Let’s talk about: Present Simple, Present Continuous, Present Perfect ,Present Perfect Continuous

Read the postcard. Which of the verbs are in the present perfect continuous?
have
been
Ving

Match the verb forms in the postcard to their uses.
Present Perfect. An action which started in the past and continues to the present.
Present Continuous. A temporary situation.
Present Simple (stative verb). An expression of feeling.
Present Perfect Continuous. An action which started in the past and continues to the present with emphasis on duration.
Present Perfect. An action completed recently.
Present Continuous. An action happening now.
Present Continuous. A fixed arrangement in the near future.
Present Continuous. A fixed arrangement in the near future.
What are these tenses in your language?

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct present tense. Give reasons.
When ... (the parade/start)?
It … (start) at 11 o’clock so we …(meet) at 10.30.
Present Simple
For timetables and programmes.
When does the parade start?
Present Simple
For timetables and programmes.
Present Continuous
For fixed arrangements in the near future.
It starts at 11 o’clock so we are meeting at 10.30.

Present Simple
Stative verb in present simple meaning ‘appears’
Tim … (look) tired. … (he/have) a tough time?
Present Continuous
Stative verb in present continuous meaning ‘is considering’
Present Continuous
Stative verb in present continuous meaning ‘is he experiencing’
Yes, and he … (think) of taking a week off.
Tim looks tired. Is he having a tough time?
Yes, and he is thinking of taking a week off.

Present Perfect
For actions that happened in the past at an unstated time.
… (you/ever/attend) a music festival?
Actually, I … (go) to the U2 concert this Sunday.
Have you ever attended a music festival?
Actually, I … (go) to the U2 concert this Sunday.
Present Continuous
For fixed arrangements in the near future.

Present Perfect Continuous
For an action which started some time in the past and has a visible result in the present.
You look exhausted. What … (you/do)?
I … (dig) in the garden since morning.
You look exhausted. What have you been doing?
I have been digging in the garden since morning.
Present Perfect Continuous
For an action which started in the past and continuous up to the present, with emphasis on the duration.

Present Continuous
Stative verb in present continuous meaning ‘are you sniffing’
Why … (you/smell) the candy floss?
It … (smell) nice and it … (remind) me of when I was young.
Why are you smelling the candy floss?
Present Simple
Stative verb in present simple meaning ‘it has a smell’
Present Simple
Stative verb in present simple meaning ‘makes me remember’
It smells nice and it reminds me of when I was young.

Put the verbs in brackets into the present simple or continuous. How do the sentences differ in meaning?
Paula …………………… (look) sad.
Paula …………………… (look) for her car keys.
appears
is directing her eyes
Difference

This soup …………………… (taste) delicious.
He …………………… (taste) the soup to see of ot needs salt.
has a delicious flavour
is testing the flavour of
Difference

Put the verbs in brackets into the present simple or continuous. How do the sentences differ in meaning?
This fabric …………………… (feel) soft.
Toby …………………… (feel) unwell at the moment.
has the texture of
is experiencing
Difference

Put the verbs in brackets into the present simple or continuous. How do the sentences differ in meaning?
Lucy …………………… (think) Shakira is great.
Lucy …………………… (think) of buying Shakira’s new album.
has the opinion of
is considering
Difference

Put the verbs in brackets into the present simple or continuous. How do the sentences differ in meaning?
He …………………… (have) three cats.
He …………………… (have) a party on Saturday.
owns/ possess sth
is holding
Difference

Complete the questions using do, go or have. Then ask and answer to find out about your partner’s life.
always 100%
usually 75%
often 50%
sometimes 25%
rarely/seldom 10%
never 0%
How often …
………………………… a late night?
………………………… out with friends?
………………………… shopping?
………………………… the washing-up?
………………………… out for a meal?
………………………… to a party?
………………………… a family get-together?
………………………… a shower/bath?
………………………… the ironing?
………………………… to bed after midnight?

