Present Tenses

Look at this sample situation:

A conversation between two friends:

Anna: I usually get up early during the week, but today I’m having a long breakfast because I don’t have work today.

Ben: Lucky you! I’ve already finished my homework, so now I’m watching a series.

Anna: Wow, you’ve been studying all morning then!

You can see from these examples that:

The present simple is used for regular actions:

The present continuous is used for something happening now or around now:

The present perfect connects a past action with the present:

The present perfect continuous focuses on the duration of an activity that started in the past and continues now:

Structure

Present simple

Affirmative: Subject + base verb (+ s/es/ies for he/she/it)

Negative: Subject + don’t/doesn’t + base verb

Question: Do/Does + subject + base verb

Note: In the affirmative form most verbs in the third person singular (he/she/it) take an s. For verbs ending with a consonant and y, the y is removed and ies is added (study to studies). For verbs ending in s, z, ch, sh, o, or x, we add es (passes/brushes/fixes).

In negative and question forms does/doesn’t is used and the s/es/ies is not repeated in the verb. 

The verb have changes to has for he/she/it.

Present continuous

Affirmative: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing

Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing

Question: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?

Note: Verbs ending in e, drop the e and add ing (write to writing). Most verbs ending in vowel + consonant, double the consonant (e.g. swim to swimming). Verbs ending in y, add ing (e.g. try to trying).

Present perfect simple

Affirmative: Subject + have/has + past participle

Negative: Subject + haven’t/hasn’t + past participle

Question: Have/Has + subject + past participle?

Present perfect continuous

Affirmative: Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing

Negative: Subject + haven’t/hasn’t + been + verb-ing

Question: Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing?

Meaning

These four tenses describe actions and states in the present, but with different perspectives:

Present simple for habits, routines, permanent states and general truths:

refers to a routine, habitual action.

is a permanent state.

is always true!

Present continuous for actions happening now or around now and for temporary situations.

means the reading is happening around now

means it's a temporary situation.

Note: When used with always, the present continuous is used for complaining or exaggerating.

Present perfect simple is used for completed past actions with a result in the present:

For recent events, usually with just:

For actions in our life up to now:

When this person went to Paris is not known or relevant; the focus is on the experience.

To describe states that last up to the present:

With the expressions It’s/This is the first/second, etc. time:

With the following adverbs: just/ever/never/already/yet/for/since/still.

Let’s look at some examples. Note the position of the adverbs in each case. Normally, the adverb is used between the auxiliary verb have/has and the main verb.

Yet is used at the end and in negative and interrogative forms:

For is usually used at the end of the sentence before a time expression such as a week/ages/two hours:

Since is also used at the end of the sentence and is used with the starting point of a period of time. Here 2022 marks the beginning of the period which extends up to the present:

Still is used between the subject and the auxiliary verb have/has in negative forms:

Present perfect continuous is used for actions continuing up to now or affecting the present with a focus on the duration of the action:

Note the use of all (morning/day, etc.), which is common with the present perfect continuous tense.

For states that last up to the present, the meaning is the same as the present perfect simple:

is the same as:

Key Differences

Present simple vs Present continuous

is permanent but:

is a temporary situation.

Present perfect simple vs Present perfect continuous

focuses on the result; the action was completed sometime before now but when exactly is not relevant or unknown. If we say how much/many, we use the present perfect simple form.

focuses on the activity and its duration; the action is unfinished.

Present simple vs Present perfect simple

is a general state.

means I met him 10 years ago and know him now.

In the FCE exam

You'll find and use these tenses everywhere in English and in the FCE exam of course but here are a few possible uses:

Reading and Use of English

In part 4 (key word transformations), you might have to transform between present or past tenses and present perfect:

It’s two years since I last saw him.

SEEN 

I _____________________________ two years.

Answer: haven’t seen him for

Writing

Essays/reports: Use present simple for general facts:

Reviews: Use present perfect to talk about your experiences:

Articles: Rhetorical questions are a great idea to engage the reader:

Speaking

Part 1: Talking about habits with present simple:

Part 2: Describing a photo with present continuous:

Part 3: Expressing experience with present perfect:

Part 4: Talking about ongoing activities with present perfect continuous: