1. Present Simple Present Continuous
Present Tenses
Present Simple
Present Continuous

2. Irregular forms: do/does, go/goes, have/has, can/can
A] Present Simple
1. Form:
We add -s to the third person singular!
All other forms stay the same in the Present Simple:
I like we like
you like you like
he/she/it likes they like
Irregular forms: do/does, go/goes, have/has, can/can

3. For negations and questions we add do or does + infinitive: + I like football. + He likes football.
I don’t like football.
- She doesn’t like football.
? Do you like football?
? Does she like football?
? - Don’t you like football?
? - Doesn’t she like football?

4. Short answers are formed as follows: Do you like football. + Yes, I do
Short answers are formed as follows: Do you like football? + Yes, I do. - No, I don’t.
Do they eat meat?
+ Yes, they do.
- No, they don’t.
Does he play tennis?
Do we have any money left?
+ Yes, he does.
+ Yes, we do.
- No, he doesn’t.
- No, we don’t.

5. 2. Spelling:
After sibilants (Zischlaute) we add -es for the third person singular:
watch → he watches
kiss → she kisses
y after a consonant forms –ies in the third person singular:
try → she tries
cry → she cries
BUT: pay → she pays

6. Ex.: Form the third person singular of these verbs!
to stop to carry to have to see to do to run to go
→ he stops
→ she carries
→ he has
→ she sees
→ he does
→ she runs
→ he goes

7. - Facts that are always true:
3. Use:
The Present Simple refers to…
- Facts that are always true:
→ Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
- Habits (Gewohnheiten):
→ British people drink a lot of tea.
- States (Zustände):
→ I don’t like gangster movies.

8. Ex.: Translate!
Ich spiele gerne Fussball. I like to play football. Eis beginnt bei 1 Grad Celsius zu schmelzen (= to melt). Ice starts to melt at 1 degree Celsius. Ich gehe montags immer ins Kino. I always go to the cinema on Mondays.

9. 1. Form: B] Present Continuous to be + verb in –ing form
+ I am working.
- You aren’t swimming.
? Is she sleeping?

10. Short answers:
Is she sleeping?
Are you listening?
+ Yes, she is.
No, she isn’t.
+ Yes, I am.
- No, I am not.
Are they coming?
+ Yes, they are.
- No, they aren’t.

11. 2. Spelling:
If the infinitive ends in a silent -e, the final -e is dropped:
hope → hoping
make → making
BUT: be → being
see → seeing
If the infinitive ends in -ie, the ending is -ying:
die → dying
lie → lying

12. If the infinitive ends in a stressed consonant + vowel + consonant (CVC) combination, we double the last consonant: stop → stopping begin → beginning sit → sitting swim → swimming BUT: remember → remembering visit → visiting

13. 3. Use in progress at the moment happening at the moment:
The Present Continuous usually refers to unfinished actions / actions which are
in progress at the moment
These can be temporary:
→ I’m staying in a hotel until I find a flat.
They can be actually in progress:
→ The dog is sleeping on our bed!
Or they can be generally in progress but not actually
happening at the moment:
→ I’m learning to drive.
→ I’m studying English.

14. Some verbs can not be used in the Present Continuous because they typically express habits or states.
Ex.:
believe I believe in God.
understand I just don’t understand math.
hate I hate vegetables.
believe hate know like love mean need prefer
realize remember suppose understand want

15. Ex.: Translate!
Du schreibst gerade nicht. You aren’t writing. Sie träumt gerade. She’s dreaming. Arbeitet er gerade? Is he working? Esst ihr nicht gerade zu Abend? Aren’t you having dinner?

16. Present Simple vs. Present Continuous
refers to facts,
habits and
states
trigger words:
always
usually
(very) often
every day
etc.
refers to unfinished
actions / actions
which are in progress.
trigger words:
(right) now
at the moment
etc.

17. Ex.: Translate!
Mein Bruder macht (gerade) seine Hausaufgaben. My brother is doing his homework (now). Mein Bruder macht (üblicherweise) seine Hausaufgaben. My brother (usually) does his homework. Ich nehme Französischstunden während der Ferien. I’m taking French lessons during the holidays.