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This unit covers the form and usage of the four present tenses, as well as common mistakes and suggested exercises for each one. The four present tenses in English are present simple, present continuous, present perfect and present perfect continuous. The most common usages for present simple are routines, habits, and permanent situations or timetables. Some of the most common mistakes are: forgetting to add ?s? with he/she/it, forgetting to use the auxiliary verb with negatives and questions, conjugating the main verb even with an auxiliary verb, and adding an auxiliary verb when one is not necessary. Present continuous is most often used to talk about things happening in the moment. It can also be used for temporary actions in progress, part of a story, or developing situations. Non-progressive, or state verbs are not usually used in the continuous form. These verbs have to do with senses, feelings, mental activity and possession. The unit presented the contracted form of the negative present continuous as ?you aren?t?, instead of ?you?re not?. It was my impression that both were equally correct, but it is less confusing to only teach one form. Common mistakes with present continuous are forgetting the auxiliary or using the wrong one, using the form in the wrong situation, or using it with a non-progressive verb. The present perfect tense is challenging for me to teach. First of all, I have a hard time thinking of it as a present tense. In my mind it refers to actions started in the past, so it should be listed as a past tense! Secondly, as an American I tend to use the present perfect less than a native British speaker would. For example, I would naturally use the past simple instead of present perfect for past actions with present results. However, it?s very helpful to see the different usages laid out so clearly so that at least now I know in which situations the present perfect can be used. Present perfect continuous is used to talk about actions started in the past that are either likely to continue or have recently finished. The emphasis is on the activity, not the result or the number of things completed.
