Категория: Tenses (Времена в английския език)

  • Present perfect progressive tense

    Affirmative Negative Question
    I have been writing
    She has been writing.
    You have been writing.
    I have not been writing.
    She has not been writing.
    You have not been writing.
    Have I been writing?
    Has she been writing?
    Have you been writing?

    Uses of the present perfect progressive tense

    We use the present perfect progressive to talk about situations which started in the past and are still going on, or which have just stopped and have present results. (още…)

  • Present perfect tense

    Affirmative Negative Question
    I have written
    She has written.
    You have written.
    I have not written.
    She has not written.
    You have not written.
    Have I written?
    Has she written?
    Have you written?

    Uses of the present perfect tense

    past events connected with the present

    We can use the present perfect tense to say that a finished action or event is connected with the present in some way.

    • He has broken his leg. (His leg is broken now.)
    • Somebody has let the cat in. (The cat is in now.)
    • Our dog has died. (Our dog is dead.)

    (още…)

  • The present progressive tense

    Present continuous: form

    We use am, are, is + the –ing form of the verb. We use the short form more often than the full form, especially when speaking.

    +I,you, we, theyshe, he, it(full form)amare,isworking.
    I,you, we, theyshe, he, it(short form)’m’re’s
    I,you, we, theyshe, he, it(full form)am notare notis notworking.
    I,you, we, theyshe, he, it(short form)’m not’re not or aren’t’s not or isn’t
    ? +AmAre,IsIyou, we, theyshe, he, itworking?
    ? −(full form)AmAreIsIyou, we, theyshe, he, itnotworking?
    (short form)Aren’tIsn’tI, you, we, theyshe, he, it

    Present continuous: -ing form spelling

    For most verbs we add -ing to the base form to make the –ing form:

    bebeingeateatingorderordering
    crycryingfixfixingplayplaying
    dodoinggogoing

    For other verbs the spelling changes are (note the underlined syllables are stressed):

    verbing form
    When the verb ends in -e, we take off the –e and add –ing.movemoving
    facefacing
    comecoming
    When the verb ends in a vowel followed by a single consonant and if the last syllable is stressed, then the consonant is doubled.commitcommitting
    preferpreferring
    rubrubbing
    BUT:covercovering
    rememberremembering
    When the verb ends in a vowel + l, we double the consonant.traveltravelling*
    controlcontrolling

    * American English spelling is traveling.

    Present continuous: uses

    Events at the time of speaking

    We use the present continuous to talk about events which are in progress at the moment of speaking:

    A:

    What time’s dinner?

    B:

    I’m cooking now so it’ll be ready in about half an hour.

    She’s pressing the button but nothing is happening.

    Temporary states

    We use the present continuous to talk about temporary states which are true around the moment of speaking:

    Her mother’s living with her at the moment. She’s just come out of hospital.

    Who’s looking after the children while you’re here?

    Repeated temporary events

    We use the present continuous to describe actions which are repeated or regular, but which we believe to be temporary:

    I’m not drinking much coffee these days. I’m trying to cut down.

    She’s working a lot in London at the moment. (She doesn’t usually work in London.)

    Change

    We use the present continuous to talk about a gradual change:

    They’re building a new stand at the football ground.

    Maria, 37, is getting better and doctors are optimistic she will make a full recovery.

    Recent evidence suggests that the economic situation is improving.

    Regular unplanned events

    We often use the present continuous with words like always, constantly, continually and forever (adverbs of indefinite frequency) to describe events which are regular but not planned, and often not wanted:

    My wife, she’s always throwing things out. I like to keep everything.

    I’m constantly spilling things.

    Plans and arrangements

    We use the present continuous to refer to the future when we talk about plans and arrangements that have already been made:

    We’re moving to Cambridge in July.

    Sarah isn’t taking Rory to football training later. She hasn’t got the car tonight.

    Aren’t you playing tennis on Saturday?

  • The simple present tense

    Present simple: form

    We use the base form of the verb, and add -s for the third person singular.

