GRAMMAR

The Simple Present Tense

You use the Simple Present Tense when:
1. you want to talk about your thoughts or feelings at the
present moment.
e.g. I am very busy.
e.g. They both taste the same.
2. you want to say that something is always or generally true.
e.g. The sun evaporates greater quantities of water near the
Equator.
e.g. The sun rises in the east.
3. you want to talk about something a particular person or thing
does regularly or habitually.
e.g. I play soccer every Sunday.
e.g. She washes her hair every day.
Form of The Simple Present
Statement I, You, We, They sing.
He, She, It sings.
Negative I, You, We, They do not sing.
He, She, It does not sing.
Question Do I, you, we, they sing?
Does he, she, it sing?

The Present Continuous Tense

You use the Present Continuous Tense when:
1. you want to talk about something that is happening at the
moment you are speaking.
e.g. We are having lunch. Come and join us.
e.g. My head is aching.
2. you want to emphasize the present moment or indicate that
a situation is temporary.
e.g. Only one hospital, at Jitra, is functioning.
e.g. They are trying to create a more democratic society.
3. you want to indicate changes, trends, development, and
progress.
e.g. His handwriting is improving.
e.g. The worldwide demand for energy is increasing at a rate
of about 3% every year.
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4. you want to talk about something that has been planned for the
near future.
e.g. I am leaving for Melbourne tomorrow morning.
e.g. They are dropping by this evening.
Form of The Present Continuous
Statement I am singing.
You, We, They are singing.

He, She, It is singing.

Negative I am not singing.
You, We, They are not singing.
He, She, It is not singing.
Question Am I singing?
Are you, we, they singing?
Is he, she, it singing?

Forms of The Simple Present and The Present Continuous

Simple Present Present Continuous
Statement I, You, We, They sing. I am singing.
He, She, It sing. You, We, They are singing.
He, She, It is singing.
Negative I, You, We, They do not sing. I am not
singing
He, She, It does not
sing.
You, We, They am not
singing
He, She, It is not
singing
Question Do, I, you, we, they sing? Am I singing?
Does he, she, it sing? Are you, we, they singing
Is he, she, it Singing?

SPEAK UP!
Speaking Focus
Below are some helpful expressions that we normally use when we ask
for and give advice. Use them in the activities that follow.
Talking about problems
Asking for advice Giving advice
I have a problem What do you think I should do? I think you
shouldHow can I go about handling the situation? I suggest you...
Do you think I should? My advice to you is
I wonder if you could suggest a way for me to You could try to
Why dont you try

GRAMMAR
The Present Perfect Tense
We normally use the Present Perfect when we want to talk about
something which happened in the past but is relevant now. Often we use
words like just/already/not ...yet with the Present Perfect.
I feel really tired. I've just finished my report.
I haven't spoken to Budi yet but I've already spoken to Mick.
We also use the Present Perfect to talk about an imprecise time in the
past but as soon as we become precise we switch to the Past Simple.
I've never been to Australia. Have you ever been there?
Yes, I have. I went in 1998.
Here is a brief review of the form and function of the present
perfect tense.
The present perfect is used when the time period has
not finished:
I have seen three movies this week.
(This week has not finished yet.)
The present perfect is often used when the time is not
mentioned:
Gurmit has failed his exam again.
The present perfect is often used when the time is
recent:
Ikuko has just arrived in Kuala Lumpur.
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The present perfect is often used with for and since.

Chong has lived here for 20 years.

Chong has lived here since 1978.

The present perfect is formed like this:
have + past participle