Untitled_3

Página 1

Present vs Progressive vs Past Tense

English Grammar Rules

Present Tense

We use the present tense:

1. For facts.

A square has four equal sides.

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark.

2. For repeated or regular actions in the present time period.

Flights to Buenos Aires leave every thirty minutes.

The bells of the town clock ring every hour.

3. For habits

I brush my teeth every morning.

He goes to the gym after work.

4. For things that are generally true in the present time period.

Manchester United is the best team in European football at the moment.

My friend lives in San Francisco.

We use the present tense when the beginning or ending of an action, event or

condition is unknown or unimportant to the meaning of the sentence.

Progressive Tense

We use the present progressive tense:

1. When somebody is doing something at the moment.

Carla is washing her hair.

Christian is playing table-tennis.

2. When something is happening at the moment.

It is snowing at the moment.

The Christmas sales are happening as we speak.

3. To talk about something that is happening around the time of speaking but not necessarily at that exact moment.

My brother is learning how to play the violin at school.

Computers are becoming smaller and faster all the time.

A sentence in the Present Continuous indicates that the action, event

or condition is ongoing. It is happening at this point in time

and emphasizing the continuing nature of an act, event or condition.

Past Tense

The Past Tense is used:

1. To indicate that an action, event or condition has started and

finished. It can be included with a time reference (for more

information) or without.

They went to the beach.

Peter slept for ten hours.

2. To talk about something which was true in the past.

Kyoto was the capital of Japan for 1100 years.

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of Great Britain.

3. When we are talking about a particular time in the past.

I visited Egypt in 2000.

Marta spoke to her sister last night.

It can be included with a time reference (for more information) or without it.

Comparing the Tenses

A sentence in the Present Continuous indicates that the action, event

or condition is ongoing. It is happening at this point in time

and emphasizing the continuing nature of an act, event or condition.

A significant difference between the simple present tense and the Progressive Tense is:

We use the Simple Present Tense for

things that are permanent

We use the Present Progressive for things that may change (are temporary).

Compare:

Simon lives in Birmingham. (Permanent)

Simon is living in Birmingham for six months. (Temporary)

It rains a lot in winter (Permanent)

It is raining outside (temporary)

Present

I live in Chile

Right now - Permanent

Progressive

I am living in Chile

For the moment - Temporary Past

I lived in Chile

Happened in the past (not now)

Affirmative

Negative

Question

Present

I live in Peru.

I don't live in Peru.

Do you live in Peru?

Progressive

I'm living in Peru

I'm not living in Peru.

Are you living in Peru?

Past

I lived in Peru.

I didn't live in Peru.

Did you live in Peru?

Present vs Progressive vs Past Tense

English Grammar Rules

Present Tense

We use the present tense:

1. For facts.

A square has four equal sides.

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark.

2. For repeated or regular actions in the present time period.

Flights to Buenos Aires leave every thirty minutes.

The bells of the town clock ring every hour.

3. For habits

I brush my teeth every morning.

He goes to the gym after work.

4. For things that are generally true in the present time period.

Manchester United is the best team in European football at the moment.

My friend lives in San Francisco.

We use the present tense when the beginning or ending of an action, event or

condition is unknown or unimportant to the meaning of the sentence.

Progressive Tense

We use the present progressive tense:

1. When somebody is doing something at the moment.

Carla is washing her hair.

Christian is playing table-tennis.

2. When something is happening at the moment.

It is snowing at the moment.

The Christmas sales are happening as we speak.

3. To talk about something that is happening around the time of speaking but not necessarily at that exact moment.

My brother is learning how to play the violin at school.

Computers are becoming smaller and faster all the time.

A sentence in the Present Continuous indicates that the action, event

or condition is ongoing. It is happening at this point in time

and emphasizing the continuing nature of an act, event or condition.

Past Tense

The Past Tense is used:

1. To indicate that an action, event or condition has started and

finished. It can be included with a time reference (for more

information) or without.

They went to the beach.

Peter slept for ten hours.

2. To talk about something which was true in the past.

Kyoto was the capital of Japan for 1100 years.

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of Great Britain.

3. When we are talking about a particular time in the past.

I visited Egypt in 2000.

Marta spoke to her sister last night.

It can be included with a time reference (for more information) or without it.

Comparing the Tenses

A sentence in the Present Continuous indicates that the action, event

or condition is ongoing. It is happening at this point in time

and emphasizing the continuing nature of an act, event or condition.

A significant difference between the simple present tense and the Progressive Tense is:

We use the Simple Present Tense for

things that are permanent

We use the Present Progressive for things that may change (are temporary).

Compare:

Simon lives in Birmingham. (Permanent)

Simon is living in Birmingham for six months. (Temporary)

It rains a lot in winter (Permanent)

It is raining outside (temporary)

Present

I live in Chile

Right now - Permanent

Progressive

I am living in Chile

For the moment - Temporary Past

I lived in Chile

Happened in the past (not now)

Affirmative

Negative

Question

Present

I live in Peru.

