PRESENT SIMPLE continuous.doc

PRESENT SIMPLE – to talk about events that happen around the NOW moment

1.    To speak about the actions permanently characterizing the subject or to say sth that is general

·       She lives in London – general fact

·       He speaks three languages – characterizing the subject

·       They work at school – general fact – What do you do?

·       My cousin eats very little meat – telling the (permanent) feature

2.    To say about scheduled, timetabled actions or situations often in the context of travelling (itineraries)or school plan (it also has future meaning)

·       The exam begins on Monday. – it does not depend on us, it is obligation that comes from outside

·       What time does the tram leave? – fixed arrangement

3.    We use present simple ( or present perfect) with future meaning in zero and 1st conditional and after such words: if, when, unless,on condition that, provided/providing that, supposing that, assuming that, in case of.

·       If she comes, I will let you know.

Ø    As soon as, when, after, before, if, until, once, the minute, the second

·       Jak tylko wrócisz, zadzwoń do mnie – As soon as you come back, call me.

4.    To say about repeated, habitual actions – time words telling us how often: regularly, every (day), each (month), once a year, on Sundays etc. and time adverbials expressing frequency: always, often, frequently, usually, occasionally, seldom, rarely, sometimes, from time to time, barely, hardly, never.

·       He reads the paper every day.  -  at the end of the sentence or the beginning

·       I always get up at 6 o’clock. When do you usually get up? I am never late. – between the subject and verb

5.    Universal time sentences (it was, it is and it will be like that)

·       The birds fly.

·       Babies cry when they are hungry.

·       The Earth circulate around the Moon.

·       The water boils at 100 degrees.

6.    Proverbs and jokes

·       Still waters run deep

·       Actions speak lauder than words

·       Teacher: Maria please point to America on the map.
Maria: This is it.
Teacher: Well done. Now class, who found America?
Class: Maria did.

7.    When we give instructions for example how to prepare the dish (Makłowicz’s program) or when it is described what is going on during the match when the action is quick or while giving stage directions

·       I take the cabbage, I cut it into pieces, I boil it for 5 min etc.

·       He passes the ball and the other player scores a point.

·       The doors opens, the ghost appears.

8.    To make the news fresh – headlines – although sth happened it is reported in present simple to attract attention

·       Forgotten Brother Appears

9.    When we tell about fiction/describe events in narrative/summarizing them like film/book reviews, or about a biography of people who died.

10. When we report past events in a dramatic way or even talk about historical facts

·       Can you imagine, last summer, I enter the railway station, and what I see, the train leaves

11. To say that sth changes from now on. The sentence changes the reality and present simple makes it strong

·       During a wedding ceremony; I pronounce you a husband and a wife.

             Or  when we give name to sth

·       I name you TITANIC

12. Exclamations  - when sb won sth

·       Here comes the winner, there comes the looser

Unusual statement: I am here for 6 weeks – meaning: I am going to be here for 6 weeks

13. Verbs of sense

Ø    See                          do – czynność dokonana

Ø    Hear          sb                

             Widziałam jak przeszła przez ulicę – I saw her cross the street.

Ø    Feel

Ø    Smell                    doing – czynność niedokonana                                        

Widziałam jak przechodziła przez ulicę – I saw her crossing the street.

14. When we use words that do not have ending ING so called STATIVE VERBS

Ø    Feelings: love, like, hate, want, prefer, adore, detest, dislike, forgive, enjoy, wish, hope, bet

Ø    Knowledge, beliefs, opinion: understand, know, believe, remember, agree, suppose, doubt, fear, mean, mind, refer, promise, suggest, refuse, recommend

Ø    Other: belong to, contain, consist of, depend on, own, fit, need, possess, require, concern, involve, resemble

Ø    Senses – postrzeganie zmysłowe – hear, see, smell, taste, appear, seem

Present simple and continuous – the same words different meaning

Be: Jack is noisy/ Jack is being noisy (behaving)

Think: I am thinking of going to UK (considering) / I think she is clever (believe)

See: I see what you mean (understand) / I am seeing her tomorrow (meeting)

Have:  I have a car (own) / They are having a great time (experiencing)

Smell: It smells of burnt chicken here ( it has the smell of it)/ Why are you smelling it (checking the smell)

Taste: The soup tastes wonderful / Why are you tasting it ( tasting its flavor)

Feel: This cloth feels soft (it has soft texture)She is feeling the baby to see if he’s got the temperature (touching)

Look: He looks tired (appears)/ He is looking at it ( viewing)

Weigh: He weights more than his brother /He is weighing the bag (finding out its weight

Hear: I can hear music/ He’s hearing a new pianist (robi przesłuchanie, śniadomie słucha)

PRESENT CONTINUOUS – has progressive aspect, limited duration, temporary actions

1.    To say about actions that are happening now.

·       The children are laughing and jumping. (meaning now)

2.    To say that sb is in the process of doing sth.

·       I’m reading “Alice in Wonderland”. (not now but I started some time ago and haven’t finished jet – mam w czytaniu)

·       He is writing a new novel.

3.    About temporary situation, changing situation.

·       He’s having breakfast at 6 o’clock this week. (not always but only this week)

·       She lives in Dzierżoniów but she’s living in Bielawa this month.To describe a repeated

4.    To show gradual development/change

·       He is getting fat.

·       It is getting dark.

·       Things are getting worse.

5.    To describe a repeated but temporary action.

·       Whenever I see him, he is singing (he sings when it is always like that)

·       I like to listen to the radio When I am driving.

·       Are you enjoying your stay here?

6.    When talking about private plans or intentions that are already arranged so they will happen for sure.

·       Tomorrow, I’m leaving for USA.

7.    ALWAYS/CONSTANTLY - can be used in present continuous tense, but has strong, emotional meaning. It is used to say that a repeated action annoys us.

·       You’re always loosing the keys. 

·       She’s constantly complaining about sth.

COMPARE

1.    The water is boiling. Can you turn it off?    

The water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

2.    Listen to them. What languages are they speaking?

They speak 3 languages.

3.    Let’s go out. It is not raining.

It doesn’t rain very much in summer.

4.    What are they doing?

What do you do?

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