In pairs, use the phrases to act out dialogues, as in the examples.
go to a rock festival
give a speech
sleep outdoors
go to a fancy dress party
stay up all night
play a musical instrument in public
take part in a parade
dance in the street
Have you ever V3 …?
Tell the class about your partner.
gone (been) to a rock festival
given a speech
slept outdoors
gone to a fancy dress party
stayed up all night
played a musical instrument in public
taken part in a parade
danced in the street

Use the phrases to write sentences, as in the example. Use the present perfect or the present perfect continuous.
1. Sally looks different. (dye/hair/recently)
She has dyed her hair recently.
2. My ears hurt. (listen/to loud music/all afternoon)
I’ve been listening to loud music all afternoon.
3. Ann is sunburnt. (lie/in the sun/all day)
She’s been lying in the sun all day.
4. Sam can’t get back into his house. (lose/key)
He’s lost his key.
5. Jane looks terribly worried. (just/break/mirror)
She’s just broken a mirror.
6. Mike isn’t coming. (see/the film/before)
He’s seen the film before.

Fill in the present perfect or present perfect continuous and choose for or since.
I ...... (not/be) to a party for/ since last year.

Fill in the present perfect or present perfect continuous and choose for or since.
It …………… (rain) for/since hours.

Fill in the present perfect or present perfect continuous and choose for or since.
He …… (know) Sally for/since six years.
They …… (be) in the team for/since 2002

Fill in the present perfect or present perfect continuous and choose for or since.
We …… (not/see) George for/since a long time.
John ……… (read) for/since early this morning.

Act out dialogues, as in the example.
Excited – organise/party
Send out invitations
Buy food
Book a band
You look really excited! What have you been doing?
I’ve been organising a party.
Really? What have you done so far?
Well, I’ve already sent out the invitations and I’ve bought the food, but I haven’t booked a band yet.

Exhausted – do/homework
Finish/maths
Write essay
Study test
You look really exhausted! What have you been doing?
I’ve been doing my homework.
What have you done so far?
Well, I’ve already finished the maths and I’ve written an essay, but I haven’t studied for my test yet.

Dirty – work/garden
Plant/new flowers
Dig up/weeds
Cut/grass
You look really dirty! What have you been doing?
I’ve been working in the garden.
Really? What have you done so far?
Well, I’ve already planted some new flowers and I’ve dug up the weeds, but I haven’t cut the grass yet.

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense. Compare with your partner.
1. ‘ve been
2. is
3. Have you ever heard
4. have
5. have just finished
6. dresses up
7. dance
8. ‘ve been looking forward to
9. ‘ve found
10. starts
11. is picking me up
12. ‘m feeling

Read the sentences. Which words do we use to form exclamations? Is it the same in your language?
What a nice party!
What a beautiful decorations!
How well he dances!
Isn’t it a great party?
Exclamations

Write exclamations for the following.
1. You like your friend’s new outfit.
2. The cake at a party is delicious.
3. You see a very pretty girl.
4. You admire the way someone sings.
What a beautiful new outfit!
What a delicious cake!
Isn’t she a very pretty girl!
How beautiful he sings!

Exchange school news with your partner. Find out about recent events, things going on at the moment and anything planned for the near future. Use present tenses and the adverbs in the list.
A new library at school
We’ve just opened a new library at my school.
Oh, that’s great! We haven’t got round to building one yet.
A new gym at school
We are building a gym at the moment.
Oh, that’s great! We’ve had a gym since 1986 but it’s quite old so we’re renovating it now.
To prepare for the prom
We’ve also been preparing for the prom all week.
That sounds fun. We’ve already had our school dance.

Workbook
Put the verbs in brackets into the present simple, present continuous, present perfect or present perfect continuous.

Write exclamations for the following, as in the example.
You think your friend looks very nice.
How nice you look!
Your sister’s costume is funny.
What a funny costume!
The fireworks are amazing.
What amazing fireworks!
You like the way your friend dances.
How well you dance!
You think your brother is very lucky.
How lucky you are!

Use the present tenses to expand the sentences and include the words in brackets.