Present Tense

Present tense is grammatical tense that locates a situation or event in present time. (taken from Wikipedia)

Present tense is a verb tese that expresses actions or states at the time of speaking. (taken from dictionary)

1.      The simple present tense.

Simple present tense is used to express a fact which is always true, or things we do often.

            Dalam kalimat dapat ditemukan dua macam bentuk kalimat yaitu:

a.       Kalimat nominal (verb: to be) atau predikat buakan kata kerja

             

       The pattern:

                (+) Subject + to be (am, are, is) + …

                (-) Subject + to be (am, are, is) + not + …

                (?)  To be (am, are, is) + subject + … ?

         The example:

                (+) I am student.

                (-) I am not student.

                (?) Am I student ?

                (+) You are diligent student.

                (-) You are not diligent student.

                (?) Are you diligent student ?

                (+) She is very happy.

                (-) She is not very happy.

                (?) Is she very happy ?

b.       Kalimat verbal (predikat kata kerja)

                  The pattern:

                (+) Subject + verb 1 (s/es)

                (-) Subject + do/does + not + verb 1

                (?) Do/does+ verb 1 ?

        The example:

                (+) They study English every week.

                (-) They do not study English every week.

                (?) Do they study English every week ?

                (+) Rieska and Siti read a magazine.

                (-) Rieska and Siti do not read a magazine.

                (?) Do Rieska and Siti read a magazine ?

                (+) Radit goes to school

                (-) Radit does not go to school

                (?) Does Radit go to school?

            We use the simple present tense:

1)      To show a regular or habitual action.

Example:

-        I always eat three times a day.

-        I go to school at 6 o’clock.

-        Siti usually studies in the library.

2)      To express a general truth.

Example:

-        Indonesia has two seasons.

-        The sun rises from the east.

-        The world is round.

Adverbs used:

-        Always

-        Generally

-        Normally

-        Usually

-        Often

-        Every day

-        Every week

-        Every month

-        Every Monday

-        In the morning

-        On Friday

-        At night

-        Never

-        Sometime

-        Seldom

-        Now day

-        Etc..

            Note Carefully:

-        He, she or it are called ‘third person singular’. Tke the ‘s’ from ‘singular’ and put it on the end of the verb. For examples: She lives in Singapore.

-        Sometimes, you have to make changes to the spelling. Compare: go=goes, don’t=doesn’t.

2.      The Present Continuos tense.

 The present Continuos tense is used to express things are happening now. Things that are continuing.

The pattern:

(+) Subject + to be (is, am,are) + verb 1 + ing

(-) Subject + to be (is, am,are) + not + verb 1 + ing

(?) To be (is, am,are) + subject + verb 1 + ing ?

The example:
(+) I am waiting for you now.

(-) Iam not waiting for you now.

(?) Am I waiting for you now ?

(+) They are waiting for their friends.

(-) They are not waiting fortheir friends.

(?) Are they waiting for their friends ?

(+) Eko is playing football now.

(-) Eko is playing football now.

(?) Is Eko playing football now ?

      We use the present continuos tense to show an action that is going on or is still continuing.

            Adverbs used

-        Now

-        Right now

-        Today

-        Soon

-        At present

-        This morning

-        This afternoon

-        Tonight

-        Tomorrow

-        In a few days

Note:

-        We form the present continuos tense with the verb be and ing.

Example:

I                      Þ  am working.

He/She/It        Þ  is watching.

We/You/They Þ are learning.

-        Basic spelling rules:

a.       Vebs ending with e

§ Drive    Þ        Driving

§ Make    Þ        Making

§ Write    Þ        Writing

§ Dance   Þ        Dancing

b.      Verbs ending with i

§ Travel   Þ        Travelling

§ Cancel  Þ        Cancelling

c.       Verbs ending with ie

§ Die        Þ        Dying

§ Lie        Þ        Lying

§ Tie        Þ        Tying

d.      Verbs of one syllable ending with a consonant

§ Get       Þ        Getting

§ Run       Þ        Running

§ Swim    Þ        Swimming

                    § Sit        Þ        Sitting