Form To be
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I am/ I’m I am not/ I’m not Am I?
You are/ You’re You are not/ aren’t Are you?
We are/ We’re We are not/ We aren’t Are we?
They are/ They’re They are not/ They aren’t Are they?
He/She/It is He/She/It is not/ isn’t Is he/she/it?
Verbs other than to be
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I work I do not/ don’t work do I work?
You/We/They work You/We/They do not/ don’t work
do you/ we/ they work?
He/she/it works He/she/it does not/doesn’t work does he/she/it work?
Present Simple is used for:
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Facts, general statements (truth).
E.g. Apricot and peach blossoms bloom in the spring.
Habits or routines in the present.
E.g. He always goes to the office at 7 p.m. everyday.
A permanent situation.
E.g. I live in Hanoi and work in an office of FPT Company.
Future actions which are part of a timetable, program, schedule or itinerary.
E.g. The seminar starts at 2p.m. this afternoon.
Time expressions used with Present Simple:
- always, nearly always, usually, normally, often, sometimes, occasionally, seldom, rarely, ever, never…
- once, twice, three times …
- daily, on Mondays, everyday, every month … - tomorrow, this weekend, next Friday … 3.2. Present Continuous
Form
We form the past continuous with is, am or are followed by the main verb in an -ing form.
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I am/ I’m working I am not/ I’m not working am I working?
You are/ you’re working You are not/ aren’t/ you’re not working
are you working?
He/She/It is / He’s working
He/She/It is not/ isn’t/ He’s not working
is he/she/it working?
We are/ We’re working We are not/ aren’t / We’re not working
are we working?
111 They are/ They’re
working
They are not/ aren’t/ They’re not working
are they working?
Present Continuous is used for:
Actions which are happening at or around the time of speaking at present.
E.g. Our company is building two new factories in the north of the country.
Temporary situations (trends or changing situations).
E.g. The secretary is off sick today, so he is preparing the documents for this afternoon meeting. (Preparing documents is the secretary’s duty.)
Typical traits of the subjects (with emotions: annoyance or criticism) E.g. He is always/ constantly/forever/ continually going to work late.
Fixed arrangements in the near future.
E.g. I am visiting the Old Town this weekend.
Time expressions used with Present Continuous:
- Now, right now, at present, at the time being, at the moment … - Today, this month, this season, this year …
- Tomorrow, next week, next month …
3.3. Present Perfect Simple Form
We form the past perfect with has or have followed by the main verb in a past participle form.
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I have/’ve worked I have not/ haven’t worked Have I worked?
You have/’ve worked You have not/ haven’t worked Have you worked?
He/She/It has / ’s worked He/She/It has not/ hasn’t worked
Has he/she/it worked?
112 We have/ ’ve worked We have not/ haven’t worked Have we worked?
They have/ ‘ve worked They have not/ haven’t worked Have they worked?
Present Perfect is used for:
An action which took place in the past but the precise time limits of the actions are not specified.
E.g. Before becoming a master chef, I have driven a taxi, gathered chicken eggs in a farm and sold hand-made products.
An action which began before the moment of speaking and continue into or up to it, or stopped before it. This tense focuses on the action and the result.
E.g. I have read 2 books this week.
Recurrent actions up to present and may be repeated in the future. The time of the action is not known (experience).
E.g. I have eaten raw fish salad twice.
Time expressions used with Present Perfect:
- Since, for (an hour, many years, the last few days, a long time, ages …)
- These days, over the last few weeks, all this week, all day long, all along, all this time, all one’s life
- Today, this morning, this weekend …
- So far, to date, up to now, up to present, till now, until now, before, of late, lately
…
- Just, already, recently, ever, never … 3.4. Present Perfect Continuous
Form
We form the present perfect continuous with has followed by been and the main verb in an -ing form.
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Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I have /’ve been working I have not/ haven’t been working
Have I been working?
You have/’ve been working
You have not/ haven’t been working
Have you been working?
He/She/It has / ’s been working
He/She/It has not/ hasn’t been working
Has he/she/it been working?
We have/ ’ve been working
We have not/ haven’t been working
Have we been working?
They have/ ‘ve been working
They have not/ haven’t been working
Have they been working?
Present Perfect Continuous is used for:
Actions which were in progress quite recently but the precise time limits of the actions are not specified. This tense focuses on the continuity and duration of the action.
E.g. She has been cleaning the house.
Actions which began before the moment of speaking and continue into or up to it, or stopped just before it. This tense focuses on the continuity and duration of the action.
E.g. I have been waiting for more than 2 hours.
Time expressions used with Present Perfect Continuous: the same with present perfect simple