Simple present tense is used-
ü
For actions in the present
which happen usually,
habitually or generally,For example: He walks
to college every day.
ü
For stating general truths.
For example: Water boils at 100°C.
ü
For describing processes in
a general way. For example,
A
scientist observes phenomena carefully.
ü
Some adverbs of frequency
with the simple present tense to state
how often somebody does something are: always,
usually, often, sometimes, occasionally, rarely and never.
Note that the adverbs of frequency usually go before the verb.
II. Present continuous Tense is
used -
ü
to express an action going on at the time of speaking. For example:
I am lighting the Bunsen burner.
ü
The following verbs are not
normally used in present continuous tense: Love,
like, hate, want, need, prefer, know, realize, suppose, mean, understand, believe, remember,
belong, fit, contain, consist, seem
I
am hungry. I want something to eat. Do you understand what I mean?
ü
When ‘think’ means
‘believe’ or ‘have an opinion’ we do
not use
continuous.
I think she is from North India,
but I am not sure. What do you think about my future plans?
ü
When we mean ‘consider’ the continuous is possible:
I am thinking about what happened.I
often think about it.She is thinking of giving up her job.
ü
We normally use ‘see’,
‘hear’, ‘smell’, ‘taste’ in present simple not continuous with the following verbs:
Do you see the man there?The room smells. Let’s open the doors.I can hear a strange noise. I can smell something burning.
ü
For ‘ look’, ‘feel’ both
present simple and continuous are possible:
You
look well today. You are looking good.
How
do you feel today? How are you feeling now?
But- Teenagers usually feel tired in the morning as they stay late hours tostudy.
III. Present
Perfect Tense is used to denote an action that has just been completed.
That means that action has connection to ‘now’. It is used with ‘just’,
‘already’, ‘yet’. I have just completed
the experiment.I have already sent it.
Have you just arrived? Has it stopped raining yet? I have written the letterbut haven’t posted
it yet.
IV. Present Perfect ContinuousTense is
used for actions repeated over a period of time an activity that has just
stopped or recently stopped.
I have been working here since 2008. It has been raining for the last two days.
You are out of breath. Have you been running?
I have been working hard. Now I
am going to have a break.
Note: ‘for’ and ‘since’ can be
used in both the above perfect tenses.
Table 1: Present Tense Structures S=
Subject, V= verb
|
Voice |
Simple Present |
Present Continuous |
Present Perfect |
Present Perfect
Continuous |
|
Structure |
S + do/
does |
S+ Is/am/are + V+ ing |
S+ Has/
Have + V (past participle) |
S + have/ has+ Been +
V + ing |
|
Active voice |
S/ he reads books |
He is reading a book. |
He has read the book. |
He has been reading the book. |
|
Passive Voice |
Books are readby her / him |
A book is being read by him |
The book has been read by him |
The book has been being read by him |
Present Tense Structure in
Passive Voice:
Transitive phrases can be changed to passive voice. In Active voice the
subject is given importance but in passive voice, the subject receives the
action. In Impersonal passive voice subject needs no mentioning. Only the
action is given importance. In technical writing impersonal passive voice is
generally used.
Table II: Active Voice to Passive Voice:
|
Simple
Present |
|
|
I/we report an event. |
(Active voice) |
|
An event is
reported by me/us. |
(Passive voice) |
|
You report
an event. |
(Active voice) |
|
An event is
reported by you. |
(Passive voice) |
|
He/she/it reports
an event. |
(Active voice) |
|
An event is
reported by him/her/it. |
(Passive voice) |
|
Present
continuous |
|
|
I am reporting an event. |
(Active voice) |
|
An event is
being reported by me. |
(Passive voice) |
|
We are
attending a course. |
(Active voice) |
|
A course is
being attended by us. |
(Passive voice) |
|
He/she/it is
catching a ball. |
(Active voice) |
|
A ball is
being caught by him/her/it. |
(Passive voice) |
|
You are
reading a novel. |
(Active voice) |
|
A novel is
being read by you. |
(Passive voice) |
|
They are
writing letters. |
(Active voice) |
|
Letters are
being written by them. |
(Passive voice) |
|
Present
perfect |
|
|
I/we have believed you. |
(Active voice) |
|
You have been believed by
me/us. |
(Passive voice) |
|
You have taken blue prints of building plans. |
(Active voice) |
|
Blue prints of building plans have been taken
by you. |
(Passive voice) |
|
He/she/it has made much progress. |
(Active voice) |
|
Much progress has been made by him/her/it/. |
(Passive voice) |
|
They have manufactured modern machines. |
(Active voice) |
|
Modern machines have been manufactured by them. |
(Passive voice) |
2.1 Identify the verbs in Simple Present
Tense in the following passage:
i.
