The use of present simple tense VS present continuous tense in English

Hello guys! Today we deal with a topic that is quite important in the use of two tenses very used in English. In one hand, there is no doubt that the present tense is used for the present itself, as its name indicates. In the another hand, the present continuous tense is used to express an action that you are performing in a exact moment. But, how is actually at the moment of the truth? I do not know if you have realised while maintaning a conversation, but, do you use present tense in order to say what are you actually doing at that moment? Take a look to this dialogue:

Two old friends meet again after a long time:

Ben says: - Hey Sally! What a long time it's been! How are you? What about your life?

Sally says: - Hi Ben! I'm so happy to see you again! Well, I married, I had four children and now I work at University of Surrey as a professor. What about you?

Ben says: - Well, nothing interesting, actually. I live here. This is my business and I work as a waiter.

*You can listen to the dialogue here: 

Here we see that the present tense has been employed in order to express actions that are present time. However, although these sentences have been spoken during present time, the tense does not fit here due to the fact that it is not an specific action of that exact time. It is an action that have been performed some time before, in that time, and it will be also performed in future. Note that the present tense is performed in order to say things that are kind of habits or routines. For example: I eat chocolate, I dance ballet, I study science.

Nevertheless, in the use of present continuous, although the way it look could seem that it was made with a different purpose: say something that we use to do. We need to take into account that if we want to say something that you are doing at that exact moment, you have to use. Take a look to this dialogue.

Two friends talking by phone:

John says: - Hi, who is there?

Rick says: - It's me, John, What's up?

John says: -Rick, I call you because I'm studying Maths and there's is a problem I don't get to solve. Maybe you get it.

Rick says: - I'm sorry, John, but I'm a mess at Maths and . That's why I study Humanistics. Actually, right now I'm studying Latin.

John says: -Oh Ok, man, I didn't think about it! Good luck with it and sorry for bothering you. Thanks!


*You can listen to the dialogue here: 

So, now you know in which contexts you need to use present continuous tense in contrast to present tense, for example: I am eating chocolate right now. I am studying for the exam. That is all. When you use these two tenses, remember all these, and do not get confused.

I hope you get it and remember: questions, doubts, comments, do not be shy! :)

SEE YOU SOON!

DO vs MAKE

Good day everyone!

As I said in the previous post, here is the explanation for how we should use the verbs DO and MAKE. This brief explanation will help y’all with this matter:

We generally use DO when we talk about tasks, jobs or works and, also, when refer to activities in general that are not specified.

-          Have you done your homework?

-          He loves doing his job.

-          She made a birthday cake just for us.

Also, in colloquial English, it is very common to use the verb DO when the meaning is so obvious that we do not need to use the exact verb. For example:

-          Did you DO the dishes? (here, do replaces the verb wash)

-          I’ll do them if you do the bathroom. (here, do replaces the verb clean)

Now, we use MAKE when we produce, construct, create or build anything new and also to indicate the origin of a product or the materials that are used to make something.

-          This table is made of wood.

-          She’s sleeping so try not to make a lot of noise.

MAKE is also used to produce an action or a reaction, plans and actions.

-          He makes me happy.

-          That movie makes me cry.

-          C’mon! You have to make a choice!

Posted by: Francisco M. Sánchez

Pronunciation Tip #1 - Verb endings in Past Simple and Past Participle tenses

As it was mentioned in our blog's welcome, one of the sections will be devoted to pronunciation aspects, and I, Manuel, will be in charge of it. As you may already know, knowing how to pronounce properly is essential to understand and be understood. So, pull your socks up and catch a whiff of knowledge about the vast world of verbs. The learning method for this section will be based on explanatory videos, containing the main lesson as well as some examples. They will be followed by exercises, which are very useful to get practice.

Are you ready?

LESSON #1: Pronunciation of verb endings in Past Simple and Past Participle

Future tenses

Hi!! Today I want to explain the future. It is necessary To express something that will happen, so we can use a several future to express it. The lesson of today I am going to explain the kinds of future that we can find and of course their use and examples!

1   Will:  Will + infinitive.

-    I think it’ll rain tomorrow.  Perhaps she’ll be late.

