We use different tenses to describe the time that the verb refers to.
Present continuous tense
also known as the present progressive, is most often used to talk about actions that are happening right now, temporary situations, and annoying habits. Like the simple present, it can also be used to talk about definite future plans.
It is formed by using the present tense of “to be” (am/are/is) and the present participle (ending in “-ing”) of a verb.
Subject
Simple present tense of “to be”
Present Participle
I
am
cooking.
you/you all/we/they
are
cooking
he/she/it/Anthony
is
cooking.
Note: Stative Verbs
Some verbs, called “stative” or “non-continuous” verbs, can’t be used in continuous tenses. Others can be used in continuous tenses, but their meaning changes. Make sure you understand the difference between stative and non-stative verbs while using present continuous and all continuous tenses. You can find more information here.
When to use the Present Continuous Tense
Temporary Actions Happening Now
When an activity is happening at the time of speaking, use the present continuous tense.
Margaret is sleeping now.
People are beginning to take their seats for the performance.
You are wearing my gloves.
In English, “now” can refer to “right at this moment,” “today,” “this week,” and even “this year.” We can also use the present continuous tense to talk about actions of a longer duration that we aren’t necessarily doing at the moment of speaking.
Dr. Johnson is teaching at the University of Kansas this year.
I’m reading an interesting book about space exploration.
Andrew is taking two math classes this semester.
The present continuous emphasizes the temporariness of an action. When you want to stress that something is not going to last long, use the present continuous. Use the simple present for ongoing actions or states that are more permanent.
I am living in London this year. (Temporary; present continuous)
I live in London. (More permanent; simple present)
Abby is working as a waiter until she finds a job in technology. (Temporary)
Jacob works as a programmer for Google. (More permanent)
Definite Future Plans
Like the simple present tense, you can use the present continuous to talk about things that are almost certain to happen.
Elaine is meeting her mom for lunch tomorrow.
Next year, I’m finding a quieter place to live.
Are you leaving town tomorrow?
Annoying Habits
Normally, we use the simple present to talk about habits, or things that happen all the time. However, if you want to emphasize that we don’t like the action, use the present continuous tense with a frequency expression (always, constantly, continually, all the time)
Jessica is always complaining about her job.
You are constantly losing your glasses.
Bunnies are continually destroying my herb garden!
New or Temporary Habits
You can also use the present continuous to describe new or temporary habits. In this case, it doesn’t mean the actions are annoying. To make your meaning clear, it can help to add a word that emphasizes that the action is new or temporary, like “now” or “recently.’
You’reeating too much fast food these days.
She is jogging every morning now.
The newlyweds are calling each other “Snugglebear” and “Pookie.”
Slowly Changing Situations
When we talk about gradually changing situations, or developing states, we also use the present continuous tense.
The earth is becoming warmer because of the greenhouse effect.
You’regetting better at playing the drums.
The gap between the rich and poor is widening.
Your grades are improving.
Negative Statements
To make the negative with the present continuous tense, just put “not” between the “to be” verb and the present participle:
I am not going to New York with you today.
She is notfeeling well today.
The athletes are not running in this race.
Question Forms
Information Questions about the Subject
To make a question about the subject of a sentence, use a question word as the subject. the form is: question word + “to be” + main verb (ing) + rest of sentence:
??? is playing chess. –>
Who is playing chess?
??? people are coming to the party. –>
How many people are coming to the party?
???’s mom is making cupcakes. –>
Whose mom is making cupcakes?
Questions about the Verb or Words after the Verb
To make a yes/no question about the verb or words after the verb with the present continuous tense, put the “to be” verb before the subject:
Are you eating ice cream?
Are we traveling to Mexico?
Is she coming to dinner?
To make an open question about the verb or words after the verb with the present continuous tense, put the verb before the subject, and a question word (who, what, where, when, why, how) before the verb:
Why are you eating ice cream before dinner?
When are we traveling to Mexico?
What is she wearing to dinner?
Are you ready to see how well you know the Present Continuous Tense?
We use different tenses to describe the time that the verb refers to.
Generally, the present perfect tense talks about actions that happened at an unspecified past time and uncompleted actions or events in the present time. It can be tricky because it refers to present time in some contexts, and past time in others. Unlike the simple past tense, the present perfect tense links past to present, often focusing on the effect a past action has on the present moment.
