USES OF
SIMPLE PRESENT AND CONTINUOUS.
grammar index present continuous grammar home exercises
1.
Use of Simple Present.
1.1.
Permanent truths
We use the simple present for statements that are
always true:
Summer follows
spring.
Gases expand when heated.
1.2.The present period'
We use the simple present to refer to events,
actions or situations which are true in the present period of time and which,
for all we know, may continue indefinitely. What we are saying, in effect, is
'this is the situation as it stands at present':
My father works in a bank. My sister wears
glasses.
1.3. Habitual actions
The simple present can be used with or without an adverb of time to
describe habitual actions, things that happen repeatedly:
I get up at 7.
John smokes a lot.
We can be more precise about habitual actions by
using the simple present with adverbs of indefinite frequency (always, never,
etc. or with adverbial phrases such as every day .
"I
sometimes
stay up till midnight..
We commonly use the simple present to ask and answer questions which
begin with
HOW OFTEN?:
How often
do
you go to the dentist? - I go every
six months
Questions relating to habit can be asked with ever
and answered with e.g. never and sometimes not...ever .
Do you ever eat meat? -
No, I never eat meat.
1.4. Future reference.
This use is often related to timetables and
programmes or to events in the calendar:
The exhibition opens on
January 1st and closes on January 31st The concert begins at 7.30 and
ends at 9.30
We leave tomorrow at 11.15
and arrive at 17.50.
Wednesday, May 24th marks our
25th wedding anniversary.
2.
Uses of the present progressive.
2.1 Actions
in progress at the moment of speaking.
We often use adverbials like now, at the moment,
just, etc.:
Ex: Someone's knocking at the door. Can you answer
it?
What are you doing? - I'm just tying up my shoe-laces.
He's working at the moment, so he can't come to the telephone.
We can emphasize the idea of duration
with still
He's still talking to his girlfriend on the phone.
2.2 Temporary situations
The present progressive can be used to describe
actions and
situations which may not have been happening long,
or which are
thought of as being in progress around the present
time. Such situations may not be happening at the moment of speaking:
Ex: What's your daughter doing these days?
She's studying English at Durham University.
Don't take that ladder away. Your father's using it. (i.e. but
perhaps not at the moment)
2.3 We also use the present progressive to describe
current trends:
ex: People are becoming less tolerant of smoking
these days.
2.4 Planned actions: future reference
We use the present progressive and be going to
to refer to
activities and events planned for the future. We
generally need an
adverbial unless the meaning is clear from the
context:
Ex: We're spending next winter in Australia.
This use of the present progressive is also commonly
associated with
future arrival and departure and occurs with
verbs like arrive, come,
go, leave, etc. to describe travel arrangements:
Ex: He's arriving tomorrow morning on the 13.27
train.
Look! The train's leaving. (i.e. it's actually
moving)
2.5 Repeated actions
The adverbs always (in the sense of
'frequently'), constantly,
continually, forever, perpetually and repeatedly
can be used with
progressive forms to describe continually-repeated
actions:
Ex:
She's always helping people.
2.6 Verbs not used in the progressive tense.
There are many verbs that are not usually used in
the progressive
tenses
and others that are not used in the progressive tenses in
certain of their meanings. (In grammars, these verbs
are often called
'stative verbs'; verbs that can normally have
progressive forms are
called 'dynamic verbs'.) The most important of these
verbs are:
I .
DISLIKE, HATE, LIKE, LOVE, PREFER, WANT, WISH
2. ASTONISH,
IMPRESS, PLEASE, SATISFY, SURPRISE
3. BELIEVE,
DOUBT, FEEL (= HAVE AN OPINION), GUESS, IMAGINE, KNOW, MEAN, REALIZE, RECOGNIZE,
REMEMBER, SUPPOSE, THINK (= HAVE AN OPINION), UNDERSTAND
4. HEAR,
SEE, MEASURE (= HAVE LENGTH, ETC), TASTE (= HAVE A
FLAVOUR), SMELL (= GIVE OUT A SMELL), SOUND, WEIGH
(= HAVE
WEIGHT)
5 . BELONG TO, CONCERN, CONSIST OF, CONTAIN, DEPEND
ON, DESERVE, FIT, INCLUDE,
INVOLVE, LACK, MATTER, NEED, OWE, OWN, POSSESS
6. APPEAR,
RESEMBLE, SEEM
Compare the progressive and non-progressive uses of
certain verbs:
What are you thinking about? I think you're right.
I'm feeling fine I feel we shouldn't do it.
Why are you smelling the meat? Is it bad?
The meat smells bad. I
'What are you doing with my whisky?' - 'I'm just
tasting it.'
It tastes wonderful.
The scales broke when I was weighing myself this
morning.
I weighed 68 kilos three months ago - and look at me
now!
Why's that man measuring the street?
I measure 75 centimetres round the waist.
I'm seeing Philip tomorrow. I see what you mean.
Note the common use of can see and can
hear instead of progressive
tenses of see and hear.
I can hear a funny noise. (Not: *I'm hearing. . .) f
I can see a woman doing the housework in the flat
opposite.
VERBS
NOT USED IN THE CONTINUOUS TENSE (choose the correct answer)
1.
We____________of buying a new car.
a)
are thinking
b)
think
2.
The waiter _______________the wine and it seems it is good.
a)
will taste
b)
tastes
c)
is tasting
3.
A coffee ____________good after a meal.
a)
tastes
b)
is tasting
c)
has tasted
4.
I______________you very much. I want to be your boyfriend
a)
am liking
b)
like
c)
will like
5.
Mary _______________a new boy at the moment. He is Polish.
a)
is seeing
b)
see
c)
has seen
6.
Don't talk to me now. I_____________to the radio.
a)
am listening
b)
listen
c)
have listened
7.
How ___________________today ? Much better, really.
a)
are you feeling
b)
do you feel
c)
did you feel
8.
I_____________the best way to travel is on foot.
a)
think
b)
am thinking