Grammar1 Module1

Revision of the Present Tenses

Lead-in• 1. I live in Shijiazhuang, a city not far fro

m Beijing .

• 2. I am writing down my thoughts about it.

Look at the above two sentences, what are the tense differences are there between these two sentences?

Try to find out the principles of the uses of the present simple

tense & the present continuous tense.

1. The present simple tense

1.1 Sentence Structure of the Present simple tense

①Positive sentence: S +am/is/are +predicative （表语）S + V (+others) ②Negative sentence: S +am/is/are +not+ predicative （表语）S +don’t (doesn’t) +V (+ others) ③Question sentence: Am/Is/Are+ S + 表语 Do (Does)+ 主语 +V(+ 其

它 )

1.2 The uses of the present simple tense

① The earth goes around the sun. 地球绕着太阳转。 ② Practice makes perfect. 熟能生巧。 ③ Tomorrow is Monday. 明天星期天

1) Something which is unchangeable, such

as truth, motto, epigram.

2) Indicating a habit, something you regularly do, or a present state.

It is usually connected to some adverbs which express the frequency. Such as: often, usually, always, sometimes, seldom, every day (week, year, night), once a week and so on 。

① Class begins at eight every morning.

每天早晨八点钟开始上课。 ② He always works at night.

他经常在晚上工作。

①The plain arrives at 8 o’clock. 飞机八点到 .

②School begins on March 5. 三月五日开学 .

3) Actions or things which have been planned to happen, and will not be easily changed. The relevant verbs are: come, go, move, stop, leave, arrive, be, finish, continue, start, begin and so on 。

4) Comment on the drama, play, picture, and some other live sport

game.

① He passes the ball to John.

他把球传给约翰。 ② There are five people in the picture.

在这幅画中有五个人。

5) In the adverbial clause of time and condition, we use the present simple tense instead of the

future tense

Vocabulary which leads the adverbial clause of time : when, while, whenever, before, after, till, until, by the time, as soon as 。

Vocabulary which leads the adverbial clause of condition: if, unless, as long as, so long as, in case (that), provided (that).

①We will have an exam when we finish the t

extbook.

我们学完课本后将会进行一次测试。 ② I will tell him that as soon as I see him. 我一见到他就会告诉他那件事。 ③We have to wait here before he comes. 在他回来前，我们不得不等。

1.3 Exercises

(1) I have been living outside Qingdao for a

long time now but I__ back there every few

weeks to see my parents. A. am going

B. had gone C. would be going D. go

(2) Give her the book when you ____. A. will

meet her. B. meets her C. meet her

D. meeting her.

(3) ----I want to write Yang Liwei a lette

r, but I don’t have any stamps.

----I’ll buy some for you, if I ___to the

post office.

A. go B. shall go

C. will go D. went

2.The present continuous tense

2.1 Sentence Structure of the Present continuous tense

① P. s: S + am/is/are+ P. p

② N. s: S + am/is/are+ not+ P. p

③ Q. s: Am/Is/Are +S + P. p

2.2 The uses of the present continuous tense

1) Indicating that something is taking place at this m

oment. Symbol adverbs expressing time are usuall

y in this kind of sentence. Such as:

now, at the (very) moment, for the time being, at presen

t, and Look!, Listen! And so on.

① Look! The big bird is flying away. 看 , 那只大鸟正在飞走。

② He is watching a movie now. 他现在正在看电影。

2) indicating that something is taking place in this period of time. It may not happen at this moment.

Right now I am studying Chinese by distance learning. 我现在正通过远程教育学习汉语

3) To express one’s strong feelings of

praise, or blame. Symbol adverbs:

always, constantly, forever, all the time

① You are always changing your mind. 你总是主意不定。 ( 太烦人了 )

② He is always helping others. 他总是帮助别人。 ( 他真是个好人。 )

① He is leaving on Wednesday.

他将于周四离开。 ② They are going to Canada next week.

他们将下周去加拿大。

4) When we meet these words: see, return, l

eave, start, visit, go, come, fly, stay and so o

n, we also use the present continuous tense

to express the future.

Exercises

1. I don’t really work here, I ____ until the new se

cretary arrives.

A. just help out B. have just helped out C

. am just helping out D. will just help out

• 2. —Do you like the material?• —Yes, it _______very soft. • A. is feeling B. felt • C. feels D. is felt • 3. I’ve won a holiday for two weeks to • Florida. I _______ my mum.• A. am taking B. have taken • C. take D. will have taken

4. —When will you come to see me, Dad? —I will go to see you when you ______ the training course. A. will have finished B. will finish C. are finishing D. finish 5. He always ______ careful notes while he is listeni

ng to the teacher in class. A. will take B. took C. takes D. is taking

• 6. I’m sorry I can’t go. I ____ a report. • A. write B. am writing C. wrote D. was writing• 7. —What’s the terrible noise?

─The neighbors ______ for a party. • A. have prepared B. are preparing • C. prepare D. will prepare

• 8. I need one more stamp before my collection _____.

• A. has completed B. complete • C. has been completed D. is completed • 9. ─ Can I join the club, Dad? • ─ You can when you ______a bit older.

A. get B. will get C. are getting D. will have got

• 10. There _______ the bus. Hurry up.• A. is coming B. comes • C. has come D. will come• 11. If I ______ when he comes, wake me • up, please.• A. slept B. am sleeping • C. will be sleeping D. was sleeping

• 12. He _______ to understand that he • did wrong to his sister.• A. is beginning B. begin • C. has been begun D. will begin• 13. George has arrived, but I did not • know he ______ until yesterday.• A. come B. will come • C. is coming D. was coming

• 14. Tom knows that his uncle _____ no • fewer than ten houses, and all of • them are let at very high rents.• A. is owning B. owns • C. owned D. was owning • 15. Will you post this letter if you _____ • a post-box?• A. will be passing B. are passing • C. have passed D. were passing