Present simple and present continuous

REVIEW OF PRESENT AND PAST TENSES

Continuous and simple are used:

1.When we focus on the activity itself, starting before and continuing up to (and possibly beyond) a particular point of time rather than focusing on actions as completed events we use continuous forms:

-This time yesterday I was fighting terrorists in Syria.

-Was he wearing that red dress when you say him?

-As you’re not using your car at the moment, can I borrow it?

2. We use simple forms to talk about general situations, habits and things that are or were always true

-He doesn’t swear very well. He says “shut the front door” quite a lot instead of actually swearing.

-When I worked as a journalists I woke up an 2 pm every day.

3. We use simple forms with verbs that describe unchanged states (that stay the same)

(however we can use cont with those verbs when we mean that something is happening or changing)

She intends to do study hard at school to go to a nice university.

She was intending to do homework, but she couldn’t be bothered.

Perfect is used:

1. We use perfect verb forms to describe one event or state from a point of view of later time. The present perfect suggests a connection between what happened in the past and the present time. Note that the situation or events does not have to continue until the time of speaking (WE HAVE CONTINUOUS FOR THAT), but only to have some relevance to present time.

I’ve finished that John Green book you wanted, so you can borrow it now.

Your neck is bleeding. Has somebody bitten you?

2. The past perfect is used to locate a past even before another past event

I invited him for dinner, but he said that he’d already eaten.

By the time I picked up the phone, they had rung off.

Combinations of perfect and continuous are used:

1. We combine the perfect and cont forms in the present perfect cont to describe an activity in progress either at or recently before the time speaking, and possibly beyond it

I have been following the Syria discussion on reddit with great interest.

2. We can also use present perf cont to talk about activities that have recently finished with some result that can be seen/heard

Look at that dirt on your clothes! Have you been digging a grave again?

3. The past perf cont has a similar meaning. However the point of reference is not now, but a point in the past.

When we met Lara and Sara they had been riding.

It had been snowing heavily for hours and when I went to the door I couldn’t open it.

Now here’re some useful rules that you might’ve not heard before (or never thought they were actual rules)

Present simple and present continuous

State verbs

1.We can use the present cont with some state verbs to emphasize that situation is temporary or for a period of time around the present (attract, like, look, love, sound, etc)

-Ella stays with us quite often. The children love having here here

-Ella’s with us at the moment. The children are loving having her here.

2.We rarely use some state verbs in present cont (believe, consists of, doubt, own)

3.There are words that have a “state” and an “action” meaning. With state the take rather simple, than cont forms, with action it’s simple or cont depending on the context (cost, expect, feel, fit, have, imagine, measure, think, weight)

The app doesn’t appear to wrok on my phone (appear = state)

Peter Capaldi is currently appearing in a tv show called Doctor Who (appear- action)

Mental State Verbs

1.With some verbs describing mental state we can use the present cont to emphasize that we have recently started to think about something or we are unsure about something (find, realize, regret, understand, think)

I regret that the company will have to be sold (I’ve made my decision and I’m sorry about it)

I’m regretting my decision to watch The Walking dead, I should have watched Doctor Who instead (I’m increasingly aware that It was a wrong decision)

2.Consider is only used with present cont (as in think carefully about)

He’s considering watching Doctor Who

3.Some verbs describing mental state are rarely used with the present cont (agree, believe, conclude, know, prefer)

I believe you now that Doctor Who is the best show in the world (not I’m believing you now)

Performatives

1.We use the present simple with verbs that perform the action they describe (suggest, request, acknowledge, admit, advise, apologize, beg, confess, declare, deny, name, order etc)

I suggest you watch Doctor Who

2. Some verbs are used as performatives with the present simple in affirmative (positive) sentences (apologize, deny, suggest, promise, guarantee) and have a similar meaning with either present simple or cont in negative sentences

I don’t deny/I’m not denying watching Doctor who in class, but my teacher said it was okay

3. Modals are often used with performatives to make what we say more polite

We would advise you to watch Harry Potter

I must beg you to watch the bloody Harry Potter already

Stories

1.We often use present simple and present cont in stories and jokes in informal English to create the impression that events are happening now. This can make the story more exciting and hold people’s attention. The main events are usually describes in sequence using the present simple and longer background events are usually described using present cont.

He’s wearing a nice jacket and a bow tie. She goes up to him, looks straight into his eyes and asks if he’s seen Lord of the rings.

2.In narratives and anecdotes the present simple can be used to highlight an event. Often it is used after tenses and phrase such as suddenly or all of a sudden.

I was siting in a park reading, when all of a sudden a hedgehog jumps on me.

Headlines

Present simple is often used in headlines that have happened recently.

A GUY GETS NAKED IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY

Characteristics

1.We can use present cont with adverbs to emphasize that something is done so often that is characteristic to a person, group, thing (always, constantly, continually, forever)

You are always changing your mind!

2.We use this pattern to indicate disapproval

3. We can use present cont to describe what we do regularly at the same time

I’m usually watching Scrubs at eight.

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