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Presentsimpletense
This document provides information about the present simple tense in English. It discusses five main uses of the present simple: 1) for generic or habitual truths, 2) for habitual actions, 3) for instantaneous present actions simultaneous with speaking, 4) with state verbs like "be" and "have", and 5) for planned future actions as part of a fixed schedule. Examples are given for each use, including common adverbials that indicate habitualness or futurity. Verbs of thinking, feelings, and involuntary perception are also discussed. The document concludes with examples of if clauses and time clauses used with the present simple tense.
Presentsimpletense
- 1. Present Simple Tense Towork I work You work he works
- 2. Uses: 1. TheGeneric Present = generic or universal truths The earth moves around the sun
- 3. Uses : 1.The Generic Present = generic or universal truths; laws of nature Water boils at 100 C.
- 4. Uses: The GenericPresent = generic or universal truths; laws of nature The Danube flows into the Black Sea
- 5. Uses: 1. TheGeneric Present = facts which are always true; permanent situation or state She works in a bank
- 6. Uses: 1. TheGeneric Present = facts which are always true; permanent situation or state He who laughs last laughs best
- 7. Uses: 1. TheGeneric Present = generic or universal truths
- 8. Uses: 2. Habitualpresent always generally usually often rarely sometimes never every day/ week/ month on Sunday Children always look for love Generally, I don’t drink coffee in the evening I usually walk to school I often read my Bible I never get up late in the morning She goes to England every yearNo Particular Event or State No Particular Moment of Time
- 9. Uses: 2. Habitualpresent often sometimes rarely twice a week usually never
- 10. Uses: 2. Habitualpresent often sometimes rarely twice a week usually never
- 11. Uses: 2. Habitualpresent This child always helps his parents to shovel the snow in front of their house
- 12. Uses: 2. Habitualpresent This girl never says no when asked to do the dishes
- 13. Uses: 2. Habitualpresent He washes the dishes every day
- 14. Uses: 3. TheInstantaneous Present = Particular Event!!! Simultaneous with the moment of Speaking NO DURATION in mind Radio or TV commentaries, sports Description of demonstrations, experiments Stage directions Exclamations: Here, There… .
- 15. Uses: 3. TheInstantaneous Present = Particular Event!!! Simultaneous with the moment of Speaking There goes the last bus! There it goes! Here comes the bus!
- 16. Uses: 3. TheInstantaneous Present = Particular Event!!! Simultaneous with the moment of Speaking Banel Nicolita passes the ball to Chivu who heads straigh into the goal!
- 17. Uses: 3. TheInstantaneous Present = Particular Event!!! Simultaneous with the moment of Speaking The actions will happen each and every time the same! He coughs loudly several times, sits down on the chair, frowns, sneezes He sits down on the floor, stretches his arms and sighs
- 18. Uses: 3. TheInstantaneous Present = Particular Event!!! Simultaneous with the moment of Speaking Now I put the cake mixture into this bowl and add a drop of vanilla essence
- 19. Uses: 4. StateVerbs Be/ Have He is very intelligent He has/ owns/ possess a nice house Vbs of thinking think understand believe Vbs of feelings and emotions love hate want Involuntary perception Feel, hear, see
- 20. Verbs of thinking think Ithink Present Simple is not difficult I think the museum is open to visitors understand Do you understand Present Simple now? They understand my problem now believe I believe in God I believe he is the man you are looking for I do not believe it. Guess, imagine, know, remember, supposeRealize, remember, doubt, forget
- 21. Verbs of thinking Ithink I’ll impress John if I study hard Anyway, I understand the lesson better now I expect the teacher will give me a high mark I doubt I can read the whole pile of books, though
- 22. Verbs of feelingsand emotions hate loathe detest want prefer wish love like adore desire I dislike his behaviour I want to go to London Do you like English?
- 23. Verbs of feelingsand emotions I adore these moments of peace Wow, I love this coffee brand, it is a wonderful start for my long work day! I hate the way the waitress looks at me… she must think that there is no tip I want to talk to my boss, I can see him at that table over there, but...
- 24. Verbs of involuntary perception hear Listen!Do you hear a noise? I am listening, but I can’t hear a thing, I do not hear, really…. see I see a car com ing tow ards us Look: You look well smell The house still smells of that cabbage stew I am smelling the flower and I can say that it smells good Feel, notice I feel (like) an absolute fool Taste: The soup tastes bad
- 25. Verbs of involuntary perception This coffee smells terrible Ooops,it tastes awful, too but I can’t say a word I feel like an absolute fool. I hope this coffee commercial is a success and the public can’t read my mind
- 26.
- 27. Uses: 5. ThePresent Simple for Future Planned future action Part of an already fixed programme Calendar, journey, timetableCome, go,leave return; begin, finish, start, end, meet. Obligatory adverbial ofObligatory adverbial of time for the correcttime for the correct interpretation of theinterpretation of the temporal valuetemporal value
- 28. Uses: 5. ThePresent Simple for Future Planned future action Part of an already fixed programme Calendar, journey, timetableCome, go,leave return; begin, finish, start, end, meet. Obligatory adverbial ofObligatory adverbial of time for the correcttime for the correct interpretation of theinterpretation of the temporal valuetemporal value
- 29. Uses: 5. ThePresent Simple for Future The train leaves Craiova at 6:30 and arrives in Bucharest at 8:30 Our spring holiday begins on April 26th. Certainty
- 30. Uses: 5. ThePresent Simple for Future What time does the film begin? One day three we visit Buckingham Palace; - description of travel arrangements The examination begins at 8.30 tomorrow morning. Certainty
- 31. Uses: 5. ThePresent Simple for Future time The sooner you finish the better it will becondition The idea of futurity isThe idea of futurity is clearly denoted in the mainclearly denoted in the main clause --> Future Timeclause --> Future Time I’ll give you the book as soon as I finish Unless you leave now, you will miss the train We will be late if you don’t hurry
- 32. If Clauses If Iget a good mark my mom will buy me the dress If I read the whole pile of books I will get a ten If I understand this page I will call it a day If I finish here in time I will go to the concert
- 33. Time Clauses When Igo home I’ll have a hot shower and go to bed As soon as the bell rings I’ll rush out of the door When I get the phone from Mark I’ll leave the library When I finish this book I won’t start another one
- 34. Bibliography: • Ioana Murar,The English Verb, EUC, 2004, Craiova