Week 1

Present Tenses
 Present Simple (Indefinite) Tense
Present habits:
Ann goes to dance lessons every Saturday.
Permanent situations:
Do you work at the cinema?
Present Simple States:
is used to express: I like rock music.
General truth:
The sun rises in the east.

Future events which are part of timetable or

schedule:
Plane leaves at 5:20
 Present Simple Tense is often used with the
following words and phrases:
Always Sometimes
Usually Rarely
Often Never
Every Monday/week/year…
Each Monday/week/year…
Once/twice a week/month…
Three times a week/ month…

State verbs do not usually describe actions, they

describe states and they are normally used in present
simple. (see, taste, like, love, know, understand, hate,
have, think, want, need…)
 Present Continuous Tense
Actions happening now, at the moment of speaking.
You are studying the present continuous.

Temporary situations, when we feel something won't continue

for a long time.
She's staying with her friend for a week.
Present
Continuous Definite future arrangements (with a future time word)
They're coming to the party at the weekend.
is used for:
Actions happening around the time of speaking
I am reading the book by Mark Twain.

Annoying habits (with “always”)

You are always spending too much money!
Be is usually a state 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 (state) = have an opinion
I think that coffee is great
• think (dynamic) = consider, have in my head
What are you thinking about? I'm thinking about my next holiday

Have
• have (state) = 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 (state) = 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 off 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
 Present Perfect Tense
To talk about experiences. It is important if we have done it in
our lives or not. It is not important when we did it.
(We often use never and ever)
• Anna has never broken a leg. 
• Have you ever eaten sushi?

To talk about an action which started in the past and continuous

up to now. (We often use since and for to say how long the
action has lasted.)
Present Perfect • I have been a teacher for more than ten years. 
is used: •  We haven't seen Janine since Friday. 

To talk about a past action that has the result in the present.
(We often use just, already and yet )
• I have lost my wallet.
• Have you finished your homework

To mention how many times we have completed action

• I have been abroad two times.
 Present Perfect Continuous Tense

To express actions which started in the past and continue

to the present. 
(We often use this with for and since. )

• She's been working here since 2004.

• We've been waiting for the bus for hours.
Present Perfect
Continuous is
used:
For actions which have just stopped (though the whole
action can be unfinished) and have a result, which we can
often see, hear, or feel, in the present (focus on action). 

• I'm so tired, I've been studying.

• I've been running, so I'm really hot.