When we talk about facts we
use simple present tense: A fact is
a statement that is true and can be verified objectively, or proven. In other words, a fact is
true and correct no matter what. An opinion,
however, is a statement that holds
an element of belief; it tells how someone feels. An opinion is not always true
and cannot be proven.
ii. While telling narrations we use simple present tense:
The Computer programmer in the story
‘True Love’, Milton Davis tries to find
his ideal partner by instructing his computer (named Joe), which has access to
databases covering the entire populace of the
world, to find him his ideal match, based on physical parameters supplied. He
meets the shortlisted candidates, but realises that looks alone are not enough. In order to correlate
personalities, he speaks at great length to Joe, gradually filling Joe's
databanks with information about his personality.
In doing so, Joe develops the personality of
Milton, and upon finding an ideal match, arranges to have Milton
arrested, so that Joe can 'have the girl' for
himself.
2.2.
Complete the sentences with given verbs: goes , go, lead, drink, takes, promise, live,
speaks, have, watch, do, come , suggest.
2.
My friend German well.
3.
I
don’t often coffee.
4. They usually the rooms in the hostel after students to college.
5. Bad habits to many problems later.
6.
My parents in a small
house but they big dreams for me.
7.
The Convocation function
place every year.
8.
The Earth round the sun.
9.
I usually films with
my family.
10.
I come from Kakinada. Where you from?
11.
I I won’t be late in future.
What do you I do to overcome
my bad habit of being late to class every day?
2.3. Based on self introductions in the previous lesson, you ask
questions to your partnerabouthis/ her family:
Do the work in your note book.
1. You know that your friendplays a game. Ask how often she/he plays. How often play the game?
2.
Perhaps his/ her cousin plays the game too. You want to know.
your cousin ?
3.
You know that his/ her brother works
in Chennai. You want to know where
he works in Chennai. Ask her/him.
?
4.
You do not
know where your friend’s grand parents live.
You want to know. Ask him/ her.
?
2.4.
Complete using the
following:I apologize, I insist, I promise, I recommend, I suggest.
1.
It is a pleasant day today. I
suggest we go for a walk.
2.
I won’t tell anybody what you said. .
3.
You
must allow me to pay for my meal.
.
4.
for what I did. It won’t happen again.
5.
The new item in the menu is very tasty. it next time.
2.5. Present Continuous Tense:
Are the underlined words correct or wrong? Correct them if necessary:
1.
I am thinking of giving up the new proposal.
2.
Are you believing in God?
3.
I am feeling hungry. Is there
anything to eat?
2.
The dish is great. It is tasting
really good.
3.
I am thinking this is your key. Am I right?
4.
I am having a class now. I
have no desire to go as I am having
headache.
2.6.
Use correct form of the verb:
1.
Let’s go out. It isn’t raining ( not/rain) now .
2.
My cousin is very good at languages. She ( speak) five languages.
3.
( you/ listen) to the music?
4.
Hurry up. Everybody ( wait) for
you.
5.
River Godawari ( flow)
into the ocean.
6.
The river ( flow) very
fast today due to heavy rain.
7.
We usually ( grow) vegetables
at home, but this year we
(
not/grow) any.
2.7.
Use apt form of the verbs in present tenses:
3.
I ( learn ) English for the
last two years.
4.
Hello, Jhansi, ( I/look) for you. Where have you been?
5.
Why ( you/look) at me strangely? Stop it.
6.
She is a teacher. ( she/teach) for ten years.
7.
( I/ think) about what you
said and I have decided to take your advice.
8.
Look. Somebody (
somebody/ break) the neighbors’ door.
9.
Is it still raining? No (it/stop).
10.
( I
/read) the book you
lent me, but ( I/not/ finish) it yet.
11.
How long ( you/ drive) ?
12.
The car is ok now. (
I /repair) it.
12.6. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate
form of the verbs in the present tense.
1. A successful scientist (be) full of curiosity. He (want) to find out how and why the universe (work). He usually (direct) his attention towards problems, which he (notice) have no satisfactory explanation and his curiosity (make) him look for underlying relationships even if the data available (seem) to be unconnected.
2.
Today science (play) a major role in the creation of the global village. International agencies (pool)
their resources and (incorporate) themselves into greater
bodies. Universities (develop) joint research projects. On the
whole the world (move) towards greater unity.
3.
The most striking characteristic of modern science (be) the trend towards international
cooperation. The widening scope of present
day research
(result) in extending many items of research beyond national boundaries.
The increasing interdependence of nations (have) an impact on scientific investigation. The last
twenty years (witness) the
intensification of international
cooperation. The magnitude of the
problems to be solved
(keep)
on increasing.
2.9.
Change the following into impersonal passive voice where ever required:
1.
They stop the machine.
2.
She has fixed the tube on the stand
3.
An experimenter is describing an
apparatus which he uses.
4.
Generally a researcher chooses a
topic and consults relevant books.
5.
Do not tell a lie.
6.
They have performed the operation successfully.
7.
The new Manager has called for quotations.
8.
The mechanics use thin grease as a
lubricant in ball bearings.
9.
We weld two metal plates together.
10.
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