    +I, you, we, theyshe, he, itwork.works.
    I, you, we, theyshe, he, it(full form)do notdoes notwork.
    I, you, we, theyshe, he, it(short form)don’tdoesn’t
    ? +DoDoesI, you, we, theyshe, he, itwork?
    ? −(full form)DoDoesI, you, we, theyshe, he, itnotwork?
    (short form)Don’tDoesn’tI, you, we, theyshe, he, it

    Present simple: spelling

    For most verbs we add -s to the base form to make the she, he, it (third person singular) form:

    comecomesorderorderstraveltravels
    eateatsrecordrecordswalkwalks
    movemoves

    For other verbs, the spelling changes are:

    verbshe, he, it
    When the verb ends in -ch, -ss, –sh, -x or -zz, we add -es.watchwatches
    missmisses
    washwashes
    mixmixes
    buzzbuzzes
    When the verb ends in a consonant + –y we change y to i and add -es.hurryhurries
    studystudies
    replyreplies
    But when the verb ends in a vowel + –y we just add -s.paypays
    enjoyenjoys
    Have, go, do and be are irregular.havehas
    gogoes
    dodoes
    beis

    When the verb ends in -s or -z we double the -s or -z and add -es, e.g. quiz, quizzes. These verbs are not common.

    Present simple: uses

    General truths and facts

    We use the present simple to talk about general facts that are always true and permanent about the world:

    Ten times ten makes one hundred. (10 x 10 = 100)

    There is always a holiday on the last Monday in August in the UK.

    Time passes very quickly when you get older.

    We use the present simple to talk about general facts that we think are true and permanent at the present time:

    I really love my job.

    Mrs Clare doesn’t teach me but she teaches my sister.

    Do you live in Glasgow? My cousin lives there too.

    Spiders don’t frighten me.

    Martha does what she wants. No one tells her what to do.

    Regular and habitual events

    We use the present simple to talk about regular or habitual events. We often use always, often, usually, sometimes, never and other frequency adverbs for regular and habitual events:

    How do you get to work? Do you get the bus?

    I read every night before I go to sleep.

    We always have a holiday in the summer. We never work in August.

    We usually fly to France when we go. Lorea doesn’t like the ferry. It makes her feel sick.

    Instructions and directions

    We use the present simple when we are giving instructions or directions. We often use ordering words, such as and, first and then with this use of the present simple:

    [giving directions]

    You take the train into the city centre and then you take a number five bus. You don’t get off at the museum. You get off at the stop after the museum.

    [giving instructions before a test]

    So what you do is … you read the questions first and then you write down your answers in the box. You don’t write on the question paper.

    Stories and commentaries

    We often use the present simple to describe a series of actions – one action after another. We see this especially in stories, summaries of stories or reviews:

    [talking about the series of events in a novel]

    Alex doesn’t ring back at midnight … she waits till the morning to ring, and they get annoyed with Liz when she goes on … they know she’s got plenty of money by their standards …

    The present simple is often used by sports commentators to give commentaries or report actions as they are happening:

    Mwaruwauri Benjani fouls Cahill. Habsi takes the free kick, Caicedo shoots and volleys. O’Brien blocks.

    Immediate reactions

    We use the present simple, often with verbs of senses and perception, to talk about feelings and reactions at the moment of speaking:

    Do you think that meat is ok to eat? It doesn’t smell very good.

    Where does it hurt?

    [talking about the colour of a dress]

    I don’t like the colour. I think I look terrible.

    It seems a bit quiet in here. Where is everyone?

    Don’t you believe me? It’s true, honestly.

    I promise, I swear, I agree (speech act verbs)

    We use the present simple with speech act verbs (verbs which perform the act that they describe):

    I will pay you back, I promise, when I get paid.

    I agree with everything you say.

    We also use the present simple in a similar way in formal statements and in business or legal communications:

    I attach the original signed copies for your records.

    On behalf of the Society, and particularly those involved in medical work, I write to thank you for your kind gift of £20,000 … (more formal than I’m writing to thank you …)

    Timetables and plans

    We use the present simple to talk about events that are part of a future plan or timetable:

    The lesson starts at 9.30 tomorrow instead of 10.30.

    Lunch is at 12.30. Don’t be late.

    What time do you land? (talking about a flight at some time in the future)

    They don’t start back to school until next Monday.

    We can also often use will in these sentences, with no change in meaning:

    The lesson will start at 9.30 tomorrow instead of 10.30.

    Present simple after when, before, etc.

    We use the present simple for future reference in subordinate clauses after words like when, before, as soon as, if and whether:

    I’ll call you when I get there.

    Not: I’ll call you when I’ll get there.

    Don’t forget to ring before you go.

    Not: Don’t forget to ring before you’ll go.

    They hope to move in to the new house as soon as they get back from Australia next month.

    Not: … as soon as they’ll get back from Australia next month.

    Newspaper headlines

    We often see the present simple in news headlines to report past events. It emphasises the drama or immediacy of an event:

    Man rescues child from lake

    Taiwanese envoys arrive in China