Present tenses

It’s easier to understand when we use the different present tenses if we compare them.
Let’s look at:
The present simple and the present continuous.
The present perfect simple and the present perfect continuous.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2
When do we use them?

Function: When do we use them?
1. present simple vs present continuous
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2
Do you still train every day?
Yes! I usually work out in the evenings. At the moment, they are renovating the gym in my block of flats, so I’m going to the one at the community centre. People are always playing in the pool! I can’t wait until my gym opens again!
Look at this sentence: I usually work out in the evenings. Is this a repeated action/habit or something happening now?
A repeated action/habit
Which 2 actions in the girl’s answer refer to ones which are true right now/only temporary?
1. They are renovating the gym
2. I’m going to the one at the community centre.
Look at this sentence: People are always playing in the pool. Is this a single or repeated action? How does the girl feel about it?
It’s a repeated action.
It’s annoying.
Take notice of the tenses used here…

I usually work out in the evenings. At the moment, they are renovating the gym in my block of flats, so I’m going to the one at the community centre. People are always playing in the pool!
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2
Function: When do we use them?
1. present simple and present continuous
This is a habit or routine.
These actions are temporary and happening around now.
This is a repeated, annoying action.

Something to consider…
At the moment, I have a knee injury, so I can’t train.
We do not use state verbs in the continuous structures. They are always in the simple tenses.
When do we use the present perfect simple and continuous?
Look at the continuation of the conversation.
This sentence talks about a temporary action, but notice that it is in the present simple, not continuous. This is because have in this context is a state, not action verb.
We can also use time expressions to describe actions happening now or around now with state verbs in the present simple.
Some verbs can be state verbs or action verbs depending on the context. E.g.
I was thinking about Laura when she walked in.
Think here is an action verb. You can imagine the speaker’s brain working.
I think he’s German.
Think here is a state verb meaning the same as believe.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2

Function: When do we use them?
2. present perfect simple and present perfect continuous
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2
Match the uses to the examples.
An action that started in the past and continues to now.
With adverbs like already, yet, never, and ever.
Recently finished actions/those with a present result.
To emphasise the long duration of an activity.
For actions which happened at an unspecified time.
A recent past continuous action with a present result.
A state that started in the past and continues to now.

Function: When do we use them?
2. present perfect simple and present perfect continuous
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2
An action that started in the past and continues to now.
With adverbs like already, yet, never, and ever.
Recently finished actions/those with a present result.
To emphasise the long duration of an activity.
A recent past continuous action with a present result.
A state that started in the past and continues to now.
For actions which happened at an unspecified time.

Function: When do we use them?
2. present perfect simple and present perfect continuous
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2
With adverbs like already, yet, never, and ever.
Let’s review the uses of these adverbs...
already: To emphasise an action was completed in the past without mentioning a specific time. E.g. He has already eaten.
ever: To ask about general past experiences or with superlative structures. E.g. It’s the biggest car I’ve ever owned; Have you ever been to Berlin?
yet: to say an action wasn’t completed in the past, but indicate it probably will be soon. E.g. She hasn’t eaten yet.
never: replaces ‘not’ when referring to general past experiences. E.g. I’ve never eaten sushi = I haven’t eaten sushi.
How do we form the present tenses?

Form: How do we make these structures?
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B2
Look at the example for the present simple. Work out the breakdown of form for the other three tenses.
+ Subject + verb in present simple
- Subject + do/does + not + verb bare infinitive
? (Question word) + do/does + subject + verb bare infinitive
+ Subject + am/are/is + verb -ing
- Subject + am/are/is + not + verb -ing
? (Question word) + am/are/is + subject + verb –ing
+ Subject + have/has + past participle
- Subject + have/has + not + past participle
? (Question word) + have/has + subject + past participle
+ Subject + have/has + been + verb -ing
- Subject + have/has + not + been + verb -ing
? (Question word) + have/has + subject + been + verb -ing
present continuous
present perfect simple
present perfect continuous
Remember that we commonly use contractions, e.g. don’t, haven’t, isn’t.
In connected speech, this is pronounced /bɪn/, not /bi:n/.
Let’s practise!