Simple Present Tense
Generally, simple present is used for:
1. General Fact
2. Daily Activity
3. Statement or Opinion
Simple present tense always uses simple verb form in
each of its sentences. When we form simple present
tense sentence without a verb, we have to use ‘be’ (such
as: is, am, are)
[DWS] Basic Tenses 1
How are the patterns?
■ With verb
+ S + V1 (s/es) + O + C
- S + don’t / doesn’t + V1 + O + C
? Do/Does + S + V1 + O + C ?
Note:
■ Whenever we use singular subject, we have to add –
s/-es to the verb. And singular subject also took the
form does/doesn’t.
[DWS] Basic Tenses 2
How are the patterns?
■ Without Verb
+ S + is/am/are+ O + C
- S + is/am/are + not + O + C
? Is/am/are + S + O + C ?
Notes:
■ Am I
■ Is He, she, it, singular subject
■ Are You, they, we, plural subject
[DWS] Basic Tenses 3
USE THE RIGHT FORM OF
VERB AND BE
■ Water ........................ at. 100•C. ( boil)
■ My uncle ........................ in a factory. (work)
■ John and Sue ...................... glasses. (wear)
■ The children ................. a lot of sweets. (eat)
■ He only ........................ at weekends. (work)
■ 1 always .................... out on Saturdays. (go)
■ She ............. to London once a week. (drive)
[DWS] Basic Tenses 4
Present progressive (Continuous)
■ The present progresive expresses an activity that is in
progress at the moment of speaking. It began in the
recent past, is continuing at the present, and will
probably end at some point in the future.
■ It is also used in expressing the activities that are in
progress this week, month, year.
[DWS] Basic Tenses 5
The pattern
+ S + auxialiary (is/am/are) + V-ing + O + C
- S + (is/am/are) + not + V-ing + O + C
? Auxialiary(is/am/are) + S + V-ing + O + C ?
Examples:
■ The president is attending the meeting right now
■ Clara is trying to improve her speaking skills.
■ He is writing another book this year.
[DWS] Basic Tenses 6
Simple Past Tense
■ Simple past indicates that an activity or situation
began and ended at a particular time in the past.
■ The patterns are:
S + V2 + O + C S + was/were + O + C
+
S + didn’t + V1 + O + C S + was/were + not + O + C
-
Did + S + V1 + O + C ? Was/were + S + O + C ?
?
[DWS] Basic Tenses 7
Past Progressive Tense
■ Patterns:
+ S + was/were + V-ing + O + C
- S + was/were + not + V-ing + O + C
? Was/were + S + V-ing + O + C ?
[DWS] S & V Agreement 8
The past progresive is used to indicate:
■ An action which was occuring in the past and was
interupted by another action, the general rule is:
WHEN + Simple Past Tense, Past Progressive
When John called me, I was taking a shower.
Simple Past Tense WHILE Past Progressive
Jon called me while I was taking a shower.
[DWS] S & V Agreement 9
Exercise
1. While Maria .........(clean) the apartment, her
husband slept.
2. When the teacher ............(enter) the room, the
students were talking.
3. We .........(see) this movie last night.
4. Jose .......(write) a letter to his family when his
pencil ........(break)
[DWS] S & V Agreement 10
Exercise
(Simple Past OR past continuous)
5. What _____ she _____ (wear) when
you _____ (see) her? Her favourite top, I think.
6. They _____ (get) up early that morning so
they _____ (go) for a swim.
7. The car _____ (crash) against the wall and a lot of
people _____ (come) round.
[DWS] S & V Agreement 11
Exercise
(Simple Past OR past continuous)
8. _____ it _____ (rain) when you left for school? Yes,
it _____, quite heavily.
9. It _____ (be) a quiet morning: the
birds _____ (sing) in the trees and the cows _____
(eat). We _____ (walk) happily when a terrible
storm _____ (start) 100 ms away from us. The wind
_____ (blow)a big tree down and a black
cloud ___ (appear) in the sky.
[DWS] S & V Agreement 12
Present perfect tense
+ S + Have/has +V3 + O + C
■ Pattern:
- S + Have/has + not +V3 + O + C
? Have/has + S +V3 + O + C ?
[DWS] Basic Tenses 13
Present perfect tense
+ S + Have/has + been + O + C
■ Pattern:
- S + Have/has + not + been + O + C
? Have/has + S + been + O + C ?
[DWS] Basic Tenses 14
Present perfect tense is used to indicate:
■ An action that happened at an indefinite time in the
past.
Brian has traveled around the world.
Sam and Jill have been here.
■ An action that happened more than once in the past.
I have seen this movie three times.
[DWS] Basic Tenses 15
Present perfect tense is used to indicate:
■ An action that began in the past and still occuring in the
present.
Joana has lived in the same house for six years.
They have moved to bekasi since 2010.
Note: In this case, we usually use for or since.
For + duration of time
Since + beginning of time
[DWS] Basic Tenses 16
Exercise
(simple past or present perfect)
1. Peter _____(play)football yesterday.
2. They _____(clean) the car. It looks new again.
3. Last year we _____(go) to Italy.
4. John and Peggy _____(read) the book. Now they
can watch the film.
[DWS] S & V Agreement 17
Exercise
(simple past or present perfect)
5. I _____(meet) my friend two days ago
6. We _____(visit) another country before.
7. She _____(buy) a new car in 2011.
8. I'm sorry, but I _____(forget) my homework.
9. _____(win) the game of chess last month?
10. The girls _____(eat) their lunch yet.
[DWS] S & V Agreement 18
Sources:
-----. (2004). TOEFL Exam Essentials. New York: Learning Express
Azar, Betty Schramfer. (1993). Fundamentals of English Grammar,SecondEdition.
Jakarta: Binarupa Aksara.
Azar, Betty Schramfer. (1993). Understanding and Using English Grammar, Second
Edition. Jakarta: Binarupa Aksara.
Pyle, Michael A and Page, Narry Ellen Munoz. (1995). Cliff TOEFL Preparation
Guide. Nebraska: John Wiley and Sons.
[Link]
[DWS] Basic Tenses 19
