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Notes about this
course
 Please feel free to email me if you have any question regarding
this course, ES 102, by click on here:
Your class handouts from Jan to May 2004 are available to
download from the new frame below. It is recommended that printout your class
handout before the class time.
You can start your course by click on the
current month from the new frame table or by click on the title from the
table of contents.
The following English-English dictionary is provided by
Cambridge Dictionary online. Enter any word and click search to find its
meaning. To return back, just click on
"Back" button from your browser.
Part one
We often use the present continuous
tense in English. It is very different from the simple present tense, both in
structure and in use.
In this lesson we look the structure
and use of the present continuous tense, follwed by a quiz to check your
understanding:
|
Note that: |
|
Continuous
tenses are also called progressive tenses. So the present progressive
tense is the same as the present continuous tense. |
The structure of the present
continuous tense is:
|
subject |
+ |
auxiliary verb |
+ |
main verb |
|
|
|
be |
|
base + ing |
Look at these examples:
|
|
subject |
auxiliary verb |
|
main verb |
|
|
+ |
I |
am |
|
speaking |
to you. |
|
+ |
You |
are |
|
reading |
this. |
|
- |
She |
is |
not |
staying |
in London. |
|
- |
We |
are |
not |
playing |
football. |
|
? |
Is |
he |
|
watching |
TV? |
|
? |
Are |
they |
|
waiting |
for John? |
We use the present continuous tense
to talk about:
 | action happening now |
| action in the future |
Present continuous tense for action happening now
a) for action happening exactly
now
|
I am eating my lunch. |
|
past |
present |
future |
|
|
|
|
The action is
happening now. |
|
Look at these examples. Right now
you are looking at this screen and at the same time...
|
|
|
|
|
...the pages
are turning. |
...the candle
is burning. |
...the numbers
are spinning. |
b) for action happening around
now
The action may not be happening
exactly now, but it is happening just before and just after now, and it is not
permanent or habitual.
|
John is going
out with Mary. |
|
past |
present |
future |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
The action is
happening around now. |
|
Look at these examples:
| Bayan is learning to drive. |
| I am living with my father until I find an
apartment. |
Present continuous tense for the future
We can also use the present
continuous tense to talk about the future—if we add a future word!!
We must add (or understand from the context) a future word. "Future words"
include, for example, tomorrow, next year, in June, at
Christmas etc. We only use the present continuous tense to talk about the
future when we have planned to do something before we speak. We have already
made a decision and a plan before speaking.
|
I am taking my exam next month. |
|
past |
present |
future |
|
|
|
|
A firm plan or
programme exists now. |
The action is
in the future. |
Look at these examples:
| We're eating in a restaurant tonight. We've
already booked the table.. |
| They can play tennis with you tomorrow. They're
not working. |
| When are you starting your new job? |
In these examples, we have a firm
plan or programme before speaking. The decision and plan were made before
speaking.
We make the present continuous tense
by adding -ing to the base verb. Normally it's simple—we just add -ing. But
sometimes we have to change the word a little. Perhaps we double the last
letter, or we drop a letter. Here are the rules to help you know how to spell
the present continuous tense.
|
Basic rule |
Just add -ing to the base verb: |
|
work |
> |
working |
|
play |
> |
playing |
|
assist |
> |
assisting |
|
see |
> |
seeing |
|
be |
> |
being |
|
Exception 1 |
If the base verb ends in consonant + stressed vowel
+ consonant, double the last letter:
|
s |
t |
o |
p |
|
|
consonant |
stressed
vowel |
consonant |
(vowels = a, e, i, o, u) |
|
stop |
> |
stopping |
|
run |
> |
running |
|
begin |
> |
beginning |
|
Note that this exception does not apply when
the last syllable of the base verb is not stressed: |
|
open |
> |
opening |
|
Exception 2 |
If the base verb ends in ie, change the ie
to y: |
|
lie |
> |
lying |
|
die |
> |
dying |
|
Exception 3 |
If the base verb ends in vowel + consonant + e,
omit the e: |
|
come |
> |
coming |
|
mistake |
> |
mistaking |
Click here to go to the Present Continuous Quiz
Back to Table of Contents
Go to Handouts
The present perfect tense is a
rather important tense in English, but it gives speakers of some languages a
difficult time. That is because it uses concepts or ideas that do not exist in
those languages. In fact, the structure of the present perfect tense is
very simple. The problems come with the use of the tense. In addition,
there are some differences in usage between British and American English.
