The Present Tenses (the Simple Present, the Present Progressive, the Present Perfect, the Present Perfect Progressive)

All the present tenses refer to the actions which they denote to the present, that is to the time of speaking.

THE SIMPLE PRESENT

I. The Simple Present is formed with the help of the infinitive with out the particle to.

In the third person singular it has the suffix -s/-es. The interrogative and the negative forms are built up analytically, by means of the auxiliary verb do in the Simple Present and the infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to.

• — Do you work? — I do not work.

— Does he work? — He does not work.

II. The Simple Present is used:

1. to state simple facts, habitual actions in the present.

• I live in Tula but every weekend I go to Moscow.

On Sundays we usually stay at home, sometimes we go to the country.

2. to state laws of nature, universal truths, in proverbs and sayings.

• It snows in winter and it rains in summer in this country.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

Still waters run deep. Old love doesn't rust.

3. to denote a succession of actions going on at the moment of speaking.

• She comes in, takes off her coat, flings it on the chair and walks over to the mirror.

4. in subordinate clauses of time, condition and concession instead of the Simple Future after the conjunctions when, till, until, as soon as, before, after, if, unless, in case, on condition that, provided, even if.

• if he gets a good rest, he'll be his usual self tomorrow.

I'll see him before I go to bed. Do it as soon as you are through with your duties. Even if he hates me, I

shall never do him any harm.

Note: In object clauses introduced by the conjunctions when and if the Simple Future is used to denote future actions:

• I don't know when she will come.

I'm not sure if she will come at all.

I wonder if they will come on time.

5. to express an action going on at the moment of speaking with non-progressive verbs like believe, belong, understand, need, realize, remember, prefer.

• I believe I understand her.

It sounds great.

Yes, I remember her well.

6. with the verbs to forget, to hear, to be told, to denote past actions.

• I forget your telephone number. Will you say it again, please?

I hear you are leaving for England,

We are told she returned from England last week.

The following adverbs of indefinite time are the signals of this tense:

always as a rule ever every day (week ...) generally never

occasionally often regularly seldom sometimes usually

The present progressive

I. The Present Progressive is an analytical form which is built up by means of the auxiliary verb to be in the Simple Present and Participle I of the notional verb.

• He is working. We are resting. I am thinking of you!

The same auxiliary verb is used in the interrogative and the negative forms.

• Are you working? Is he working?

We are not working. He is not working.

II. The Present Progressive is used to express:

1. an action going on at the moment of speaking.

• Look, how happily they are playing!

— What are you doing? — I am cleaning these silver spoons.

Note: Stative non-progressive verbs denoting physical perceptions, emotions, mental abilities are not usually used in the Present Progressive. The Simple Present is used instead:

• Do you see that boy? I understand you. Do you recognize me?

a) some stative verbs can be used in the progressive form when they change their meaning. For example, the verb to be in the Present Progressive expresses certain state or quality peculiar for the person at the given moment. Such usage can be found only in highly emotional contexts.

• We are being fools to go there by ourselves!

You are being rude to this girl. Aren't you forgetting your manners? Look where you go. You're being careless!

b) the verbs of sense and mental perception (see, hear, understand) are used to express surprise, doubt, disbelief (especially in questions).

• What am I hearing here?