Present Tense: Simple, Continuous, Perfect & Perfect Continuous

Present Tense 

Tense 

Any form of a verb that is used to indicate the time of an action or state shows the tense of the verb. The tense refers to the present, past or future tense. 

Present tense expresses actions describing the current events or state of being, or a state which is associated with the present. 

There are four present tense forms: 

Present simple

Simple Present is used to denote scientific facts, universal truths and work done on daily basis. 

•  “The sun doesn’t rise in the West.” 
•  “The train leaves at 9:30 tomorrow morning.” 
•  “It doesn’t leave from platform 12.” 

Present continuous 

Present continuous is used to express an act taking place at the time of speaking. 

• “John is reading at the moment.” 
• “Am I doing the right act.” 
• “Joe isn’t coming to the movie with us.”

Present Perfect

 Present Perfect– It is used to show an action that started in the past and has just finished. 

• “Have you been here since yesterday?” 
• “We haven’t been to the picnics in a long time.” 
• “I’ve lost my pen.” 

Present Perfect Continuous

•  Present Perfect Continuous– This tense shows the action which started in the past and is still continuing. 

•  “I’ve been writing for over an hour.” 
•  “How long have you been singing for?”
• “They haven’t been living in New York for very long.”  

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