ELC tensis

8/13/2019 ELC tensis

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Thesimple present tenseis one of the most common tenses in English. This page will

explain the rules for forming the tense with regular verbs.

1. Forming the simple present tense

There are only two basic forms for the simple present tense; one ends with -s and theother doesn't. Here are the rules, using the example verb sing!

Subject Verb Form Example

" simple form I sing

#ou simple form You sing

He simple form $ %He sings

%he simple form $ % She sings

"t simple form $ %It sings

&e simple form We sing

They simple form They sing

"n other words, only TH"( )E%*+ %"+/ sub0ects 1he, she and it2 have to

have a verb with -%.

2. -sor -es?

&ith most verbs, the third person singular form is created simply by adding -S.

However, with some verbs, you need to add -E% or change the ending a little. Here

are the rules!

Verb ending in... How to mae the !rd person singular Example

s /dd -E% He passes

3 /dd -E% She waltzes

sh /dd -E% She wishes

ch /dd -E% He watches

x /dd -E% She mixes

o /dd -E% He goes

consonant $ y 4hange # to ", then add -E% It flies

5anything else6 /dd -% He sings


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Forming a negati"e

+egatives in the simple present are formed by adding don'tor doesn'tbefore the

simple form of the verb!

Subject #uxiliar$ Example

" don't " don't sing

#ou don't #ou don't sing

He doesn't He doesn't sing

%he doesn't %he doesn't sing

"t doesn't "t doesn't sing

&e don't &e don't sing

They don't They don't sing

"n other words, only third person singularsub0ects 1he, she and it2 have doesn%t7

the rest have don%t.

2. Forming a $es&no 'uestion

#es8no 9uestions are also created using the auxiliary do. This time, the auxiliary is

placed before the sub0ect. Here are the rules!

#uxiliar$ Subject Example

(o " (o " sing:

(o you (o you sing:

(oes he (oes he sing:(oes she (oes she sing:

(oes it (oes it sing:

(o we (o we sing:

(o they (o they sing:

!. Forming a (H- 'uestion

&H- 9uestions 1using words such as what


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Subject *E -+, orm

%he is singing

"t is singing

&e are singing

They are singing

2. How to mae the -+, orm

&ith many verbs, you can simply add -"+ to the end of the verb. However, with

some verbs, you need to change the ending a little. Here are the rules!

Verb ending in... How to mae the -+, orm Examples

one vowel $ one consonant(ouble the consonant, then add

-"+

swim - swimming

hit - hitting

get - getting

one vowel $ one consonant $

Eemove E, then add -"+

come - cominglose - losing

live - living

5anything else6 /dd -"+

say - saying

go - going

wal= - wal=ing

orming a negati"e

+egatives in the present continuous are formed by adding notor n'tafter the verb >E!


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/ositi"e sentence ,egati"e sentence 0ontracted negati"e

" am eating. " am not eating. "'m not eating.

#ou are wor=ing. #ou are not wor=ing. #ou aren't wor=ing.

He is driving. He is not driving. He isn't driving.

%he is teaching. %he is not teaching. %he isn't teaching.

"t is raining. "t is not raining. "t isn't raining.

&e are reading. &e are not reading. &e aren't reading.

They are writing. They are not writing. They aren't writing.

2. Forming a 'uestion

#es8no 9uestions are created by moving the verb >E to the beginning of the sentence.

&H-9uestions are formed by moving the verb >E, and then adding the &H- word.

Here are the rules!

Statement )es&no 'uestion (H- 'uestion

" am eating. /m " eating: &hat am " eating:

#ou are crying. /re you crying: &hy are you crying:

He is going. "s he going: &here is he going:

%he is arriving. "s she arriving: &hen is she arriving:

"t is sleeping. "s it sleeping: &hy is it sleeping:

&e are leaving. /re we leaving: &hen are we leaving:

They are fighting. /re they fighting: &hy are they fighting:

he simple present tense

The simple present tense is used for two main types of action!


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Habits /ctions which happen regularly 1for example, every day or every wee=2

States Things which do not often change 1for example, opinions and conditions2

%ome examples will help to ma=e this clearer!

$pe oaction

Examples Explanations

Habit

#oung-?i goes to class

every day.Every day< is a habit.

"t rains a lot in @ancouver. This means that it rains often.

%antos always tal=s about

his family./lways< means this is a habit.

Aerry spends 4hristmas with

his parents.

This implies that he spends 4hristmas with

his parents every year.

State

>ianca lives in Blorida. This is a state, because it doesn't change.

Aean-)aul has red hair. %omeone's hair colour doesn't usuallychange.

?artin li=es chocolate.&hen we li=e something, usually we will

always li=e it.

/nna believes in od.>eliefs and opinions are states. They don't

often change.

2. he present continuous tense

The present continuous tense is used for two main types of action!

# temporar$ action

happening now

%omething which is going on right now1but it will

stop in the future2

# deinite plan or the uture %omething we intend to do, usually in the near future

Here are some examples!

$pe o action Examples Explanations

emporar$ action

happening right now

Aohn is winning the

game.

ight now, Aohn is winning, but the

game isn't finished yet.

"t's raining outside. "t's raining right now 1but it may stopsoon2.

%oraya's wor=ing in

the library.%he's wor=ing there right now.

%ihol is spending

4hristmas with his

family.

He's spending 4hristmas with his family

right now, this year. 1?aybe next year

he won't.2

einite plan or the

uture

"'m playing soccer

tomorrow.

This plan is already arranged and

definite.

%arah's leaving for

%an Brancisco on

Briday.

%he has probably already bought her

tic=et.

The *lympics are This is already certain.


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$pe o action Examples Explanations

ta=ing place here next

year.

"'m having a party

next wee=./ll the plans have been made.

Forming the present perect tense

This tense is formed using two components! the verb H/@E 1in the present tense2,

and thepast participleform of a verb. &ith a regular verb the past participle ends

with -E( 10ust li=e the simple past2. "rregular verbs have a special past participle form

that you have to learn. Here are the rules, using the regular verb arrive< and the

irregular verb eat


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Subject H#VE /ast /articiple

" havearrived

eaten

#ou havearrived

eaten

He hasarrived

eaten

%he hasarrived

eaten

"t hasarrived

eaten

&e havearrived

eaten

They havearrived

eaten

+ote that the sub0ect and auxiliary verb may be contracted! for example, " have

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ELC tensis