple vs. Present Continuous

The Present Simple                                  

Form: VB. Short Inf./ pers.III sg. +(e)s                                         

           + I drink/ -I don’t drink/ ? Do I

drink?                                                                                    

           + He/ she/ it drinks/ -He/ she/ it doesn’t drink/ ? Does he

drink?                                                                             

 Orthography for –es                                                          

- Vb.+ cons. + y => vb. + cons. + i+ -es     (Verbele terminate in -y precedat de o

consoana schimba pe -y in -i si adauga -es la persoana a III-a singular)      

He cries/ he tries                                                                

- Vb. + vowel + y + s   (Verbele terminate in -y precedat de o vocala adauga -s la persoana a

III-a singular)                                                                

He plays                                                                                

- Vb. + -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -zz + -es     (Verbele terminate in -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -zz adauga -es la
persoana a III-a singular)                                       

He kisses                                                                               

He wishes                                                                              

He watches                                                                           

- Vb. –o +es   (Verbele terminate in -o adauga -es la persoana a III-a singular) 

  He goes                                                                                 

  He does                                                                           

USE:                                                                                     

1. Permanent actions/situations (actiuni/ situatii permanente):                          

E.g. She lives in Australia.   (Ea locuieste in Australia.)                               

  He ... fast cars. (Lui ii plac masinile rapide.)

a) likes 

b) is liking

c) like

d) will be liking                                      

2. Universal truths, laws of nature and proverbs (adevaruri generale, legi ale
naturii si proverbe):                                                                       

E.g. Water freezes at 0 Celsius degrees.  (Apa ingheata la 0 grade Celsius.)               

        The Earth ... round the Sun.   (Pamantul se invarte in jurul Soarelui.)

a) moves     

b) is moving

c) will move

d) move            

        Taylors ... clothes.      (Croitorii fac haine.)

a) are making

b) make               

c) makes

d) are being made                   

        A friend in need ... a friend indeed.  (Prietenul la nevoie se cunoaste.)

a) is

b) is being            

c) will be

d) is been 

 
 3. Repeated actions (actiuni repetate):                                               

o  S + ADV of Frequency + P -> (se situeaza intre subiect si predicat):

Adverbs of frequency: often (adesea), rarely (rareori), seldom (rareori), usually (de

obicei), frequently (frecvent), occasionally (ocazional), sometimes
(cateodata),always (intotdeauna)     -> stau un fata
verbului                                                                           

E.g. She often talks on the phone.    (Ea adesea vorbeste la telefon.) 

o !!!!!!! S + TO BE + Adv. of Frequency  -> (ATENTIE: adverbele de mai sus se

situeaza DUPA VERBUL TO BE)                          

E.g. She is often late.     (Ea este adesea in intarziere.)

        

She ... with her friends on the phone. (Ea vorbeste cu prietenii ei la telefon de obicei.)

a) usually talks

b) is usually talking

c) talks usually

d) usually is talking

My mother ... in a good mood. (Mama mea este de obicei in buna dispozitie.)

a) usually is

b) is usually

c) is usually being

d) is being usually

                                      

o S + P + Adv. of Frequency    

Adverbs of frequency: once/twice a day/week/month/year (odata/ de doua ori pe zi/

saptamana/ luna/ an) -> (se situeaza la finalul propozitiei):                  
e.g. We meet twice a week.    (Noi ne intalnim de doua ori pe saptamana.)

o S+P+ Adv. of Time   -> (se situeaza la finalul propozitiei):

Every day/week/month/year (in fiecare zi/ saptamana/ luna/ an), every other day (din
doua in doua zile), every other week/month/year (din doua in doua saptamani/ luni/din
doi in doi ani), every now and then (din cand in cand), from time to time (din cand in
cand), every once in a while (din cand in cand), on Sundays (duminicile), on Tuesdays
(martile), at times (cateodata), at the weekends (in weekenduri), as a rule (de regula)

       E.g. She visits us every week.  (Ea ne viziteaza in fiecare saptamana)

              He ... her car from time to time. (El conduce masina ei din cand in cand.)

a) is driving

b) drives 

c) drive

d) will be driven

4. Timetables (orare):                                                          

       E.g. The train leaves at 5 tomorrow.  (Trenul pleaca la 5 maine.)                      

              The plane ... at 8:30 in the morning. (Avionul decoleaza la 8:30 dimineata.)       

a) takes off     

b) is taking off

c) will take off

d) will be taking off

              The shop opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m. (Magazinul se deschide la 7

dimineata si se inchide la 8 seara.)                 

