Present Tense and Present Continuous Tense

15 February 2012
For today class, we have another presentation for grammar which is from Elya’s group and Megat’s group about present simple tense and past continuous tense. Miss Zu was decided to make 2 presentation for today as final exam is coming soon and we doesn’t done with presentation about a grammar yet.This is what we have learned :

The simple present expresses a habit in the present and is used with an adverb of frequency.

• always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, rarely, occasionally, generally, frequently,etc.

We use the simple present to talk about:

1.      Things we do habitually

Example:

I often read before I sleep.
He always drinks a cup of coffee after lunch.
Hamid usually watches Dr. Phil

2.     Things we do in general: 

Example:

Moroccans eat with their hands
The British people have a big breakfast.
Nomads live in tents.
Moroccans eat couscous every Friday.
Americans consume a lot of fast food.

3.     Frequent activities:

Example:
He trains karate three times a week.
I usually play the piano.
We watch TV every day.
They go jogging three times a week to keep fit

4.     General truth:

Example:

The earth moves around the sun.
Cats eat mice.
Water boils at 100 degree C.

5.     To express a Future schedule or timetable:

 Example:

The bus leaves at nine tomorrow.
The movie starts at eight tonight.
The plane arrives at six next Wednesday.
The football match begins at seven next Sunday.

	subject	auxiliary verb		main verb
+	I, you, we, they			like	coffee.
	He, she, it			likes	coffee.
-	I, you, we, they	do	not	like	coffee.
	He, she, it	does	not	like	coffee.
?	Do	I, you, we, they		like	coffee?
	Does	he, she, it		like	coffee?

The present continuous indicates an action which is happening at the time of speaking: now,right now;or around the time of speaking: this morning/afternoon/evening, today, this week/month/year.

We use the present continuous to talk about:

1.      An action which is happening now.

E.g : We are studying the present continuous now.
         My mother is preparing the soup right now.

2.     An action which is happening around now. (today, this week/month/year)

E.g : I’m reading a story this week. (I’m in the middle of reading it)
         My sister is preparing for the bac exam this year.
        

3.     To talk about a changing situation:

E.g: Aicha is losing weight after a year of dieting.
        Morocco’s economy is developing gradually.
        Hamid is recovering from his illness.

4.     To talk about a temporary action:

E.g: She is living with her sister until she finishes her training period.
        My father is using a friend’s car because his car is broken down.

Form

To form a sentence in the Present Continuous, you have to:

• know the proper conjugation of the auxiliary verb

.

Person	Singular	Plural
First	I am	We are
Second	You are	You are
Third	He/she/it is	They are

• add the ing suffix to the verb (to form the present participle of the verb)

Examples:

• try + ing = trying
• go + ing = going

Contracted forms (more)

• I + am = I'm
• is + not = isn't
• are + not = aren't
• he + is = he's
• she + is = she's
• it + is= it's