Choose the correct options to complete the text
Present Tenses
Present Simple
We use Present Simple to speak about habits, permanent states or daily routines.
Positive Sentences (+):
- I/we/you/they + verb.
- He/she/it + verb + -s.
Negative sentences (−):
- I/we/you/they + don't + verb.
- He/she/it + doesn't + verb.
Questions (?):
- Do I/we/you/they + verb?
- Does he/she/it + verb?
I brush my teeth every day.
He doesn't read books every weekend.
Does she like apples?
Used with: always, usually, often, sometimes, never, ever.
Present Continuous
We use Present Continuous to speak about the moment of now.
Positive sentences (+): am/is/are + verb + -ing.
Negative sentences (−): am/is/are + not (= n't) + verb + -ing.
Questions (?): Am/is/are + subject + verb + -ing?
I am watching TV.
He isn't eating cheese now.
Are you doing your homework?
Used with: now, at the moment, this week, this month, etc.
Present Perfect
We use Present Perfect to speak about an event that started in the past, but the result is now.
Positive Sentences (+):
- I/we/you/they + have + V3.
- He/she/it + has + V3.
Negative sentences (−):
- I/we/you/they + haven't + V3.
- He/she/it + hasn't + V3.
Questions (?):
- Have I/we/you/they + V3?
- Has he/she/it + V3?
I've just brushed my teeth.
He hasn't read this book yet.
Has she eaten all the apples?
Used with: always, never, ever, just, already, yet, recently, since, lately, before, for two years, etc.
Present Perfect Continuous
We use Present Perfect Continuous to speak about something that was lasting in the past for a while.
Positive Sentences (+):
- I/we/you/they + have been + Ving.
- He/she/it + has been + Ving.
Negative sentences (−):
- I/we/you/they + haven't been + Ving.
- He/she/it + hasn't been + Ving.
Questions (?):
- Have I/we/you/they + been Ving?
- Has he/she/it + been Ving?
I've been brushing my teeth for three minutes.
He hasn't been reading books for ages.
Has she been eating all the time?
Used with: for, for 3 minutes, for 10 years, for ages, since, since 8 o'clock, since Monday, since 2020, etc.
Today is my day off. It's 12 o'clock, and I ['m not eating|didn't eat|haven't eaten|haven't been eating] anything yet. I [thinking|am thinking|thought|have been thinking] of making some tea. My aunt [works|had worked|has been working|worked] in the garden for several hours. She must be tired and hungry. I shall go and ask her to take a break and have some tea with sandwiches. I [have been to|have been in|have gone to|have gone in] the baker's this morning, and now we have delicious freshly baked croissants with cherry jam. I put the kettle on and lay the table. I see my aunt approaching the house. She [finished|has finished|has been finishing|had finished] digging the weeds, and the flowerbeds [look|are looking|are looked|have looked] perfect now. When she enters the kitchen, I hear the kettle starting to boil.