4. Comment on the use and formation of the Present Indefinite tense. Exemplify your commentary with the cases from the text

The formation of the Present Indefinite.

1. The Present Indefinite is formed from the infinitive without the particle to.

In the third person singular the ending -s is added. After a sibilant represented in spelling by s, ss, ch, sh, tch, x, z and after the vowel o, -es is added: he writes, he reads, he speaks; he passes, he pushes, he watches, he teaches; he goes, he does /dz/.

2. The pronunciation of the ending -s (-es) depends on the sound preceding it.

It is pronounced as:

/z/ after the sibilants /s/, /z/, / /, / /, / /: passes / /, pushes / /, teaches / /, judges / /;

/z/ after voiced non-sibilants and vowels: reads /ri:dz/, lives /li:vz/, sees /si:z/;

after voiceless non-sibilants: works / /, wants / /.

3. In the third person singular we find the following orthographical change:

A final y is changed into i if it is preceded by a consonant and then –es is added:

To study - he studies; to try - he tries.

After a vowel у is kept unchanged: to play —he plays; to stay—he stays.

4. The interrogative and the negative forms are formed by means of the Present Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to do and the infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to.

Affimative	Interrogative	Negative
I work	Do I work?	I do not work
You work	Do you work?	You do not work
He (she, it) works	Does he (she, it) work?	He (she, it) does not work
We work	Do we work?	We do not work
They work	Do they work?	They do not work

5. The contracted negative forms are:

I don't work

He doesn't work

They don't work

6. The negative-interrogative forms are:

Do you not work? Don't you work?

Does he not work? Doesn't he work?

§ 2. The use of the Present Indefinite.

The Present Indefinite is used to denote:

1. permanent states, customary and repeated actions and daily routines. This is its most characteristic use.

e.g. He works in a bank. (permanent state)

He takes the train to work every morning. (daily routine/repeated actions)

The repeated character of the action is often shown by adverbials such as often, usually, every day/week, sometimes, rarely/ seldom, always, on Mondays, in the evening, once a week, etc.

2. Actions and states characterizing a given person.

e.g. She has many accomplishments: she sings and plays the piano beautifully.

3.universal truths and laws of nature, something which is eternally true.

e.g. Magnet attracts iron.

The earth rotates round its axis.

4. actions going on at the present moment (with verbs not used in the Continuous form).

e.g. I see George in the street. Tell him to come in.

I hear somebody knock. Go and open the door.

5. a future action:

(a) in adverbial clauses of time and condition after the conjunctions when, till, until, before, after, as soon as, as long as, unless, on condition that, provided.

e.g. Robert, will you mend me a pen or two before you go? (Ch. Bronte)

I promise not to try to see Robert again till he asks for me. (Ch. Bronte)

Note! It should be borne in mind that this use of the Present Indefinite occurs only in adverbial clauses of time and condition. In object and attributive clauses introduced by when the Future Indefinite is used.

e.g. I wonder when he will give us an answer.

We are impatiently awaiting the day when our friends will return from their long journey.

(b) with verbs of motion, such as to go, to come, to leave, etc. The future action is regarded as something fixed - timetables (planes, trains, etc.) and programmes.

e.g. The train leaves at 10 to-morrow.

We find the same phenomenon in Ukrainian.

Він від’їжджає завтра.

Наступної неділі ми ідемо в театр.

6. sports commentaries, reviews and narration.

a) Peterson overtakes Williams and wins the race. (sports commentary)

b) Mike Dalton plays the part of Macbeth. (review)

c) Then the prince gets on his horse and quickly rides away. (narration)