PRESENT TENSES

Present continuous

1)I am doing something = I’m in the middle of doing something. I’ve started doing it and I haven’t
finished yet.

Please don’t make so much noise. I’m working.

‘Where’s Margaret?’ ‘She’s having a bath.’

Let’s go out now. It isn’t raining any more.

But the action is not necessary happening at the time of speaking.

(in a café) I’m reading an interesting book at the moment. I’ll lend it to you when I have finished
it.

Some friends of mine are building a new house.

Catherine wants to work in Italy, so she’s learning Italian.

2) We use the present continuous when we talk about things happening in a period around now (for
example today, this week, this evening etc.)

It is used for temporary (dočasné) situations.

•       You’re working hard today. Yes, I have a lot to do.

•       Is Susan working this week? No, she’s on holiday.

•       Where is your brother studying?

3) We use the present continuous when we talk about changes happening now.

The population of the world is rising very fast.

Is your English getting any better?

The price of food is increasing these days.

Present simple

1) We use the present simple to talk about things in general. We are not thinking only about now.
We use it to say that something happens all the time or repeatedly, or that something is true in
general.
  * Nurses look after patients in hospital.
  * I usually go away at weekends.
  * The earth goes round the sun.


2) We use the present simple when we say how often we do things.

I get up at 8 o’clock every morning.

How often do you go to the dentist?

Ann doesn’t drink tea very often.

In summer John plays tennis once a week.


Present simple x continuous

The water is boiling. Can you turn it off?

Water boils at 100 degrees.

Listen to those people. What language are they speaking?

Excuse me, do you speak English?


Verbs that cannot form continuous tenses (i.e. stative verbs)


Stative verbs tend to be more abstract than dynamic verbs. They usually cannot take the ING form.
Contrarily, dynamic verbs are, for example, to play, draw, swim, walk… and they express some
action.

Stative verbs:

e.g. agree appear be believe belong concern consist contain depend deserve disagree dislike doubt
feel fit have hate hear hope imagine impress include involve know like look love matter mean
measure mind need owe own prefer promise realise recognise remember see seem smell sound suppose
surprise taste think understand want weigh wish

Verbs that can be both:

e.g. be feel have hope look see smell taste think


Know: He does not know about the upcoming merger.

Understand: Do you understand possible implications of it?

Think (my opinion is)/Believe: I think the CEO is busy right now. X Are you thinking of buying a
new car? (considering, zvažovat)

Love/Like/Prefer: Our boss loves playing golf.

Hate/Dislike: I hate to think our companies will merge one day.

Agree: The companies agreed on cooperating.

Doubt: I doubt the takeover is going to be a success.

Sound: The idea sounds brilliant.

Recognise: He did not recognise his business partner.

Seem/Appear: The merger seemed to be a good idea back then.

Want/Wish: I want to introduce you to our executive manager.

Have (about possession): Our manager has a degree in human resources. BUT He is having a shower at
the moment.

Consist of/Contain: A sample letter consists of four parts.

Hear: I didn’t hear him properly.

See: He's seeing a specialist next week. (Příští týden jde za specialistou). X I see it very
clearly.

Smell: She's smelling his roses.(čichá)  X The roses smell lovely. (voní)

Feel: He's feeling the fabric (touching). X It feels good.


Ex. 1 Are these sentences correct or not? Explain why.

1) Are you believing in God?

2) I see the manager tomorrow morning.

3) I’m thinking this is your key.

4) I live with some friends until I find a flat.

5) This sauce is great. It tastes really good.

6) Who is this coat belonging to?


The passive in present tenses:

People speak English all over the world. English is spoken all over the world.

They are repairing the roads this week. The roads are being repaired this week.