We form the Present Perfect Tense by using has or have, followed by the main verb in past participle form.
Subject
Has or Have
Verb
(past participle)
Rest of Sentence
I/you/we/they
have
eaten
dinner already.
he/she/it/Jane
has
eaten
dinner already.
The Present Perfect in the Present Time
Ongoing Actions
We use the present perfect to talk about an action that was started in the past, but is ongoing or incomplete at the time of writing or speaking. We use for to indicate a duration of the action, and since to indicate a specific time the action started.
I’ve known Janet since we were children.
They have lived in New York for five years.
Uncompleted Actions that you Expect will Change
We can use words like yet or still to indicate an expectation that the action will happen, should have happened, is surprising, or will change.
Jeremy still has not finished the homework assignment.
I haven’t gone to Japan yet, but I plan to go.
The Present Perfect in the Past Time
Life Experience
You use this present perfect tense to talk about past events that happened at an unspecified time in the past. This is kind of like saying “I have the experience of…” You can use it with the words not and never to indicate things you haven’t done.
I have been to Japan many times.
The runner has never lost a race.
Amanda has studied three foreign languages.
I’ve never taken a dance class.
Note: Although you can use the present perfect tense to state that something has happened at an unspecified time, once you want to add precise details to the story, use the simple past or past continuous tenses:
I’ve been to Spain twice. The first time, I went with my parents when I was six years old. I went back after college. While I was traveling in Andalusia, I found a job teaching English to children and stayed for several months.
You can also use the present perfect to talk about multiple actions at happened at different times in the past.
The United States has gone to war in the Middle East four times.
She has consulted many doctors about her illness.
I have traveled to Mexico three times.
Accomplishments
The company has earned over three million dollars.
The United States has won many gold medals in the Olympics.
Scientists have mapped the human genome.
With an Unfinished Time Word
“This year,” “in the last year,” “this week,” “this month,” “today,” and “so far” are examples of time periods that are still ongoing, so you use the present perfect tense.
I have planted four trees this year.
Roger Federer has won the US Open four times so far.
I’ve gone to my aerobics class twice this week.
Negative Statements
To make the negative with the present perfect tense, just add “not” after “has” or “have”:
I have not read that book.
She has not forgotten your birthday.
They have not arrived yet.
Question Forms
Information Questions about the Subject
To make a question about the subject of a sentence, use a question word as the subject. the form is: question word + “have/has” + main verb (past participle) + rest of sentence:
??? has traveled to Spain. –>
Who has traveled to Spain?
??? people have written books about space travel. –>
How many people have written books about space travel?
???’s teacher has dyed her hair blue. –>
Whose teacher has dyed her hair blue?
Questions about the Verb or Words after the Verb
To make a yes/no question about the verb or words after the verb with the present perfect tense, put “has “or “have” before the subject:
Have you been to a doctor?
Have I lost my glasses again?
Has she told you the news yet?
To make an open-ended question with the present perfect tense, put a question word (who, what, where, when, why, how) before the “has “or “have” and subject:
Where have you been?
Why has she left already?
Where have you put your phone?
Are you ready to see how well you know the Present Perfect ?
We use different tenses to describe the time that the verb refers to.
Present simple tense
25 Examples of Simple Present Tense Sentences
My father goes to gym every day.
She loves to play basketball.
She thinks he is very handsome.
I run every weekend.
We play tennis every morning.
Does he write an email?
They talk too much.
Does he go to school?
It usually rains every day here.
It smells very delicious in the kitchen.
My son lives in London.
My sisters do the ironing.
They make the bed.
My father always washes the cars.
My teacher sometimes forgets his keys.
I like ice-cream.
The students wear their uniform.
It smells very delicious in the kitchen.
Alex brushes her teeth twice a day.
He getsup early every day.
They speak English in USA.
We generally sing songs all together.
We go to a gallery every Sunday.
They drive their kids to school every day.
We walk slowly.
The simple present tense in English is used to describe actions that are repeated, habitual, true, or factual. Despite the name, you can also use simple present for things that are about to happen in the near future. We also use the simple present when describing states of being or feeling, even if they are temporary.
We form the simple present tense by using the base form of the verb, ie, the infinitive without the “to.” In the third person, we add “-s” or “-es” to the base form.
