PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE

The PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE indicates continuing action, something going on now. This tense is formed with the helping “to be” verb, in the present tense, plus the present participle of the verb (with an -ing ending): “I am buying all my family’s Christmas gifts early this year. She is working through the holiday break. Dierdre is being a really good girl in these days before Christmas”.

The present progressive can suggest that an action is going to happen in the future, especially with verbs that convey the idea of a plan or of movement from one place or condition to another: “The team is arriving in two hours. He’s moving to Portland this summer.” Because the present progressive can suggest either the present or the future, it is usually modified by adverbs of time.
Generally, progressive forms occur only with what are called dynamic verbs and not with stative verbs.

Singular Plural
I am walking we are walking
you are walking you are walking
he/she/it is walking they are walking

Singular Plural
I am sleeping we are sleeping
you are sleeping you are sleeping
he/she/it is sleeping they are sleeping

Singular Plural
I am being we are being
you are being you are being
he/she/it is being they are being

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

The PRESENT PERFECT TENSE is formed with a present tense form of “to have” plus the past participle of the verb (which can be either regular or irregular in form). This tense indicates either that an action was completed (finished or “perfected”) at some point in the past or that the action extends to the present:
I have walked two miles already [but I’m still walking].
I have run the Boston Marathon [but that was some time ago].
The critics have praised the film Saving Private Ryan since it came out [and they continue to do so].

The choice between Present Perfect and Simple Past is often determined by the adverbial accompanying the verb. With adverbs referring to a period gone by, we would use the simple past:
I studied all night/yesterday/on Wednesday.

With adverbs beginning in the past and going up to present, we would use the present perfect:
I have studied up to now/lately/already.

An adverbial time-marker such as “today, this month,” or “for an hour” can take either the simple past or present perfect:
I worked/have worked hard today.

We tend to use the Present Perfect when reporting or announcing an event of the recent past:
The company’s current CEO has lied repeatedly to her employees.

But we tend to use the Simple Past when reporting or announcing events of the finished, more distant past:
Washington encouraged his troops.

Because the time limits for Present Perfect are relatively elastic (stretching up to the present), it is somewhat less definite than the Simple Past:
Brett has worked with some of the best chefs of Europe [in the course of his long and continuing career].
Brett worked with Chef Pierre LeGout [when he lived in Paris].

(Notice how the topic of Brett’s work is narrowed down as we move from Present Perfect to Simple Past.)

Singular Plural
I have walked we have walked
you have walked you have walked
he/she/it has walked they have walked

Singular Plural
I have slept we have slept
you have slept you have slept
he/she/it has slept they have slept

Singular Plural
I have been we have been
you have been you have been
he/she/it has been they have been

PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSE

The PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSE indicates a continuous action that was completed at some point in the past. This tense is formed with the modal “HAD” plus “BEEN,” plus the present participle of the verb (with an -ing ending): “I had been working in the garden all morning. George had been painting his house for weeks, but he finally gave up.”

Generally, progressive forms occur only with what are called dynamic verbs and not with stative verbs.

Singular Plural
I had been walking we had been walking
you had been walking you had been walking
he/she/it had been walking they had been walking

Singular Plural
I had been sleeping we had been sleeping
you had been sleeping you had been sleeping
he/she/it had been sleeping they had been sleeping

Singular Plural
There is no past perfect progressive for the “to be” verb. “Had been being” is expressed simply as “had been”: “We had been being successful before, but we somehow lost our knack.”

PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE

The PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE indicates continuing action, something that was happening, going on, at some point in the past. This tense is formed with the helping “to be” verb, in the past tense, plus the present participle of the verb (with an -ing ending):

I was riding my bike all day yesterday.
Joel was being a terrible role model for his younger brother.

The past progressive indicates a limited duration of time and is thus a convenient way to indicate that something took place (in the simple past) while something else was happening:

Carlos lost his watch while he was running.

The past progressive can express incomplete action.

I was sleeping on the couch when Bertie smashed through the door.

(as opposed to the simple past, which suggests a completed action:

I slept on the couch last night.

The past progressive is also used to poke fun at or criticize an action that is sporadic but habitual in nature:

Tashonda was always handing in late papers.
My father was always lecturing my brother.

Generally, progressive forms occur only with what are called dynamic verbs and not with stative verbs.

Singular Plural
I was walking we were walking
you were walking you were walking
he/she/it was walking they were walking

Singular Plural
I was sleeping we were sleeping
you were sleeping you were sleeping
he/she/it was sleeping they were sleeping

Singular Plural
I was being we were being
you were being you were being
he/she/it was being they were being

PAST PERFECT TENSE

The PAST PERFECT TENSE indicates that an action was completed (finished or “perfected”) at some point in the past before something else happened. This tense is formed with the past tense form of “to have” (HAD) plus the past participle of the verb (which can be either regular or irregular in form):
I had walked two miles by lunchtime.
I had run three other marathons before entering the Boston Marathon .

