1. Unit 1 Grammar Form & Function Level 3
Present Tense
Unit 1 Grammar Form & Function Level 3

2. Simple Present Form [= grammar structure] Example
1. Affirmative Sentence
**(Subject) + (Base verb) or
(Subject) + (Base verb + “-s” or “-es”)
I like football.
He likes football.
1. Negative Sentence
**(Subject) + (“do not” or “does not”) +
(Base verb)
We don’t like tennis.
Tom doesn’t like baseball.
2. Yes/No Questions
**(“do” or “does”) + (Subject) +
Do you like soccer?
Does Sue like tennis?
2. Short Answers to Yes/No Questions
**(Pronoun Subject) + (“do/don’t” or
(“does/doesn’t”)
Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
Yes, she does./ No, she doesn’t.
3. Wh- Questions
a. **(Wh- word as Subject) + (Base Verb)
b. **(Wh- word is not Subject) + (“do” or
“does”) + (Subject) + (Base Verb)
a. Who wants to play basketball?
b. Why do you like basketball
What does the catcher do
in baseball?

3. Present Progressive Form [= grammar structure] Example
4. Affirmative Sentence
**(Subject) + (Present form of “be”) +
(Base verb + “-ing”)
I am studying very hard.
The players are trying to score.
He is running across the street.
4. Negative Sentence
**(Subject) + (Present form of “be”) + (not) +
They aren’t succeeding.
5. Yes/No Questions
**(Present form of “be”) + (Subject) +
Is our team winning?
Are you enjoying the game?
5. Short Answers to Yes/No Questions
**(Pronoun Subject) + (Present form of “be”)
+ (“not”)
Yes, it is. / No, it isn’t.
Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.
6. Wh- Questions
a. **(Wh- word as Subject) + (Present form of
“be”) + (Base verb + “-ing”)
b. **(Wh- word is not Subject) +
(Present form of “be”) + (Subject) +
a. Who is winning?
b. Why is that player running
now?

4. Simple Present Function [=reason to use] Example
a. Describe repeated actions or habits
I get up at seven every
morning.
b. Talk about things that are always or
generally true
The sun sets in the west.
c. Describe a permanent
situation or a condition with no definite start or finish and that is true now.
They live in Mexico City.
d. With adverbs of frequency
--IF verb is a form of “be,” the adverb goes
after the verb.
--IF the verb is not “be,” the adverb goes
in front of the verb.
--They are seldom late.
--She often studies in the
library.
e. With time expressions of habit
--Put at the beginning of sentence
[use a comma after the time expression]
--Put at the end of the sentence
On weekends, we eat late.
I go to school everyday.
**We also talk about the future using the present and present progressive
sometimes.

5. Present Progressive Function [=reason to use] Example
a. Talk about something which is in progress
at the moment of speaking
I is raining right now.
b. Talk about something which is in progress
around the present, but not exactly at the
time of speaking
Tony is looking for a new job these days.
c. Talk about situations that are changing,
developing, or are temporary
Computers are becoming
more and more important.
d. With adverbs such as “always” or “constantly”
to show complaints or annoyance.
He is always calling me late at night.
e. With time expressions such as “now,” “at the
moment,” “at present,” “these days,” “today,”
and “nowadays.”
I’m writing an message right now.
These days, I’m using
to keep in touch with friends.
**We also talk about the future using the present and present progressive
sometimes.

6. Nonaction [Stative] Verbs
Form [= grammar structure]
Example
Verbs of senses and perception
Do you smell the coffee?
Ø Are you smelling this coffee?
2. Verbs of mental states
I remember him.
Ø I am remembering when I met
him.
3. Verbs of possession
My boss owns this building.
Ø My boss is owning this building.
4. Verbs of feeling or emotion
I love chocolate.
Ø I am loving chocolate.
5. Verbs of measurement
This watch is nice, but it costs too much.
Ø This watch is costing too much.
6. Other verbs that express states
You seem sad today.
Ø You are being sad today.

7. Compare Stative & Action Verbs
Stative Verbs
Action Verbs
a. Stative verbs describe a state
--A state means that something is
a certain way and stays the same.
*The school is big.
*We own our apartment.
a. Action verbs describe an action
--An action means that something
happens.
*I am reading.
*She is sitting in that chair.
b. Stative verbs cannot be in the
progressive form
*We have two dogs.
Ø We are having two dogs.
b. Action verbs can be in the
*I read a book every week.
*This week, I am reading my text.

