1. Tense Usage
Present Tenses

2. Agenda Default tenses Present Tense Present Continuous Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Present Tenses vs. Past Tense

3. Default Tenses Simple Present Tense
Default Tense in technical and analytical writing:
Management work includes every member of the project team: every individual contributor, every functional manager, every project manager makes a vital contribution to management work.
Simple Present Tense

4. Present Tense: Usage 1. facts and general truths; natural laws:
The company produces a wide range of widgets. Conferences are usually planned, organized, led and controlled one month in advance.
2. things that happen with a certain frequency
We evaluate our sales figures every month.
3. a fixed schedule in the future (train/ plane schedules).
The new training program starts next Friday

5. Present Tense: Formation
Active Voice
3rd pers. sg. + s; “do/does” in questions and negations
Passive Voice
am/is/are+ 3rd form
1st: I walk/draw / we walk/draw
2nd: you walk/draw / you walk/draw
3rd: he/she/it walks/draws / they walk/draw

6. Present Continuous Tense: Usage
1. an activity at the moment or around the time of speaking (at present, at the moment, currently).
What are you doing? -- I am watching the fax machine; there is a confidential message.
A better product is currently being developed.
2. an activity with a temporary nature.
I am working in Paris at the moment (but I normally work in London).
3. a fixed arrangement in the future.
We are running a training seminar next Monday.

7. Present Continuous Tense: Formation
Active Voice
am/is/are+ verb+ ing
Passive Voice
am/is/are+being+ 3rd form
1st: I am writing / we are writing
2nd: you are writing / you are writing
3rd: he/she/it is writing / they are writing

8. Present Perfect Tense: Usage
1. an activity at a non-specific time in the past that has an effect/ result in the present.
We have completed the study and are ready to move on to the next milestone
2. an activity within a still unfinished period of time.
This year, advertising has been somewhat neglected.
3. an activity that started in the past and continues to the present.
Mr. Johnson has worked in our operations department since 1987/ for 7 years/ so far.

9. Present Perfect Tense: Formation
Active Voice
have/has+ 3rd form
Passive Voice
have/has+been+3rd form
1st: I have written / we have written
2nd: you have written / you have written
3rd: he/she/it has written / they have written

10. Present Tenses: Remember
All analytical technical writing is in one of these Present Tenses. Use Past Tense only to describe things that have no meaning for the present.
In his article on new developments in the PLL, Smith writes that European research is years ahead of American research.

11. Tenses Overview

12. Present Tenses: Quiz
Please take the Present Tenses Quiz on WebCT now.