What
Is the Present Tense? (with Examples)
The present tense predominantly describes a current
event or state of being. However, somewhat unusually, the present tense can also be used to describe past and
future events (more on this below). For example:
·
I jump in the lake every Saturday.
(present event)
·
I am happy.
(present state of being)
·
The meeting ends at 6 o'clock.
(future event)
(See "Uses" for Simple Present Tense in the table below.)
(See "Uses" for Simple Present Tense in the table below.)
·
A man walks into a bar. Ouch!
(past event)
(See "Uses" for Simple Present Tense in the table below.)
(See "Uses" for Simple Present Tense in the table below.)
The tense
of a verb is determined by when the action took place.
The three main tenses are:
·
past tense
·
present tense
·
future tense
Examples
of the Types of Present Tense
The present
tense is categorised further depending on whether the action is in progress or
completed. The four present tenses are:
The 4 Present Tenses
|
Examples
|
Uses
|
simple present tense
|
·
I go.
·
I like chocolate.
·
The train gets in at 5
o'clock.
·
A horse walks into a bar,
and the barman says, "why the long face?"
|
The simple present tense is
used:
(1) To describe facts and habits. (2) To describe scheduled events in the future. (3) To tell stories to make your listener or reader feel more engaged with the story. |
present_progressive tense
|
·
I am going.
·
Barny is looking for the
latest brochure.
|
The present progressive
tense is used for an on-going action in the present.
|
present perfect tense
|
·
I have gone.
·
David has worked alongside
two of the world's finest scientists in the field of entomology.
|
The present perfect tense
is used to describe actions that began in the past and are still continuing
into the present.
|
present perfect progressive
|
·
I have been going.
·
Amanda has been relying on
a pay rise to pay her student loan.
|
The present perfect
progressive tense is used for:
(1) a continuous activity that began in the past and continues into the present, or (2) a continuous activity that began in past but has now finished (usually very recently). |
Diagrams
for the Four Present Tenses
The
infographics below show how each present tense is formed and a quick overview
of how each one is used:
Simple
Present Tense
For
example:
·
I play every Tuesday
Present
Progressive Tense
For
example:
·
I am playing at the moment.
Present
Perfect Tense
For
example:
·
I have played for his team before.
Present
Perfect Progressive Tense
For
example:
·
I have been playing
for a year.
Chart
Related page
What is Tense? Definition of Tense.
What is the type of tense?
What Is the Past Tense?
What Is the Present Tense?
What is the Future Tense?
Structure of All Tense
Simple Present Tense
Present Continuous Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Simple Past Tense
Past Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Simple Future Tense
Future Continuous Tense
Future Perfect Tense
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
All Tense with example
Table of English Tenses with example
TENSE CHART
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