5. Radio or T.V. sports commentaries (comentarii sportive radio sau

TV):                 

       E.g.  Ronaldo passes to  Messi who scores. (Ronaldo ii paseaza lui Messi care

inscrie.)                   
 6. Experiments, demonstrations, explanations (experimente, demonstratii,
explicatii):     

        E.g. Now I mix the milk with the sugar and add a drop of vanilla essence.  
(Acum amestec laptele cu zaharul si adaug o picatura de esenta de vanilie.)

       From here you ... the road and then ... left. (De aici traversezi strada si apoi o iei la
stanga.)

a) cross/ turn 

b) are crossing/ are turning

c) will cross/ will turn

d) cross/ are turning

7. Exclamations (exclamatii):

E.g. Here/ There + Pronoun + P! -> Daca subiectul este un pronume atunci el sta in

fata verbului.

Here she is!/ There he goes! (Iat-o!/ Iata-l ca pleaca!)

Here/ There + P + Noun! -> Daca subiectul este un substantiv atunci el sta dupa

verb.

Here comes Mother!/ There goes the bus! (Iata ca vine mama!/ Iata

ca pleaca autobuzul!)

8. Stage directions or narrations/ successive actions (indicatii de regie sau

naratiuni/ actiuni succesive):

E.g. He stirs the fire, arranges some books, is restless, shivers slightly and settles to

read.

(El atata focul, aranjeaza niste carti, este nelinistit, tremura usor si se aseaza sa

citeasca.)

9. Assertions (verbs used in the first person to perform an action)(asertiuni =>

verbe folosite la persoana I pentru a realiza o actiune):

accept (a accepta), agree (a fi deacord), apologise (a-si cere scuze), admit (a

recunoaste), congratulate (a felicita), declare (a declara), deny (a nega), beg (a
implora), disagree (a nu fi deacord), forbid (a interzice), forgive (a ierta), guarantee (a
garanta), insist (a insista), intend (a intentiona), invite (a invita), order (a ordona
 cuiva), predict (a prezice), promise (a promite), recommend (a recomanda), refuse (a
refuza), request (a cere), suggest (a sugera), thank (a multumi), warn (a avertiza)

E.g. I apologise for any inconveniences caused. (Imi cer scuze pentru orice neplacere

cauzata.)

(I perform the act of apologizing)    

10.Used in IF Clauses and Time Clauses (folosit in propozitii subordonate

conditionale si temporale):

E.g. If I have time, I will visit you later. (Daca voi avea timp, o sa te vizitez mai
tarziu.)

When she has time, she will visit you. (Cand ea va avea timp, o sa te viziteze.)

!!!!!! NEVER USE WILL or WOULD IN TIME CLAUSES (NU FOLOSITI

NICIODATA WILL SAU WOULD IN SUBORDONATE CONDITIONALE SAU
TEMPORALE)

11.Newspaper headlines (titluri de ziare):

E.g. Plane crushes in fog. (Avion se prabuseste in ceata.)

       M.P. (Member of Parliament) demands measures. (Membru al

Parlamentului cere masuri.)

12. Used with verbs of communication (folosit cu verbe de comunicare):

Forget (a uita), hear (a auzi), gather (a intelege), understand (a intelege), learn (a afla),
tell (a spune)

E.g. I hear you’ve married. (Aud ca te-ai maritat.)

       Peter ... me you’re engaged.(Peter imi spune ca esti logodita.)

a) tells 

b) is telling

c) will tell

d) tell

 
The Present Continuous
Form: Present of TO BE + vb.-ing

+ I am drinking                   

- I am not drinking/ I’m not drinking

? Am I drinking?

+ You are drinking

-You aren’t drinking

? Are you drinking?

+ He/she/it is drinking

-He isn’t drinking

? Is he drinking?     

                          

Orthography for –ing

- final consonant doubled when (consoana finala se dubleaza cand):          

o vb. + vowel (stressed + short) + cons. + cons. (are in fata o vocala scurta si

accentuata)

E.g. beg – begging (a implora)/ begin - beginning (a incepe)

o vb. + -l + l (verbul se termina in l)

E.g. cancel - cancelling (a anula)

o vb. – ap/ -ip (first syllable stressed) (cand verbul se termina in -ap sau -ip iar
prima silaba din verb este accentuata)
E.g. kidnap (a rapi) – kidnapping/ worship (a venera)– worshipping

- vb. – ic + K + -ing (se adauga un k daca verbul se termina in -ic)

E.g. frolic (a face glume) – frolicking/ panic (a panica) – panicking

- final –e disappears: e.g. have (a avea) – having (-e final dispare)

- final –y does not change: play (a juca)- playing/ cry (a plange) - crying (-y final nu se
schimba niciodata)

- vb. –ie => vb.–y + -ing: die (a muri) - dying/ lie (a minti) - lying/ vie (a rivaliza) -
vying (verbele terminate in -ie il transforma in -y)

USE:

1. Temporary actions (actiuni temporare):

Adverbs: today, this week/ month/ year

E.g. He usually drinks coffee, but he is drinking tea  this week.    (De obicei el bea cafea,
dar saptamana asta el bea ceai.)  

