6 Minute Grammar: Present Tenses

Introduction

• Hosts: Catherine and Finn
• Focus: Present tenses

Present Simple Tense

• Uses:
  • Facts
  • Habits
  • Truths
• Formation:
  • Subject + base verb
  • Add 's' for he, she, it (e.g., I work, you work, he works, etc.)
• Questions/Negatives:
  • Use 'do' or 'does'
  • Example Questions:
    • Do you take milk in your coffee?
    • Does she take milk in her coffee?

Present Continuous Tense

• Uses:
  • Activities
  • Temporary situations
  • Things happening now or around now
  • Future arrangements
• Formation:
  • am/is/are + verb-ing
• Examples:
  • Finn: "I'm sitting in the studio..."
  • Catherine: "I'm reading a novel..."

Present Perfect Tense

• Formation:
  • have/has + past participle
• Uses:
  • Connects past to present
  • Life experiences
• Key Terms:
  • "ever" (at any time)
  • "never" (at no time)
• Examples:
  • Finn: "I've eaten ants and beetles..."
  • Catherine: "I've never eaten insects..."

Additional Keywords with Present Perfect

• Just: Recently (e.g., "I've just had a cup of coffee.")
• Already: Earlier than expected (e.g., "I've already had breakfast.")
• Yet: Not until now (e.g., "I haven't had lunch yet.")
• Duration:
  • "for" (e.g., "I've lived in London for five years.")
  • "since" (e.g., "I've been married since 2003.")

Summary of Present Tenses

• Present Simple: Facts and habits
• Present Continuous: Activities and future arrangements
• Present Perfect: Life experiences and news

Quiz

1. Best describes a habit:
   • A: I have smoked 20 cigarettes a day.
   • B: I smoke 20 cigarettes a day. (Correct)
2. Grammatically correct sentence:
   • "Humans have not visited the planet Mars yet, but they have already been to the moon." (Correct)
3. Correct sentence:
   • a. Catherine has never eaten insects.
   • b. Catherine never eats insects.
   • c. Catherine is never eating insects.
   • Answer: Both a and b are correct.

Conclusion

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• Hosts: Catherine and Finn say goodbye.