Singular	Plural
I had walked	we had walked
you had walked	you had walked
he/she/it had walked	they had walked

 

Singular	Plural
I had slept	we had slept
you had slept	you had slept
he/she/it had slept	they had slept

 

Singular	Plural
I had been	we had been
you had been	you had been
he/she/it had been	they had been

SIMPLE PAST TENSE

The PAST TENSE indicates that an action is in the past relative to the speaker or writer.
when the time period has finished: “We went to Chicago last Christmas.”
when the time period is definite: “We visited Mom last week.”
with for, when the action is finished: “I worked with the FBI for two months.”

Regular verbs use the verb’s base form (scream, work) plus the -ed ending (screamed, worked). Irregular verbs alter their form in some other way (slept, drank, drove).

Students for whom English is a second language sometimes (quite understandably) have trouble distinguishing between the Simple Past and the Present Perfect tenses. There is more information about the difference between these two tenses available under the Present Perfect description.

Singular Plural
I walked we walked
you walked you walked
he/she/it walked they walked

Singular Plural
I slept we slept
you slept you slept
he/she/it slept they slept

Singular Plural
I was we were
you were you were
he/she/it was they were

Present Continuous

FORM

[am/is/are + present participle]

Examples:

• You are watching TV.
• Are you watching TV?
• You are not watching TV.

Complete List of Present Continuous Forms

USE 1 Now

Use the Present Continuous with Normal Verbs to express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now.

Examples:

• You are learning English now.
• You are not swimming now.
• Are you sleeping?
• I am sitting.
• I am not standing.
• Is he sitting or standing?
• They are reading their books.
• They are not watching television.
• What are you doing?
• Why aren’t you doing your homework?

USE 2 Longer Actions in Progress Now

In English, “now” can mean: this second, today, this month, this year, this century, and so on. Sometimes, we use the Present Continuous to say that we are in the process of doing a longer action which is in progress; however, we might not be doing it at this exact second.

Examples: (All of these sentences can be said while eating dinner in a restaurant.)

• I am studying to become a doctor.
• I am not studying to become a dentist.
• I am reading the book Tom Sawyer.
• I am not reading any books right now.
• Are you working on any special projects at work?
• Aren’t you teaching at the university now?

USE 3 Near Future

Sometimes, speakers use the Present Continuous to indicate that something will or will not happen in the near future.

Examples:

• I am meeting some friends after work.
• I am not going to the party tonight.
• Is he visiting his parents next weekend?
• Isn’t he coming with us tonight?

USE 4 Repetition and Irritation with “Always”

The Present Continuous with words such as “always” or “constantly” expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happens. Notice that the meaning is like Simple Present, but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words “always” or “constantly” between “be” and “verb+ing.”

Examples:

• She is always coming to class late.
• He is constantly talking. I wish he would shut up.
• I don’t like them because they are always complaining.

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs/ Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Present Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Present.

Examples:

• She is loving this chocolate ice cream. Not Correct
• She loves this chocolate ice cream. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

• You are still watching TV.
• Are you still watching TV?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:

• Right now, Tom is writing the letter. Active
• Right now, the letter is being written by Tom. Passive

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Simple Present

FORM

[VERB] + s/es in third person

Examples:

• You speak English.
• Do you speak English?
• You do not speak English.

Complete List of Simple Present Forms

USE 1 Repeated Actions

Use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual. The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens. It can also be something a person often forgets or usually does not do.

Examples:

• I play tennis.
• She does not play tennis.
• Does he play tennis?
• The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.
• The train does not leave at 9 AM.
• When does the train usually leave?
• She always forgets her purse.
• He never forgets his wallet.
• Every twelve months, the Earth circles the Sun.
• Does the Sun circle the Earth?

USE 2 Facts or Generalizations

The Simple Present can also indicate the speaker believes that a fact was true before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It is not important if the speaker is correct about the fact. It is also used to make generalizations about people or things.

Examples:

• Cats like milk.
• Birds do not like milk.
• Do pigs like milk?
• California is in America.
• California is not in the United Kingdom.
• Windows are made of glass.
• Windows are not made of wood.
• New York is a small city. It is not important that this fact is untrue.

USE 3 Scheduled Events in the Near Future

Speakers occasionally use Simple Present to talk about scheduled events in the near future. This is most commonly done when talking about public transportation, but it can be used with other scheduled events as well.

Examples:

• The train leaves tonight at 6 PM.
• The bus does not arrive at 11 AM, it arrives at 11 PM.
• When do we board the plane?
• The party starts at 8 o’clock.
• When does class begin tomorrow?

USE 4 Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)

Speakers sometimes use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is happening or is not happening now. This can only be done with Non-Continuous Verbs and certain Mixed Verbs.

Examples:

• I am here now.
• She is not here now.
• He needs help right now.
• He does not need help now.
• He has his passport in his hand.
• Do you have your passport with you?

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

• You only speak English.
• Do you only speak English?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:

• Once a week, Tom cleans the car. Active
• Once a week, the car is cleaned by Tom. Passive