The present simple tense - grammar rules

Form

Positive statement: I play, He plays

Negative statement: I do not play (I don't play), He does not play (He doesn't play)

Questions: Do you play? Does he play?

Negative questions: Do you not play? (Don't you play?) Does he not play? (Doesn't he
play?)

Present simple passive voice: The game is played. The letters are written. (See more at
Active and passive voice.)

We only use -s ending (plays) and -es ending (does) in the third person singular.

The auxiliary verb do is not used to make questions and negative statements with modal
verbs and the verb to be.

Are you a student? Is he in London? I am not at home. He is not happy. Can you sing?
Must I come? I cannot swim. He mustn't stay.

If the wh- pronoun introducing the question (who, which) is the subject of the question,
we do not use the auxiliary verb do. Compare the following sentences.

Who knows you? (who is the subject)

Which cars belong to you? (which cars is the subject)

But: Who do you know? (who is the object)

The negative questions normally express a surprise.

Doesn't he work?

Use

1. We use the present simple tense for activities that happen again and again (everyday,
sometimes, ever, never).

Examples: I sometimes go to school by bike. You don't speak Greek. Do they get up
early?

He often travels. She doesn't work. Does she ever help you?
2. We use it for facts that are always true.

Our planet moves round the sun. Lions eat meat.

3. With a future time expression (tomorrow, next week) it is used for planned future
actions (timetables).

The train leaves at 8.15. They return tonight.

Grammar rules with examples

Form

Positive statement: I am playing, You are playing, He is playing

Negative statement: I am not playing (I'm not playing), You are not playing (You aren't
playing), He is not playing (He isn't playing)
Question form: Are you playing? Is he playing?
Negative question: Are you not playing? (Aren't you playing?) Is he not playing? (Isn't he
playing?)
It is formed with the verb to be and the present participle (-ing ending). The negative
question normally expresses a surprise.
Isn't he working?

Present continuous passive voice: The game is being played. The letters are being
written.

Use

1. We use the present continuous tense for activities that are happening just now.
Examples: I am doing some English exercises at the moment. You aren't listening! Why is
he sitting here?

2. We use it for an action happening about this time (today, this week), but not
necessarily at the moment of speaking. It is a temporary activity.
Examples: I am in London. I am staying at the hotel. (But just now you can be somewhere
else.)
She can't go out. She is writing her essay today. (But she can be having lunch at the
moment.)
You can't borrow this book today. Mary is reading it. (But not right now.)

3. With a future time expression (soon, on Monday) it is used for definite arrangements in
the near future. The continuous tense is more personal than the simple, because it
expresses the speaker's plan.
Examples: I am leaving soon. We are meeting on Monday. (For more go to "Present +
going to | future" in the menu on the left.)
Present simple and present continuous – test 1,
exercise 1
Choose the correct verb form.

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I----------- a letter now.

Susan -----------the garden at the moment.

Jane ---------- to bed at 10 o'clock on weekdays.

I am -----------in London this summer. I English.

We ----------our friends next week.

My brothers ----------letters every week.

The bus --------- sometimes in the morning.

James is -----------a student. But he----------- this week.

Lions--------------- in Africa.

Our train------------- at 9.25.

She ------------to the cinema tonight.

My parents ------------TV now.

Gap filling exercises - test 2, exercise 1

Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets.
clear

Look. He to us. (listen)

We at a hotel this week. (stay)

I to bed early on Sundays. (go)

My mother is at the shop. She a new dress. (buy)

Jill a lot of money. (have)

The bus on Sunday night. (leave)

Please, stop! You so fast! (drive)

We in Berlin each year. (meet)

We to the disco on Friday. (go)

He usually on time. (come)

Online exercises with answers - test 2, exercise 2

Make statements or questions.

Example: (live/here/I) I live here.

clear

(make/lunch/she/now) .
(my car/I/on Saturdays/wash) .

(travel/London/every week/they) ?

(I/at Oxford/study/this summer) .

(eat/at Christmas/fish/we) .

(you/what/do/tonight) ?

(where/your brother/work) ?

(want/who/this book) ?

(we/next week/move) .

(at the moment/Jim and Susan/watch TV) .

(teach/she/in New York/these days) .

(land/the ship/at 10) .

English grammar: negative forms - test 2, exercise 4

Make these sentences negative.

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Susan looks very good. - Susan very good.

Why do you read such magazines? - Why such magazines?

I am doing housework at the moment. - I housework at the moment.