Jane ... my cat this week while I am on holiday. (Jane are grija de pisica mea cat timp eu
sunt in vacanta.)

a) looks after

b) is looking after

c) will look after

d) is looked after

2. Action in progress NOW (actiune in progres in momentul vorbirii):

Adverbs: NOW/ RIGHT NOW/ AT THE MOMENT/ IN THIS  MOMENT:

E.g. They are cleaning their room now. (Ei fac curat in camera lor acum.)

Why is the baby crying (now)? He is hungry.   (De ce plange copilul? Ii este foame.)

 The man who is passing by (now) is my father.   (Barbatul care trece acum pe langa
noi este tatal meu.)

They are sleeping at the moment. (Ei dorm in acest moment.)

She seems very happy. Why ...? (Ea pare fericita. De ce zambeste?)

a) does she smile

b) is she smiling

c) she is smiling

d) she smiles

3. Temporary behavior (comportament temporar):

Use TO BE with -ing (folositi verbul TO BE - a fi - cu terminatia -ing)

E.g. She is usually very polite, but today she is being rude to everybody. (Ea este foarte

politicoasa de obicei, dar azi ea este nepoliticoasa cu toata lumea.)

I find it very strange that she ... so nice with me today when she ... not. (Gasesc ca este
foarte ciudat ca ea este asa de draguta cu mine azi cand de obicei nu este.)

a) is being/ usually is

b) is/ is usually being

c) is being/ is usually

d) is/ usually is being

4. Action that annoys the speaker (actiune care enerveaza vorbitorul):

Adverbs: always, forever, continually, constantly

 E.g. She is forever talking on the phone. (Ea vorbeste incontinuu la telefon.)

 

       My little brother ... my toys. (Fratele meu mai mic imi ia jucariile in continuu.)

a) continually takes

b) is continually taking 

c) is taking continually

d) takes continually

5. Changing situations (situatii in schimbare):

Adverbs: gradually (gradat), more and more (din ce in ce mai)

E.g. The weather is getting worse and worse. (Vremea este din ce in ce mai rea.)

        It ... dark (more and more). (Se intuneca din ce in ce mai mult.)

a) is getting 

b) gets

c) will be getting

d) is got

6. Action that extends over some time including the moment of speaking (actiune care se
extine pe o preioada de timp incluzand momentul vorbirii):

Adverbs: this week/ month/ year/ semester/ these days

E.g. They are studying hard this semester. (Ei studiaza din greu semestrul acesta.)

       We ... English this year. (Noi invatam engleza anul acesta.)

a) are learning 
b) learn

c) learning

d) are learned

7. Immediate personal plans, intentions or  arrangements for the future (planuri

personale imediate de viitor, intentii sau aranjamente pentru viitor):

E.g. I am meeting Tom tomorrow. (Ma intalnesc cu Tom maine.)

       Jane ... to work by bus tomorrow. (Jane merge cu autobuzul la servici maine.)

a) is going 

b) goes

c) will be gone

d) is gone

8. Actions on the point of happening (actiuni pe punctul de a se intampla): use just

E.g. Hurry up! The train is just leaving. (Grabeste-te! Trenul tocmai pleaca.)

 They ... the restaurant so we cannot go eat there anymore. (Ei tocamai inchid
restaurantul asa ca nu mai putem sa mergem sa mancam acolo.)

a) just close

b) are just closing

c) have just closing

d) are closing just

           PRESENT SIMPLE OVERVIEW  

 1. Permanent situations
2. General truths/ laws of nature/ proverbs
3. Repeated actions: always / often/ seldom/ usually/ never/ rarely/ frequently/
occasionally/ spmetimes/ EVERY .../ from time to time/ every once in a while/
once a day, week, year/ at the weekends/ on Mondays/etc.
4. Timetables
5. Sports commentaries
6. Narrations
7. Exclamations
8. Assertions: invite/ thank/ apologise/ agree/ etc.
9. Time Clauses/ IF Clauses
10.Demonstrations
11.Newspaper headlines
12.Used with verbs of communication: Forget, hear, gather, understand, learn, tell 

PRESENT CONTINUOUS OVERVIEW

1. Temporary action
2. Temporary behaviour
3. Actions happening NOW/ RIGHT NOW/ AT THE MOMENT
4. Annoying actions: always/ forever/ continually/ constantly
5. Personal plans
6. Changing actions
7. Action on the point of happening: JUST