Present Simple (I do) and Present Continuos (I am doing)

! We use the present simple to describe things that are always true, or situations that exist now and, as far as we know, will go on indefinitely:

! It takes me ve minutes to get to school.! ! Trees grow more quickly in summer than in winter. ! ! Liz plays the violin brilliantly.!

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! To talk about particular actions or events that have begun but have not ended at the time of speaking, we use the present continuous: The car isn't starting again.! 'Who are you phoning?' 'I'm trying to get through to Joan.'! The shop is so inefcient that many customers are taking their business elsewhere.!

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We often use time expressions such as at the moment, at present, currently, just, and still to emphasise that the action or event is happening now: 'Have you done the shopping?' Im just going.!

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! Notice that the action or event may not be going on at the time of speaking:

The police are talking to a number of people about the robbery.

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use the present simple to talk about habits or things that happen on a regular basis:

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I leave work at 5.30 most days.! Each July we go to Turkey for a holiday.!

! However, when we describe repeated actions or events that are happening at or around the time of speaking, we use the present continuous: ! Why are you jumping up and down?! ! I'm hearing a lot of good reports about your work these days.! ! We can use the present continuous or the present simple to describe something that we regularly do at a particular time. Compare: ! We usually watch the news on TV at 9.00. (= we start watching at 9.00)! ! We're usually watching the news on TV at 9.00. (= we're already watching at 9.00)!

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! We use the present continuous to imply that a situation is or may be temporary. Compare: ! Banks lend money to make a prot, (this is what usually happens)! ! Banks are lending more money (these days) to encourage businesses to expand, (implies a temporary arrangement)! ! She teaches Maths in a school in Bonn, (a permanent arrangement)! ! She's teaching Maths in a school in Bonn, (implies that this is not, or may not be, permanent)!

! We often use the present simple with verbs that perform the action they describe:

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! I admit I can't see as well as I used to. (= an admission)! ! I refuse to believe that he didn't know the car was stolen. (= a refusal)! Other verbs like this (sometimes called performative verbs) include accept, acknowledge, advise,! apologize, assume, deny, guarantee, hope, inform, predict, promise, recommend, suggest,! suppose, warn.!

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! We can use modals with performative verbs to make what we say more tentative or polite: ! I would advise you to arrive two hours before the ight leaves.! ! I'm afraid I have to inform you that your application for funding has been turned down.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOS ! (I HAVE BEEN DOING)

Present Perfect Continuos! ! We use the present perfect continuous to talk about a situation or activity that started in the past has been in progress for a period until now. Sometimes we use the present perfect continuous with expressions that indicate the time period (e.g. with since and for):

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I've been meaning to phone Jack since I heard he was back in the country.! The competition has been running every year since 1980.! She's been living in New Zealand for over a year now.! People have been saying for ages that the building should be pulled down.!

! Without such an expression, the present perfect continuous refers to a recent situation or activity and focuses on its present results: ! Look! It's been snowing.! ! 'You're looking well.' 'I've been playing a lot of squash to lose weight.'! ! 'Haven't seen anything of Rod for a while.' 'No, he's been working in Germany.! ! The situation or activity may still be going on, or it may just have stopped. Compare:! ! We've been discussing the proposals for a number of years. (= still going on) and! ! Your eyes are red - have you been crying? (= recently stopped)!

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We generally avoid the present perfect continuous with verbs that describe states.

!We often use the perfect continuous when we ask questions with How long...? and when we say how long something has been in progress:

How long have you been waiting for me?! How long have they been living next door to you?! For more than two years I've been trying to get permission to extend my house.! Unemployment has been rising steadily since the huge increase in oil prices.!

! We can use the present perfect continuous or a present tense (the present simple or the present continuous) when we talk about a situation or activity that started in the past and is still happening now or has just stopped. However, we use the present perfect continuous when we are talking about how long the action or event has been going on. Compare:

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I see Tom most weekends, and! I've been seeing a lot of Tom since he moved into the at upstairs, (not I see)! It's raining, and! It's been raining heavily all night, (not It's raining)!

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When we talk about situations or actions that went on over a past period of time but finished at a particular point in time before now, we don't use the present perfect continuous: I was reading until midnight last night, (not I have been reading)!

She had been living in Spain before her family moved to Brazil, (not She has been living)!

He put off the decision for as long as possible, but eventually he made up his mind and bought the car. (not He has been putting off...)

Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Progressive (Continuos)

Use

Both tenses are used to express that an action began in the past and is still going on or has just finished. In many cases, both forms are correct, but there is often a difference in meaning: ! We use the Present Perfect Simple mainly to express that an action is completed or to emphasize the result. ! We use the Present Perfect Progressive to emphasize the duration or continuous course of an action.