The Present Simple

The Present Simple is formed using the present tense form of a lexical verb (base form) for
all persons, except for the third person (we add –s or –es).
Affirmative: I speak
Interrogative: Do I speak?
Negative: I do not speak/ I don’t speak

The event is simultaneous with the present moment. It is used for:

1. Ice Cream melts in the sun.
The Earth moves around the sun. – expressing universal actions

2. Generally, I don’t drink tea.

He goes to the cinema every Sunday. – expressing habitual actions

3. John passes the ball to Alex. – tv or radio commentaries

4. Now I add the cream and put the potatoes in the oven. – descriptions of experiments and
demonstrations

5. Here she comes!

There comes the train! – exclamations introduced by here, there

6. I accept your proposal.

You apologize for what he did. – in assertions with performative verbs (to beg, to accept,
to apologize, to deny, to regret)

7. I imagine a new world.

I know the answer. – with state verb

8. The movie starts at 8 o’clock.

The bus comes at 6:30. – expressing future time in simple sentences

9. I’ll read the magazine as soon as I finish my homework. – expressing future time in
subordinate clauses

10. The battle takes place in 1980. – expressing historic present tense

11. And then he says ‘I’m not the doctor!’ – oral style

12. He opens the door, enters the room and finds the clue. – quick succession of events
(literary style, tv or radio commercials)

13. Plane crashes in the ocean! – newspaper headlines

The Present Progressive

The Present Progressive is formed of the present tense of the auxiliary verb to be + the
present participle of the main verb
Affirmative: I am learning
Interrogative: Am I learning?
Negative: I’m not learning

It expresses an action happening at the moment of speaking which is not completed yet.
I am listening to music (now). – an action in progress
Industry is growing in India. – a temporary action
I am wearing a coat as it is windy.
Paul is studying in Oradea at the moment.

It also expresses an action that extends over a slightly period of time. (these days, this
year/month):
I am reading Moby Dick this month.
I’m taking cooking lessons this year.

It denotes a changing activity: She is becoming more and more beautiful.

Comparison!

I live in Craiova. Generic-Temporary I am living in Craiova.

I put my head on the pillow. Instantaneity-Duration I am putting my head…

The train stops. Complete-Incomplete The train is stopping.

The movie starts at 8. Official – Personal I’m meeting my friends at 8.

 Our teacher always (give) us lots of homework.

 We (not want) to go to the concert.
 What time (you / meet) Pete tomorrow?
 I (not work) today. I'm on holiday.
 People (speak) English in Jamaica.
 Archie (not use) his computer at the moment.
 (Tony / live) near the park?

 Andy sometimes comics. (to read)

 We never TV in the morning. (to watch)
 Listen! Sandy in the bathroom. (to sing)
 My sister usually in the kitchen. (to help)
 My mother breakfast now. (to make)
 They often the bathroom. (to clean)
 Look! The boys home. (to come)
  Every day his grandfather for a walk. (to go)
 I with my friend at the moment. (to chat)
 Cats mice. (to eat)
 Can you remember a time when you woke up from a fantastic or strange dream? Maybe you
were afraid and turned on the light or the dream was so good you wanted to sleep longer. But
do you think your dreams are telling you something?

Can you see the future in dreams?

For hundreds of years, people thought dreams were messages from gods or spirits. Today,
too, many people can remember a time when they saw a place or person in their dream and then,
later, the dream happened in real life. Maybe that’s not surprising because we dream a lot but we
probably only remember the times when something happens in a dream and then happens for real.
Most people have four to six dreams every night after the age of ten. That’s as many as 2,000 dreams
per year. So, an 80-year-old person has probably had 140,000 dreams. Maybe we forget 95–99 per
cent of our dreams, but that’s still thousands of dreams that might ‘come true’.

Are dreams recycled thoughts?

Around the 18th and 19th centuries, there were two popular ideas about dreams. One said that
the things we see in our dreams are things we keep in our subconscious because we don’t want or
need to think about them when we’re awake. The opposite idea said that while we’re sleeping, the
brain organises memories and thoughts from the day. Dreams are just random thoughts from our day
but we try to make a story from them when we wake up.

Are dreams messages from our brains?

But perhaps both ideas are a little bit right. Maybe dreams are made from the thoughts we
have during the day, but we see them as symbols. For example, a dream of flying might be a symbol
for an exciting new job. When we’re awake, we think in words most of the time. But when we’re
sleeping, the part of our brain that helps us with language sleeps, and the part that makes us happy or
sad or angry is awake and busy. So, maybe our thoughts come to us in dreams as feelings and
symbols instead of words. If you can understand these symbols, you have a window into your
subconscious. If you want to understand the messages, you have to match them to what’s happening
in your life.

How can you understand the messages?

One way to help you do this is to keep a dream diary. As soon as you wake up, write down
everything you remember about your dreams. Use pen and paper, not your phone or computer
because the light might wake you up and you’ll forget faster. Sometimes your eyes will be half-
closed and your writing will be difficult to read.

Now you can match your dreams to your daily life. Think about the people and place where the
dream happened, as they might mean something too. Also, how you were feeling in the dream is
important. If you were afraid instead of happy in the flying dream, maybe it means you are worried
about the new job. Are you ready to find out what your subconscious is trying to tell you?