Present Tense

Hi everyone,

As I study English, grammar and writing, I would like to share and apply the lessons I am learning and have learned. One of these lessons is about the present tense. Present tense has four forms: simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous. However, for today's post, I will be working with simple present tense.

Samples of Present Simple:

I watch movies. (habit)
Mark goes to work every day. (repeated action)
Americans speak English. (general truth)
This is how you make a cup of hot coffee. First, you get a mug/cup. Second, you fill it will one tablespoon of coffee, sugar and creamer. Third, you pour in it a hot water, make sure that it will not overflow. Lastly, you mix it using a tablespoon/teaspoon. (instruction/direction)
She goes to church this coming Sunday. (fixed arrangement)
She will go to the museum when her father arrives. (with future construction)

Oi Mark,

Thanks for sharing with us some information about the Present Simple Tense which gives most beginner a lot of trouble in understanding when it shoul be used.

I have some objections to your example of fixed arrangements - She goes to church this coming Sunday. My objection is that the fixed arrangement is not made by us, but is the result of a set timetable.

I would also like to add some more stances when the Simple Present Tense is used, based on the rules given by:

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-use.html

were it says the following:

Strangely, we can use this tense to talk about the future. When you are discussing a timetable or a fixed plan, you can use this tense. Usually, the timetable is fixed by an organisation, not by us:

School begins at nine tomorrow.
Our train leaves at eleven.
What time does the film start?
The plane doesn't arrive at seven, it arrives at seven thirty.
When does the class finish?

We also use it to talk about the future after words like ' 'when', 'until', 'after', 'before' and 'as soon as' in a future sentence:

I will call you when I have time. (Not: 'will have')
I won't go out until it stops raining.
She'll come as soon as her babysitter arrives.
I'm going to make dinner after I watch the news.
I'll give you the book before you go.

We need to use this simple tense with stative verbs (verbs which we don't use in continuous tenses), in situations where we'd usually use the present continuous:

This soup tastes great.
You look fabulous.
I think she is very pretty.
I am cold.
I promise I will help you.

My intention in posting this comment is not to belittle or depreciate your most welcome effort to share knowledge, but to enrich it.

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Comments

mark urbino April 9, 2015 0:10

Hi everyone, thank you for your comments. I appreciate those.

To rysperski : No worries, I do welcome your comment. And thanks for sharing a link, which I can be used as one of my source in studying English. :)
rysperski April 5, 2015 14:06
Oi Mark,

Thanks for sharing with us some information about the Present Simple Tense which gives most beginner a lot of trouble in understanding when it shoul be used.

I have some objections to your example of fixed arrangements - She goes to church this coming Sunday. My objection is that the fixed arrangement is not made by us, but is the result of a set timetable.

I would also like to add some more stances when the Simple Present Tense is used, based on the rules given by:

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-use.html

were it says the following:

Strangely, we can use this tense to talk about the future. When you are discussing a timetable or a fixed plan, you can use this tense. Usually, the timetable is fixed by an organisation, not by us:
- School begins at nine tomorrow.
- Our train leaves at eleven.
- What time does the film start?
- The plane doesn't arrive at seven, it arrives at seven thirty.
- When does the class finish?
We also use it to talk about the future after words like ' 'when', 'until', 'after', 'before' and 'as soon as' in a future sentence:
- I will call you when I have time. (Not: 'will have')
- I won't go out until it stops raining.
- She'll come as soon as her babysitter arrives.
- I'm going to make dinner after I watch the news.
- I'll give you the book before you go.
We need to use this simple tense with stative verbs (verbs which we don't use in continuous tenses), in situations where we'd usually use the present continuous:
- This soup tastes great.
- You look fabulous.
- I think she is very pretty.
- I am cold.
- I promise I will help you.
My intention in posting this comment is not to belittle or depreciate your most welcome effort to share knowledge, but to enrich it.
setareh April 5, 2015 7:10

we need to review grammers all the time. thanks for sharing.

This reply was deleted.