Workshop on Simple Present Tense

Conducted by:
Asif Mahbub Md. Jahirul Islam Md. Tarikul Islam Iffah Rafika Karim Mushfiqur Rahman Sanzida Akter Dipa Md. Mohiuddin Sarkar Shuvo

What is Simple Present tense?

The simple present tense expresses a constant, repeated, customary action or condition. It can also express a general truth or an action or condition that is happening right now.

How is it formed?

Subject + Main Verb in present form + Extension Example: Fattah eats rice. Here, after the subject Fattah sits the main verb in present form eat. As Fattah is first person singular, an s is added to make the verb eats. After that the object (extension) rice sits. Together this makes a simple present tense.

Uses of Simple Present Tense

To express universal truth Eg. The sun rises in the east. To express a habitual truth/action. Eg. Nazia goes to bed at ten oclock everyday. Conditional Sentence Eg. If Shohan studies, he will pass. To express future timetables. Eg. Ramadan begins in the next month.

Present state of affairs. Eg. Aniks uncle lives in Syhlet. As a substitute for simple past Eg. Aktarul now rushes forward and deals a heavy blow to Pijush. Used in broadcast commentaries on television and radio. Eg. Kafiun takes the ball upfield again, passes to Nahar on the edge of the box. She turns, shoots and a fine save from Riya. In newspaper headlines Eg. Rabbi wins Nobel Prize in literature.

Common faced by

pr oblems ESL Lear ner s

Simple present: Structure: Subject + verb + object Eg. Ashiq eats rice. Some people forget to use s or es with the verb Eg. Salek come to my house everyday. Eg. He read his lesson properly.

 In the negative sentence people use do not/ does not without understanding. Those do not/does not will be wrongly placed. Eg. Jahir do not do his homework. They does not read the lesson properly. In the interrogative sentence people do the same mistake. Eg. Does they need my help? Do Ponting play well in this match? Sometimes people use the wrong verb with the subject. Eg. I has no money to buy a new watch. Eg. He have a new bicycle.

Comparison between other forms of Present tenses

Simple Present Structure: Subject + verb + object (extension)
Present continuous structure: Subject + be (am, is, are) + verb + ing + object Present perfect structure: Subject + have/has + verb (past participle) + extension. Present perfect continuous structure: Subject + have been/has been + verb + ing + extension.

Comparisons Example
They play football. (present simple) They are playing football. (present continuous) They have played football. (present perfect) They have been playing football. (present perfect continuous)

Acknowledgements
Materials used in this presentation have been taken from the following sources:

High School English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin Advanced Learners Communicative English Grammar & Composition by Chowdhury & Hossain Communicative English Grammer with Composition by Matiur Rahman A Complete Practical English by Kutub-E-Zahan Collins COBUILD English Grammar