GLAGOLSKI ČASI ZA SEDANJOST Angleščina

1 TENSES REFERRING TO THE PRESENT

Present time refers to the time around the moment of writing or speaking (time around now)
and to general and permanent time. The two most common ways to refer to present time are
the present simple for general facts and regular events, and the present continuous for an
event happening now:

 Water turns to ice at below 0°. (present simple for a general fact)
 Does it rain a lot in Wales? (present simple asking about a general fact)
 I usually take the bus to work. (present simple for a regular event)
 Take an umbrella with you. It’s raining. (present continuous for something
happening now)

PRESENT SIMPLE

Form: verb “be”

Be is an irregular verb with several different forms.

Positive form:
Short form
Full form

I am … I’m …
He is / She is / It is … He’s / She’s / It’s … from Slovenia.
You are / We are / They are … You’re / We’re / They’re …

Negative form:
Short form
Full form

I am not… I’m not …

He is not / She is not / He’s not / She’s not /
It is not … It’s not … from Slovenia.
You are not / We are not / You’re not / We’re not /
They are not … They’re not …

Question form (positive):

Only full form

Am I …
Is he / Is she / Is it … from Slovenia?
Are you / Are we / Are they …

Vir: www.dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ Stran 1 od 11

GLAGOLSKI ČASI ZA SEDANJOST Angleščina

Question form (negative):

Short form
Full form

Am I not … Aren’t I … (informal)

Isn’t he / Isn’t she /
Is he not / Is she not / Is it not …
Isn’t it … from Slovenia.
Are you not / Are we not / Aren’t you / Aren’t we /
Are they not … Aren’t they …

Form: other verbs

Positive form:
Subject Main verb
I, You, We, They work.
He, She, It works.

Negative form:
Subject Auxiliary verb Main verb
I, You, We, They do not / don't work.
He, She, It does not / doesn't work.

Question form (positive):

Auxiliary verb Subject Main verb
Do I, you, we, they work?
Does he, she, it work?

Question form (negative)

Auxiliary verb Subject Main verb
Do I, you, we, they not work?
Does he, she, it work?
or …
Auxiliary verb Subject Main verb
Don’t I, you, we, they work?
Doesn’t he, she, it work?

Vir: www.dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ Stran 2 od 11

GLAGOLSKI ČASI ZA SEDANJOST Angleščina

Spelling

For most verbs we add -s to the base form to make she, he, it (third person singular) form.

Examples: come → comes, order → orders, travel → travels, eat → eats, walk →
walks, move → move

However, there are some exceptions:

 When the verb ends in -ch, -ss, -sh, -x or -zz, watch → watches
we add -es. miss → misses
wash → washes
mix → mixes
buzz → buzzes

 When the verb ends in a consonant + -y we hurry → hurries

change -y to -i and add -es. study → studies
reply → replies

 But when the verb ends in a vowel + -y we pay → pays

just add -s. enjoy → enjoys

 Have, go and do are irregular have → has

go → goes
do → does

 When the verb ends in -s or -z we double the quiz → quizzes

-s or -z and add -es.

Uses

 General truths and facts

We use the present simple to talk about general facts that are always true and permanent
about the world:

Ten times ten makes one hundred. (10 x 10 = 100)

There is always a holiday on the last Monday in August in the UK.
Time passes very quickly when you get older.

Vir: www.dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ Stran 3 od 11

GLAGOLSKI ČASI ZA SEDANJOST Angleščina

We use the present simple to talk about general facts that we think are true and permanent
at the present time:

I really love my job.

Mrs Clare doesn’t teach me but she teaches my sister.
Do you live in Glasgow? My cousin lives there too.
Spiders don’t frighten me.
Martha does what she wants. No one tells her what to do.

 Regular and habitual events

We use the present simple to talk about regular or habitual events. We often use always,
often, usually, sometimes, never and other frequency adverbs for regular and habitual
events:

How do you get to work? Do you get the bus?

I read every night before I go to sleep.
We always have a holiday in the summer. We never work in August.
We usually fly to France when we go. Lorea doesn’t like the ferry. It makes
her feel sick.

