I.

INTRODUCTION
The present tense is a grammatical tense that locates a situation or event in present time. This linguistic definition refers to a concept that indicates a feature of the meaning of a verb. However, in discussions of specific languages, the term "present tense" is often used to refer to a particular grammatical form that, depending on the language, may frequently be used to express the present nature of an action or, in some cases, may be used to express nonpresent action. The discussion in this article focuses on the forms used in various languages. In English, present tense form may be used to express action in the present, a current state of being, an occurrence in the future, or an action that started in the past and continues. There are two common types of present tense form in most Indo-European languages: the present indicative (i.e., the combination of present tense and indicative mood) and the presentsubjunctive (i.e., the combination of present tense and subjunctive mood). The English present tense can be combined with aspects in the following verbal constructions: The present simple or simple present is used in several ways:

To describe both habits and or routines (habitual aspect) (I eat breakfast every morning at 6:30; I go to work every day), and general facts or the truth (The earth revolves around the sun);

To present thoughts, feelings, and other unchanging states (stative aspect) (I think so; I like it; It is hot; The sun always shines in the desert);

To indicate scheduled events in the near future (so that the simple present verb form actually indicates future tense) (I take the train tomorrow at 6:00);

To indicate events at any time in the future in a dependent clause (Ill retire when I reach age 65);

To provide narratives such as instructional narratives (Now I mix the ingredients; now I put the pan in the oven);

To narrate past events (the historical present) for stylistic effect. 1

In the present simple, English uses the verb without an ending (I get the lunch ready at one oclock, usually.) except that in the third person singular, (after he, she, it, your friend, etc.) the suffix -sor -es is appended to the verb (It gets busy on the weekends; Sarah catches the early train). The present simple tense is often used with adverbs of repeated time, as in these examples with the adverbs shown in italics:

I never come to school by cycle. He always forgets to do his homework. I never catch the late bus home.

The emphatic present: The present tense can be expressed with emphasis by using the auxiliary verb do and the uninflected main verb, (I do walk, He does walk). The present progressive or present continuous: This form is used to describe events happening now, e.g., I am reading this wiki article, and I am thinking about editing it. This tense is formed by combining the present form of the verb to be with a present participle. The present perfect In English this is a present tense with retrospective aspect, which describes a present state of existence based on past action (I have visited Paris several times; I have listened to you for five minutes now). The present perfect progressive: This is used to describe events or actions that have begun at some point in the past and continue through the present, e.g., I have been reading this book for some time now.

II. DISCUSSION

A. SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE Simple present tense related to habitual, general truth, and facts. Simple present tense is used to discuss permanent situations and the frequency of events. The structure of the simple present tense is: Subject + auxiliary verb is / am / are + noun/adjective/adverb base

Subject

+ auxiliary verb Do / does

+ main verb base

There are three important exceptions: 1. For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary. 2. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary. 3. For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions and negatives. Look at these examples with the main verb like:

Subject + I, you, we, they He, she, it -

auxiliary verb

main verb like likes not not like like like coffee. coffee. coffee. coffee. coffee?

I, you, we, they Do He, she, it Does I, you, we, they

Do

Does

he, she, it

like

coffee?

Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is no auxiliary:

Subject + I

main verb Am French. French. French. Not Not Not old. old. old. late? late? late?

You, we, they Are He, she, it I Is Am

You, we, they Are He, she, it ? Am Are Is Is I you, we, they he, she, it

How do we use the Simple Present Tense? We use the simple present tense when: the action is general the action happens all the time, or habitually, in the past, present and future the action is not only happening now the statement is always true

Notes : 1. Simple present tense is not really describe the present action, but rather a permanent or habitual.

2. When using a verb, in the present simple is used Vi, except for the third person singular, the verb terminated by the suffix-s or-es. 3. For adverb of frequency like usually, seldom, etc., generally appear after to be or before the verb. 4. Time markers that are commonly used: seldom, usually, always, never, often, sometimes, rerely, every ..., once / twice / ... a day / in a week / a month / a year / .., etc.

B. PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE Present continuous tense talk about ongoing action. The structure of the present continuous tense is: Subject + auxiliary verb Be + main verb base + ing

Look at these examples:

subject + + ? ? I You She We Is Are

auxiliary verb Am Are Is Are He They

main verb speaking reading not staying not playing watching waiting to you. this. in London. football. TV? for John?

