Simple Present and Simple Past Tense. English Tutor

The Simple Present and Simple Past Tense

English Grammar

Simple Present:

We use the the Simple Present to express our actions, ideas or beliefs that occur all the time, usually, in certain time periods. Some common time adverbs used with this tense are:

all the time, usually, every day (week, month, year, and etc.), some times

Examples:

I go to the movies every week. I exercises every day. (These actions occur every week and every day.)

I believe in God. (This belief happens all the time.)

My daughter is intelligent. (The parent perceives this idea all the time.)

Writers use the Simple Present in their stories and novels or poetry to express general ideas, habits or actions.

Examples:

In this story there are two characters, a husband and wife. The husband is an architect and a middle-aged man. He works for a international construction company. The wife is a nurse.(Tenses: 'is' and 'works' are in the Simple Present.)

We replace the Present Continuous with the Simple Present with certain English linking verbs, such as feel, see, look. Generally speaking, these verbs do not take the Present Continuous.

Examples:

"I see you are ready to leave home." I am seeing is mostly an uncommon usage.

"I feel cold now. I need to put on my jacket." The verb 'feel' is a linking verb and, most of the time, the present continuous tense forms are not used with linking verbs.

"You look nice in this dress." This idea occurs in the present continuous but we most of the time use the Simple Present with 'look'.

Simple Past:

Past actions are expressed with the Simple Present. With this tense, common time adverbs used are:

yesterday, last day, the day before, last week, last year, ago (one year ago, an hour ago, ten years ago)

Examples: "I graduated from college two years ago." (Two years ago is a time adverb)

"I left home early this morning." (It is not morning now).

Attention: Some times the location, building or vehicle may suggest an action that took place in the past. For example, I met my husband in Chicago. (I am not in Chicago now.)

I bought these shoes in Lady's First. (I am not in the Lady's First department store now.)

Present Perfect Tenses:

This tense is most challenging to English learners. So we have provided detailed lessons on this tense, the present-perfect-tense and present perfect continuous.

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