LESSON 01: THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

Setting the context: THE FIRST DAY STEVE: Do you need some help? You seem lost. MIGUEL: Thanks, I am lost! Im looking for the foreign student office. Can you help me? STEVE: Sure, Im going near there. Do you want to come with me? By the way, my names Steve. Whats yours? MIGUEL: Im Miguel STEVE: Where do you come from, Miguel? MIGUEL: I come from Colombia. Im here to study architecture. Are you from here? STEVE: No, Im not from Madison. Im from Canada, from Toron to. I started college in Canada, but Im finishing my degree here. MIGUEL: What are you studying? STEVE: Im majoring engineering. Im taking a lot of computer courses now. Theyre very crowded this semester. MIGUEL: Do you live in a dorm? STEVE: No, I dont Im here with my wife and baby daughter. We have an apartment on the other side of town. Where do you live? MIGUEL: I was in a hotel, but Im moving into Meyer Dormitory this afternoon. STEVE: Theres the foreign student office. Good luck!

A. THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

The simple present tense can describe habits, routines, or events that happen regularly. It can also express opinions or make general statements of fact. USES Statements of Fact EXAMPLES I go to City college. He goes to City college. Opinions I like my classes. He doesnt like his classes. Regular Events, Habits or Routines I have classes everyday from 9 to 3. He has classes two days a week. Notes: Time expressions such as the following often appear with this tense: always, everyday, in general, never, often, rarely, sometimes, usually.

THE VERB BE
FORMS Long Forms AFFIRMATIVE STATEMENTS I am a student. She is at the college. We are in the library. Im here. Shes here. Were in the library. NEGATIVE STATEMENTS I am not a teacher. He is not at the college. They are not in the library. Im not there. He isnt there. They arent in the library.

Contracted Forms

QUESTIONS Yes/No Am I late? Questions and Short Answers Is she at the college? Are they in the library?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS Yes, I am. Yes, you are. No, Im not. No, you arent. Yes, she is. No, she isnt. Yes, they are. No, they arent.

THE VERB HAVE AND OTHER VERBS

FORMS Long Forms AFFIRMATIVE STATEMENTS I have class every day. I study a lot. She has classes every day. She studies a lot. Contracted Forms NEGATIVE STATEMENTS They do not have class everyday. They do not study a lot. He does not have class everyday. He does not study a lot. They dont have class everyday. He doesnt study a lot.

QUESTIONS Yes/No Do I have classes tomorrow? Questions and Short Answers Do I study a lot? Does she have classes tomorrow? Does she study a lot?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS Yes, I do. / No I dont. Yes, you do. / No, you dont. Yes, she does. / No, she doesnt. Yes, she does. / No, she doesnt.