2 TENSES PRESENT SIMPLE Present simple form Base

2. TENSES

PRESENT SIMPLE Present simple form: Base form or base form + s in 3 rd person singular We use the present simple for permanent situations and things that are generally true. Giraffes live in Africa. They have very long legs and necks. They feed on acacia leaves. It rains more in winter. Birds don’t sing at night. Do women live longer than men? We use the present simple for habits and things that happen regularly. I bite my nails. Does he usually wear white socks with black shoes? They play the bingo on Monday nights. Her parents go to Majorca every summer.

PRESENT SIMPLE We use the present simple with verbs that describe current states. We do not use the continuous form. She loves chocolate. They don’t believe us. He owns his flat. We use the present simple 6) in informal reports and instructions. It says here the strike is over. Baker passes to Cook who shoots. You go to the end and turn left.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS Present continuous form: Am/ is/ are present participle (-ing form) We use the present continuous for actions in progress or to talk about being in the middle of an activity. Hi, I’m calling to let you know I’m coming, but it’s snowing and the traffic is moving slowly. We can describe current situations as permanent with the present simple or as temporary with the present continuous. Compare: My brother Alan lives in London and works for a magazine. He writes about economics. My sister Fiona is living with Alan just now. She isn’t working yet. She’s looking for a job.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE Present perfect simple form: Has/ have past participle We use the present perfect to 1)talk about or describe an action or situation started in the past which connects to the present. How long have you worked here? I’ve worked here since 1997. Not: I work here since 1997. We use the present perfect 2)when we mean ‘at any point up to now’ This is the best coffee I have ever tasted. I haven’t been to an opera, but I’ve seen one on TV. We use the present perfect with 3)state verbs I have known Tony for about five years. Not: I know him for five years/ I’ve been knowing him for five years.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS Present perfect continuous form: Has/ have + been + present participle We use the present perfect continuous when we are interested in the activity. It does not matter whether something has been finished or not. Ann has been painting the ceiling While in the present perfect simple the important thing is that something has been finished. It is a completed action. We are interested in the result of the activity not the activity itself. Ann has painted the ceiling.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS We use the continuous to ask or say how long for an activity that is still happening. Mary has been writing letters all day. They've been playing tennis since 10 o'clock. How long have you been reading that book? We use the simple to ask or say how much, how many times (completed actions) Mary has written letters today. They’ve played tennis three times this week. How many pages of that book have you read?

PAST SIMPLE Past simple form: Base form + ed; irregular verbs We use the past simple for completed actions in the past. Dickens wrote Oliver Twist. Edison invented the light bulb. The Beatles sang ‘Yesterday’. Past simple is used for past states. Life seemed easier then. That ring belonged to my mother. Not: It was belonging to my mother. We use the past simple for two or more past actions in sequence, especially in narratives.

PAST SIMPLE We can use the form used to talk about habits in the past or to make a stronger contrast with the present. There used to be a shop on the corner. He used to smoke a lot. (Not: He was used to smoke a lot) The negative is didn’t use to or more formally used not to. Didn’t they use to hang people? We didn’t use to have a car. They used not to be enemies. We can also use would to talk about typical actions or activities during a period in the past. In summer, we would take trips to the country. We would sometimes buy fresh strawberries.

PAST CONTINUOUS Past continuous form: Was/ were present participle We use the past continuous to describe actions in progress at a specific time in the past. What were you doing at 8. 30 last night? I wasn’t doing anything special. I was just reading. During the 1890 s, many people were leaving the south and moving to the north to look for work. We can use the past continuous with some verbs (wonder, hope) to make a request more polite. I was wondering when I could talk to you. We were hoping you might have a free moment.

PAST CONTINUOUS In sentences with when and while clauses, we can use the past continuous to describe an activity in one clause that starts before an action in another clause. While he was driving, I fell asleep. We saw Henry while we were walking in the park. The activity that starts later may interrupt the first activity. I was listening to the news when she phoned. When I was running, I slipped and fell. Note the difference between: When she came back, we were watching TV. When she came back, we watched TV.

PAST PERFECT Past perfect form: Had + past participle We use the past perfect when we are describing an action with the past simple and we want to refer to an action further in the past. We went to his office, but he had left. Susan didn’t have the money because she had spent it. We also use the past perfect for earlier events after clauses with reporting or thinking verbs in the past. Joe told me our team had scored twice. I thought we had won. Not: I thought we have won.

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS Past perfect continuous Had + been + present participle We use the past perfect continuous for events in progress before another event in the past. I had been thinking about that before you mentioned it. State verbs are not used in this way. Not: I had been knowing about that before you mentioned it. We can describe an action as a process going on before a past event (past perfect continuous) We had been making chicken soup so the kitchen was still hot and steamy when she came in. We can also describe it as the result of an action before a past event (past perfect). We had made chicken soup and so we offered her some when she came in.

PRESENT PERFECT OR PAST SIMPLE? I have lived in London for a year. She has known him since school. Has Jason been ill? I lived in London for a year. She knew him in school. Was Jason ill? We use the present perfect when we think a situation has NOT ended and the past simple when we think the situation ended. Have you seen any good films lately? So far the new teacher hasn’t given us any homework. Did you see that film last night? I didn’t do the homework yesterday. Not: Have you seen that film last night? I haven’t done the homework yesterday. We use the present perfect with time expressions like lately and so far. We use the past simple with time expressions for a period that ended earlier like last night and yesterday.

PRESENT PERFECT OR PAST SIMPLE? After/As soon as/When he has made his copies, I will do mine. Means: He hasn’t made his copies yet. Neither have I. As soon as he made his copies, I did mine. Means: He made his copies first, then I made mine. In clauses beginning with after, as soon as and when, we can use the present perfect for completed actions in the future and the past simple for completed actions in the past.

PAST PERFECT OR PAST SIMPLE? Jenny Fisher won her first gold medal in 2004. She had won two silver medals in previous Olympics, but this was her first gold. When we are talking about actions in the past, with the past simple won and we want to refer to actions even further in the past we use the past perfect had won. When he arrived in the morning, we had started work. Means: We started work before he arrived. When he arrived in the morning, we started work. Means: We started work after he arrived.

PAST PERFECT OR PAST SIMPLE? If you had come, you could have stayed with us. If I’d known, I certainly would have helped. If you came, you could stay with us. If I saw anyone doing that, I certainly would try to stop it. In conditionals, we use the past perfect for something that did not happen and the past simple for something that might happen. An ambulance came quickly, but the crash victim had already died. Not: The crash victim already died. The book still hadn’t arrived when I left. Not: They still didn’t arrive when I left. The students had just opened their books when the fire alarm went off. We usually use the past perfect not the past simple with some adverbs (already, just, still)