We go swimming on Tuesdays. - We swimming on Tuesdays.

My penfriend sends me postcards. - My penfriend me postcards.

Why are you listening to us? - Why to us?

There are two present perfect tenses in the English language.

The present perfect simple tense

Form

Positive statement: I have cooked, I have written , He has cooked, He has written (I've
cooked, He's cooked)
Negative statement: I have not worked (I haven't worked), He has not worked (He hasn't
worked)
Question: Have you worked?
Negative question: Have you not worked? (Haven't you worked?)

Use

The present perfect combines the past and present.

1. We use the present perfect simple for activities or states that started in the past and still
continue.

We have lived here since 2001.

She has known me for more than two years.
I haven't seen her since Christmas.
How long have they been here?

It is often used with expressions indicating that the activity began in the past and comes
up to now, such as: for 10 years, since 1995, all week, all the time, always, lately,
recently ...
We have always worked in York. (We still work in York.)
It has been quite cold lately. (It is still cold.)

If the activity started in the past and ended in the past we cannot use the present perfect.
I have smoked for 5 years. (present perfect - I still smoke.)
I smoked for 5 years. (past simple - I smoked from 2000 to 2005, then I stopped.)
2. We use it to describe an experience that happened in the past (the time is not given),
but the effects are important now.
She has been to London. (And so she knows London.)

Compare:
I have already been to Greece. (experience - And I want to go somewhere else now.)
I have been in Greece for two weeks. (state - I am stlill in Greece.)

When we use this tense to express some experience, we can use following adverbs - ever,
never, already, often, occassionaly, yet, before ......
Have you ever tried it?
She has never read this book.
We haven't seen it yet.
Have you fallen off a bike yet?
I haven't met her before.

3. The present perfect simple is used for past activities that have a present result.
The bus hasn't arrived. (It did not arrived on time and we are still waiting now.)
I have bought a new house. (I did it last month and it means that now I have a new
address.)

For such activities we often use these adverbs - yet, already, just.
They haven't finished their homework yet. (They can't go out now.)
Has she signed it yet? (Can I take the document?)
I've already sent the letter. (There is no need to go to the post-office.)
We have just heard the news. (We know about it.)

Present perfect vs past simple

With the present perfect we do not specify when the action happened. If we give the time
or it is clear from the context that we mention a certain time in the past, we must use the
past simple.
Have you had breakfast? But: Did you have breakfast at the hotel?
I've read your letter. But: I read your letter last night.
They have told me. But: They told me when we met.
Have you had the operation? But: When did you have the operation?
In the present perfect we express that something happened in the past which is important
now. The time is not relevant.
In the past tense the time of the action is relevant.

Present perfect vs present simple

The present perfect is used for actions that began in the past and continue at present. It
expresses how long the action has been.
The present simple is used for actions that are repeated at present. It expresses how often
the action happens.
She has worked here for a long time. But: She works here every day.
How long have you worked here? But: How often do you work here?

The present perfect continuous tense - grammar rules

with examples
Form

Positive statement: I have been cooking, He has been cooking

Negative statement: I have not been cooking (I haven't been cooking), He has not been
cooking
Question: Have you been cooking?
Negative question: Have you not been cooking? (Haven't you been cooking?)

Use

1. We use the present perfect continuous for events that began in the past, are continuing
now and will probably continue in the future.
I have been playing tennis since I was 6 years old.
She has been working here for 15 years.

2. We use it for actions that began in the past and have only just finished.
I've been skiing all day. I'm so tired.
Hello! We've been waiting for you since 5 o'clock.

Present perfect simple vs present perfect continuous

1. In some situations we can use both tenses and there is practically no difference in
meaning. The continuous is more usual in the English language.
It has rained for a long time.
It has been raining for a long time.
Verbs which can be used in this way include - learn, live, sleep, rain, sit, work, wait , stay
...

2. Sometimes the simple form can describe a permanent state, while the continuous form
a temporary activity.
I have lived here for ten years. It is my permanent address.
I have been living here for ten years. And now I am going to move.

Some verbs cannot express this difference, because they are not normally used in the
continuous tenses
(verbs of senses - feel, hear, see; verbs expressing emotions - like, love, admire, wish;
verbs of mental state - know, remember, mean, recognize; verbs of possession - belong,
own, owe; auxiliaries - can, must and be, have in some cases; others - appear, concern,
seem, sound ...). They must be used in the simple form.
We have always had a dog.
I've known him since 1997.

