0Simple Present
Tense is used to express a habitual action:
1. He drinks milk every morning.
2. I get up at six o’ clock.
3. My clock keeps good time.
4. We attend classes thrice a week.
● The simple present tense is used to express general truth:
1. The sun rises in the east.
2. Honey is sweet.
3. Fortune favours the brave.
4. The earth moves round the sun.
● The simple present tense is used to indicate a future plan or arrangements.
1. We go to Denmark next week.
2. The office closes on the 30th of this month.
3. The school reopens tomorrow.
4. They leave for Paris by the next train.
● The simple present tense is used to broadcast commentaries on sporting events, the simple present is used instead of the present continuous.
1. Ian Botham bowls to Vivian Richards, who drives it straight to the covers for four. In exclamatory sentences beginning with here and there, to express what is actually taking place in the present.
1. Here comes the bus!
2. There she goes! In vivid narrative, as a substitute for the simple past.
1. Ali now rushes forward and deals a heavy blow to foreman. Immediately, the landlord hurries to his house.
The following verbs according to their meanings are normally used in the simple present tense.
1. Verbs of perception: Smell, see, heat, notice, recognise
2. Verbs of appearing: Appear, look, seem
3. Verbs of emotion: Desire, feel, hath, hope, like, love, prefer, refer, want, wish
4. Verbs of thinking: Think, suppose, believe, agree, consider, trust, remember, know, understand, imagine, mean, mind
5. Have (possess): Own, possess, belong, contain, consist of, be
Present Continuous The present continuous is used to express an action going on at the time of speaking.
1. John is singing a song
. 2. The children are playing in the garden.
3. She is cooking in the kitchen.
4. Ravi is working in the office.
Present Perfect Tense The present perfect tense is used to an action completed in the immediate past. 1. Conor has just gone out.
2. The dog has broken its leg.
3. I have just eaten.
4. He has come here to learn music.
Perfect tense is used to express a past action that is still continuing up to the present moment
1. They have lived here for twelve years.
2. She has been ill since last week.
3. We have known them for a long time.
4. We haven’t seen Rick for several days.
Present Perfect Continuous Tense The present perfect continuous tense is used to express actions that began at some point of time in the past and are still continuing.
1. He has been dancing for two hours.
2. They have been building the dam for several years. 3. It has been raining since 1 o’clock.
4. The boys have been playing since 3 o’ clock.