In this lesson we look at the
structure and use of the present perfect, followed by a quiz to check your
understanding:
|
Note that: |
|
The present perfect
tense is really a very interesting tense, and a very useful one. Try not to
translate the present perfect tense into Arabic. However, just try to accept
the concepts of this tense and learn to "think" present perfect! You will
soon learn to like the present perfect tense! |
The structure of the present perfect
tense is:
|
subject |
+ |
auxiliary verb |
+ |
main verb |
|
|
|
have |
|
past
participle |
Here are some examples of the
present perfect tense:
|
|
subject |
auxiliary verb |
|
main verb |
|
|
+ |
I |
have |
|
seen |
ET. |
|
+ |
You |
have |
|
eaten |
mine. |
|
- |
She |
has |
not |
been |
to Rome. |
|
- |
We |
have |
not |
not played |
football. |
|
? |
Have |
you |
|
finished? |
|
|
? |
Have |
they |
|
done |
it? |
Contractions with the present perfect tense
When we use the present perfect
tense in speaking, we usually contract the subject and auxiliary verb. We also
sometimes do this when we write.
|
I have |
I've |
|
You have |
You've |
|
He has
She has
It has
John has
The car has |
He's
She's
It's
John's
The car's |
|
We have |
We've |
|
They have |
They've |
Here are some examples:
| I've finished my work. |
| John's seen ET. |
| They've gone home. |
|
Note that: |
|
He's
or he's??? Be careful! The 's contraction is used for the
auxiliary verbs have and be. For example, "It's eaten" can
mean: |
| It has
eaten. [present perfect tense, active voice] |
| It is
eaten. [present tense, passive voice] |
It is usually clear
from the context. |
|
Back to Table of
Contents
Go to Handouts
This tense is called the present
perfect tense. There is always a connection with the past and with the
present. There are basically three uses for the present perfect tense:
- experience
- change
- continuing situation
1. Present perfect tense for experience
We often use the present perfect
tense to talk about experience from the past. We are not interested in
when you did something. We only want to know if you did it:
|
I have seen ET.
He has lived in Bangkok.
Have you been there?
We have never eaten caviar. |
|
past |
present |
future |
|
|
|
The action or
state was in the past. |
In my head, I
have a memory now. |
|
Connection with past: the event was in the past.
Connection with present: in my head, now, I have a memory of the
event; I know something about the event; I have experience of it.
2. Present perfect tense for change
We also use the present perfect
tense to talk about a change or new information:
|
I have bought a car. |
|
past |
present |
future |
|
- |
+ |
|
|
Last week I
didn't have a car. |
Now I have a
car. |
|
|
John has broken his leg. |
|
past |
present |
future |
|
+ |
- |
|
|
Yesterday John
had a good leg. |
Now he has a
bad leg. |
|
|
Has the price gone up? |
|
past |
present |
future |
|
+ |
- |
|
|
Was the price
$1.50 yesterday? |
Is the price
$1.70 today? |
|
|
The police have arrested the killer. |
|
past |
present |
future |
|
- |
+ |
|
|
Yesterday the
killer was free. |
Now he is in
prison. |
|
Connection with past: the past is the opposite of
the present.
Connection with present: the present is the opposite of the past.
|
Note that: |
|
Americans do not use the
present perfect tense so much as British speakers. Americans often use the
past tense instead. An American might say "Did you have lunch?", where a
British person would say "Have you had lunch?" |
3. Present perfect tense for continuing situation
We often use the present perfect
tense to talk about a continuing situation. This is a state that started
in the past and continues in the present (and will probably
continue into the future). This is a state (not an action). We usually
use for or since with this structure.
|
I have worked
here since June.
He has been ill for 2 days.
How long have you known Tara? |
| past |
present |
future |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The situation
started in the past. |
It continues
up to now. |
(It will
probably continue into the future.) |
Connection with past: the situation started in the
past.
Connection with present: the situation continues in the present.