 Instructions and directions

We use the present simple when we are giving instructions or directions. We often use
ordering words, such as and, first and then with this use of the present simple:

[giving directions] You take the train into the city centre and then you take a
number five bus. You don’t get off at the museum. You get off at the stop after
the museum.
[giving instructions before a test] So what you do is … you read the questions
first and then you write down your answers in the box. You don’t write on the
question paper.

 Stories and commentaries

We often use the present simple to describe a series of actions – one action after another.
We see this especially in stories, summaries of stories or reviews:

[talking about the series of events in a novel] Alex doesn’t ring back at
midnight … she waits till the morning to ring, and they get annoyed with Liz

Vir: www.dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ Stran 4 od 11

GLAGOLSKI ČASI ZA SEDANJOST Angleščina

when she goes on … they know she’s got plenty of money by their standards
…

The present simple is often used by sports commentators to give commentaries or report
actions as they are happening:

Mwaruwauri Benjani fouls Cahill. Habsi takes the free kick, Caicedo shoots
and volleys. O’Brien blocks.

 Immediate reactions

We use the present simple, often with verbs of senses and perception, to talk about feelings
and reactions at the moment of speaking:

Do you think that meat is ok to eat? It doesn’t smell very good.

Where does it hurt?
I don’t like the colour. I think I look terrible.
It seems a bit quiet in here. Where is everyone?
Don’t you believe me? It’s true, honestly.

 I promise, I swear, I agree (speech act verbs)

We use the present simple with speech act verbs (verbs which perform the act that they
describe):

I will pay you back, I promise, when I get paid.

I agree with everything you say.

We also use the present simple in a similar way in formal statements and in business or legal
communications:

I attach the original signed copies for your records.

On behalf of the Society, and particularly those involved in medical work, I
write to thank you for your kind gift of £20,000 … (more formal than I’m writing
to thank you …)

Vir: www.dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ Stran 5 od 11

GLAGOLSKI ČASI ZA SEDANJOST Angleščina

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Form

We use am, are, is + the -ing form of the verb. We use the short form more often than the full
form, especially when speaking.

Positive form:
Full form Short form Main verb
I am … I’m …
He is / She is / It is … He’s / She’s / It’s … working.
You are / We are / They are … You’re / We’re / They’re …

Negative form:
Full form Short form Main verb
I am not… I’m not …
He is not / She is not / He’s not / She’s not /
It is not … It’s not … working.
You are not / We are not / You’re not / We’re not /
They are not … They’re not …

Question form (positive):

Only full form Main verb
Am I …
Is he / Is she / Is it … working.
Are you / Are we / Are they …

Question form (negative):

Full form Short form Main verb
Am I not … Aren’t I … (informal)
Is he not / Is she not / Isn’t he / Isn’t she /
Is it not … Isn’t it … working.
Are you not / Are we not / Aren’t you / Aren’t we / Aren’t
Are they not … they …

Vir: www.dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ Stran 6 od 11

GLAGOLSKI ČASI ZA SEDANJOST Angleščina

Spelling

For most verbs we add -ing to the base form to make the -ing form.

Examples: be → being, eat → eating, order → ordering, cry → crying, fix → fixing, play
→ playing, do → doing, go → going

However, there are some exceptions:

 When the verb ends in -e, we take off the -e move → moving
and add -ing. face → facing
come → coming

 When the verb ends in a vowel followed by a commit → committing

single consonant and if the last syllable is prefer → preferring
stressed, then the consonant is doubled. rub → rubbing

BUT:
cover → covering
remember → remembering
 When the verb ends in a vowel + l, we double travel → travelling
the consonant. control → controlling

Uses

 Events at the time of speaking

We use the present continuous to talk about events which are in progress at the moment of
speaking:

A: What time’s dinner? B: I’m cooking now so it’ll be ready in about half an
hour.
She’s pressing the button but nothing is happening.

 Temporary states
We use the present continuous to talk about temporary states which are true around the
moment of speaking:

Her mother’s living with her at the moment.