How do we use the Present Continuous Tense? We use the present continuous tense to talk about:

action happening now action in the future

Present Continuous tense for action happening now a) for action happening exactly now

I am eating my lunch. Past present The action is happening now. Future

Look at these examples. Right now you are looking at this screen and at the same time... b) for action happening around now The action may not be happening exactly now, but it is happening just before and just after now, and it is not permanent or habitual.

John is going out with Mary. Past Present The action is happening around now. Future

Look at these examples:

Muriel is learning to drive. I am living with my sister until I find an apartment.

Notes : 1. Present continuous truly for present time although at a moment can be mean future. 2. Some particular verb generally can not use continuous (different from Ving form which is present participle) for example, see, hear, like, hate, love, dislike, believe, own, have, think, feel, know, smell, consider, understand, appear, seem, look, kick, glance, appreciate, want, recognize, care, agree, remember, forget, trust, belong, adore, prefer, refuse, etc.. 3. Present continuous tense is generally not used for events / activities that happened brief unless the intention show repeatedly like pick, fall, drop, hit, knock, etc.. 4. Time markers that are commonly used: now, right now, today, at this moment / week / month / year.

C. PRESENT PERFECT TENSE a. Talk about action which has occurred or finished, without importance the start time. When speaking, action is (already) over. b. Talk about action which start in the past (a few moments before starting the conversation) and not still finished up to talking (now). The structure of the present perfect tense is: Subject + auxiliary verb Have + main verb past participle

Here are some examples of the present perfect tense:

subject

auxiliary verb

main verb

Have

seen

ET.

You

Have

eaten

mine.

She

Has

not been

to Rome.

We

Have

not played

football.

Have

You

finished?

Have

They

done

it?

Time markers that are commonly used: For definition a : just, already, yet. For definition b : since ... , for ... , recently, lately, so far, up to now, up to present, all the time / day / week / ... Contractions with the present perfect tense When we use the present perfect tense in speaking, we usually contract the subject and auxiliary verb. We also sometimes do this when we write.

I have

I've

You have

You've

He has She has It has John has The car has

He's She's It's John's The car's

We have

We've

They have

They've

Here are some examples:

I've finished my work. John's seen ET. They've gone home.

How do we use the Present Perfect Tense? This tense is called the present perfect tense. There is always a connection with the past and with the present. There are basically three uses for the present perfect tense: 1. experience 2. change 3. continuing situation 1. Present perfect tense for experience We often use the present perfect tense to talk about experience from the past. We are not interested in when you did something. We only want to know if you did it:

I have seen ET. He has lived in Bangkok. Have you been there? We have never eaten caviar. Past The action or state was in the past. Present In my head, I have a memory now. Future

Connection with past: the event was in the past. Connection with present: in my head, now, I have a memory of the event; I know something about the event; I have experience of it.

2. Present perfect tense for change We also use the present perfect tense to talk about a change or new information:

I have bought a car. Past Last week I didn't have a car. present + Now I have a car. Future

John has broken his leg. Past + Yesterday John had a good leg. present Now he has a bad leg. Future

Has the price gone up? Past + Was the price $1.50 yesterday? present Is the price $1.70 today? Future

The police have arrested the killer. Past present + Future

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Yesterday the killer was free.

Now he is in prison.

Connection with past: the past is the opposite of the present. Connection with present: the present is the opposite of the past.

Americans do not use the present perfect tense so much as British speakers. Americans often use the past tense instead. An American might say "Did you have lunch?", where a British person would say "Have you had lunch?" 3. Present perfect tense for continuing situation We often use the present perfect tense to talk about a continuing situation. This is a state that started in the past and continues in the present (and will probably continue into the future). This is astate (not an action). We usually use for or since with this structure.

I have worked here since June. He has been ill for 2 days. How long have you known Tara? Past The situation started in the past. Connection with past: the situation started in the past. Connection with present: the situation continues in the present. For & Since with Present Perfect Tense We often use for and since with the present perfect tense.

present It continues up to now.

Future (It will probably continue into the future.)

We use for to talk about a period of time - 5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years. We use since to talk about a point in past time - 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday.

