1)The Present
Simple
2)The
Present Continuous
3)The
Present Perfect
1)The Present
Simple:
-
Its
form is: the stem of the verb with the persons: I, you, we, and
they, and the stem of the verb plus
s
with the persons: he, she, and it.
e.g.
We listen
to
music .
It
rains
a lot in Béjaia.
- It is
used to express actions which are habitual.It is often used with
adverbs and adverbials of frequency like:
often,
always,
usually,
sometimes,
seldom,
rarely,
on Sundays,
…
e.g.
I often
go
to school by bus.
- It is used with general truths: things that remain unchanged.
e.g.
The sun
rises
in the east and
sets
in the west.
- It is used with verbs of feeling like:
see, hear,
smell, believe, know, understand, think
(when expressing an opinion), … which are used only in the simple form.
e.g.
I
understand
( not I am understanding ) your problem.
I
think
( not I am
thinking ) it is a good idea.
* Compare: I
am thinking
about the question. (= I am working my brain about the question).
2)The Present
Continuous:
-
Its form is: the auxiliary
to be
in
the present simple plus
the gerund of
the verb.
e.g.
I am
talking.
- It is used to describe actions which are taking place at the time of
speaking (now) or around the time of speaking (but not at this precise
moment).
e.g.
I am
reading
a novel.
- It is also used to express fixed arrangements, usually in the near future.
But the time of the actions like:
tomorrow,
next
week,
… is always stated or understood.
e.g.
John
is
meeting
his friends
for a drink
tomorrow.
3)The Present
Perfect:
-Its
form is:
to have
in
the present simple plus
the past
participle of the verb.
e.g.
He has
written
a
letter to his friend.
- It is used to describe an action in the past when no time or date is
stated.
e.g.
I have
seen
that film before.
- It is
used with
just
to
describe a recently completed action.
e.g.
Your friend
has
just
left.
- It is used with
since
and
for to describe an action which began in the past. For
is used for a period of time.
e.g.
He has
lived
here since
1980.
I
have
stayed
in Algiers for two years.
- It is used with
already.
e.g.
I have
already
done
the washing up.
- It is
used with ‘not…
yet’
.
e.g.
I have
not
finished
yet.
-It is used with expressions of time like: never, always, often,
seldom, … to mean “up to now”.
e.g.
I have
never
been
to France.
Copyright © EnGrammar-dz, 2003-2006, ARAB Mouloud, Bgayet (Béjaia), Algeria. All Rights Reserved.