Subject
Verb (base form or base form + “-s” or “-es”
Rest of Sentence
I/you/we/they
watch
the basketball game.
he/she/it/Matilda
watches
the basketball game.
When to use the Simple Present Tense
Habits and Repeated Actions
If something happens repeatedly, including in the present, use the simple present tense.
The train for Paris leaves at 5:50 am every day.
I get up at 6:00 am on weekdays.
Lucy is happier in the summer.
They go to church every Sunday.
Facts and Generally True Statements
When something is always or generally true, use the simple present tense.
Ice melts if you leave it on the table.
John plays basketball well.
My grandmother comes from England.
Rabbits eat vegetables.
The president of the United States lives in the White House.
The Near future
When something is almost certain to happen soon, you can also use the simple present tense:
I go to college in the fall.
My flight leaves at 7:00 pm tomorrow.
When do you arrive?
I start work next month.
Describing States
We generally use the present continuous (to be + verb-ing) to express things that are temporarily happening right now, but when we want to describe an internal or abstract state, we use simple present tense.
Likes, Dislikes, Desires: like, hate, love, loathe, need, prefer, want
Possession: have, have got, own, belong
Sense: see, hear, touch, taste, smell, sense, feel
Appearance: look, seem, appear
You look worried.
The doctor believes in the power of science to heal.
We need a better car if we want to take a road trip.
I don’t understand computer languages.
You can find more information about stative verbs here.
Negative Statements
To make the negative with the simple present tense of “to be,” just add “not” after it:
I am not happy about this.
She is not going to the party.
They are not here right now.
To make the negative with the simple present tense of other verbs, add “do not” (don’t) or (doesn’t) before the verb:
They don’t look like they’re going to work.
The rose bush doesn’t get enough sun.
Question Forms
Questions with “To Be”
To make a yes/no question with the simple present tense of “to be,” put the verb before the subject:
Are you a doctor?
Am I wrong about this?
Is she hungry?
To make an open-ended question with the simple present tense of “to be,” put the verb before the subject, and a question word (who, what, where, when, why, how) before the verb:
Who makes you breakfast?
When is your flight?
Where are you?
Questions with Other Verbs (not “To Be”)
Information Questions about the Subject
To make a question about the subject of a sentence, use a question word as the subject. The form is: question word + verb + rest of sentence:
??? people shop at this store. –>
How many people shop at this store?
??? knows the answer. –>
Who knows the answer?
???’s sister goes to school here. –>
Whose sister goes to school here?
Questions about the Verb or Words after the Verb
To make a yes/no question about the verb or words after the verb, with the simple present tense of other verbs, put “do” or “does” before the subject and verb:
Do you know the answer?
Does she play basketball with you?
To make an open question about the verb or words after the verb with the simple present tense of other verbs, put a question word before “do” or “does” and the subject.
You know the answer because ???.
How do you know the answer?
She plays basketball at ???.
Where does she play basketball with you?
You eat breakfast at ???.
When do eat breakfast every day?
You do ??? after school.
What do you do after school?
Are you ready to see how well you know the Present simple tense ?
Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.Example: I (play) play the guitar.Example: Jessica (play) plays the guitar.
1) I (be) _______ sixteen years old. 2) Tommy (live) _______ at 107 Pine Lane. 3) Juana (cook) _______ dinner for her family. 4) They (eat) _______ lunch at 12:00. 5) Nina (take) _______ medicine when she is sick. 6) I (like) _______ chocolate. 7) He (drive) _______ a nice car. 8) We (want) _______ to see a movie tonight. 9) Mr. Anderson (teach) _______ chemistry at Hill High School. 10) They (study) _______ English at school. 11) I (want) _______ to go home now. 12) Bill and Calicia (drive) _______ to the mountains every year. every year. 13) We (eat) _______ pasta once a week. 14) It (snow) _______ here in December. 15) When Dax (take) _______ a shower, he (wash) _______ his hair with shampoo.
