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Grammar Key points Unit 1

Present Continuous

Present Simple

Site: HCMUE English Department's Learning Management System
Course: English 10: Global Success
Book: Grammar Key points Unit 1
Printed by: Guest user
Date: Wednesday, 5 February 2025, 5:59 PM

Table of contents

1. Video Lecture

2. Present Simple

In this section, we will get to know basic information about the present simple.

Click the table of content box to choose what you want to learn

2.1. Form

  1. Positive: S + Verb (present form)

I, You, We, They        play

He, She, It                plays

  • We add -s/-es to the verb when the subject is either He, She, It, a name, or a thing.

Example: - Kate works in a bank. She usually goes to work by bus.

 

  1. Negative: S + don’t/ doesn’t + V (bare)

I, You, We, They        don’t play

He, She, It doesn’t     play

  1. Question: Do/ Does + S + V (bare)?

Do I, You, We, They   play?

Does He, She, It        play?

 

2.2. Use

  • We use the present simple to talk about a fact

ex: Water boils at 100 degrees.

  • We use the present simple to talk about habits or something that we do regularly. We use adverbs of frequency, for example always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, seldom, never, ever, … to talk about a habit

Ex: Kelly usually writes letters on the computer.

  • We also use the present simple to talk about a plan or schedule

ex: The train leaves at 7 am.

 

2.3. Sign

We normally use present simple when there are adverbs of frequency or time expressions in the sentence.

Adverbs of frequency: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, seldom, never, ever

Time expression: today, every day

Ex: 

He drives to work every day.

Anna seldom studies for her exam.

3. Present Continuous

In this section, we will get to know basic information about the present continuous.

Click the table of content box to choose what you want to learn

3.1. Form

Form

a. Positive:  S + am/is/are + V-ing

Example: 

  • I am cooking

  • You are cooking

  • He/She/It is cooking

  • We are cooking

  • You are cooking

b. Negative: S + am/is/are + not + V-ing

Example:

  • I am not cooking

  • You aren’t cooking

  • He/She/It isn’t cooking

  • We aren’t cooking

  • You aren’t cooking

c. Question: Am/Is/Are + S + V-ing?

Example: 

  • Am I cooking?

  • Are you cooking?

  • Is he/she/it cooking?

  • Are we cooking?

  • Are you cooking?

 

3.2. Use

- We use the present continuous to talk about events which are in progress at the moment of speaking

Example:

  •  Listen! She is singing now.

  • Sorry, I’m doing my homework so I can’t go out with you.

- We also use the present continuous with words like always, constantly, and continually to talk about an annoying action or a bad habit

Structure

S + am/is/are + always/continually/constantly + V-ing

Example:

  • That dog is always barking.

  • My son is constantly making noise, so I can’t focus on my work at home.

- We use the present continuous to refer to the future when we talk about plans and arrangements that have already been made:

Example: 

  • I’m going to the cinema tomorrow evening.

  • My daughter is studying in Japan next month.

 

We also use present continuous to talk about a temporary change to a daily habit

Example: I go to school by bus every day but today I am going by car.

Present Continuous is not applied to these Verbs:

  • SEE

  • HEAR

  • LIKE

  • LOVE

  • WANT

  • NEED

  • NOTICE

  • SMELL

  • TASTE

 

3.3. Sign

We usually use Present Continuous when one of these expressions is in the sentence:

  • Now

  • at the moment

Example: 

  • I am cleaning the house now.

  • Mr. Bean is buying some fresh flowers at the moment.