UNIT 1
GRAMMAR
Present simple, present continuous, stative verbs
Present simple
statement
l/you/we/they play ...
He/she/it plays ...
negative
l/you/we/they do not (don’t) play ...
He/she/it does not (doesn't) play ...
question
Do l/you/we/they play...?
Does he/she/it play...?
Use
Example
Present habits
Permanent situations
States
General truths
Marsha goes to dance lessons every
Saturday.
Does Dan work at the cinema?
I like the new James Bond film.
You play chess with 32 pieces.
Watch out!
The verbs be and have have irregular present forms.
Present continuous
statement
I am (‘m) playing......
He/she/it is (‘s) playing....
You/we/they are (‘re)
playing......
negative
I am not (‘m not) playing...
He/she/it is not (isn’t/’s not)
playing...
You/we/they are not
(aren’t/’re not) playing...
question
Am I playing...?
Is he/she/it playing...?
Are you/we/they
playing...?
Use
Example
Actions happening now
Jan is watching a DVD
upstairs.
Temporary situations
She is working at the museum until the
end of the month.
Annoying habits (usually with
always)
My brother is always borrowing my
CDs without asking!
Stative verbs
Stative verbs do not usually describe actions.
They describe states (feelings, thoughts, etc).
They are not normally used in continuous
tenses.
Some common stative verbs:
appear include
see
be
know
seem
believe
like taste
Form
Helpful hints
The present simple is often used
with the following words and
phrases: adverbs
• always • usually • often
• sometimes • rarely • never
phrases
• every Monday/week/etc
• each Monday/week/etc
• once/twice a week/month/etc
• three times a week/Month/etc
Remember that these adverbs
usually go before the verb, but
after the verb be.
• I often play football with my
friends.
• I am often late for my piano
lessons.
Form
Helpful hints
The present continuous is
often used with the following
words and phrases:
• now • right now • at the
moment
• today • this week/month/etc
Form
