Present tenses: present simple and present

continous

Present simple ( SB, p.105)

• Time expressions: adverbs of frequency (always, frequently, usually, often, generally, sometimes, rarely, seldom, never), once a week/month/year, every…., in the morning/evening/afternoon, at night,…

• Spelling rules for the third person singular

Verbs ending in o, ss, sh, ch, x, z + es does, misses, watches

Verbs ending in vowel + y + s plays, buys, says

Verbs ending in consonant + y y > i + es

flies, studies, cries

Present simple ( SB, p.105)USES

Hard-working students study regularly

1. Habits and routines

2. Facts and general truths

Top models wear trendy clothes

The Yamamba girls speak their own slang

3. Permanent situations

Present continuous ( SB, p.106)

• Time expressions: at the moment, now, this weekend/month, at present, tonight, tomorrow …

• Spelling rules for the third person singular

Verbs ending in e, drop the e, except to be and see

coming, givingbeing, seeing

Verbs ending in y, keep the y studying, playing, trying

Verbs ending in ie, change the ie to y dying (die), lying (lie)

Double the final consonant with:• Some one-syllable verbs which end V+C• Verbs ending stressed vowel+ C• verbs ending V+L

plan→ planningprefer→preferringtravel→travelling

Present continuous ( SB, p.106)USES

You are listening to me and I’m telling you about the verb tenses

1. For actions which are happening now

2. For temporary actions that are going on around now

Joan is studying phonetics at UCL at the moment

Are you coming with us tomorrow?

3. To talk about arrangements and fixed plans for the future, especially when time or place have been decided.

4. To describe monotonous and repetitive actions

You are always talking when I speak!