Present Tenses in English – contrasted

1. Use

Simple Present	Present Progressive	Present Perfect	Present Perfect Progressive
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

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

3. Form

Simple Present	Present Progressive	Present Perfect	Present Perfect Progressive
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

Simple Present	Present Progressive	Present Perfect	Present Perfect Progressive
They often play computer games.	They are playing computer games now.	They have just played computer games.	They have been playing computer games for 4 hours.

4.2. Negative sentences

Simple Present	Present Progressive	Present Perfect	Present Perfect Progressive
They do not play computer games very often.	They are not playing computer games now.	They have notplayed computer games.	They have not been playing computer games for 4 hours.

4.3. Questions

Simple Present	Present Progressive	Present Perfect	Present Perfect Progressive
Do they play computer games very often?	Are they playing computer games now?	Have they played computer games?	Have they been playing computer games for 4 hours?

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