21. Present tense

PRESENT SIMPLE - action or condition which is permanent or habitual.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS - action or condition which is happening now and is incomplete.

PRESENT SIMPLE

Normally, stem of verb with "s" or "es" added for 3rd person singular.

There are only 4 irregular verbs in the present simple (and two are because of pronunciation). Full list here.

be: I am, you are, he is, we are, they are.
have: I have, you have, he has, we have, they have.
do (and compounds such as "undo" and "redo"): I do, you do, he does, we do, they do (where "does" is irregular only in pronunciation ... /ˈdʌz/ in contrast to /ˈduː/, the pronunciation of the infinitive and the other present tense forms).
say (and compounds such as "gainsay" and "naysay"): I say, you say, he says, we say, they say (where "says" often has an irregular pronunciation - /ˈsɛz/ as opposed to /ˈseɪz/ which is used for the infinitive and the other present tense forms).

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

To Be [Am, Is, Are] + Verb [Present Participle]

When to Use the Present Continuous

Use the present continuous tense with the appropriate “to be” form and a dynamic verb. A dynamic verb shows action and/or process. For example,

Scott’s little sister is arriving at the diner two hours late because her roller-derby team, Chicks Ahoy, won the national championships early today. As she is walking into Polly’s Pancake Diner, she is yelling goodbye to her friends outside, and Scott hopes she doesn’t cause a scene since she is always embarrassing him in public.

When Not to Use the Present Continuous

Do not use the present continuous tense with stative verbs. Stative verbs show a state of being that does not show qualities of change. These verbs can stay in the simple present. For example,

Aunt Christine is preferring the maple walnut pancakes over the banana peanut butter ones that Scott loves - WRONG.
Aunt Christine prefers the maple walnut pancakes over the banana peanut butter ones that Scott loves - CORRECT.

Here, the stative verb "to prefer" shows opinion, and therefore should not be used with the present continuous.

Stative verb categories include emotion (to love), possession (to belong), and thoughts (to recognise), and none of these should use the present continuous form.

The Exception to the Rule

Some verbs can be both dynamic and stative! Think about the verbs to be and to think. In its dynamic form, the verb to be can show action:

Sarah, Scott’s little sister, is being bold by ordering the chilli pancakes.

But in its stative form, the verb to be is awkward if conjugated in the present continuous.

Sarah is being a tall teenager, who loves her food spicy and her sports dangerous.
Sarah is a tall teenageer, who loves her food spicy and her sports dangerous.

Here are some more examples:

The waiter thinks Scott should save room for pumpkin pie. (Stative and in the simple present).
The waiter is thinking about getting a new job that requires less human interaction, like a veterinarian. (Dynamic and in the present continuous).

Verbs not usually taking the present continuous include ...

SENSES / PERCEPTION

to feel*
to hear
to see*
to smell
to taste

OPINION

to assume
to believe
to consider
to doubt
to feel (= to think)
to find (= to consider)
to suppose
to think*

MENTAL STATES

to forget
to imagine
to know
to mean
to notice
to recognise
to remember
to understand

EMOTIONS / DESIRES

to envy
to fear
to dislike
to hate
to hope
to like
to love
to mind
to prefer
to regret
to want
to wish

MEASUREMENT

to contain
to cost
to hold
to measure
to weigh

OTHERS

to look (=resemble)
to seem
to be (in most cases)
to have(when it means "to possess")*

EXCEPTIONS

Perception verbs (see, hear, feel, taste, smell) are often used with can: : I can see... These verbs may be used in the continuous form but with a different meaning

This coat feels nice and warm. (your perception of the coat's qualities)
John's feeling much better now (his health is improving)
She has three dogs and a cat. (possession)
She's having supper. (She's eating)
I can see Anthony in the garden (perception)
I'm seeing Anthony later (We are planning to meet)

21.4 Present simple .. turn into singular.

They often go fishing and catch nothing.
My friends work in London; they buy and sell cars.
They sit at the window and watch the traffic.
Their little girls thank them when them give them a present.
Animals find shelter when it rains.
They wash their hands and dry them on a towel.
They hit their dog with a stick when they are angry with it.
Do these ladies generally go to the theatre on Saturday evenings, or do they stay at home?
Birds build their nests in the summer and fly to the south in the winter.
They never find the money they lose.
The children play all the morning and sleep in the afternoon
These apples are very green.
My friends like meat, but do not like fish.
They live in small houses which have only three rooms.
His brothers work hard all day, and want to rest in the evening.
They get new books from the library every week.
They have breakfast at eight o'clock and eat their lunch at half past one.
The postmen bring the letters three times a day.
These chairs are very comfortable but they are too expensive
They want to buy some toys, because their sons have a birthday tomorrow.

21.6 Present simple .. turn all into singular.

REMEMBER that auxiliary verbs (except do, be and have) take no -s in the third person singular. The main modal auxiliary verbs are can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, and would (the semi-modal verbs - ought to, used to - also do not change form in the simple present).

They know English well and can answer all my questions.
My friends do not understand when they speak quickly.
Must they leave before supper or have they time to stay until my friends come?
They may go to London but they are not certain yet.
These books cost most than my friends want to pay.
Those ladies play tennis well but they cannot swim.
Where have they been today and where do they go tomorrow?
When will these girls finish the exercises they were doing last week?
My children get up very early and must walk to school every day.
Little boys sometimes push little girls and pull their hair.
Our fathers work in an office and do not come home for lunch.
They cannot speak French and have never learnt English.
If your friends are tired, they ought to spend a holiday by the sea.
Why do they open all the windows and let the files come in?
They think that their friends may come later.
Their teachers tell them that they make too many mistakes in their homework.
If students read their homework when they have finished it, they will generally find many mistakes themselves.
They go to work by car and come home on foot.
They do not believe her stories because they know they are not true.
Can the police find the books they have lost?

21.7 Supply the appropriate present tense of the verbs given

She (go) to school every day.
We now (learn) English.
The sun always (shin) in Egypt.
I (sit) on a chair and (eat) a banana.
Bad students never (work) hard.
It (rain) in winter. It (rain) now.
I (wake up) at seven and (have) breakfast at half past.
He generally (sing) in English but today he (sing) in French.
The teacher (point) at the blackboard when he (want) to explain something.
Mother (cook) some food in the kitchen at present.
The sun (rise) in the east; not it (set) and night (fall).
That man in the white hat who (walk) past the window (live) next door.
Architects (make) the plans of buildings.
I weat a coat because the sun (not shine).
I always (meet) you on the corner of this street.
The baby (cry) because it is hungry now.
I (spend) this weekend in Eastbourne. I (go) there nearly evbery week.
Where are you? I (sit) in the kitchen. What you (do ) there? I (help) my mother.
Why you (wash) those clothes this morning? Because the sun (shine). I never (was) clothes when there are clouds in the sky.
Where you (go) now? I (go) to the theatre. I (go) tonight also, but I (not go) very often. I (go) every week, but tonight I (go) for the second time in three days.

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