English grammar tenses

Simple Present Tense 

 I sing

 How do we make the Simple Present Tense? subject + auxiliary verb + main verb do base

There are three important exceptions: 1. For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary. 2. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary. 3. For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions and negatives. 

Look at these examples with the main verb like:  

How do we use the Simple Present Tense? We use the simple present tense when: 

• the action is general 
• the action happens all the time, or habitually, in the past, present and future 
• the action is not only happening now 
• the statement is always true
  

Look at these examples: 

• I live in New York. 
• The Moon goes round the Earth. 
• John drives a taxi. 
• He does not drive a bus. 
• We do not work at night. 
• Do you play football? 

 Note: that with the verb to be, we can also use the simple present tense for situations that are not general. We can use the simple present tense to talk about now. Look at these examples of the verb "to be" in the simple present tense—some of them are general, some of them are now:
 

 How do we make the Present Continuous Tense? 

The structure of the present continuous tense is: subject + auxiliary verb + main verb 

 Look at these examples:

How do we use the Present Continuous Tense? 

We use the present continuous tense to talk about: 

• action happening now 
• action in the future 

Present continuous tense for action happening now 

a) for action happening exactly now  

 b) for action happening around now The action may not be happening exactly now, but it is happening just before and just after now, and it is not permanent or habitual. 

Look at these examples: · Muriel is learning to drive. · I am living with my sister until I find an apartment

Present continuous tense for the future 

We can also use the present continuous tense to talk about the future—if we add a future word!! We must add (or understand from the context) a future word. "Future words" include, for example, tomorrow, next year, in June, at Christmas etc. We only use the present continuous tense to talk about the future when we have planned to do something before we speak. We have already made a decision and a plan before speaking 

Look at these examples: 

• We're eating in a restaurant tonight. We've already booked the table.. 
• They can play tennis with you tomorrow. They're not working. 
• When are you starting your new job?

 In these examples, we have a firm plan or programme before speaking. The decision and plan were made before speaking. 

How do we spell the Present Continuous Tense? We make the present continuous tense by adding -ing to the base verb. Normally it's simple—we just add -ing. But sometimes we have to change the word a little. Perhaps we double the last letter, or we drop a letter. Here are the rules to help you know how to spell the present continuous tense. 

Present Perfect Tense 

 have sung 

The present perfect tense is a rather important tense in English, but it gives speakers of some languages a difficult time. That is because it uses concepts or ideas that do not exist in those languages. In fact, the structure of the present perfect tense is very simple. The problems come with the use of the tense. In addition, there are some differences in usage between British and American English 

How do we make the Present Perfect Tense? 

The structure of the present perfect tense is: subject + auxiliary verb + main verb 

Here are some examples of the present perfect tense: 

Contractions with the present perfect tense 

When we use the present perfect tense in speaking, we usually contract the subject and auxiliary verb. We also sometimes do this when we write.  

Here are some examples: 

• I've finished my work. 
• John's seen ET. 
• They've gone home. 

1. Present perfect tense for experience We often use the present perfect tense to talk about experience from the past. We are not interested in when you did something. We only want to know if you did it:  

Connection with past: the event was in the past. Connection with present: in my head, now, I have a memory of the event; I know something about the event; I have experience of it. 

2. Present perfect tense for change 

We also use the present perfect tense to talk about a change or new information: 

 3. Present perfect tense for continuing situation 

We often use the present perfect tense to talk about a continuing situation. This is a state that started in the past and continues in the present (and will probably continue into the future). This is a state (not an action). We usually use for or since with this structure

For & Since with Present Perfect Tense 

• We often use for and since with the present perfect tense. 
• We use for to talk about a period of time—5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years. 
• We use since to talk about a point in past time—9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday 

Here are some examples: 

• I have been here for 20 minutes. 
• I have been here since 9 o'clock. 
• John hasn't called for 6 months. 
• John hasn't called since February. 
• He has worked in New York for a long time. 
• He has worked in New York since he left school.

Present Perfect Continuous Tense 

I have been singing How do we make the Present Perfect Continuous Tense? The structure of the present perfect continuous tense is: subject + auxiliary verb + auxiliary verb + main verb 

Here are some examples of the present perfect continuous tense:

Contractions 

When we use the present perfect continuous tense in speaking, we often contract the subject and the first auxiliary. We also sometimes do this in informal writing