COMPLETE PRESENT TENSE VERBS REVIEW

Present Continuous
Continuous/Progressive verbs are used to define something which is happening at a
certain moment in time
Verb construction of this present tense
AFFIRMATIVE: Subject + am/are/is + verb in ing
I am cooking dinner. She is sitting on a chair. The children are
playing in the garden.
NEGATIVE: Subject + am/are/is + not (nt) + verb in ing
Im not working today. John isnt doing his homework. You are not
going without me!
QUESTION: Am/Are/Is + subject + verb in ing.
Am I doing the right thing? Is Mary doing her homework? Are they
playing tennis?
Are you coming with me? Are you listening to me? Is the dog
eating its food?

This verb construction in the present tense is used :

With action verbs (we can see this thing/action being done.)
John is playing the piano. They are listening to classical music. ( To
listen - action verb associated with one of our senses)

With verbs with more than one meaning to represent movement/action

John thinks that Mary is beautiful. (This is his opinion verb of state of mind
Simple present)
John is thinking of visiting New York. (His mind is elaborating this thought
action)

With always to represent something we disapprove of

John smokes a lot. (This is a truth/fact. We use the simple present.)
John is always smoking. (We do not approve. This action troubles us a lot)

In the present, action is associated with adverbs of the present time: now at the
moment today still
I cant come with you. I am still doing my homework.
Im watching TV at the moment.

Modals + semi-modals
These verbs are used to express possibility, intention, obligation, necessity, asking for
permission, making requests, offering something, offering to do something. They
change our perception of the verb they are linked to.
I clean my bedroom once a week. (This is a fact. Simple present tense)
I must/have to clean my bedroom once a week. (I feel obliged/someone
makes me do this)

Verb construction in the present tense

AFFIRMATIVE: Subject + modal/semi-modal + base form principal verb
I can swim. (can here is used for ability) I can come with you. (This is
 possible/permitted)
NEGATIVE: Subject + modal/semi-modal + not (nt) + base form principal verb
I cant play tennis. (no ability) He cant go to school today. (not
possible)
QUESTION: Modal/semi-modal + subject + base form principal verb
Would you like a cup of tea? (offering something)
Would you like me to help you? (offering to do something)
Must I come with you immediately? Do I have to come with you
immediately? (obligation)
Need I come with you? (Is it necessary?)
Can I/May I/Could I leave the room, please? (asking permission different
levels of formality)
You cannot/mustnt smoke in this room. (It is not permitted. It is prohibited)
Can I go to the park with my friends? Yes, you can. (asking/giving
permission)
Uses of verb to be in the present tense
The verb to be in the simple present is a verb of state. It is used for facts/truths
Verb construction in the present tense
AFFIRMATIVE: subject + am/are/is + remaining part of sentence.
I am late for work. You are very friendly. John is tall. Mary is beautiful. It
is hot, today. We are young. These are our friends John and Mary Brown.
NEGATIVE: Subject am/are/is + not (nt) + remaining part of sentence.
Im not late this morning. You arent very friendly. It isnt hot. Those
shoes arent yours.
QUESTION: Am/Are/Is + subject + remaining part of sentence.
Am I late? Yes, you are. Is Mary a student at Birmingham
university? Yes, she is. Are those books Johns? No, they arent.
COMBINED WITH A QUESTION WORD: (Interrogative adverbs)
How tall is John? He is 58. (How + adjective)
What is he like? (tell me something about his character). He is very kind.
Who is she? She is my sister. (Who is subject, but with be + noun/pronoun,
the standard interrogative form is used).
Whose book is this? Whose is this? Its Marys (book). (Whose is the indicator
of possession/subject of the sentence)
Who are you with? I am with my sister. (Who is object pronoun and uses the
standard interrogative form)

Be combined with a past participle is used to form the present tense passive
voice .

They are building a hotel in the village. (Present Continuous this is

happening)
A bridge is being built in the village. (someone is building it. The object
have become the subject of the sentence because the bridge is more important than
the people building it) Passive form of the present Continuous.
They produce computers in this factory. (Simple present)
Computers are produced in this factory. (Passive form of the simple
present)
 Simple present of verb have got

We use have got to talk about situations or state. It indicates possession,

relationship, qualities or features. It is considered informal and is not commonly used
in written English. Its use is very common in spoken British English but is less
common in American English. It is not usually used in any tense other than the
present. The abbreviated form of have is usually used.

