The document provides information on the present simple and present continuous tenses in English. It outlines the affirmative and negative sentence structures as well as question formation for both tenses. It also includes spelling rules for adding suffixes to verbs in the present continuous tense and discusses when to use the present simple versus present continuous tenses. Examples are provided to illustrate the different verb forms and uses.

2. PRESENT SIMPLE

3. Affirmative sentences: We use the infinitive of the verb. In the 3 rd person singular (he, she, it) we put an -s at the end of the infinitive. I/we/you/they play football. He/she/it plays football. FORM

4. Negative sentences : We use the auxiliary do or does (for the 3 rd person singular ) and the negative particle not . I/we/you/they do not play football. He/she/it does not play football.

5. Questions : We use the auxiliary do or does (for the 3 rd person singular ) and change the word order (auxiliary – subject – verb) Do I/we/you/they play football? Does he/she/it play football?

6. a) Add –s for most verbs work - works, buy - buys, ride - rides, return - returns b.) Add – es for words that end in – ch , - s , - sh , - x , or – z . watch - watches, pass - passes, rush - rushes, relax - relaxes, buzz - buzzes c.) Change the – y to – i and add – es when the base form ends in a consonant + y . study - studies, hurry - hurries, dry - dries Do not change the – y when the base form ends in a vowel + y . Add – s play - plays, enjoy - enjoys d.) A few verbs have irregular forms . be - is, do - does, go- goes, have - has SPELLING RULES FOR THE PRESENT SIMPLE

7. Use the present simple for: - Routines and habits . e.g. Maria smokes - Permanent actions . e.g. Pedro lives in Seville - Current facts or truths . e.g. The earth is round USE

8. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

9. Affirmative sentences: We use a form of to be (am, are or is), the infinitive of the verb and the ending –ing . I am play ing volleyball. He/she/it is play ing volleyball. We/you/they are play ing volleyball. FORM

10. Negative sentences : We use the negative particle not after the verb to be and then the infinitive + ing . I am not play ing volleyball. He/she/it is not play ing volleyball. We/you/they are not play ing volleyball.

11. Questions : We use the verb to be as the auxiliary and change the word order (auxiliary – subject – verb) Am I play ing volleyball? Is he/she/it play ing volleyball? Are we/you/they play ing volleyball?

12. SPELLING RULES FOR THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS a.) Add – ing to the base form of the verb. read - reading, stand - standing, jump - jumping b.) If a verb ends in a silent – e , drop the final - e and add – ing . leave - leaving, take - taking, receive - receiving c.) In a one-syllable word, if the last three letters are consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC), double the last consonant before adding –ing . sit - sitting, run - running, hop - hopping However, do not double the last consonant in word that end in w, x, or y . sew - sewing, fix - fixing, enjoy - enjoying

13. d.) In words of two or more syllables that end in a consonant-vowel-consonant combination, double the last consonant only if the last syllable is stressed. admit - admitting, regret - regretting e.) If a verb ends in – ie , change the – ie to y before adding - ing . die - dying

14. Use the present continuous for: - Actions in progress at the moment of speaking . e.g. Maria is smoking right now - Future plans . e.g. I’m travelling to London next weekend USE

15. ACTION AND NON-ACTION VERBS REMEMBER: Action verbs can be used in the present simple and continuous but non-action verbs are not normally used in the present continuous

16. Look! Peter ________ into the water. jumps is jumping Once a week, I ________ to an art class at the college. go am going Don't give Mary any cheese. She ________ it! hates is hating

17. I ________ you're crazy! think am thinking I ________ lunch in the cafeteria every day. have am having I ________ to Toronto next Thursday. Do you want to come? go am going

18. David is rich — he ________ a Mercedes. drives is driving Diana isn't Italian. I ________ she comes from France. believe am believing

19. You won't find Jerry at home right now. He ________ in the library. studies is studying It ________ quite hard — perhaps we shouldn't go out tonight. snows is snowing

20. GO ON PRACTICING AT HOME - http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/simcon1.htm - http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/66.html - http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/simple_present_progressive2.htm - http://www.speakspeak.com/html/d3a001_grammar_beginners_present_simple_continuous.htm - http://a4esl.org/q/h/vm/sp_or_pc.html