Present Tense: Definition, Structure, Types & Examples

What is Present Tense?

The present tense is a verb tense used to describe actions or states that are occurring at the current moment, habitual actions, general truths, or situations that are always true. It can also refer to actions that have recently been completed or actions that started in the past and are still continuing. 

Here are some examples of present tense:

1. I am a good person.
2. She is doing her work.
3. I am not disturbing anyone.
4. He is waiting for the bus.
5. Smiling is the best medicine.

Types of Present Tense

There are 4 types of present tense: Simple present, present continuous, present perfect, and present perfect continuous tenses. Here is a detailed account of each of them:

1. Simple Present Tense

It is used to show an action that takes place regularly. Moreover, we also use it in a sentence to express everyday routine and facts.

Here, we will explore the various forms of simple present tense with examples. But before, here are some simple present tense rules while using simple present tense in a sentence: 

Rules:

1. The simple present has only two main uses:
2. When an action is happening in present.
3. When an action happens regularly.
4. Use root form of the verb for the subject almost every time.
5. For example, “He writes well.”

Formula:

Here is a simple formula that you should use to form a sentence using simple present tense:

Examples:

Here are some simple present tense examples for you in 4 various forms of sentences: 

This was all about the present simple tense with examples. These must have helped you understand the sentence formation using that tense.

2. Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous, as the name suggests, is used for situations that are currently in process of happening or an action that is still being done. It is also known as the present progressive tense as it is used to express the things in progress.

Here are some rules that you must follow to form a sentence in present continuous tense:

Rules:

1. Always start with the subject when it is a positive or a negative sentence.
2. A sentence with present continuous tense has a helping verb and a main verb. Helping verbs can be “am” or “I”.

Formula:

Here is a simple formula that you should use to form a sentence using present continuous tense:

Examples:

Now, let us look at some present continuous tense examples in the table below:

This was all about present continuous tense. Hopefully, you got to know about its correct usage with the help of the above examples. Moreover, you must have also noticed the difference in positioning as per the form of sentences.

3. Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense describes a situation that occurred in the past but is also related to the present. It is one of the common verb tenses in English language. To form a sentence using that, you must follow the simple rules below:

Rules:

1. You can recognize this in a sentence by the auxiliary verbs (also called the helper verbs) - have and has. For example, I have gone skating since I was six years old.
2. The present perfect tense can only be used with broader time ranges or in general context.

Formula:

Here is the formula you can follow to form a good sentence using present perfect tense:

Examples:

Below are some present perfect tense examples for negative, positive, interrogative, and negative interrogative sentence forms:

This was all about present perfect tense and its usage. The last one is present perfect continuous tense. Refer to the section below to know more.

4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The present perfect continuous tense is used in a phrase to talk about an event that started in the recent past and is still continuing. The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary also states that you can use it in a sentence that started in past and has ended now.

Here are some rules you must follow to form a meaningful sentence using present perfect continuous tense:

Rules:

1. It is similar to the present perfect tense in terms of having helping verbs and main verbs.
2. The present perfect continuous tense uses 2 helping verbs and a main verb.
3. You have to add “ing” to the base verb.

Formula:

Here is a simple formula for forming any sentence in present perfect continuous tense:

Examples:

Below you will find some present perfect continuous tense examples following the rule above. This will help you learn and form sentences yourself using this tense.

These were the 4 different present tense types that you can use to form various sentences.

Examples for Types of Present Tense

For better clarity, you can refer to the examples for all the 4 different types of present tense. However, in the table below, you will see 4 variations of a single sentence:

These were the examples for all 4 types of present tense. As noted before, every sentence under the simple present tense column, has been changed as per other types of tenses. This will help you learn and apply the formulas mentioned above in a better way.

Present Tenses Worksheet with Answers

Now that you have understood the usage of all the types of present tense, here is a present tense worksheet with answers for you to solve. If you find yourself stuck anywhere, you can also refer to the answer key just below:

1. She_____(go) to the gym every morning.
2. The sun ___ (rise) in the east.
3. They ___ (play) football on weekends.
4. Water ___ (boil) at 100 degrees Celsius.
5. The children ___ (play) in the park.
6. She ___ (prepare) dinner for the family.
7. They ___ (visit) that museum several times.
8. I ___ (never/see) such a beautiful sunset.
9. We ___ (wait) for the bus for 20 minutes.
10. She ___ (practice) the piano all morning.

Answer Key:

1. Goes (Present Simple Tense)
2. Rises (Present Simple Tense)
3. Play (Present Simple Tense)
4. Boils (Present Simple Tense)
5. Are playing (Present Continuous Tense)
6. Is preparing (Present Continuous Tense)
7. Have visited (Present Perfect Tense)
8. Have never seen (Present Perfect Tense)
9. Have been waiting (Present Perfect Continuous Tense)
10. Has been practicing (Present Perfect Continuous Tense)

So, how many did you get right!

Conclusion

To sum up, the present tense is one of the tenses in English language. You must learn to use all of them perfectly. Make sure you learn to use all of them correctly in sentences. This will not only improve your English language proficiency but also help you develop communication skills and leave better impressions on people while speaking or writing in English. For gaining more proficiency in spoken and written English, read our blogs on nouns, pronouns, and degrees of comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is Present Tense and Example?

Present tense is a type of tense that is used while forming sentences to depict what is happening in the present. For example, “ I am on leave today”. There are 4 types of present tense: simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous. These are used as per the events.

Q2. What Are the Most Common Irregular Verbs in the Present Tense?

The verbs with irregular present tense form are be, do, have, say, and prefixes of some words. For example, undo is a word in present tense form. However, you can also use “undone” in a present tense sentence. For example, “It can be undone.”

Q3. What Are the 4 Present Tenses?

The four types of present tense are:

1. Simple Present Tense
2. Present Continuous Tense
3. Present Perfect Tense
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Q4. When to Use Present Perfect Tense?

The present perfect tense is used in a sentence when you have to connect a past event with the current events. For example, “She has been to the same park twice this week!”

Q5. Can the Present Tense Describe Past Events?

Yes, you can use present simple tense when the mentioned event has started in the past but is still going on in the present. For example, “I felt the happiest I have ever felt”