Vir: www.dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ Stran 7 od 11

GLAGOLSKI ČASI ZA SEDANJOST Angleščina

She’s just come out of hospital.

Who’s looking after the children while you’re here?
 Repeated temporary events
We use the present continuous to describe actions which are repeated or regular, but which
we believe to be temporary:

I’m not drinking much coffee these days. I’m trying to cut down.
She’s working a lot in London at the moment. (She doesn’t usually work in
London.)

 Change
We use the present continuous to talk about a gradual change:

They’re building a new stand at the football ground.

Maria, 37, is getting better and doctors are optimistic she will make a full
recovery.
Recent evidence suggests that the economic situation is improving.

 Regular unplanned events

We often use the present continuous with words like always, constantly, continually and
forever (adverbs of indefinite frequency) to describe events which are regular but not
planned, and often not wanted:

My wife, she’s always throwing things out. I like to keep everything.

I’m constantly spilling things.

Vir: www.dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ Stran 8 od 11

GLAGOLSKI ČASI Angleščina

PRESENT SIMPLE OR PRESENT CONTINUOUS?

We use the present simple to talk about permanent facts and general truths. We don’t
expect that these facts will change. We use the present continuous to talk about something
temporary, which may change soon.

Example 1:

Hana smiles a lot. Hana is smiling because of the joke.

 A person telling a general fact or  A person is talking about an action
characteristic about Hana. that is happening at the moment of
speaking.

Example 2:

A: What languages do you speak? A: What language are they speaking?

B: I speak English and Slovenian. B: They’re speaking Portuguese.
 A person is asking about a general,  A person is asking a question about
permanent fact. the situation that is happening at the
moment of speaking.

Example 3:

She lives with her parents. She’s living with her parents.

 The speaker is suggesting that she  The speaker is suggesting that she
will continue living there. may move out soon.

Example 4:

I think he is rude. I think he’s being really rude.

 A characteristic of him, he’s a rude  His behaviour at the moment.
person.

Vir: www.dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ Stran 9 od 11

GLAGOLSKI ČASI Angleščina

Some verbs are normally used in the present simple and not in the present
continuous.

 know, suppose, think, understand (mental process verbs)

 admire, adore, detest, hate, like, respect (verbs expressing feelings)
 smell, taste (verbs describing the senses)
 consist, contain, last (verbs describing permanent qualities)
 promise, swear (speech act verbs)

Examples:

You could ask Greg if he can help. He knows a bit about cars.
Not: He’s knowing a bit about cars.

Those batteries don’t last very long.

Not: Those batteries aren’t lasting very long.

Each chapter contains stories about ...

Not: Each chapter is containing …

I swear I gave you back the keys.

Not: I’m swearing I gave you back the keys.

Present Simple and Continuous: typical errors

We always use the -s form for third person singular present simple:

The building has three rooms.

Not: The building have three rooms.

We don’t use the present simple for actions that are going on at the present time. We use
the present continuous:

Look, she’s winning!

Vir: www.dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ Stran 10 od 11

GLAGOLSKI ČASI Angleščina

Not: Look, she wins!

We use the present simple, not will, for future reference after words like when, before, as
soon as, if and whether:

We’ll come and pick you up as soon as you call.

Not: We’ll come and pick you up as soon as you’ll call.

We don’t use the present continuous for facts and permanent situations. We use the
present simple:

Six plus four makes ten. (6 + 4 = 10)

Not: Six plus four is making ten.

We don’t use the present continuous with some verbs, e.g. verbs expressing feelings,
describing senses, mental process verbs:

Horrible weather, isn’t it? But I hear it’s going to get better at the weekend.
Not: I’m hearing it’s going to get better.

Some children hate playing any sport.

Not: Some children are hating …

We don’t use the present simple or the present continuous before since when we talk
about a specific time up to now. We use the present perfect:

I’ve been here since 4 o’clock.

Not: I’m here since 4 o’clock.

OTHER TENSES

 Present Perfect Simple

 Present Perfect Continuous

Vir: www.dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ Stran 11 od 11