English Clockwork - Demystifying Grammar - Lesson 2

English Clockwork – Demystifying English Grammar – Lesson 2

Study Block 1: The verb and its characteristics

Part 1: Nice to meet you, I'm a verb.

2 – Seeing the time inside the tenses: The Present Simple vs the present continuous

In our last lesson we studied how the verbs can be classified as stative or dynamic verbs according to their duration. We also studied that stative verbs can't be used with continuous tenses because we can't establish their duration. Today we'll go a little deeper and we'll see how the duration has its influence over sentences in the present simple and the present continuous.

The present simple - He, she, it + s - Interrogative Do/Does;

Negative Don't/Doesn´t.

The main characteristic the present simple shows us when we consider the duration of the verbs is the fact that this verbal tense talks about a 'wide present', that is, we can't precise when the action or the state the subject has got started and we can't also precise when it will finish. The only thing we know it that the information provided by the verb happens in a moment of time we call present, and this 'present' is flexible. We can consider the period of time we want in our minds. For this reason the present simple have the following uses:

We use the present simple for:

*thoughts and feelings - I think so. I like it.

* states, things staying the same, facts and things that are true for a long time: We live quite near

* repeated action: We come here every year.

* Meaning future when we're talking about a time, usually a public one such as a train timetable: The train leaves at seven thirty-three tomorrow morning.

The present continuous - am/are/is + main verb + ING

While the present simple talks about a 'wide present', the present continuous does the opposite.

The main characteristic of the present continuous is to point a specific point inside this 'wide present' and thus establish much more precisely when the information provided by the verb took place. Contrarily to the present continuous we can't consider the time freely because the moment when the action happens is at least considered as the moment of speaking. Another important thing we must remember is that stative verbs are never used in the present continuous once these kinds of verbs, by definition, provide information that we can regard as outside an established time.

For this reason it is extremely important to be aware about the context you provide to the person you are sharing information.

We use the present continuous:

* When we are in the middle of an action - I'm waiting for the train.

* When things are changing after a long period of time: The number of cars in the road is increasing

* Meaning future for what someone has arranged to do in the future: - I'm meeting Harriet at six o'clock.

At work Alan is talking to Mark in the corridor. Complete their conversation using present simple or present continuous.

Mark: Are you looking (you/look) for someone?

Alan: Yes I need to speak to Neil (I/speak). He is'nt in his office.

Mark: (1) _______________(he/talk) to the boss at the moment.

(2) _____________(you/think) (3) ___________(they/be) discussing money at the moment?

Alan: Oh, right! How about you? (4) ________________(you/look) for someone too?

Mark: Yes. Linda (5) ________________ (you/know) where she is?

Alan: Oh! She isn't here today. She only (6) ___________(work) six days a week. (7) ______________(she/not/work) on Fridays. She'll be here on Monday.

Mark: Thank you! (8) _______________(you/know) a lot of things about Linda.

Alan: Well, most days (9) __________________(I/give) her a lift, or (10)___________________(she/give) me some. (11)_________ (she/live) quite close to me. (12) ____________ (it/save) petrol.

Mark: Yes, of course! Good idea (13) ______________(I/agree).

Well,(14) ______________(I/waste) my time here. I'll get back to my computer.

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