Simple Present (interrogative)
1. Write questions as in the example. 1. You / speak English. Do you speak English? 2. She / work hard. 3. They / have dinner at eight 4. Jill and Tom / study at university 5. You / do your homework every day 6. John / watch TV after dinner. 7. He / wash the car at the weekend. 8. Her friends / live in London. 9. You / have any brothers or sisters. 10. Your friends / go to the cinema very often. 2. Complete the questions with do or does. 1. …… she take her dog for a walk in the morning? 2. …… your friend Paul work in the shop over there? 3. …… they know the answers to the exam? 4. …… your parents know that you smoke? 5. …… Bill teach maths? 6. Where ……. your sister live? 7. What time …… the lessons finish? 8. …… you go to the coast in summer? 9. …… it rain very often in Ireland? 10. Why …… they ask so many questions in class?
3. Write short answers to these questions (yes, I do / no, I don´t / yes, she does /no, she doesn´t, ….)
1. Do you speak French? …………….
2. Does your mother like chocolate? …………
3. Do you study a lot? …………..
4. Do you usually watch TV at night? …………
5. Do you play a musical instrument? ………..
6. Does your father work? ………….
7. Do you go to the cinema? …………
8. Does your best friend study? …….
9. Does it rain a lot in Africa? ………..
10. Do you live in a flat? ………..
Answers :
Exercise 1: 2. Does she work hard? 3. Do they have dinner at eight? 4. Do Jill and Tom study at university? 5. Do you do your homework every day? 6. Does John watch TV after dinner? 7. Does he wash the car at the weekend? 8. Do her friends live in London? 9. Do you have any brothers or sisters? 10. Do your friends go to the cinema very often? Exercise 2: 1. Does she take her gog for a walk in the morning? 2. Does your friend Paul work in the shop over there? 3. Do they know the answers to the exam? 4. Do your parents know that you smoke? 5. Does Bill teach maths? 6. Where does your sister live? 7. What time do the lessons finish? 8. Do you go to the coast in summer? 9. Does it rain very often in Ireland? 10. Why do they ask so many questions in class? Exercise 3: 1. Yes, I do / No, I don´t 6. Yes, he does / No, he doesn´t 2. Yes, she does / no, she doesn´t 7. Yes, I do / No, I don´t 3. Yes, I do / No, I don´t 8. Yes, she/he does // No, she/he doesn´t 4. Yes, I do / No, I don´t 9. Yes, it does / No, it doesn´t. 5. Yes, I do / No, I don´t 10. Yes, I do / No, I don´t
We use different tenses to describe the time that the verb refers to.
Past perfect continuous tense
The past perfect continuous is formed with had been + –ingform:
She had been battling against cancer for years before she died.
The past perfect continuous tense is used most often to express that something started in the past and continued until another event in the past. It can also be used for reasons and explanations for things in the past.
We form the past perfect continuous tense by using had, then been, then the main verb in present participle form.
Subject
Had
Been
Verb
(present participle)
Rest of Sentence
I/you/we/they/he/she/it/Helen
had
been
driving
for six hours.
When to Use the Past Perfect Continuous Tense
An Action that Started in the Past and Continued until another Event or Time in the Past
Use the past perfect continuous to express that one action began and continued until another event (expressed in the past simple) in the past.
I had been writing the essay for five hours before I noticed it was an optional assignment.
The actors had been rehearsing since 8:00 am, and everyone wanted to take a break.
By the time my boss told me to take a break, I had been working continuously for 17 hours.
Note: Words like “for” and “since” are often used to measure how long an action continued until the interrupting action.
To Give a Reason or Explanation for Something in the Past
It had been snowing a lot, so driving was dangerous.
Danielle was sweaty because she had been exercising.
Justin had been baking cookies and was covered in flour.
Note: As with all continuous tenses, you can’t use stative verbs or the stative versions of mixed verbs.
Negative Statements
The negative of past perfect continuous is very simple –- just add “not” between the “had” and the “been” before the present participle:
Louise had not been drinking, so she offered to drive everyone home.
The dog was sick, and had not been eating.
The children had not been playing, but they pretended to play when their mother came into the room.
Question Forms
Information Questions about the Subject
To make a question about the subject of a sentence, use a question word as the subject. the form is: question word + “had” + “been” + main verb (present participle) + rest of sentence:
??? had been driving the car when it hit the lamp post. –>
Who had been driving the car when it hit the lamp post?
??? people had been running in the marathon when the storm hit. –>
How many people had been running in the marathon when the storm hit?
