Present Tenses Contrast (Simple vs. Continuous)

For teachers and students

1. Session (1) (20-6-2015)
- Present Tenses Contrast


Present Tenses Contrast
 Present Simple Forms

Verb to be Verb to have Other verbs Negation
I am
It/ he/ she is
You/ they are
I/ you/ they have
It/ he/ she has
I/ you/ they do
It/ he/ she does
Verb to be: I'm not
He isn't
They aren't
Other Verbs:
I/ you/ they don't do.
It/ he/ she doesn't do.
I am ok.
They are fine.


I have a car.
She has a dog.



They read well.
He reads well.
They aren't fine.

I don't have a car
They don't read well.
He doesn't read well.

Yes/ No Question Wh Questions
 V. to be: Am I …?
Is it/ he/ she …?
Are you/ they…?
Ex: Am I ok? Are they fine?
 V. to have: Have I/ you/ they …?
Has it/ he/ she …?
Ex: Have you a session today?
Has it a good monitor?
 Other verbs: Do I/ you/ they do?
Does it/ he/ she do?
Ex: Do they go to school?
Does it work?
 V. to be:
Wh question word + am/ is/ are + subject?
Ex: What is your name?
 V. to have/ Other verbs:
Wh question word + do/ does + subject+ main verb?
Ex: What do you have here?
What does she write?


Spelling rules:
 V. + (o/ x/ ch/ sh/ ss) + es. Ex: goes / watches/ fixes/ finishes/ passes
 V. ends with a consonant + y: y → ies. Ex: cry: cries dry: dries
 V. ends with a vowel+ y: s Ex: plays prays sprays

Frequency Adverb Placement:
 After v. to be: I am always late!
 Before other verbs: I always come late!

2.  Present Continuous Forms
Affirmative Negation
I am + v + ing
You/ they + are + v+ ing
It/ he/ she + is + ing
I am doing good job.
I am not + v + ing
You/ they + are not + v+ ing
It/ he/ she + is not + ing
I am not doing a good job.

Yes/ No Question
.
Wh Question
Am/ is/ are + sub. + v+ing?
Are you doing a good job?
Wh question word + Am/ is/ are + sub. +v+ing?
What are you doing?

Spelling rules:
 V. ends with (e): remove (e): take: taking smile: smiling
 V. ends with a vowel + a consonant: double the consonant: put: putting cut: cutting
 V. ends with (ie): remove (ie) and ad y: die: dying lie: lying

Usages Contrast

Present Simple Present Continuous
Habits and routines: I go to work every day.
I go to club on Fridays
Key words:
- every day/ month/ year … etc
- on Wednesdays/ Saturdays … etc.
-at weekends
-always/ usually/ often/ sometimes/ rarely/ never
Now actions: I am doing a good job now.
Take care! This car is approaching.
Key words: at the moment, at the present, now,
look! listen! take care!
Timetables: The train leaves at 10.
The 1
st
session starts at 8 am.
Future Fixed Arrangements:
I'm travelling to Cairo next week.
Facts: The sun rises in the east. Near Future:
I'm visiting you tonight.
Permanent states (stative verbs): I like blue. Annoying repeated actions with (always):
He's always asking me silly questions!
Temporary Actions:
I'm giving an English course this month.

Stative Verbs (Non-Continuous Verbs)
There are a group of verbs in English, which usually refer to a STATE (a situation which isn't in a process of change).
These verbs are either unusual in the continuous form, or when used in the continuous the meaning of the verb is
different.
1. Verbs of the MIND and THINKING: agree, assume, believe, consider, doubt, expect, know, realise, remember,
suppose, think, understand
2. Verbs of EMOTION: care, detest, dislike, enjoy, envy, hate, hope, like, love, prefer, want, wish
3. Verbs of STATE: appear, consist, contain, cost, depend, mean, need, seem, weigh
4. Verbs of POSSESSION: belong, have, own
5. Verbs of the SENSES: feel, hear, see, smell, taste

3. Non Continuous Verbs to Give Continuous Meanings:
Be: be is usually a stative verb, but when it is used in the continuous it means 'behaving' or 'acting'
 you are stupid = it's part of your personality
 you are being stupid = only now, not usually
Think:
 think (stative) = have an opinion: I think that coffee is great
 think (dynamic) = consider, have in my head: what are you thinking about? I'm thinking about my next holiday
Have:
 have (stative) = own: I have a car
 have (dynamic) = part of an expression: I'm having a party / a picnic / a bath / a good time / a break
See:
 see (stative) = see with your eyes: I see her now, she's just coming along the road
see (stative) = understand: I see what you mean
 see (dynamic) = meet / have a relationship with: I've been seeing my friend for three years./ I'm seeing Robert tonight.
Taste:
 taste (stative) = has a certain taste: This soup tastes great
 taste (dynamic) = the action of tasting: The chef is tasting the soup
('taste' is the same as other similar verbs such as 'smell.' You can check the rest of the list online.)
Exercise: Correct the underlined mistakes:
 I bought the tickets. I travel to Cairo tomorrow.
 My plane will take off tonight at 9 pm.
 I will see you tonight. …………………..
 I play basketball at the moment. ……………………..
 They are hating math. …………………..
 They always stare at me. This annoys me!
 I am meeting my friends on Fridays. …….
 I take an English course these days. ……..
 The earth is moving. ………………………..
 I am understanding the lesson well. ………………
 I arrive always on time. ……………
 They rarely are late. ……………