This document provides information about verb tenses used to express present time in English, including the simple present, present progressive, and present perfect tenses. It discusses typical errors made by English language learners and how to form questions and negatives. Interference from Portuguese grammar structures that can influence errors is also addressed.

1. TDC 1
Pedagogical Grammar
Verb Tenses to Express Present Time

2. Present Verb Tenses
- Not as easy as one might assume. Basically, ...
1) Actions that happen repeatedly - _________________
2) Actions that are happening right now - _____________
3) Actions that began in the past and are still happening
now - ________________
Typical ELL Errors
-I am in this city for all my adult life.
-The solution to my problem isn’t depend on another person.
-Is working your uncle at the bank now?
-Modern cars are having much better tires than in the past.
-Do you have worked at this bank since the last time I saw
you?
Simple Present
Present Progressive
Present Perfect

3. Present Verb Tenses
Verb Tense Example Meaning
Simple
Present
I study Chinese every day. a habitual or repeating
action
Present
Progressive
I am studying Chinese
today.
a current action
Present
Perfect
I have studied Chinese
since 2006.
an action that began in the
past and continues to be
true
Present
Perfect
Progressive
I have been studying
Chinese all morning.
an action that began in the
past and is continuing now
(with emphasis on the fact
that it is still happening now.

4. Present Verb Tenses
BE CAREFUL
1) The Present Simple can also be used to talk about scheduled
events in the future.
Example: The train arrives at five tomorrow.
2) The Present Progressive can also be used to talk about future
arrangements.
Example: We are visiting grandma tomorrow.
3) The Present Perfect can also be used to talk about actions
that happened at an unspecified time in the past.
Example: I have already been to Miami.

5. Past Now Future
X X X X X I X X X X X
Simple Present
What ELLs Should Know
--s in the third person singular
-Irregular forms (-ies / -es / has)
Singular Plural
I walk we walk
you walk you walk
he/she/it walks they walk
Verb Tense Example Meaning
Simple
Present
I study Chinese every day. a habitual or repeating action
Typical ELL Errors
-Laura cook scrambled eggs for breakfast every day.
-My baby sister crys when she is hungry.
-I am walk to school every day.

6. Past Now Future
X I X
Present Progressive
What ELLs Should Know
-am/is/are + present participle
-Formation of present
participles*
Singular Plural
I am walking we are walking
you are walking you are walking
he/she/it is walking they are walking
Typical ELL Errors
-We study very hard for tomorrow’s test.
-The earth is going around the sun once a year.
-My baby brother crying now.
-He is siting on the table.
-I am having two cars.
Verb Tense Example Meaning
Present
Progressive
I am studying Chinese today. a current action

7. Past Now Future
X X X X X I
Present Perfect
What ELLs Should Know
-has / have + past participle
-Formation of past
participles*
Singular Plural
I have walked we have walked
you have walked you have walked
he/she/it has walked they have walked
Typical ELL Errors
-I lived here my whole life.
-Sarah have rented the same apartment since 2005.
-Sarah has already complete all the homework.
-Macy has putted the book on the teacher’s table.
Verb Tense Example Meaning
Present
Perfect
I have studied Chinese since
2006.
an action that began in the past
and continues to be true

8. Past Now Future
X X X X X I
Present Perfect Progressive
What ELLs Should
Know
-has / have + been +
present participle
Singular Plural
I have been walking we have been walking
you have been walking you have been walking
he/she/it has been walking they have been walking
Typical ELL Errors
-I been waiting for the bus for almost 45 minutes.
-I am waiting for the bus for almos 45 minutes.
Verb Tense Example Meaning
Present
Perfect
Progressive
I have been studying
Chinese all morning.
an action that began in the past and is
continuing now (with emphasis on the
fact that it is still happening now.*

9. Negative Forms
Typical ELL Errors
-I no speak French well. // The soup doesn’t smells good.
-The man is not like this food. // We don’t have eaten yet.
Tense Negative Form
Simple
Present
I/you/we/they + do + not + verb
he / she / it + does + not + verb
Present
Progressive
I am + not + present participle
you/we/they + are + not + present participle
he / she / it + is + not + present participle
Present
Perfect
I/you/we/they + have+ not + past participle
he / she / it + has + not + past participle
Present
Perfect
Progressive
I/you/we/they + have+ not + been + present participle
he / she / it + has + not + been + present participle
What ELLs Should Know
-Most difficult – Present Simple*

10. Contractions
Typical ELL Errors
-I amn’t from northern India.
-Linda’s bought a new car. It’s an amazing sound system.
Tense Affirmative Negative
Simple Present ----- do not – don’t
does not – doesn’t
Present
Progressive
I am – I’m
he/she/it is – he’s/she’s/ it’s
you/we/they are – you’re,
we’re, they’re
am not - ---
is not – isn’t (he’s not...)
are not – aren’t (you’re not...)
Present Perfect
+ Present
Perfect
Progressive
I/you/we/they have – I’ve /
you’ve / we’ve / they’ve
he / she / it has – he’s /
she’s / it’s*
I/you/we/they have not –
haven’t (I’ve not...)
he / she / it has not – hasn’t
(he’s not...)

11. Forming Questions
Typical ELL Errors
-Do Luke like hockey? // Does Valery goes to class every day?
-Is Mary have a sports car? // Do you wearing a new tie today?
-How many international trips did you have taken in your life?
Tense Negative Form
Simple Present do + I/you/we/they + verb
does + he / she / it + verb
Present
Progressive
am + I + present participle
are + you/we/they + present participle
is + he / she / it + present participle
Present Perfect have + I/you/we/they + past participle
has + he / she / it + past participle
Present Perfect
Progressive
have + I/you/we/they + been + present participle
has + he / she / it + been + present participle
What ELLs Should Know
-Most difficult – Present Simple*

12. Present Tenses
Portuguese Interference Common Errors
English Present Perfect tense can be
rendered in Portuguese by the
present form or the past form.
1. “I live here all my life.”
2. “I already watched this film.”
Portuguese speakers frequently use
the simple present to talk about the
future.
1. “If you need a ride to the
store, I take you.”
2. “In a little while, I cook
dinner.”
In Portuguese, the ending of verbs
change according to the subject.
Students might get confused.
In Portuguse, there are no auxiliary
verbs used to form questions or to
form negative sentences in the
Simple Present.
1. “___You want to go?”
2. “I no want to go.”