Present Tenses in English Contrasted

1. Use

Present Simple	Present Continuous	Present Perfect Simple	Present Perfect Continuous
repeated actions sequence of actions in the present things in general	action happening at the moment of speaking	result of an action in the past is important in the present recently completed action state beginning in the past and still continuing	action beginning in the past and still continuing (focus is on the action)

2. Signal words

Present Simple	Present Continuous	Present Perfect Simple	Present Perfect Continuous
always every day first….then never often seldom sometimes usually	at the moment now Look! Listen!	already ever for just never since so far recently up to now yet	all day for how long since the whole day

3. Form

Present Simple	Present Continuous	Present Perfect Simple	Present Perfect Continuous
infinitive 3rd person singular (he, she, it) infinitive + –s	to be (am, are, is) + infinitive + –ing	have/has + past participle*	have/has + been + infinitive + –ing

* past participle:

regular verbs → infinitive + –ed
irregular verbs → 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs

4. Examples

4.1. Affirmative sentences

Present Simple	Present Continuous	Present Perfect Simple	Present Perfect Continuous
They often watch TV.	They are watching TV at the moment.	They have just watched TV.	They have been watching TV for 2 hours.

4.2. Negative sentences

Present Simple	Present Continuous	Present Perfect Simple	Present Perfect Continuous
They do not watch very often.	They are not watching TV at the moment.	They have not watched TV.	They have not been watching TV for 2 hours.

4.3. Questions

Present Simple	Present Continuous	Present Perfect Simple	Present Perfect Continuous
Do they watch TV very often?	Are they watching TV at the moment?	Have they watched TV?	Have they been watching TV for 2 hours?

Exercises