AFFIRMATIVE: Subject + have got/has got + remaining part of sentence

Ive got two brothers. Marys got a headache. Weve got plenty
of time. The Simpsons have got a new car. John has
got/Johns got a bad temper.

NEGATIVE: Subject + havent got/hasnt got + remaining part of sentence

They havent got a big house. John hasnt got a sister. It hasnt got a
good reputation. I havent got backache. Susan hasnt got time to
wash her car today.

QUESTION: Have/Has + subject + got + remaining part of sentence

Have you got any brothers or sisters? Yes, I have. Ive got one brother and
two sisters.
Has he got time to help us? No, he hasnt. Has it got two drawers or
three? Its got two.

All other simple verbs used to indicate the present time

Simple tenses are formed by using the base form of the principal verb. In the
present tense the auxiliary verb do/does is used. In the affirmative the third person
singular always finishes in s.
The simple verb construction is used to express habits, general truths, facts,
repeated actions, unchanging situations, emotions, the senses
Adverbs of frequency are often used with simple verbs: always frequently -
occasionally - often, sometimes - usually - every

Regular verbs construction in the present tense

AFFIRMATIVE: subject + base form verb + (s/es/ies in the 3 rd person singular only) +
remaining part of sentence.
I play tennis every Friday. They produce wine in Italy. He lives with
his parents.
Mr Brown teaches English. John studies French at university. Mary has
breakfast at 7.30.

NEGATIVE: Subject + dont/doesnt + base form verb + remaining part of

sentence.
We dont come from Spain. I dont live in Rimini. They dont often
go to the cinema.
It doesnt work. Alberto doesnt eat fish. She doesnt
 have lunch at 12.00

QUESTION: Do/Does + subject + base form of verb + remaining part of sentence

Do you live in Italy? Does John live in Birmingham? Do they work
in a factory?
Does it work? Do you like chocolate? Yes, I do. No, I dont.

COMBINED WITH A QUESTION WORD: (Interrogative adverbs)

What do you do? Im a teacher. Where do you live? How does he
get to work?
Who takes private English lessons? (Who is subject affirmative verb
construction) Mary takes private lessons.
Who meets you every Sunday? (Who is subject affirmative verb
construction) John meets me every Sunday.
Who do you meet every Sunday? (who is object interrogative verb
construction) I meet John every Sunday.
Whose bicycle needs repairing? (whose is subject affirmative verb
construction)
Whose (umbrella) can I borrow? (whose is object interrogative verb
construction)

Imperative mood
We use the imperative: to give a direct order, to give instructions, to make an
invitation, on signs and noticeboards, to give friendly advice.
Construction of the second person imperative:
AFFIRMATIVE: The base form of the verb is used. The subject is not expressed.
Sit Down! Shut up! Be quiet! (commands)
Construction of the first and third person imperative:
Let me sit down! Let him/her sit down! Let us sit down! (speaking to someone
who is not part of the us group) - requests
Lets sit down. (speaking to the members of the us group of people) -
Suggestion
NEGATIVE: Dont + base form of verb + remaining part of sentence.
Dont behave so badly! Dont go there! Dont touch that dog! Dont
drive so fast!
But we usually say Lets not go to the cinema rather than Dont lets go to
the cinema.

Come to our party with John! invitation

Beware of the dog! warning sign
Do be careful. friendly advice
Turn left at the traffic lights then go past the supermarket. (giving
instructions)
I have put this together because I could find no similar review anywhere.

I have purposely put the regular present simple verbs towards the end because we
only find this auxiliary construction in the simple present and the simple past. All
other constructions invert subject and verb/ first verb in compound verbs to form
questions and we just add not to the first verb to form a negative sentence.
 Am I . . . ? Would you . . .? Have you seen . . . ? Have you got . . . ? Will
you be . . . ? etc.
Im not You wouldnt You havent seen You have got You
will be

I have found that students who are taught regular simple verbs at an early stage, tend
to think that the use of do/does/did as an auxiliary is the most common form of
constructing questions and negative sentences.

Teaching the present continuous at a very early stage reinforces the idea of -ing =
action , introduces students to the verb be at the same time and establishes the idea
that the inversion of subject /verb is the most common construction for questions.

Please, if I have left anything out, or made any mistakes (typos or otherwise) tell me
on my recommend page. If you have any suggestions to better any of my worksheets
I would be very grateful.

Best wishes from Italy to all of you

lesleymisano