Present Tense

Formula: Present Perfect Question Form

(aux. verb 'have' + subject + past participle)

Formula: Present Simple Negative Form

(subject + aux. verb 'do' + not + base form) (Note that don't and doesn't often appear as do not and does not in written text)

Formula: Present Perfect Negative Form

(subject + aux. verb 'have' + not + past participle)

Formula: Present Perfect Affirmative Form

(subject + aux. verb 'have' + past participle)

Rules for how to form the third person singular

Add s to the base form of the verb - sits Verbs ending in a consonant plus y, change y to i and add es - i.e tries Verbs ending in o, s, z, x, ch, and sh, add es - e.g. washes (+ extra syllable when pronounced) Note in the negative form, the auxiliary verb doesn't has the s so the main verb doesn't need an s - e.g. She doesn't work. The same applies with does in questions.

Non-Progressive Verbs

Most non-action verbs are not normally used in the continuous forms, we usually use the simple form instead. Following are some of the most common: Like, love, hate, understand, want, believe, hear, own, owe, seem, appear, wish, mean, remember. 1)verbs of the senses (involuntary) 2)verbs expressing feelings and emotions 3)verbs of mental activity 4)verbs of possession

The 4 present tenses

Present Simple, Present Continuous, Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous

2 Forms of Present Continuous Tense

Regular and Contracted (There isn't a contracted Present Continuous Contracted Question Form)

2 words that are used in the contracted form

Since and For

Present Continuous

The present continuous (also known as the present progressive) tense 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.

Present Perfect

The present perfect relates the past to the present and although commonly used by a native speaker, presents some difficulties to the English language learner. I/you/we/they have or he/she/it has, plus the past participle (with regular verbs the past participle is verb plus ed - worked. There are however many irregular verbs such as write - written)

Present Perfect Continuous

This tense relates past activities to the present. It implies that either the activity is likely to continue in the future, or that the activity was in progress for some length of time, or both.

When are Since and For used

With Present Perfect tense We use for with periods of time. (e.g. a week, six months) We use since with points of time. (e.g. Monday, 1984) to really mean 'from'.

When are Been and Gone used

With past participles He's been means the trip is finished. He's gone means he is still on his trip.

Formula: Present Continuous Question Form

aux. verb 'be' + subject + verb+ing

Formula: Present Simple Question Form

aux. verb 'do' + subject + base form

Formula: Present Perfect Continuous Question Form

aux. verb 'have' + subject + been + verb+ing

Formula: Present Continuous Negative Form

subject + aux. verb 'be' + not + verb+ing

Formula: Present Continuous Affirmative Form

subject + aux. verb 'be' + verb+ing

Formula: Present Perfect Continuous Affirmative Form

subject + aux. verb 'have' + been + verb+ing

Formula: Present Perfect Continuous Negative Form

subject + aux. verb 'have' + not + been + verb+ing

Formula: Present Simple Affirmative Form

subject + base form [+s/es]