THE use of the Present indefinite tense

The Present Indefinite refers the action, which it denotes to the present time in a broad sense. It is used to denote:

1. Habitual, repeated actions:

He always gets up very early.

Mary visits her parents every weekend.

Adverbs of frequency are used to indicate how often the action is repeated: always, usually, often, sometimes, occasionally, seldom, rarely, hardly ever, never.

2. General rules, laws of nature, something that doesn't depend on time:

Ice melts at 0°C.

The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.

3. Actions and states presented as facts:

Now she lives in the South.

She plays the piano perfectly.

4. Actions and states in progress at the present moment with the verbs of sense perception (see, hear, feel), mental activity (think, believe, suppose, know, understand), existence (be, exist), some link verbs (be, seem), verbs denoting relation (have, belong, depend), emotional state (like, love, hate), wish (want, wish, desire) and verbs of declaring (declare, announce, proclaim):

I don't hear you, speak louder, please.

I think (suppose, believe) I like this story.

She is at home now.

She seems tired.

Now everything depends on you.

Do you want to have breakfast now or later?

Listen, they announce our flight.

5. A succession of actions:

Somebody knocks. Then the door opens and Ann enters.

6. Future actions:

(a) in adverbial subordinate clauses of time and condition after the conjunctions when, as soon as, while, as long as, till, until, before, after, by the time (when), if, unless, in case, on condition that, provided:

He will phone you when he learns the facts.

Do it as soon as you have time.

Don't go away until I come.

Will you help me if I need help?

We'll go to the country unless it starts raining.

(b) with the verbs of motion when the action is fixed and the future time is indicated:

The train starts in half an hour, let's hurry.

We arrive in Moscow next Sunday and stay there for a week.

7. Past actions

(a) in headlines, outlines, etc:

Champion Wins Again.

Jane Eyre leaves her aunt's house and her life at Lowood Institution begins.

(b) in narration to make it more vivid:

Last night I switched on the TV-set and there I see you.

I am so excited that I start phoning all my friends.

8. Completed actions with hear, be told, forget (not to remember a particular detail):

I hear you are a student now.

I am already told the news.

Sorry, but I forget (don't remember) his name.

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

(THE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE)

FORMATION

The forms of the Present Continuous are analytical. They are formed by means of the present indefinite of the auxiliary verb be and participle I of the notional verb.

Affirmative	Interrogative
I am standing He, she, it is standing We are standing You are standing They are standing	Am I standing? Is he, she, it standing? Are we standing? Are you standing? Are they standing?
Negative	Negative-Interrogative
I am not (I’m not) standing He, she, it is not (isn’t) standing We are not (aren’t) standing You are not (aren’t) standing They are not (aren’t) standing	Am I not (Aren’t I) standing? Is he, she, it not (Isn’t he, she, it) standing? Are we not (Aren’t we) standing? Are they not (Aren’t they) standing?