The present indefinite
1. To state facts in the present.
I live in St.-Petersburg.
2. To state general rules or laws of nature, that is to show that something was true in the past, is true in the present, and will be true in the future.
It snows in winter.
3. To denote habitual actions or everyday activity.
They get up at 8.
4. To denote actions and states continuing at the moment of speaking (with statal and relational verbs, verbs of sense and mental perception.)
I do not see what you are doing.
I do not understand you at all.
5. To express declarations, announcements, etc. referring to the moment of speaking.
I offer you my help.
6. To denote a succession of action going on at the moment of speaking.
Now watch me closely: I take a match, light it, put it into the glass and ... oh, nothing happens!
7. To denote future actions.
a) Mostly with verbs of motion (to go, to come, to start, to leave, to return, to arrive, to sail and some other verbs), usually if the actions denote a settled plan and the future time is indicated:
I go to Moscow next week.
They start on Sunday.
b) In adverbial clauses of time and condition after the conjunctionswhen, till, until, as soon as, as long as, before, after, while, if, unless, in case, on condition that, provided, etc.:
Whenshe comes, ring me up, please.
However in object clauses introduced by the conjunctions when and if it is the future indefinite that is used to denote future actions:
I don’t know whenshe will come.
I’m not sure ifshe will come at all.
8. To denote past actions:
a) in newspaper headlines, in the outlines of novels, plays., films, etc.:
Dog Saves Its Master.
Students Say No to New Weapon.
b) in narratives or stories to express past actions more vividly (the so-called historic present):
It was all so unexpected. You see, I came home late last night, turned on the light and - whom do you think I see? Jack, old Jack, sleeping in the chair. I give a cry, rush to him and shake him by the shoulder.
9. To denote completed actions with the meaning of the present perfect(with the verbs to forget, to hear, to be told).
I forget your telephone number.
I hear you are leaving for England?
The present continuous
The present continuous is used with all actional and some statal verbs (with the reservations destribed below):
1. To denote continuous actions going on at the moment of speaking.
Look, how happily they are playing!
The present indefinite, not the present continuous, is used to denote actions which though going on at the moment of speaking, are important as simple facts, rather than as actions in progress.
Why don’t you answer?
Why don’t you write? Where is your pen?
If two simultaneous actions are in progress at the moment of speaking, three variants are possible:
a) one action is expressed by the verb in the present indefinite, the other - by the present continuous:
Do you hear what I am saying!
b) both the actions are expressed by verbs in the present continuous:
Are you listening to what I am saying?
c) both the actions are expressed by verbs in the present indefinite:
Several students watch carefully while he writes it on the board.
The use of the present indefinite instead of the present continuous is due to the semantic peculiarities of the verb.
The present continuous is not generally used with some verbs - the verbs of sense perception, of mental or emotional state and with relational verbs. Still exceptions may occur with these verbs too.
With the verbs of sense perception the use of the tense form is closely connected with what kind of perception is meant - voluntary (deliberate) or involuntary. In case these verbs denote a voluntary action: to listen (слушать), to look (смотреть) or if they may denote both an involuntary and a voluntary action, such as: to feel (ощупывать), to smell (нюхать), to taste (пробовать на вкус), they can occur in continuous forms.
| Voluntary actions | Involuntary actions |
| Why are you not listening? Why are you looking at me like that? The man must be blind, he is feeling his way with a stick. | Say it again, I don’t hear you. Can you see me now? Take care! I feel the walls shaking. |
In the same way verbs of mental and emotional states can acquire a different meaning and occur in the present continuous and other continuous forms.
| I consider (=believe) her to be a very good student. I think (suppose) you are right. | I’m still considering (studying) all the pros and cons. I’m thinking over (studying) your offer. |
In some cases it is not so much a change of meaning as a change in the quality or intensity of the idea expressed by the verb that makes it possible to use the continuous form.
I am forgetting things more and more now.
She is understanding grammar better now.
Don’t shout, I'm hearing you perfectly well.
What are you seeling there in this complete darkness.
You see, she is knowing too mucht.
All this time I'm hating them.
I am feeling quite all right.
The relational verbs (belong, cost, etc.) are not used in the continuous form.
2.To denote actions characteristic of a certain period of present time, the moment of speaking
included.As a rule these actions are temporary.
They are spending their holidays at the sea-side this summer.
3. To denote (for the sake of emphasis) actions in progress referring to all or any time, the moment of speaking included. In this case the adverbials ever, for ever, constantly, always are obligatory.
Our solar system together with the Milky Way is constantly moving towards Vega.
The Volga is for ever pouring its waters into the Caspian Sea.
Mankind is always developing its mental faculties.
4. To denoteactions characteristic of a certain person within more or less long periods of present time, the moment of speaking included and provoking certain emotions in the speaker (inpatience,
irritation, disapproval, praise, etc.). Sentences with such forms are always emotionally coloured.
Oh, I have no patience with you. Why are you always losing your things?
Though she is only ten, she is very kind-hearted, she is always pitying everybody.
In such sentences the adverbials always or constantly are also obligatory.
5. To denote future actions.
a) With verbs of motion to arrive, to come, to go, to leave, to return, to sail, to start and some others, usually
the actions are only intended or planned. The future time is usually indicated by some adverbials:
She is leaving tomorrow.
The boat is sailing next week.
He is returning on Monday.
What are you doing tomorrow?
Though the present continuous of the verb to go + infinitive is commonly used to denote an intention or plan, with some verbs the meaning is that of apprehention or presentiment.
He’s going to get ill.
The flowers are going to wither.
It is going to snow.
He’s going to be hanged.
b) In adverbial clauses of time and condition after the conjunctions when, while, as long as, if, in case,
unless, etc:
I’ll ring you up at 2, while you are having your break.
If he is working when I come, don’t bother him, I’ll wait.
As follows from the items enumerated above, the present continuous cannot occur in the context describing a succession of actions referring to the present. In such cases the present indefinite is used:
He comes up to the piano, opens the lid, and begins to play the first tune.
If several actions in a narrative have the form of the present continuous, it indicates that they are all simultaneous (and usually performed by different persons):
The boys are playing football on the lawn, Nell is reading in her room, and Father is having his rest.
In all its uses the present continuous is rendered in Russian by means of the present tense of the imperfective aspect.
9.
The simple verbal predicate is expressed by:
1. A verb in a synthetic or analytical form.
John runs quickly. I didn’t care about the consequence.
2. A verb phrase (a phraseological equivalent of a verb denoting one action).
Here belong:
a) Phrases denoting single actions:
to have a look, to have a smoke, to have a talk, to give a look, to give a laugh, to give a cry, to take a look, to make a move, to make a remark, to pay a visit, etc.
They comprise a transitive verb and a deverbal noun with the indefinite article.
Nurse Sharp gave him a look and walked out.
Did you have a sleep?
b) Phrases denoting various kinds of actions. In most cases they comprise an abstract noun used with no article but often preceded by an attribute:
to change one's mind, to get rid (of), to get hold (of), to lose sight (of), to make fun (of), to make up one's mind, to make use (of), to take care (of), to take leave (of), to take part (in), etc.
Are you taking part in the concert?