The words 'present tense' can be misleading, because the present tense is actually used to talk about the present, the future and even sometimes the past.

Talking about the Present

Use the simple present to talk about:

  • Something that is a repeated activity, e.g. "I eat lunch at 12:00 every day."
  • Something that is a fact or information, e.g. "New York City has many tall buildings."
  • Something that is a state or condition, especially about feelings, descriptions and beliefs, e.g. "She likes dogs more than cats."
  • Something that happens at a certain frequency, e.g. "We never go camping without our dog."

Use the present continuous to talk about:

  • Something that is happening at the moment of speaking, e.g. "The soup is not boiling quite yet."
  • Something that is ongoing, e.g. "Michelle is living in Russia right now."
  • Something that is changing or developing, e.g. "The babies are growing so quickly."

Use the present perfect continuous to talk about:

  • Something that has already begun but is still continuing, e.g. "We have been living here for three years."
  • Something that has been happening for a certain amount of time, using the word 'since,' e.g. "She has been married since 2001"

Talking about the Future

Use the simple present to talk about:

  • A regularly scheduled occurance, e.g. "The last train leaves at 7:00 tonight."
  • Something that is fixed in the future, e.g. "I fly to England next weekend."

Use the present continuous to talk about:

  • Something that is planned or scheduled, e.g. "We are going to the aquarium next week!"
  • Questions about the future, e.g. "What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?"

Talk about the Past

Use the simple present to talk about:

  • Plots and stories from books, movies, etc., e.g. "At the beginning of the movie, he goes to his friend's party."

Use the present perfect to talk about:

  • Something you have experienced, e.g. "She has ridden a camel before."

Using what you have learned about the different uses of the present tense, complete the activity!

Exercise

Please open the exercise to continue.

Exercises

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