Back to Table of
Contents
Go to Handouts
We often use for and since
with the present perfect tense.
| We use for to talk about a period of
time—5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years. |
| We use since to talk about a point in past
time—9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday. |
|
for |
since |
|
a period of
time |
a point in
past time |
|
------------------------ |
• |
|
20 minutes |
6.15pm |
|
three days |
Monday |
|
6 months |
January |
|
4 years |
1994 |
|
2 centuries |
1800 |
|
a long time |
I left school |
|
ever |
the beginning
of time |
|
etc |
etc |
Here are some examples:
| I have been here for 20 minutes. |
| I have been here since 9 o'clock. |
| John hasn't called for 6 months. |
| John hasn't called since February. |
| He has worked in New York for a long time. |
| He has worked in New York since he left school. |
|
Note that: |
|
For
can be used with all tenses. Since is usually used with perfect
tenses only. |
Click here to go to the Present
Perfect Quiz
Back to Table of
Contents
Go to Handouts
The structure of the present perfect
continuous tense is:
|
subject |
+ |
auxiliary
verb |
+ |
auxiliary
verb |
+ |
main verb |
|
|
|
have
has |
|
been |
|
base + ing |
Here are some examples of the
present perfect continuous tense:
|
|
subject |
auxiliary verb
|
|
auxiliary verb |
main verb |
|
|
+ |
I |
have |
|
been |
waiting |
for one hour. |
|
+ |
You |
have |
|
been |
talking |
too much. |
|
- |
It |
has |
not |
been |
raining. |
|
|
- |
We |
have |
not |
been |
playing |
football. |
|
? |
Have |
you |
|
been |
seeing |
her? |
|
? |
Have |
they |
|
been |
doing |
their homework? |
Contractions
When we use the present perfect
continuous tense in speaking, we often contract the subject and the first
auxiliary. We also sometimes do this in informal writing.
|
I have been |
I've been |
|
You have been |
You've been |
|
He has been
She has been
It has been
John has been
The car has been |
He's been
She's been
It's been
John's been
The car's been |
|
We have been |
We've been |
|
They have been |
They've been |
Here are some examples:
| I've been reading. |
| The car's been giving trouble. |
| We've been playing tennis for two hours. |
This tense is called the present
perfect continuous tense. There is usually a connection with the present
or now. There are basically two uses for the present perfect continuous tense:
1. An action that has just stopped or recently stopped
We use the present perfect
continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and
stopped recently. There is usually a result now.
|
I'm tired because I've been running. |
|
past |
present |
future |
|
|
|
Recent action. |
Result now. |
|
| I'm tired [now] because I've been running. |
| Why is the grass wet [now]? Has it
been raining? |
| You don't understand [now] because you
haven't been listening. |
2. An action continuing up to now
We use the present perfect
continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and is
continuing now. This is often used with
for or since.
|
I have been reading for 2 hours. |
|
past |
present |
future |
|
|
|
Action started
in past. |
Action is
continuing now. |
|
| I have been reading for
2 hours. [I am still reading now.] |
| We've been studying since
9 o'clock. [We're still studying now.] |
| How long have you been learning English?
[You are still learning now.] |
| We have not been smoking. [And we are not
smoking now.] |
We often use for and since
with the present perfect tense.
| We use for to talk about a period of
time—5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years. |
| We use since to talk about a point in past
time—9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday. |
|
for |
since |
|
a period of
time |
a point in
past time |
|
----------------------- |
• |
|
20 minutes |
6.15pm |
|
three days |
Monday |
|
6 months |
January |
|
4 years |
1994 |
|
2 centuries |
1800 |
|
a long time |
I left school |
|
ever |
the beginning
of time |
|
etc |
etc |
Here are some examples:
| I have been studying for 3 hours. |
| I have been watching TV since 7pm. |
| Tara hasn't been feeling well for 2 weeks. |
| Tara hasn't been visiting us since March. |
| He has been playing football for a long time. |
| He has been living in Bangkok since he left
school. |
|
Note that: |
|
For
can be used with all tenses. Since is usually used with perfect
tenses only. |
Click here to go to the Present
Perfect Continuous Quiz
Back to Table of
Contents or go directly to the next lesson
Feb 2004
Go to Handouts
| 
