Present Tenses
Present tenses in English
clear forms, quick uses, markers, and a short quiz. built to help you pick the right tense fast.
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each tense fits on a compact card with form, use, and markers.
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timeline tips tell you when to use simple, continuous, or perfect.
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Present simple
form • I/you/we/they + base • he/she/it + base+s/es
neg • do not / does not + base
q • Do/Does + subject + base?
use • routines • facts • timetables • states
markers • always • usually • often • sometimes • every day
examples • She works in a clinic. Do you play? They don’t eat meat.
Present continuous
form • am/is/are + -ing • am not / isn’t / aren’t + -ing • Am/Is/Are + subject + -ing?
use • now • temporary • fixed plan • change
markers • now • at the moment • these days • today
state verbs rarely take -ing: know • like • love • believe • understand
Present perfect
form • have/has + past participle • haven’t/hasn’t + pp • Have/Has + subject + pp?
use • experience • result now • period not finished • since/for
markers • already • yet • just • ever • never • since • for • so far
do not pair with a finished past time: I finished it yesterday.
Present perfect continuous
form • have/has + been + -ing
use • action from past until now • duration • visible effect
markers • for • since • lately • recently • all day
use present perfect (simple) for number of results: I’ve read three papers.
Quick compare
| Tense | Form | Core use | Markers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present simple | base • base+s | routine • fact • timetable | always • often • every day |
| Present continuous | am/is/are + -ing | now • temporary • plan | now • today • these days |
| Present perfect | have/has + pp | experience • result • open period | already • yet • since • for |
| Present perfect continuous | have/has + been + -ing | duration • repeated action • effect | for • since • lately |
Quick quiz
open to check answers
1) She usually ____ (go) to work by bike.
2) We ____ (have) lunch now.
3) I ____ never ____ (be) to Scotland.
4) She ____ (study) for three hours and needs a break.
5) The museum ____ (open) at 10 tomorrow.
Ready to practice?
pick one tense, teach it in 5 minutes, then run the quiz.
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