8. Some verbs are both stative and active in meaning.
Stative Meaning
Active Meaning
appear
She appears happy.
[appears = seems]
She is appearing in a new movie.
[is appearing = is starring in]
smell
The milk smells strange.
[smells strange =
has a strange smell]
He is smelling the milk.
[is smelling = is sniffing]
taste
This food tastes delicious.
[tastes delicious =
has a delicious taste]
She is tasting the food..
[is tasting=
checking to see if she likes it]
think
I think it is a good idea.
[think = believe]
I am thinking about the problem.
[am thinking = am considering]
**“be” + an adjective usually expresses a stative meaning [She is tall.]
When used with the progressive, it has a temporary meaning.
Then the adjective must describe a behavior the subject can control.
--He is polite. [“polite” is his character and it is permanent]
--He is being polite because his father is here. [“polite” is a behavior and
it is temporary since it will change when his father leaves]

9. Present Perfect Form [= grammar structure] Example
4. Affirmative Sentence
**(Subject) + (Present form of “have”) +
(Past participle)
I’ve played tennis for many years.
4. Negative Sentence
**(Subject) + (Present form of “have”) + (not) + (Past participle)
Our team hasn’t won any games.
5. Yes/No Questions
**(Present form of “have”) + (Subject) +
Have you ever played soccer?
5. Short Answers to Yes/No Questions
**(Pronoun Subject) +
(Present form of “have”) + (“not”)
Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t.
6. Wh- Questions
a. **(Wh- word as Subject) + (Present form of
“have”) + (Past participle)
b. **(Wh- word is not Subject) +
(Present form of “have”) + (Subject) +
a. Who has won the most games?
b. How many games have they
won?

10. Present Perfect Progressive
Form [= grammar structure]
Example
4. Affirmative Sentence
**(Subject) + (Present form of “have”) +
(“been”) + (Base verb + “-ing”)
They have been practicing all
Morning, so they are tired.
She has been studying.
4. Negative Sentence
**(Subject) + (Present form of “have”) + (not) + (“been”) + (Base verb + “-ing”)
She hasn’t been playing
basketball very long.
5. Yes/No Questions
**(“have” or “has”) + (Subject) + (“been”)
(Base verb + “-ing”)
Have they been winning a lot of
games?
5. Short Answers to Yes/No Questions
**(Pronoun Subject) + (“have” or “has”)
+ (“not”)
Yes, they have.
No, they haven’t.
6. Wh- Questions
a. **(Wh- word as Subject) + (Present form of
“have”) + (“been”) + (Base verb + “-ing”)
b. **(Wh- word is not Subject) +
(Present form of “have”) + (Subject) +
a. Who has been scoring the
most goals?
b. Why have they been losing
so much?

11. Present Perfect Function [=reason to use] Example
a. Talk about something that started in the
past and continues to the present.
I have been here for 30
minutes.
b. Talk about a completed action that has an
importance in the present.
She has done her homework.
c. Talk about what has been achieved in a
period of time.
He has written three letters
this morning.
d. Describe a situation that is more
permanent and continues into the present.
She has always worked there.

12. Present Perfect Progressive
Function [=reason to use]
Example
a. Emphasize the continuation of an action
that started in the past and continues.
I have been waiting for your call
all morning.
b. Talk about an action that may or may not
be completed.
She has been doing her
homework.
c. Talk about how long something has been
in progress.
He has been writing all
morning.
d. Describe a situation that is more
temporary and continues into the present.
She has been working here for
a couple of weeks.
e. Talk about evidence in the present that
shows an action was happening in the
recent past.
A: What smells so good?
B: Oh, I’ve been making cookies.

13. Present Perfect & Present Perfect Progressive
Function [=reason to use]
Example
Can use either with action verbs
Cannot use present perfect progressive
with stative verbs
We’ve finished our work.
We’ve been finishing our work.
Ø I’ve been having this car for
five years.
c. Often use “for” or “since” with either
--”For” = length of time
--”Since” = a specific time or date
I have been waiting for an hour.
I have been waiting since 6 pm.
d. Certain Verbs: Work, play, live, study,
teach, stay, feel, compete, practice, and
wear can be used with either
We have lived here for 15 years.
We have been living here for
15 years.
e. Adverbs used with present perfect: Ever,
never, already, yet, still, just, and so far