Assignment 06: Course: Basic English (ENG-101)

Assignment 06 (tense)
Course: Basic English (ENG-101)
Submitted To:
Khalid Ibn Hassan
Submitted By:
Shamsul Islam Raisy (BSCE-11106005)
Submitting Date:
29/03/2011.
Present continuous (I am doing)
 We use present continuous when action is not yet finished. Ex. She
is driving to work. (she is driving at the time of speaking)Am/is/are
+ ing is the present continuous. Ex. I am driving, it’s working,
we’re doing.
 While we use this form, we are in the middle of doing it; we have
started doing it and haven’t finished yet. Ex. Please don’t make so
much noise. I’m trying to work. (not I try.)Let’s go out now. It isn’t
raining any more. (not It doesn’t rain.)But the action is not
necessarily happening at the time of speaking. Ex. When some one
is talking in the phone,
X: hello, what are you doing?
Y: I am reading a book. (Y is not reading the book at the time of
speaking, y means that he/she has started it, but has not finished it
yet. He/she is in the middle of reading the book.)
 We can also use the present continuous with today/this week/this
year etc. Ex. You are working heard today. (not you work heard
today.)The company I work for isn’t doing so well this year. (not
the company I work for isn’t do so well this year.)
 We use continuous for things happening at or around the time of
speaking, the action is not complete. Ex. The population of the
world is increasing.
 We also use the continuous form for temporary situation. Ex. I’m
living with my friends until I find a place of my own.
 When think means believe or have an opinion we do not use the
continuous. When think means consider the continuous is possible.
Ex. I think Mary is Indian, but I’m not sure. (not I am thinking)
Siddique is thinking about quitting. (he is considering it)
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 We use continuous forms for actions and happenings that have

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started but not finished. Some verbs are not normally used in this
way. We don’t say ‘I am knowing’ we say ‘I know’. The following
verbs are not normally used in the present continuous:
like love hate want need prefer
know realize suppose mean understan believe

d
remember fit contain consist seem belong
 We use the present continuous when we talk about changes

happening around now, especially with these verbs:
get become rise grow begin
change increase fall improve start
Present simple (I do)
 We use the present simple to talk about things in general. We use it

to say that something happens all the time or that something is true
in general. For he/she/it we have to add s or es after verb. Ex.
Nurse looks after patients in hospitals. I usually go away at
weekends. The earth goes around the sun. The café opens at 7.20 in
the morning.
 We use do/does to make questions and negative sentences. Ex. Do
they work? Does it work? They don’t work. It doesn’t work. What
does this word mean? (not what means this word.)
 We use present simple to say how often we do things. Ex. I get up
7 o’clock every morning. How often do you go to the dentist?
Sophia doesn’t drink tea very often.
 We use the present simple for things in general or things that
happen repeatedly.
 We use the simple for permanent situations. Ex. My parents live in
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London. John isn’t lazy; he works hard most of the time.

 Sometimes we do things by saying something. Ex. I promise I
won’t be late. (not I’m promising I won’t be late.)What do you
suggest I do? (not What are you suggesting I do?)I apologies for
the incident. (not I am apologizing for the incident.)I advice you
change your name. (not I am advising you change your name.)I
insist you join us in table. (not I am insisting you join us in table.) I
agree that’s impossible. (not I am agreeing that’s impossible.) I
refuse to dance with you. (not I am refusing to dance with you.)
 We normally use the present simple with these verbs:
see hear smell taste
Past simple (I did)
 We use past simple for an action which is completed. Ex. I walked

home after the party last night. Kate watched television a lot when
she was ill last year.
 Often past simple ends in +ed. Ex. Lived, started, died, worked,
decided, stopped, and passed. But many verbs are irregular, the
past simple does not end in +ed. Ex. Wrote, saw, went, shut. Ex.
Mozart wrote more then 600 pieces of music. We saw Rose in
town a few days ago. I went to the cinema three times last week. It
was cold, so I shut the window.
 In questions and negative forms we use did/didn’t + infinitive
(enjoy/see/go etc.). Ex. Did they enjoy? They didn’t enjoy. They
didn’t invite her to the party, so she didn’t go.
 The past of be (am/is/are) is was/ware, we don’t use did in
negatives and questions with was/were. Ex. I was angry because
they were late. Was the weather good when you were on holiday?
They weren’t able to come because they were so busy. Did you go
out last night or were you too tired?
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Past continuous (I was doing)

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 We use past continuous to express that we ware in the middle of

something at a certain time. The action or situation had already
started before this time, but had not finished. Ex. This time last
year I was living in Brazil. What were you doing at 10 o’clock last
night? I waved to Helen, but she wasn’t looking.
 We use this form to express that we were in the middle of the
action. Ex. I was walking home when I met Dave. Kate was
watching television when we arrived.
 Some verbs are not normally used in the continuous. Ex. We were
good friends. We knew each other well. (not We were knowing.) I
was enjoying the party, but Chris wanted to go home. (not was
wanting.)
Present perfect (I have done)
 The present perfect simple is have/has + past participle. The

participle often ends in +ed (finished/decided etc.), but many
important verbs are irregular (lost/done/written etc.)
 When we say that something has happened, this is new
information. When we use present perfect, there is a connection
with now the action in past has a result now. Ex. Ow! I’ve cut my
finger. The road is closed, there’s been (there has been) an
accident. Police have arrested two men in connection with the
robbery. I can’t find my bag. Have you seen it? (Do you know
where it is now?)
 We can use the present perfect with just/already/yet. Ex. Are you
hungry? No. I’ve just had my lunch. What time is Mark leaving?
He’s already gone. Has it stopped raining yet?
 When we talk about a period of time that continues from the past
until now, we use the present perfect (have been/have +ed etc.) Ex.
Have you ever eaten caviar? We’ve never had a car. Susan really
loves that film; she’s seen it eight times!
 We use recently/in the last few days/so far/since in present perfect
simple. Ex. Have you heard from Brian recently? I have met a lot
5
of people in the last few days. We haven’t had any problems so far.
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I haven’t seen David since last night.

 We use the present perfect with today/this evening/this year etc.
when these periods are not finished at the time of speaking. Ex. I
have drunk four cups of coffee today. Have you had a holiday this
year? I haven’t seen tom this morning. Have you?
Present perfect continuous (I have been doing)

 We use the present perfect continuous for an activity that has
recently stopped or just stopped. There is a connection with now.
Ex. You’re out of breath. Have you been running? Paul is very
tired. He’s been working much heard. Why are your clothes so
dirty? What have you been doing? I’ve been talking to Amanda
about the problem and she agrees with me.
 We use the present perfect continuous with how
long/for…./since… the activity is still happening or has just
stopped. Ex. How long have you been learning English? Tim is still
watching television. He’s been watching television all day. Where
have you been? I’ve been looking for you for the last half hour.
Chris hasn’t been feeling well recently.
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Assignment 06 (tense)

Course: Basic English (ENG-101)

 We use continuous forms for actions and happenings that have

like love hate want need prefer

know realize suppose mean understan believe

remember fit contain consist seem belong

 We use the present continuous when we talk about changes

get become rise grow begin

change increase fall improve start

Present simple (I do)

 We use the present simple to talk about things in general. We use it

London. John isn’t lazy; he works hard most of the time.

see hear smell taste

Past simple (I did)

 We use past simple for an action which is completed. Ex. I walked

Past continuous (I was doing)

 We use past continuous to express that we ware in the middle of

Present perfect (I have done)

 The present perfect simple is have/has + past participle. The

I haven’t seen David since last night.

Present perfect continuous (I have been doing)

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