Summary present tenses

Summary present tenses

Present Simple

Present Continuous

Present Perfect

Present Perfect Continuous

Simple Present

• To tell about an action or situation that exists now (You read now)

• To tell about an action or situation that happens regularly (You read every day)

• To tell about something that is true now and will always be true (Reading is necessary for learning)

• To describe a feeling (I love books!)

Present Continuous

• Things that are happening right now, at the time of speaking (I'm studying right now)

• Not to be confused with future plans and arrangements!: I am leaving tomorrow morning.

Present Perfect

• Things that started in the past but are still true, relevant or still going on.

• Usually used with FOR or SINCE and EVER or NEVER

• I have lived in this house for 5 years - I have lived in this house since 2016

• Have you ever played the piano? - No, I have never played the piano (alternative: No, I haven't)

Present Perfect Continuous

• Things that started in the past but are still happening.

• "Have/Had been"

• Usually used with FOR or SINCE.

• I have been studying since 9 am.

• She has been studying for 3 hours.

Multiple Choice

I ____(write) a letter right now.

• write

• am writing

• have written

• have been writing

Multiple Choice

Jane ____(go) to bed every day at 10 PM.

• goes

• is going

• has gone

• has been going

Multiple Choice

I ____(asnwer) 5 e-mails so far.

• answer

• am answering

• have answered

• have been answering

Multiple Choice

Sandy and her mom ____(bake) a cake at the moment.

• bake

• are baking

• have baked

• have been baking

Multiple Choice

Ms Smith ____(work) as a sales representative for three years

• works

• is working

• has worked

• has been working

Multiple Choice

Tom is really lazy. He never ____(help) his mom.

• helps

• is helping

• has helped

• has been helping

Multiple Choice

You ____(cry). Are you okay?

• cry

• are crying

• have cried

• have been crying