Verb tenses – Exercise 317

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Present tenses, summary

Present Simple (Present Indefinite)

I pick berries every summer.
(-) She doesn't pick berries. (?) Does she pick berries?
How to form	I/you/we/they — infinitive he/she/it — infinitive + -s
Auxiliary verb	do, does
Main use	Regular actions, habits, abilities, well-known facts
Other uses	Public timetable Stative verbs (think, believe, hope, love, want etc.) News headlines A sequence of short actions
Signal words	always, every day/month/year, usually, often, seldom, sometimes etc.

Present Continuous (Present Progressive)

I am picking berries at the moment.
(-) She isn't picking berries at the moment. (?) Is she picking berries at the moment?
Formation	am/is/are + infinitive + -ing
Auxiliary verb	am, is, are
Main use	The action is happening at the moment of speaking To stress that the situation is temporary, not permanent
Another use	Person's habits and behaviour that we don't like: I am always losing things. He is being selfish.
Signal words	now, at the moment

Present Perfect

I have picked all berries from the bush.
(-) She hasn't picked all berries yet. (?) Has she picked all berries?
Formation	has/have + past participle (the third verb form)
Auxiliary verb	has, have
Use	To stress the result in relation to the moment of speaking Something has already happened several times and may happen again Have you ever...? I have never... An equivalent of the present perfect continuous for stative verbs
Signal words	already, ever, just, never, yet, so far, till now, since, for

Present Perfect Continuous

I have been picking berries for two hours. I'm tired.
(-) She hasn't been picking berries all this time. (?) Has she been picking berries since morning?
Formation	have/has been + infinitive + -ing
Auxiliary verb	have been, has been
Use	The action started in the past and has just finished The action started in the past and is still going on
Signal words	for, since, how long