3. Verbs that express a single action (find, start, stop, lose, break ...) are not used in the
continuous form.
They've started the fight.
I've lost my purse.

4. There is a difference between a single action in the present perfect simple and
continuous.
I have painted the hall. (I have completed my work.)
I have been painting the hall. (That is how I have spent the day, but it does not mean that
I have finished my job.)

5. A single action in the present perfect continuous comes up to the time of speaking. But
it is different with the simple tense.
She's been cooking dinner. (She is still in the kitchen. She has just finished or she will
continue cooking.)
She has cooked dinner. (We do not know when. Yesterday or very recently? The result is
important.)

6. We can only use the present perfect continuous for uninterrupted actions.
I've been visiting New York for a couple of years.
She has been writing letters since she got up.
In these sentences we describe one uninterrupted incomplete activity.

If the action is repeated or interrupted (we describe a number of completed individual

actions), we must use the simple form. (see also the past tense rules).
I have visited New York three times.
She has written four letters since she got up.

 Try some present perfect tense exercises (simple and continuous) to understand
the difference.
 See also some printable present perfect exercises at ESL printables and
worksheets, where you can also download and print the free grammar rules in pdf
with more examples.

Past simple Present perfect tense - test 2, exercise 1

Choose the correct response.

Example: Listen! I can't believe it!

a We have already been winning the match.
b We have already won the match.
c We already won the match.
Correct: b
clear

Look. Your house is finished. a How long do you work on it?

b How long did you work on it?
Correct: c How long have you worked on it?

We live in a village now. a But we lived in a big city for 5 years.

b But we have lived in a big city for 5 years.
Correct: c But we lived in a big city lately.

You can drive my car. a Did you ever drive a car before?
b Did you drive a car yet?
Correct: c Have you ever driven a car before?

Where is Elizabeth? a She went to school already.

b She has already gone to school.
Correct: c She already went to school.

I have had good lunch today. a Where had you the lunch?
b Where did you have the lunch?
Correct: c Where have you had the lunch?

Do you think you can do it for me? a I'm sorry, I didn't understand.
b I'm sorry, I haven't understood.
Correct: c I'm sorry, I wasn't understanding.

Do you know James Stuart? a Yes, I have known him since 1997.
b Yes, I know him since 1997.
Correct: c Yes, I have known him from 1997.

Peter is back from London. a Did he bring me any postcards?

b Did he bring any postcards for me?
Correct: c Has he brought me any postcards?

Have you seen the headmaster? a Yes, I've seen him in his office.
b Yes, I saw him in his office.
Correct: c Yes, I have seen.

Your sister speaks English very well. a She studied English since she was seven.
b She has studied English since she was seven.
Correct: c She studies English since she was seven.
Could I speak to Mr. Daly? a Hold on. He has just come.
b Hold on. He just came.
Correct: c Hold on. He came just now.

Nice to meet you! a How long have you been here?

b How long are you here?
Correct: c How long were you here?

Simple past vs present perfect tense questions exercises

- test 2, exercise 3
Make questions to get more details.

clear

Look. I've received a letter from Scotland. - ? (you/read/yet)

My neighbour has won in a lottery. - When in the lottery? (he/win)

Our teacher is ill. - How long ? (he/be ill)

The Spanish team have lost. - ? (they/lose/everything)

Mary has painted her bedroom. - What colour ? (she/use)

Joyce has had a car crash. - Where ? (she/crash)

Present perfect versus past simple exercises - test 3,

exercise 1
Find incorrect verb forms and write them correctly.
Example: I know Lisbon very well. I was already there twice. - I have already been there
twice.

clear

She is trying to stop smoking. She did not smoke a single cigarette for a week.

He has waited for an hour. Then he went away.

Here is your car. I just washed it.

Have you closed the window before you left? ?

Were you here before? - Yes, last year. ?

Shakespeare has written famous tragedies.

I practise skiing since my childhood.

Did you order the magazine yet? ?

I never saw the film. But I'd like to see it.

I did not finish the letter yet.

Where is Timmy? Did he go out? ?

We've done nothing like this at that time.

It's quite complicated. Have you understood? ?

She always loved Spain. She is going there again in June.

Aren't you hungry? When have you eaten? ?

It's time we went to bed. By the way, have you called Alice this morning? ?

Did you meet Bill today? ?

Do you know Greg? - No, I don't. But I heard all about him.

We missed the plane! What shall we do now?

He is our headmaster for four years now.

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