USE OF PRESENT TENSE

1. USE OF PRESENT TENSE VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

2. Two Present Tenses Study the following sentences : • My cousin is singing now. (Present continuous) • She sings early in the morning everyday. (Simple present) VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

3. Use both tenses to talk about present time. • is singing • Sings Verbs in the present tense VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

4. In this unit, we’ll discuss • how we form the two tenses, • how we choose between the two and • what differences in meaning our choices will make VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

5. Talking about the present (The simple present) Dear Students, See the description of a typical day in the life of a student. Listen to it carefully. Later, I’ll ask you a few questions. See if you can answer them. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

6. Gopal usually gets up at 5.30 a.m. • After brushing his teeth, he takes a cup of milk. • Then he spends about one hour reading his lessons for the day. • He takes his bath at 7.30. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

7. He dresses quickly and eats his breakfast. He leaves home at 8.20 and goes to the bus stop nearby. His college bus comesthere at 8.30. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

8. Gopal has classes from 9.30 to 3.30. • He finishes his lunch in about 15 or 20 minutes. • In between he has a lunch break from 12.00 to 1.00. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

9. He spends the rest of the time in the college library. • He reaches home by 4.30. • After taking his tea, he goes out to play cricket. • He returns home by 6.30. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

10. You have listened to the description, haven’t you? Now try to answer these questions. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

11. 1) What does the passage describe? 2) Do you remember Gopal’s different kinds of routines? • A : daily routines at home. • B : daily routines in college. 3) Do the activities take place at the time of speaking? VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

12. Look at the description again. Some of the words are underlined. Do you know why they are underlined? VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

13. Gopal usually gets up at 5.30 a.m. • After brushing his teeth, he takes a cup of milk. • Then he spends about one hour reading his lessons for the day. • He takes his bath at 7.30. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

14. He dresses quickly and eats his breakfast. • He leaves home at 8.20 and goes to the bus stop nearby. • His college bus comesthere at 8.30. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

15. Yes. They are verbs. You know that verbs are words denoting actions. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

16. Can you identify the tense of these Verbs, i.e, whether they are in present Or past tense? Yes. They are all present tense forms. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

17. How do we form the simple present? • I/We/You/They/The girls sing/watch. • He/She/It/My brother sings/watches VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

18. If the subject is I, You, We or any plural noun, we use the verb in its basic form. If the subject is He, She, It, or a singular noun, we add s/es to the verb VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

19. How do we form questions and negatives? • Do you like spiders? • How does she eat raw potatoes? • They do not (don’t)drink any soft drink. • She does not (doesn’t) speak Japanese. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

20. We use do and does to form questions and negatives. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

21. Let’s examine the meaning of the simple present. • I drink several cups of coffee everyday. • I always drink it with milk. • I never drink black coffee. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

22. Habitual Actions Expressions of frequency : always, generally, often, sometimes, never, everyday, usually, hardly, once/twice a week, on Mondays VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

23. Honesty is the best policy. • The sun rises in the east. • Cows eat grass. • Oil floats on water • Water boils at low temperatures at high altitudes. • General truths • (timeless truths) VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

24. A passes to B, C interrupts, D shoots. It’s a goal ! • You go straight for a kilometer, then you come to the park. • In commentaries. • Instructions VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

25. Demonstrations • Now I put the cake mixture into this bowl and add a drop of vanilla essence. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

26. I beg your pardon. (The speaker is performing an action) • I deny your charge. • The performative use VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

27. The train leaves at 12.15. • No.54 goes to Gandhinagar. • If I come back tomorrow, I’ll ring you up. • Scheduled activities i.e, activities that go by plans/pre-arrangments. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

28. Useful points to remember • My cousin does not plays the violin. (x) • My cousin does not play the violin. () • Does she always makes so much noise?() • Does she always make so much noise?() VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

29. We do not add-s or – es to the main verbs in questions and negatives. We use do or does to suit the subject. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

30. Activity 1Use the expressions in the box to complete the dialogue. • loves • Sleeps for an hour • Plays by herself • Give her a bath VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

31. (Govind tells his mother about his baby.) • M : So, how’s little Rajani doing? • G : She’s such an angel. She ………most of the time. • M : Does she sleep during the day? She should, you know. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

32. G : Oh, yes, she does. She………after lunch. • M: What does she like to eat? • G: She ……..boiled potatoes and curd. • M : When does she have a bath? VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

33. G : Veena or I………in the afternoon. • M : I’m so glad she’s coming on well. God bless her. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

34. Check whether you have answered correctly Key Answers : • Plays by herself • Sleeps for an hour • loves • give her a bath VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

35. Activity 2The table has information on how Premila spent her holidays last summer. Imagine that she follows the same routine again this summer and fill in the blanks in one of the routines each. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

36. 6 a.m. – 7 a.m. - practiced music • 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. - Cooked lunch • 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. – played basketball • 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – worked in the garden • 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. -went for tuition • 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. – spent time with her family • 10-30 p.m.- went to bed VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

37. Premila ………..between six and eight in the morning everyday. • She……….between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. • In the evening between five and six, Premila…………… • She……………between six and seven. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

38. Later, she……………..two hours with her family. • Premila…………….at 10.30 p.m. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

39. Check whether you have answered correctly Key Answers : Practices music, cooks lunch, works in the garden, goes for tuition, spends time with her family, goes to bed VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

40. Talking about the present (The present continuous) Dear students, Listen carefully to the dialogue below. Later, I’ll ask you a few questions. See if you can answer them. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

41. [Kalpana speaks to Vikas on the telephone] • K : Hello. Kalpana here. • V : Hi, Where are you? You’re late today. • K : I’m still in office. We have an important meeting at six.What is everyone doing? VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

42. V: Well, mother is reading the newspaper and glancing at the clock every five minutes. Father is walking up and down the street, waiting to see if you are coming. Grandfather is watching TV, and Kiran is studying for her physics test. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

43. K : And you ? • V: I’m listening to music. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

44. You have listened to the dialogue, haven’t you? Now try to answer these questions. • Who are taking part in the dialogue? • Can you tell me what they are doing? • A: mother B : father C: grand father D: Kiran E: Vikas VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

45. Do you think the dialogue is about activities that are being done ? • Do the activities take place at the time of speaking ? VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

46. Look at the dialogue again. Some of the words are underlined. Do you know why they are underlined? • Mother is reading the newspaper. • Father is walking up and down the street. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

47. Grand father is watching TV. • Kiran is studying for her physics test. • I am listening to music. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

48. Yes. They are verbs. You know that these verbs denote current activities and events. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

49. How do we form the present continuous ? • I am/We are/ You are/ He is/ They are smiling. • We form the present continuous with the present tense of be (that is, am/is/are) and the – ing form of the main verb. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012

50. Meaning of the present continuousNow or repeatedly? • Bindu is working in the garden now. • We are watching cricket at the moment. VIKASANA - BRIDGE COURSE - 2012