Simple present tense is the most commonly used tenses, showing facts, actions taking place one after another, action set by a timetable or schedule and action in the present taking place once, never or several times.
Pattern Signal Words Affirmative Negative Question
Does he work very hard in
always, every, never, the company? Subject + Verb normally, often, He always works very He does not work very Yes, he does. / No, he (present form) sometimes, usually, hard in the company. hard in the company. does not. seldom Present continuous tense mainly indicates action taking place in the moment of speaking. It could also be used for action taking place only for a limited period of time and those arranged for the future.
Pattern Signal Words Affirmative Negative Question
Subject + Is he playing computer
at the moment, just now, AM/IS/ARE + Verb - Look! He is talking He is not playing games at the moment? now, right now, Listen!, ing (continuous with his classmates. computer games now. Yes, he is. / No, he is not. Look! form) Present perfect tense puts emphasis on the result. It shows action that is still going on or stopped recently. Moreover, it also shows finished action that has influence on the present and has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking.
Pattern Signal Words Affirmative Negative Question
Has he completed the
Subject + arrangement for the coming already, ever, just, He has already HAS/HAVE+ Verb III He has not been to event up to now? never, not yet, so far, till finished his (past participle Australia so far. Yes, he has. / No, he has now, up to now homework. not. form) Present perfect continuous tense is also used with action that recently stopped or is still going on and finished action that influence the present. However, compared with the above one, present perfect continuous tense pays more attention on the course or duration instead of the result. Pattern Signal Words Affirmative Negative Question
Has he been playing the
Subject + HAS/HAVE for the past 5 years, how He has not been computer game all day? He has been working + BEEN + Verb -ing long ?, the whole speaking for the last 3 Yes, he has. / No, he has here since 1996. (continuous form) week, since xxxx hours. not.