PRESENT SIMPLE AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS: 

We use the present simple tense to express fixed habits or routines, and we use the present continuous to talk about actions which are happening at the moment but will end in a short time. 

PRESENT SIMPLE: 

We form the present simple from the infinitive form.

Be careful with the third person singular (he, she or it), because it adds '-s' (or '-es' if the verb ends by '-ss', '-sh', '-ch', '-o' or '-x'). 

USEFUL WORDS TO USE WITH THE PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE: 

• often (con frecuencia)
  
  
• sometimes (algunhas veces)
  
  
• usually (normalmente)
  
  
• rarely (rara vez)
  
  
• hardly ever  (rara vez)
  
  
• never (nunca)
  
  
• seldom (raramente)
  
  
• everyday (todos os días)
  
  
• always (sempre)
  
  
• every week (todas as semanas)
  
  
• ...

Example: eat (comer)

AFFIRMATIVE:

(Singular)

I eat

You eat

He/she/it eats

(Plural)

We eat

You eat

They eat

NEGATIVE:

(Singular)

I do not eat   (long form) => (short form:) I don't eat

You do not eat   (long form) => (short form:) You don't eat

He/she/it does not eat   (long form) => (short form:) He/she/it doesn't eat 

(Plural)

We do not eat   (long form) => (short form:) We don't eat.

You do not eat   (long form) => (short form:) You don't eat.

They do not eat   (long form) => (short form:) They don't eat.

INTERROGATIVE AND SHORT ANSWERS:

(Singular)

Do I eat?

-> (+) Yes, you do.

-> (-) No, you do not. (Long form). = (-) No, you don't. (Short form).

Do you eat?

-> (+) Yes, I do.

-> (-) No, I do not. (Long form). = (-) No, I don't. (Short form).

Does he/he/it eat?

-> (+) Yes, he/she/it does.

-> (-) No, he/she/it does not. (Long form). = (-) No, he/she/it doesn't. (Short form).

(Plural)

Do we eat?

-> (+) Yes, you do.

-> (-) No, you do not. (Long form). = (-) No, you don't. (Short form).

Do you eat?

-> (+) Yes, we do.

-> (-) No, we do not. (Long form). = (-) No, we don't. (Short form).

Do they eat?

-> (+) Yes, they do.

-> (-) No, they do not. (Long form). = (-) No, they don't. (Short form).

PRESENT CONTINUOUS: 

We use the present continuous to express something that is happening at the moment or that is going to happen in the future:

Examples:

I am watching TV now. (= Estou vendo a TV agora).

I am flying to London in two days. (= Voo a Londres dentro de dous días).

USEFUL WORDS TO USE WITH THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE: 

• now (agora)
  
  
• right now (agora mesmo)
  
  
• at the moment (no momento)
  
  
• at this moment (neste momento)
  
• ...
  
  
  
  
  

HOW DO WE FORM THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE? 

We need the verb TO BE in present simple tense and a gerund (-ing):

TO BE:

AFFIRMATIVE:                            NEGATIVE:                                                 INTERROGATIVE:                      SHORT ANSWER:

(Singular)

I am                                              I am not    (I'm not)                                    Am I?                                            (+) Yes, you are. / (-) No, you are not.

You are                                        You are not  (You aren't)                           Are you?                                      (+) Yes, I am. / (-) No, I am not,  (No, I'm not). 

He/she/it is                                 He/she/it is not (He/she/it isn't)              Is he/she/it?                                (+) Yes, he/she/it is. / (-) No, he/she/it is not, (No, he/she/it isn't), 

(Plural) 

We are                                         We are not. (We aren't)                             Are we?                                        (+) Yes, you are. / (-) No, you are not, (No, you aren't).

You are                                        You are not. (You aren't)                           Are you?                                       (+) Yes, we are. / (-) No, we are not, (No, we aren't).

They are                                   They are not. (They aren't)                    Are they?                                     (+) Yes, they are. / (-) No, they are not. (No, they aren't). 

GERUND:

HOW TO FORM A GERUND:

We add -ing to the infinitive form (without 'to'):

Example: work -> working

BUT...

put -> putting

run -> running

write -> writing

dance -> dancing

=> PRESENT CONTINUOUS: 

Example: verb to eat (=comer):

AFFIRMATIVE: 

(Long form)                                 (Short form)

(Singular)

I am eating                   = I'm eating

You are eating             = You're eating

He/she/it is eating     = He/she/it's eating

(Plural)

We are eating              = We're eating

You are eating             = You're eating

They are eating           = They're eating

NEGATIVE: 

(Long form)                         (Short form)

(Singular)

I am not eating                   = I'm not eating

You are not eating             = You aren't eating

He/she/it is not eating      = He/she/it isn't eating

(Plural)

We are not eating              = We aren't eating

You are not eating             = You aren't eating

They are not eating           = They aren't eating

INTERROGATIVE: 

Question:                 Short answers:

                                       (+) Affirmative                 (-) Negative: Long form       (-) Negative: Short form             

(Singular)

Am I eating?                  (+) Yes, you are.             (-) No, you are not.               (-) No, you aren't.

Are you eating?            (+) Yes, I am.                   (-) No, I am not.                     (-) No, I'm not.

Is he/she/it eating?      (+) Yes, he/she/it is.       (-) No, he/she/it is not.         (-) No, he/she/it isn't. 

(Plural)

Are we eating?             (+) Yes, you are.              (-) No, you are not.                (-) No, you aren't.

Are you eating?           (+) Yes, we are.                (-) No, we are not.                 (-) No, we aren't.

Are they eating?          (+) Yes, they are.             (-) No, they are not.               (-) No, they aren't.

How do big boats navigate below the London Bridge?