PRESENT TENSESPRESENT TENSESPRESENT TENSESPRESENT TENSES

Present tensesPresent tenses• There are fourfour present tenses in

English:o Present simpleo Present continuouso Present perfect simpleo Present perfect continuous

Present simplePresent simple: form: formPositive:

I/You/ We/They liveShe/He/It lives

Negative: I/You/ We/They don’t liveShe/He/It doesn’t live

Interrogative:Do you/I/we/they live? Yes, I do. / No, they don’t.Does she/he/it live? Yes, she does. / No, it

doesn’t.

Present simplePresent simple: uses: uses1. Habits: I go for a walk every afternoon.2. Things that are always true:Water boils when you heat it.3. Things that are true for a long

time:My father works as a shop assistant.

Present continuousPresent continuous: form: formPositive:

I am workingYou/ We/They are workingShe/He/It is working

Present continuousPresent continuous: form: formNegative:

I’m not workingYou/ We/They aren’t workingShe/He/It isn’t working

Present continuousPresent continuous: form: formInterrogative:

Am I working? Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.

Are you/we/they working? Yes, we are. / No, they

aren’t.Is she/he/it working?

Yes, she is. / No, he isn’t.

Present continuousPresent continuous: uses: uses1. Activities happening (around)

now: I’m writing my doctoral thesis.

2. Future personal plans:We’re getting married in October.

Present perfect simplePresent perfect simple: : formform

Positive: I/You/ We/They have livedShe/He/It has lived

Present perfect simplePresent perfect simple: : formform

Negative: I/You/ We/They haven’t livedShe/He/It hasn’t lived

Present perfect simplePresent perfect simple: : formform

Interrogative:Have you/I/we/they lived?

Yes, I have. / No, you haven’t.Has she/he/it lived?

Yes, she has. / No, it hasn’t.

Present perfect simplePresent perfect simple: : usesuses

1. Unfinished activities that began in the past and continue up to the present:

I’ve lived here for five years.2. Finished activities that occurred in the

past but which have a result at present:I’ve just been to the shops.3. Indefinite past experiences:I’ve been to La Gomera.

Present perfect continuousPresent perfect continuous: form: form

Positive: I/You/ We/They have been livingShe/He/It has been living

Present perfect continuousPresent perfect continuous: form: form

Negative: I/You/ We/They haven’t been livingShe/He/It hasn’t been living

Present perfect continuousPresent perfect continuous: form: form

Interrogative:Have you/I/we/they been living?

Yes, I have. / No, you haven’t.Has she/he/it been living?

Yes, she has. / No, he hasn’t.

Present perfect continuousPresent perfect continuous: form: form1. Unfinished activities that began in the

past and continue up to the present:

I’ve been living here for five years.

2. Finished activities that occurred in the past but which have a result at present:

I’ve been shopping.

Present perfect simple or Present perfect simple or continuous?continuous?

We can use both tenses for unfinished and finished activities that have a connection with the present moment.

But we prefer the present perfect simple:• To emphasize the activity is finished:

I’ve read that book.• When we mention the number of

things/times we have done something:I’ve taken ten photos.

• With stative verbs: be, have, understand, love, see…

I’ve had my car for years.

Present perfect simple or Present perfect simple or continuous?continuous?

We prefer the present perfect continuous:• To emphasize the activity is not finished:

I’ve been studying English for two years.• To emphasize the activity is long/repeated:

She’s been trying to pass her driving test for years.

• To emphasize the activity is temporary:He’s been working in a bar this summer.

(But then he’s going to university)

PRESENT TENSESPRESENT TENSESPRESENT TENSESPRESENT TENSESCreated by:Created by:

Carmen Luisa Pérez AmaroCarmen Luisa Pérez Amaro