UNIT 1

TENSES I

A. PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE

Usage:
1. To talk about habits or regular activities and situations (repeated actions).
2. To talk about things or attitudes that are generally or always true (facts).
3. To talk about verbs that describe about thinking and feeling (know, want, feel,
think, like).

Adverbs of frequency used:

always usually generally frequently often
sometimes Occasionally seldom rarely hardly ever
never every… (time; day; week; etc)

Patterns:
➢ Active voice:
General pattern: S + V

Affirmative I am A – Adjective
They, We, I, You V1 They, We, You are
(+) He, She, It Vs N – Noun
He, She, It is A – Adverb

I enjoy math. We are Marine engineering students.

Examples
Sarah enjoys math. Paul is smart enough to pass the exam.

Negative I am A – Adjective
They, We, I, You don’t V1 They, We, You are not N – Noun
(-) He, She, It doesn’t
He, She, It is A – Adverb

The civil engineering students are not

You don’t want to be an
at campus on weekends.
Examples engineer.
IT Support Technician is not the best
Sarah doesn’t want to be an
engineer. paid job.

Interrogative Am I A – Adjective
Do They, We, I, V1 Are They, We, You
(?) You Does He, She, N – Noun
Is He, She, It A – Adverb
It
Are the students in the class on

Do you like the proposal? Sunday?

Examples
Does Paul like the proposal? Is an IT Support Technician the best
paid job?
 ➢ Passive voice:
General pattern: S + be + V3
I am
Affirmative Bike bearings are made from steel.
(+) They, We, You are V3 A torch is used to provide light.
He, She, It is
The screws aren’t pushed back by the
I am
Negative ram.
They, We, You are not V3
(-) The plastic isn’t melted by the
He, She, It is
hydraulic fluid.
Am I
Interrogative Are the loaves sent to the shops?
Are They, We, You V3
(?) Is the hopper filled with plastic?
Is He, She, It

Note:
1. Active voice describes a sentence where the subject performs the action stated
by the verb.
2. The verbs used in the active are either “transitive” or “intransitive”.
3. Transitive verb is a verb which is used with an object (Ex: cut, lock, dig, etc).
Intransitive verb is a verb which doesn’t need an object (Ex: fall, run, go, etc).
4. Passive voice, describes a sentence where the subject is acted upon by the verb.
5. The passive can be followed with “by” if we need to clarify who or what has
caused the action.
6. In the passive, when “by” is used, it must be followed with “an object” which
is called “agent”.
7. The verbs used in the passive are “transitive verbs”.

Exercise
State whether these sentences active of passive!
1. Computers … in a product to be made easily.
A. also permit changes C. permit also changes
B. are also permitted changes D. and changes are also permitted

2. On the assembly line, computer-controlled robots … such as welding and

painting.
A. use for tasks C. are used for tasks
B. are using for tasks D. for tasks are used

Choose the incorrect answer! Contains

3. The AbioCor artificial heart contain a hydraulic pump and a valve which lets
A B
the hydraulic fluid move from one side of the heart to the other.
C D
4. Hydroforming are used when there is demand for lower weight with high
A B C D
strength. is used

5. If the car of an elevator starts to run too quickly, a ‘governor’, or safety brake,
A B
locked the car to the guide rails.
C D

Lock
B. PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
Usage:
1. To talk about things that are happening now.
2. To talk about things that are happening for a limited period of time around
now.

Adverbs of frequency used:

now right now at the moment at present today tonight

Patterns:
➢ Active voice:
I am I am studying to be a surveyor.
Affirmative
They, We, You are Ving She is working at the Telford
(+)
He, She, It is office today.
I am
Negative Ving They are not starting the course
They, We, You are not
(-) until September.
He, She, It is
Am I
Interrogative
Are They, We, You Is she working on this project?
(?)
Ving Is
He, She, It

➢ Passive voice:
I am
Affirmative
They, We, You are being V3
(+)
He, She, It is
The structures are being designed by the civil engineering
Example students.
The briefing is being explained by the guide.
I am
Negative being V3
They, We, You are not
(-)
He, She, It is
The projects are not being conducted by the Marine engineering
Example
students right now.
Am I
Interrogative
Are They, We, You being V3
(?)
Is He, She, It
Example Is the proposal being presented before the examiners today?
EXERCISE
Choose the best answer!
1. Friction is the force of resistance when two surfaces …
A. are sliding against each others. C. slide each other against.
B. slide against each other. D. slide against the other.

2. The heat melts the edges of the components …, and once the material has become
molten, fusion occurs.
A. is being welded together C. are welded together
B. together being welded D. being welded together
 3. In most cases, nuts … by turning them anticlockwise.
A. are screwed onto bolts C. is screwed into bolts
B. are screwed D. and bolts are screwed

4. Some materials can change shape significantly, but … original shape.

A. can return to their C. do not return to their
B. is not returned to their D. they are not returned to their

5. Sport companies … to develop new sportswear that will allow athletes to perform
more efficiently.
A. are always trying C. are not always trying
B. always are trying D. are trying always

Choose the incorrect answer!

6. The sizes of electrical wires is specified by a number which gives an area in
A B are C
square millimetres.
D dominated
7. The southeast of America is dominating by the huge grass lands of the Gran
A B C
Chaco, the Pampas, and Patagonia.
D
8. Images and sounds often added are to games to make them more realistic and
A B C D
are added
more exciting.
printers
9. Inkjet printer are being developed which can place tiny amounts of ink precisely
A B C D
in the right place.
gives
10. The combination of wood and fiberglass give the snowboard strength with little
A B C D
weight.