???’s cat had been scratching the chair to shreds until we declawed her. –>
Whose cat had been scratching the chair to shreds until we declawed her?
Questions about the Verb or Words after the Verb
To make a yes/no question about the verb or words after the verb, put the “had” in front of the subject:
Had you been listening to the radio to find out about the tornado?
Had he been sleeping when I called?
Had Alice been staying with you long?
To make an open-ended question about the verb or words after the verb, put a question word (who, what, where, when, why, how) before the “to be” verb in front of the subject:
Where had you been listening to the radio?
How long had he been sleeping when I called?
Where had Alice been traveling when you met?
Are you ready to see how well you know the Past Perfect Continuous Tense ?
We use different tenses to describe the time that the verb refers to.
Past Continuous Tense
We use the past continuous tense (also known as the past progressive) to talk about actions in the past that lasted for some time.
It is formed by using was/were + present participle.
Subject
Simple past tense of
“to be”
Present Participle
I/he/she/it/Maggie
was
talking.
They/we/you/you all
were
talking.
Note: Stative Verbs
Some verbs, called “stative” or “non-continuous” verbs, can’t be used in continuous tenses. Others can be used in continuous tenses, but their meaning changes. Make sure you understand the difference between stative and non-stative verbs while using past continuous and all continuous tenses. You can find more information here.
When to use the Past Continuous Tense
An Interrupted Continuous Action
When one activity in the past is interrupted by another activity, we use past continuous for the original activity and past simple for the interrupting activity.
I was cooking when you called.
John was watching television when the power went off.
I was doing my homework when I realized I was doing the wrong assignment.
You weren’t listening when I told you I had plans tonight.
A Specific Time as an Interruption
You can also use the past continuous when the “interruption” is a specific time. In this case, the original action started before the specific time, and continues after it.
I was still working at 8:00 pm last night.
Elaine was living in Paris this time last year.
Note: If you use the simple past with a specific time, it means that the action started at that time. If you use past continuous, the action is continuing during the specific time.
I ate breakfast at 8:00 am. (Meaning: I started eating breakfast at 8:00 am.)
I was eating breakfast at 8:00 am. (Meaning: At 8:00 am, I was already eating breakfast, and I continued eating it.)
Setting the Background or Atmosphere
In narratives, the past continuous tense often sets the scene or the mood for further events, which happen in the simple past.
When I walked into the daycare, children were running around the hallways and jumping from desk to desk. One little girl was cutting a boy’s hair, and several children were crying loudly while eating birthday cake with their hands. I knew I didn’t want to work there.
Rain clouds were gathering in the sky, and thunder was rumbling to the East. The storm would be here soon, so I closed all the windows.
Two Actions Happening at the Same Time
You can use past continuous to talk about two ongoing actions happening simultaneously.
He was washing dishes and I was drying them.
The kids were playing in the yard while the adults were talking on the front porch.
Annoying or Repeated Actions in the Past, often with “Always”
To emphasize the repetitiveness of an action (and how the repetitiveness annoys you), use the past continuous tense with an adverb of frequency, usually “always.”
Mark was always complaining that he didn’t have a girlfriend.
The little girl was always losing her mittens until her mother sewed them onto the sleeves of her jacket.
Negative Statements
The negative of past continuous is very simple –- just add “not” between the “to be” verb and the present participle:
Amanda wasn’t driving that night.
The kids were not lying when they said they saw a dog on rollerskates.
You weren’t drinking last night, were you?
Question Forms
Information Questions about the Subject:
To make a question about the subject of a sentence, use a question word as the subject. the form is: question word + “was/were” + main verb (present participle) + rest of sentence:
??? was riding a horse. –>
Who was riding a horse?
??? people were playing football. –>
How many people were playing football?
???’s child was eating carrot sticks. –>
Whose child was eating carrot sticks?
Questions about the Verb or Words after the Verb
To make a yes/no question about the verb or words after the verb, put the “to be” verb in front of the subject:
Were you listening?
Was he talking?
Was Andy playing basketball?
To make an open-ended question about the verb or words after the verb, put a question word (who, what, where, when, why, how) before the “to be” verb in front of the subject:
What were you listening to?
Who was he talking to?
Where was Andy playing basketball?
Are you ready to see how well you know the Past Continuous Tense Tense ?
