Present Tenses

Rule:

S + V (base) + complement

• He walks in the garden everyday.

 Uses & Examples
• Habits – I sometimes go to the gym.
• I never eat fish.
• Fact– London is the capital of England.
• Repeated Actions of Events – We drive to work
every day.
• Fixed Arrangements/ Timetables – The bus leaves at
6:30pm.
• Feelings/Opinions/Beliefs – I love sandwiches.
• I hope to see you soon.
• Instructions – First put the water in the pot, then
bring to a boil.
Modal Verb Expressing Example
Strong obligation You must stop when the traffic
lights turn red.
must
logical conclusion / Certainty He must be very tired. He's
been working all day long.

prohibition You must not smoke in the

must not hospital.

ability I can swim.

permission Can I use your phone please?

can

possibility Smoking can cause cancer.

ability in the past When I was younger I could run

fast.

could polite permission Excuse me, could I just say

something?

possibility It could rain tomorrow!

 permission May I use your phone please?
may
possibility, probability It may rain tomorrow!
polite permission Might I suggest an idea?
might possibility, probability I might go on holiday to
Australia next year.

lack of necessity/absence of I need not buy tomatoes. There

obligation are plenty of tomatoes in the
need not fridge.

50 % obligation I should / ought to see a

doctor. I have a terrible
headache.

advice You should / ought to revise

should/ought to your lessons

logical conclusion He should / ought to be very

tired. He's been working all day
long.

advice You 'd better revise your

had better lessons
• Negative forms: Put “NOT” behind the auxiliary
verbs. If there is no auxiliary verb, then add does,
do, did according to the tense of the sentence.

• He must speak English.

• He must not speak English.
• He talks fast.
• He doesn’t talk fast.
• Interrogative sentences: use the auxiliary verbs. If
there is no auxiliary verb, then add does, do, did
according to the tense of the sentence.

• They can go now.

• Can they go now?

• They eat breakfast at 09:00 am.

• Do they eat breakfast at 09:00 am?
• There is a horse in the field.
• There is not a horse in the field.
• Is there a horse in the field?

• There are three books on the table.

• There aren’t three books on the table.
• Are there three books on the table?

• There isn't any water in the swimming pool.

• There aren't any people at the party.
 Present Continuous
S+ (is, am, are) + V.ing + complement
• Actions happening in the moment – We are learning
grammar. Look! That man is reading a book.

• Fixed arrangements for the future – I’m getting

married in July.

• Temporary events – He’s living in Wales for the

moment.
• Exception: Stative verbs
 Present Perfect Simple
• S + has, have + P.p+ complement
 Present Perfect Simple
S + has, have + p.p+ complement
• Actions that start in the past and continue to the
present – I’ve lived here for 3 years.
• Life experiences, at an unspecified time in the past – I’ve
swum with dolphins.
• Repeated action in an unspecified time period – I’ve
visited the Eiffel Tower three times.
• Unfinished time (today, this week, this month, this
year) – I’ve ridden my bicycle today.
• A finished action with a present result – I’ve lost my keys
(so I can’t open the door).
• Recent past with the words ‘just’, ‘recently’, ‘already’
and ‘yet’ – I’ve just spoken to Mark on the phone.
 Present Perfect Continuous
S + has, have + been + v.ing + complement
• Actions that started in the past and continue in the
present – I’ve been watching Spiderman.

• To emphasize the duration or ’how long’ (with for and

since) – Henry has been playing the violin since he was
eight.

• Recently finished actions, with present results – Why

have you been crying? (there are tears in her eyes). It’s
been raining (the ground is wet).
Questions??