-    I will have the steak.

-      I won’t tell anybody where you are.

There are many uses of this expression:

•  Predictions. Sometimes is preceded by I think or by opinions words, like  perhaps.
• Scientific study
• official weather report
• With the verbs: I think, I hope, I expect, I’m sure.
• Instant decisions
• Promises
• Offers
• Suggestions.

   2. Going To : Going to + infinitive.

  -  I’m going to fix the television tomorrow.

  -  We are going to get married in the summer.

  -  My sister is going to adopt a child.

    
      The uses of this future are:

•        Predictions. When we can see the cause of the event.
•        Impersonal statements.
•         Future seen from the present.

3.  Present simple: 

-     My train leaves at 11.30 tomorrow morning.

-   The sun rises at 6.15 tomorrow.

    The use of present simple applied to future: 

•           To describe future events which are based on a timetable or calendar.

    4.     Present continuous:

       - Sorry, I can't help you. I'm leaving in the morning.

       - We are getting married on July 12th.    

     The use of present continuous:

•          To describe definite, fixed arrangements.
•          A diary.

    5. Future continuous: Subject + will +be+ -ing.

     - This is used to describe a situation in progress at a particular time in the future.

     -  I will going to the supermarket later.

     -  This time next week I will lying down in the beach.

       The use of this future:

•           This is used to describe a situation in progress at a particular time in the future.  

    6. Future perfect:      Will + have +past participle 

-   They will have built the terminal in 6 month’s time.

-   I will have finished the article by Friday.

-  They will have built the terminal in 6 month’s time.

       The uses:

•     This looks back from a point in the future. 
•     An action will finish in a particular moment in the future. 
•       Saturday, March, 2013, two weeks, months, by+ time, in +six month.

       The next entry I Will write some exercises to test the conditional and the future times. I hope this entry again is helpful for your learning English. See you Soon!!

Present perfect continuous tense

Hi guys!

"What have you been doing lately?" you should now know about what we are going to talk in this lesson. Yes, you're right ! The present perfect continuous tense. This tense is really important to master because English speakers use it frequently.

WHEN do we need it?:

1. Actions that have started in the past and have just stopped (or recently stopped).

2. Actions that have started in the past and continue in the present time.

WHAT do we need to use?

The formula is: verb have + past participle "been" + gerund

HOW we use it? Very easy, just pay attention: 

Simple form / Contracted form

I have been / I've been

You have been  /You've been

He/she/it has been / He/She/It's been

We have been / We've been

You have been / You've been

They have been /They've been

   +

Gerund: verb form plus -ing.

So, now that we know all the necessary conditions that the present perfect continuous tense requires, we can dare to do some examples! Here we go:

1. Actions that have stopped (they are not working any longer): I am late because I have been studying the whole evening.
2. Actions that still continue (we make references past-present): I have been learning English for two years.

NEGATIVE FORM: Personal pronoun + verb have conjugated + negation form "not" (Contracted: haven't/hasn't) + been + gerund. For example: He had not/ hasn't been playing the piano. You have not / haven't been playing football on Sunday.

INTERROGATIVE FORM: Verb Have conjugated + personal pronoun + been + gerund. For example: What have you been doing this morning?

You are almost ready, but ...

CAUTION! One thing we also need to take into account is the use of for or since with this tense. When you practice it, I am sure you are going to have doubts with this, but exercising it you will understand it quite easily. Here I give you the key in case you are confused:

FOR --> It is used to refer a long duration of time. It says the length of that action which has been happening. For example: "for two years", "for a long time."

SINCE --> It is used as starting point the time when the action begun. We have a referent like "since yesterday", "since 3 o'clock", "since 2013". 

I hope everything is clear, and remember, questions, doubt, comments, just ask, do not be shy! See you soon :)

Conditionals

Hello everyone!! Today I’m going to start with the Conditionals, sometimes called “if clause”. They describe the result of something that could happen.

There are four types: 

1. Zero conditional:  IF+ Present simple+ Present simple. 

•  If You want to be fit, you have to do exercise every day. 
•  If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.