I don't live in Peru.

Do you live in Peru?

Progressive

I'm living in Peru

I'm not living in Peru.

Are you living in Peru?

Past

I lived in Peru.

I didn't live in Peru.

Did you live in Peru?

28

Possessive Adjectives

English Grammar Rules

Possessive adjectives are used to show possession or ownership of something.

While we use them when we refer to people, it is more in the sense of relationship than ownership.

The possessive adjectives in English are as follows:

Subject

Possessive

Adjective

I

My

You

Your He

His She

Her It

Its We

Our You (pl)

Your They

Their

The possessive adjective needs to agree with the possessor and not with the

thing that is possessed.

Examples

My car is very old.

Her boyfriend is very friendly.

Our dog is black.

Their homework is on the table.

Like all adjectives in English, they are always located directly in front of

the noun they refer to. (Possessive Adjective + Noun)

We do not include an S to the adjective when the noun is plural like in many other languages.

Examples:

Our cars are expensive. (Correct)

Ours cars are expensive. (Incorrect)

However, the verb that is used needs to be in agreement with the noun - if

the noun is singular then the verb is singular; if the noun is plural then the

verb is plural.

Examples:

My pen is black. (Singular)

My pens are black. (Plural)

Our child is intelligent. (Singular)

Our children are intelligent.

(Plural)

Its vs. It's

Be careful not to confuse its and it's.

Its = The possessive adjective for It.

It's = a contraction of it is.

Try our interactive games to practice Possessive Adjectives

If you found these rules about Possessive Adjectives useful, share it with others:

28

More English Grammar

Last Updated: 30 April 2013

Join the conversation

Categories

Home Page

Grammar Notes

Grammar Games

Student Section

Teacher Section

Useful Resources

Learn English Online

Contact Us

About Us

www.grammar.cl was created by Woodward Chile.

The purpose of this site is to help English language students

from around the world to improve their English for Free.

If you are from a school or a company, you are welcome to

link to us in order to help your own students, teachers or staff.

We hope you find this site useful. Enjoy!!!

Rob Woodward

Copyright © 2003-2013 Woodward Ltda. All Rights Reserved.

Home | Privacy Policy |Terms of Use & Conditions | Site Map | Back to Top

28

Possessive Adjectives

English Grammar Rules

Possessive adjectives are used to show possession or ownership of something.

While we use them when we refer to people, it is more in the sense of relationship than ownership.

The possessive adjectives in English are as follows:

Subject

Possessive

Adjective

I

My

You

Your He

His She

Her It

Its We

Our You (pl)

Your They

Their

The possessive adjective needs to agree with the possessor and not with the

thing that is possessed.

Examples

My car is very old.

Her boyfriend is very friendly.

Our dog is black.

Their homework is on the table.

Like all adjectives in English, they are always located directly in front of

the noun they refer to. (Possessive Adjective + Noun)

We do not include an S to the adjective when the noun is plural like in many other languages.

Examples:

Our cars are expensive. (Correct)

Ours cars are expensive. (Incorrect)

However, the verb that is used needs to be in agreement with the noun - if

the noun is singular then the verb is singular; if the noun is plural then the

verb is plural.

Examples:

My pen is black. (Singular)

My pens are black. (Plural)

Our child is intelligent. (Singular)

Our children are intelligent.

(Plural)

Its vs. It's

Be careful not to confuse its and it's.

Its = The possessive adjective for It.

It's = a contraction of it is.

28

Possessive Adjectives

English Grammar Rules

Possessive adjectives are used to show possession or ownership of something.

While we use them when we refer to people, it is more in the sense of relationship than ownership.

The possessive adjectives in English are as follows:

Subject

Possessive

Adjective

I

My

You

Your He

His She

Her It

Its We

Our You (pl)

Your They

Their

The possessive adjective needs to agree with the possessor and not with the

thing that is possessed.

Examples

My car is very old.

Her boyfriend is very friendly.

Our dog is black.

Their homework is on the table.

Like all adjectives in English, they are always located directly in front of

the noun they refer to. (Possessive Adjective + Noun)

We do not include an S to the adjective when the noun is plural like in many other languages.

Examples:

Our cars are expensive. (Correct)

Ours cars are expensive. (Incorrect)

However, the verb that is used needs to be in agreement with the noun - if

the noun is singular then the verb is singular; if the noun is plural then the

verb is plural.

Examples:

My pen is black. (Singular)

My pens are black. (Plural)

Our child is intelligent. (Singular)

Our children are intelligent.

(Plural)

Its vs. It's

Be careful not to confuse its and it's.

Its = The possessive adjective for It.

It's = a contraction of it is.

New Page

New Page

New Page

New Page

New Page