Present Tense

Present tense sentence examples

Here is a list of some present tense sentences.

Types of present tense

Simply put, the types of present tense include simple present tense and present continuous. There are also a few other present tenses in English, such as present perfect and present perfect continuous, but these are more complex tenses and are used to describe actions that started in the past and continue up to the present moment.

However, each of the three main tenses (past, present, and future) is divided into four aspects. An aspect is a verb form concerned with time and indicates the completion, duration, or repetition of an action.

The four aspects are simple, progressive (continuous), perfect, and perfect progressive (continuous).

Here is a handy table outlining the four present tenses and how they are used:

In the next section, we will outline each of these tenses and provide you with the formula for creating them. The next section will also give you some example sentences of the tenses in their positive, negative, and interrogative forms.

Present simple tense

The present simple tense is one of the most common and easy to understand tenses. It has two main uses: to discuss something that is happening in the present or to discuss something that happens regularly.

You can form the present simple tense by using this formula:

Subject + root form of the verb (+ s/es for third-person singular)

Examples A and B tell us about something that is happening in the present, whereas example 3 tells us about a recurring event.

Present continuous (progressive) tense

We use the present continuous (progressive) tense to talk about actions happening at the time of speaking that haven't yet been completed. For example, 'I am learning about the present tense'.

We can also use the present progressive tense to discuss fixed future plans or arrangements. For example, 'We're going to Brighton next weekend'.

You can use this formula to form the present progressive (continuous) tense:

subject + verb 'to be' + base verb + ing (sometimes called the present participle)

Notice how all of the verbs end with -ing. This helps us recognise that the present continuous tense is being used. In examples A and B, the verbs eating and talking show us that the action is ongoing and not yet completed. In example 3, the present continuous tense has been used to discuss a fixed future plan.

Present perfect tense

The present perfect tense is used to connect an action or event that happened in the past with the present. The timing of the action or event is usually unspecified.

We often use the present perfect tense to talk about things that have happened in an unfinished time period (i.e. the day, the week, the year, a lifetime).

For example, 'Today, I have eaten a burger and a salad.' The present perfect tense has been used here because the day is not yet over. Once the day is over, the tense changes to 'Yesterday, I ate a hamburger and a salad.' This is because the past tense is used for completed actions in the past.

We can also the present perfect to describe actions or events that have just finished. We do this by adding the words just, recently, or already. For example, 'I have just finished my lunch.'

To form the present perfect, you can use this formula:

Subject + have/has + past participle

Notice how each sentence uses the past participle verb form (or verb form number 3, as it is sometimes called). In the example sentences, the part participle verbs are written, been, and eaten. We always use past participles when forming perfect tenses.

Fig 2. I've been writing emails all day! is an example of the present tense.

Present perfect continuous (progressive) tense

This is the final present verb tense. The present perfect continuous tense (also known as present perfect progressive tense) shows us that something started in the past and is continuing into the present time.

To form the present perfect progressive tense, you can use this formula:

subject + has/have been + base verb + ing (present participle)

All of the examples above tell us about actions that started in the past and are still ongoing. Look at example B, we know that the speaker has been feeling unwell recently and still feels unwell now.

It is common to use the words lately and recently when using the present perfect continuous tense.

Present perfect vs present perfect continuous

The difference between the present perfect (simple) and present perfect continuous can be a little tricky to understand. We use both of these verb forms to talk about actions or states that started in the past and have some connection to the present. However, there are a few key differences.

The present perfect usually focuses on the result of an action in some way, whereas the present perfect progressive focuses more on the action itself.