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For a period of time 20 minutes three days 6 months 4 years 2 centuries a long time Ever Etc

Since a point in past time 6.15pm Monday January 1994 1800 I left school the beginning of time Etc

Here are some examples:

I have been here for 20 minutes. I have been here since 9 o'clock. John hasn't called for 6 months. John hasn't called since February. He has worked in New York for a long time. He has worked in New York since he left school.

D. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Talk about the action (already) started (in the past) and still going on until now (similar to the present perfect meaning / definition of b). Thus, if desired is an emphasis on duration of the event, use the present perfect continuous instead of the present perfect.

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The structure of the present perfect continuous tense is: Subject + auxiliary verb have has + auxiliary verb been + main verb base + ing

Here are some examples of the present perfect continuous tense:

Subject auxiliary verb

auxiliary verb

main verb

Have

been

waiting

for one hour.

You

Have

been

talking

too much.

It

Has

Not

been

raining.

We

Have

Not

been

playing

football.

Have

You

been

seeing

her?

Have

They

been

doing

their homework?

Contractions When we use the present perfect continuous tense in speaking, we often contract the subject and the first auxiliary. We also sometimes do this in informal writing.

I have been

I've been

You have been

You've been

He has been

He's been 13

She has been It has been John has been The car has been

She's been It's been John's been The car's been

We have been

We've been

They have been

They've been

Here are some examples:

I've been reading. The car's been giving trouble. We've been playing tennis for two hours.

How do we use the Present Perfect Continuous Tense? This tense is called the present perfect continuous tense. There is usually a connection with the present or now. There are basically two uses for the present perfect continuous tense: 1. An action that has just stopped or recently stopped We use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and stopped recently. There is usually a result now.

I'm tired because I've been running.

Past

present

future

Recent action.

Result now.

I'm tired [now] because I've been running. Why is the grass wet [now]? Has it been raining? You don't understand [now] because you haven't been listening. 14

2. An action continuing up to now We use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and is continuing now. This is often used with for or since.

I have been reading for 2 hours.

Past

present

Future

Action started in past.

Action is continuing now.

I have been reading for 2 hours. [I am still reading now.] We've been studying since 9 o'clock. [We're still studying now.] How long have you been learning English? [You are still learning now.] We have not been smoking. [And we are not smoking now.]

For and Since with Present Perfect Continuous Tense We often use for and since with the present perfect tense.

We use for to talk about a period of time - 5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years. We use since to talk about a point in past time - 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday.

For

Since

a period of time

a point in past time

20 minutes

6.15pm

three days

Monday

6 months

January

15

4 years

1994

2 centuries

1800

a long time

I left school

Ever

the beginning of time

Etc

Etc

Here are some examples:

I have been studying for 3 hours. I have been watching TV since 7pm. Tara hasn't been feeling well for 2 weeks. Tara hasn't been visiting us since March. He has been playing football for a long time. He has been living in Bangkok since he left school.

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III.

CONCLUSION

Types of present tense are simple present, present continuous, present perfect, and present perfect continuous. The structure of the simple present tense is: (+) (-) S + (is/ am / are) + + N /Adj/ Adv

S + (is/ am / are) + not + N /Adj/ Adv + N /Adj/ Adv ?

(?) (Is/ Am / Are) + S + a) The weather is bright. b) These buildings are across my house. c) Fire is hot. d) Blood is red. (+) (-) (?) Do/ Does + S + do/ does +

+ VI / Vs/es + C + VI / Vs/es + C ?

S + do/ does + not + VI / Vs/es + C S +

a) Rika likes roses very much. b) The children go to school everyday. c) Water boils at 100o. d) Fitri studies at PNJ.

The structure of the present continuous tense is: (+) (-) S + (is/ am / are) + + Ving + + Ving + C C C?

S + (is/ am / are) + not + Ving +

(?) (Is/ Am / Are) + S + a) Look! The dog is chasing a cat. b) The children are playing in the field right now.

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The structure of the present continuous tense is: (+) (-) (?) Have/ Has + S + have/ has + + VIII + + VIII + C C C?

S + have/ has + not + VIII + S +

a) Maria has already written the latter. b) Aisyah has gone to Mecca. c) Fahri has written the letter for half an hour. d) They have lived here since 1994.

The structure of the present perfect continuous tense is: (+) (-) (?) S + have/ has + + been + Ving + C + C + been + Ving + C ?

S + have/ has + not + been + Ving Have/ Has + S +

a) I have been living here since 1994. b) I have been reading that book since this morning.

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