Present Tense
The Simple Present / The Present Indefinite Tense
The Present Indefinite Tense expresses what generally happens at present
Formation / Structure : subject + root verb + object/complement (Active voice)
Examples: Affirmative – I / We live in Delhi.
You play football in the evening.
She speaks the truth. / They speak the truth.
Negative – I / we do not eat rice.
You don’t come here every day.
He does not love cake. / They don’t play games.
Interrogative – Do you see any cobra in this part of the land?
Does he carry his lunch box every day?
Don’t they attend the class regularly?
Use of Present Indefinite Tense
(a) To express a universal or general truth
Examples: The earth moves round the sun.
The sun sets in the west.
Honey is sweet.
(b) To express a habitual or permanent / customary action
Examples: Ram works hard.
The office opens at 10 o’ clock.
I go to school in the morning.
(c) To express what is actually taking place at that moment
Examples: Here comes the postman.
There goes the last bell.
It rains heavily.
(d) To express a future action, when the future is a part of a fixed programme
Examples: The match starts at 5.00 pm.
I will go home when you come.
The exam commences on the 15th of this month.
(e) To express past events in order to make the description more vivid(clear) or real
This is called Historic / Graphic past
Examples: Alexander’s army rushes and the battle begins.
Babur, then, sits on the throne.
(f) To mention the subordinate clause when the main clause is in future tense
Examples: If you run fast, you will catch the train.
When I come to Delhi, I shall visit you.
(g) To quote someone, some authors, etc.
Examples: Shakespeare says, “Life is but a walking shadow.”
He says, “Honesty is the best policy.”
(h) To begin the imperative sentence
Examples: Open your book at page 60.
Obey your parents.
Don’t waste your time.
, The Present Continuous Tense / The Present Progressive Tense
The Present Continuous Tense denotes the action which is going on at the present moment
Formation: subject + helping verb (am/is/are) + ‘ing’ with V1 + object/ complement
Examples: Affirmative – The child is crying.
I am running.
They are learning their lessons.
Negative – ‘not’ is placed between helping verb and the main verb
The child is not crying.
I am not running.
They are not learning their lessons.
Interrogative – Are you trying to teach me?
Is he leaving for Mumbai?
Am I not listening to you?
Uses of Present Continuous Tense
(a) To express an action going on at present/ at the time of speaking
Examples: The boys are playing cricket now.
Look there, the man is beating the child.
My sister is cooking food.
(b) To express an action that is in progress and will continue, but may not be going
on at the time of speaking
Examples: These days I am learning French.
He is learning how to drive.
My father is writing a novel.
(c) To express an action that is going to take place in near future
Examples: Wait, we are just coming.
I am leaving for Bengaluru tomorrow.
Mother is going to meet Principal very soon.
(d) To express an action that is too often repeated; in such cases, adverbs like
regularly, normally, always, never, repeatedly, etc. are used.
Examples: You are always watching television.
She is regularly complaining about headache.
They are usually coming to meet me.
(e) There are some verbs which are not normally used in Present Continuous form.
They are – Verbs of perception – see, hear, notice, smell, fell, taste, observe
Example: I see a bird (Not – I am seeing a bird)
Verbs expressing feelings or state of mind – love, hate, like,
dislike, want, wish, admire, listen, look, believe
Example: I love you (Not – I am loving you)
Verbs involving a process of thinking – know, understand,
remember, mean, forget, mind, recall
Example: I remember you (Not I am remembering you)
Verbs denoting possession – have, own, owe, belong, possess
Example: I have the book (Not I am having the book)
Verbs such as – contain, consist, keep, cost, seem, depend
Example: This pen costs less (Not This pen is costing less)
The Simple Present / The Present Indefinite Tense
The Present Indefinite Tense expresses what generally happens at present
Formation / Structure : subject + root verb + object/complement (Active voice)
Examples: Affirmative – I / We live in Delhi.
You play football in the evening.
She speaks the truth. / They speak the truth.
Negative – I / we do not eat rice.
You don’t come here every day.
He does not love cake. / They don’t play games.
Interrogative – Do you see any cobra in this part of the land?
Does he carry his lunch box every day?
Don’t they attend the class regularly?
Use of Present Indefinite Tense
(a) To express a universal or general truth
Examples: The earth moves round the sun.
The sun sets in the west.
Honey is sweet.
(b) To express a habitual or permanent / customary action
Examples: Ram works hard.
The office opens at 10 o’ clock.
I go to school in the morning.
(c) To express what is actually taking place at that moment
Examples: Here comes the postman.
There goes the last bell.
It rains heavily.
(d) To express a future action, when the future is a part of a fixed programme
Examples: The match starts at 5.00 pm.
I will go home when you come.
The exam commences on the 15th of this month.
(e) To express past events in order to make the description more vivid(clear) or real
This is called Historic / Graphic past
Examples: Alexander’s army rushes and the battle begins.
Babur, then, sits on the throne.
(f) To mention the subordinate clause when the main clause is in future tense
Examples: If you run fast, you will catch the train.
When I come to Delhi, I shall visit you.
(g) To quote someone, some authors, etc.
Examples: Shakespeare says, “Life is but a walking shadow.”
He says, “Honesty is the best policy.”
(h) To begin the imperative sentence
Examples: Open your book at page 60.
Obey your parents.
Don’t waste your time.
, The Present Continuous Tense / The Present Progressive Tense
The Present Continuous Tense denotes the action which is going on at the present moment
Formation: subject + helping verb (am/is/are) + ‘ing’ with V1 + object/ complement
Examples: Affirmative – The child is crying.
I am running.
They are learning their lessons.
Negative – ‘not’ is placed between helping verb and the main verb
The child is not crying.
I am not running.
They are not learning their lessons.
Interrogative – Are you trying to teach me?
Is he leaving for Mumbai?
Am I not listening to you?
Uses of Present Continuous Tense
(a) To express an action going on at present/ at the time of speaking
Examples: The boys are playing cricket now.
Look there, the man is beating the child.
My sister is cooking food.
(b) To express an action that is in progress and will continue, but may not be going
on at the time of speaking
Examples: These days I am learning French.
He is learning how to drive.
My father is writing a novel.
(c) To express an action that is going to take place in near future
Examples: Wait, we are just coming.
I am leaving for Bengaluru tomorrow.
Mother is going to meet Principal very soon.
(d) To express an action that is too often repeated; in such cases, adverbs like
regularly, normally, always, never, repeatedly, etc. are used.
Examples: You are always watching television.
She is regularly complaining about headache.
They are usually coming to meet me.
(e) There are some verbs which are not normally used in Present Continuous form.
They are – Verbs of perception – see, hear, notice, smell, fell, taste, observe
Example: I see a bird (Not – I am seeing a bird)
Verbs expressing feelings or state of mind – love, hate, like,
dislike, want, wish, admire, listen, look, believe
Example: I love you (Not – I am loving you)
Verbs involving a process of thinking – know, understand,
remember, mean, forget, mind, recall
Example: I remember you (Not I am remembering you)
Verbs denoting possession – have, own, owe, belong, possess
Example: I have the book (Not I am having the book)
Verbs such as – contain, consist, keep, cost, seem, depend
Example: This pen costs less (Not This pen is costing less)