This expression reflects the idea that something is always true or always happens as a result of something else. In this case you can also use the present continuous or present perfect in either clause. 

2. First Conditional :  If+ Present simple (continuous/perfect) +Will (going to/future perfect/ future continuous, imperative) + infinitive. 

•  If the photos are good, I will send them to you.
•  If it rains tomorrow, we'll go to the cinema.

This expression is used to talk about something that will happen in the future, or describes possible things.

3. Second conditional:  If + Past simple (continuous) + would (wouldn’t, could, might) + infitinitive.

• If I had a lot of money, I would travel around the world.
• If I won the lottery, I woul travel around the world.

This is used to express a hypothetical or improbable situation in the present/ future. With the verb to be you can use was or were for I, he and she in If clause.

4. Third Conditional: If+ Past perfect (past perfect continuous)+ would have (wouldn’t have) + past participle.

• If I had gone to bed early, I would have caught the train. 
• If I had known then what I know now, I would done things differently.

To talk about a hypothetical past situation and its consequence.

I hope my lesson today has helped you in your doubts about conditionals. See you next time!

Present and Past continuous

Hi there!

"How is it going, guys?" Good sentence as starting point for this lesson. Probably, some of the tenses most frequently used are the present or the past continuous. Its utility for people who want to learn English is evident. Before we start, we have to take some things into account:

-WHEN does one need to use the continuous form? We use it when the person is doing an action and telling it at the same time. In other words, it is used to tell or express an idea that is happening now or a idea that was happening in the past. We characterize it progressively.

-WHAT do we need to know before learning past and present continuous? We need to have the formula clear: to be+verb form+(added) ing. (gerund).

-HOW? Let's refresh our minds:

Present-tense                                                                Past-tense:

I am                                                                                 I was

You are                                                                           You were

He/She/it is                                                                     He/She/It was

We are                                                                            We were

You are                                                                           You were

They are                                                                          You were

                       +

Gerund verbs are the plain form plus -ing, for example: playing, singing, eating... etc.

So, when joining these two tools, we can create some examples in present and past tense:

PRESENT CONTINUOUS --> I am learning English now. He is learning English now. 

PAST CONTINUOUS --> I was learning English yesterday. You were learning English yesterday.

The negation and interrogative form are quite easy to use:

NEGATIVE; In the negative form, we need the negation word "not" between the verb "be" conjugated and the gerund, for example: I am not learning now. (I hope you do! ;) ).

INTERROGATIVE: For the interrogative form, we need an auxiliary verb at the beginning of the sentence: verb+personal pronoun+gerund. For example: Are you understanding this?

Now you have learnt the present and past continuous, you should practice. I let you here an exercise. In this picture, you find The Simpson family having a great time! Using the present and past continuous, say what are they doing. The answers will be posted as a commentary in this entry. Enjoy and remember, doubt, questions, comments, just say it! :)

Gloria.

Meaning. First entry

Hello my fellow students of English.

I am Francisco Manuel Alfonso Sánchez and my posts will be devoted to the meaning of English verbs and phrasal verbs and their use. I will focus on those verbs that can be found in a medium level of English and also on verbs that are not very used but as important as any of them.

For example, who knows the difference between make and do? Can we say "She DID so much noise in the library"? or "we DID a cake for her"?.

I will explain this and more issues regarding the meaning of verbs and phrasal verbs in my posts. If any of you have any single doubt just drop a comment and I will happiply write an answer as soon as I can.

Posted by: Francisco M. Alfonso Sánchez.

WELCOME

Hi everyone! 

We are four Spanish students who enjoy this combination of learning English and new technologies... you know, possibilities are endless! So we made this blog for everyone willing to learn Shakespeare's language. We will focus on verbs and all their different aspects, such as tenses, negative and question forms and more. But c'mon, it won't be boring at all! We will make such funny exercises for you, since our aim is that you LEARN and HAVE FUN at the same time as you master the use of verbs, something very important when you are having a conversation with someone. Also, we encourage you to ask any doubt you mave have while navigating this blog. 

That's all, WELCOME to ACTIONS GALORE!