Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to explain the rules, recognise the target forms in context, avoid common errors and apply the patterns to new sentences.
- Understand the core terms and distinctions.
- Study examples in complete sentences, not as isolated rules.
- Complete all 15 practice items before opening the answer key.
1. Present simple
Use the present simple for habits, routines, facts and relatively stable states. Add -s/-es with he, she, it or another third-person singular subject. Questions and negatives use do/does + base verb.
2. Present continuous
Use am/is/are + verb-ing for actions in progress around now, temporary situations and changing trends. Stative verbs such as know, belong and understand are not normally continuous in their usual meanings.
3. Present perfect
Use have/has + past participle for past events connected to the present, experiences without a stated finished time, or situations continuing to now. Do not normally combine it with a definite finished-time expression such as yesterday.
4. Present perfect continuous
Use have/has been + verb-ing to emphasise duration or ongoing/recent activity with present relevance. It often answers “How long?” and may highlight visible evidence of an activity.
5. Choosing the correct present form
Look at meaning and time markers, not just one keyword. Every day often signals a habit; now suggests an action in progress; since/for can accompany perfect forms; yet/already often occur with the present perfect.
Guided practice
Try each item first. Then open the answer key and read the explanation for any answer you missed.
- She ___ to school every day. (go)
- They ___ football now. (play)
- I ___ never ___ Cox’s Bazar. (visit)
- He ___ here since 2021. (live)
- Listen! The baby ___. (cry)
- The sun ___ in the east. (rise)
- She ___ already ___ her homework. (finish)
- We ___ for the bus for thirty minutes. (wait)
- Correct: “He don’t like tea.”
- Correct: “I have seen him yesterday.”
- I ___ what you mean. (understand)
- The population ___ rapidly. (increase)
- How long ___ you ___ here? (work)
- My brother usually ___ early. (get up)
- They ___ not ___ the email yet. (receive)
Show answer key and explanations
- goes — Present simple; third-person singular takes -es.
- are playing — Now indicates an action in progress.
- have; visited — Use present perfect for life experience without a finished time.
- has lived — The situation began in the past and continues now.
- is crying — Listen signals an action happening now.
- rises — A general fact takes present simple.
- has; finished — Present perfect commonly combines with already.
- have been waiting — The continuous perfect emphasises duration.
- He doesn’t like tea. — Use does not with a third-person singular subject.
- I saw him yesterday. — Yesterday is a finished past time; use past simple.
- understand — Understand is normally stative, not continuous.
- is increasing — A changing trend can take present continuous.
- have; been working — Present perfect continuous asks about ongoing duration.
- gets up — Usually describes a routine.
- have; received — Yet commonly appears with present perfect in this meaning.
Revision checklist
- I can explain the main rules in my own words.
- I can recognise the correct form in a complete sentence.
- I can explain why a common incorrect form is wrong.
- I can apply the rule to a new example.
If an answer was wrong, identify the rule behind the mistake and try writing two original examples.
Continue learning
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