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UNIT 4 - THE PRESENT TENSES
This unit explained all four aspects of present tense; simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous along with its form and usages. Additionally, the typical student errors are discussed for the teacher to get combat any anticipated difficulties of the students in learning the language. Lastly, the activate stage teaching ideas were also included to effectively execute any teaching strategy in order to transfer knowledge in a well accepted and understood manner.
4 kinds of Present Tense:
I. Present Simple - uses the auxiliary verb 'do'
Form
a. Affirmative (subject + base form [+s/+es])
b. Negative (subject + aux. verb 'do' + not + base form)
c. Question (aux. verb 'do' + subject + base form)
Usages
a. Habitual or routine actions. Ex. She goes out every day.
b. Permanent situation and facts. Ex. The sun rises in the east.
c. Commentaries. Ex. Beckham passes to Fowler who shoots and scores.
d. Directions and instructions. Ex. First you go straight, then you stop in front of Mercury.
e. Newspaper headlines. Ex. Sybil kills a man as a self defense.
f. Present Stories. Ex. So I open the drawer and what do I see but a ring meant for me from my fiance.
g. Historical sequence. Ex. 1945: The Second World War ends.
II. Present Continuous a.k.a present progressive is made with the present simple tense of the auxiliary verb to be and the present participle (verb plus ing-working) of the main verb.
Form
a. Affirmative (subject + aux. verb 'be' +verb+ing)
b. Negative (subject +aux. verb 'be' + not + verb+ing)
c. Question (aux. verb 'be' + subject + verb+ing)
Usages
a. To talk about an action that is in progress at the time of speaking.
> Don't talk to me. I'm thinking hard.
b. To talk about a temporary action that is not necessarily in progress at the time of speaking.
> She is walking towards the building as we speak.
c. To emphasize very frequent actions
> I am always crying at night.
d. Background events in a present story.
> So I'm cleaning my room when my brother burst in with his dirty feet.
e. To describe developing situations.
> You're getting sicker than a little earlier.
f. To refer to a regular action around a point of time.
> He's usually sniffing my hair in class.
III. Present Perfect relates the past to the present and although commonly used by a native speaker, presents some difficulties to the English language learner.
Form
a. Affirmative (subject + aux. verb 'have' + past participle)
b. Negative (subject + aux verb 'have' + not past participle)
c. Question (aux. verb 'have" + subject + past participle)
Usages
a. States that happened at an indefinite time.
> I have written a love letter.
b. Completed past actions carried out in an unfinished time period at the time of speaking.
> I have written a lot of poems today.
c. Something which began in the past and is still true now, at the times of speaking.
> I have lived in Buenos Aires for a year.
d. Past actions with present results.
> Oh my! I've heard what she said about my lover.
IV. Present Perfect Continuous relates past activities to the present.
Form
a. Affirmative (subject + aux. verb'have' + been + verb+ing)
b. Negative (subject + aux. verb'have' + not + been + verb+ing)
c. Question (aux. verb 'have + subject + been + verb + ing)
Usages
a. To communicate an incomplete and ongoing activity, when we want to say how long it has continued.
> I've been trying to succeed with my goals since post graduation.
b. To describe a recently finished, uninterrupted activity which has a present result.
> I'm happy because I've been seeing my lover constantly this year.
