PRESENT TIME

 

THE PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE

1. it is used to talk about facts in science, geography…,

      “eternal truths“– The Earth goes round the Sun.

– Water boils at 212^o Fahrenheit and freezes at 32^o F.

1. but the main use is to describe habitual actions:

– He smokes. She doesn´t usually works hard.

– Whenever it rains, the roof leaks. (teče)

1. it is used to describe the events in:

– a narrative – So she opens the window, looks into the garden and

screams

– in commentaries (on football matches) – Beckham shoots, but the

ball hits the post.(tyčka) – nepoužíváme průběh,

i když se to děje teď

– plot summaries (shrnutí děje) – And in the end she leaves

husband and runs away with a man twice her age.

– in historical tables – 1789 the French revolution begins. -ne minulý

– instructions – First you light the gas, then you heat the oil…

1. it is used to refer to the future when we talk about programs, timetables, itineraries ( plán cesty) = něco je na programu, domluveno bez nás

– When does the concert start? ( ne will)

– Hurry up, the train leaves at 5.

1. the present simple is used after time conjunctions and after „if“ ( first conditional)

– As soon as I see him, I will tell him.

 

 

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS( PROGRESSIVE) TENSE

1. it describes events in progress ( v průběhu, pohybu) = going at the moment of speaking

– It is raining.

– The system is being improved.

1. „a temporary habit“ = the events are not necessarily happening at the moment of speaking

– His car has broken down, so she is walking to work these days.

=   at the moment – teď, tyto dny, měsíce – dočasně

– He is staying with his friends before he founds a place of his own.

– Don´t take the book, Paula is reading it.

1. we use it to talk about definite arrangements in the near future – social and travel arrangements

– I´m seeing Frank in the evening.

– He´s leaving for New York in a week.

1. always + present continuous is used to talk about situations which happen annoyingly or surprisingly

– She is always losing her keys.

– I´m forever/continually/constantly meeting him at the Red Lion.

1. it describes change and development

– Things are getting worse.

– More and more people are giving up smoking.

 

Some verbs describing action which don´t occur at one time only, are not used in the progressive form. These are:

• verbs of thinking and opinion : think, believe, suppose, know, understand, depend
• verbs of emotions: like, love, hate, prefer
• verbs of being and having: be, matter, seem, have, possess, own
• verbs of senses: see, hear, look, feel, taste, smell…

 

STATE                                                                 EVENT

I think/ feel/ suppose/ believe it´s right.                    I´m thinking of/ about moving house.

I feel/ am feeling fine.                                             She´s feeling her way about. (nahmatává si cestu)

The surface feels rough.

I can feel something round at the bottom

of the box.

I can see him in the dark.                                      I am seeing you tonight.

Do you see what I mean?

She looks elegant, as usual.                                  You´re looking happy today.

It tastes sour.( kysele)                                           He´s tasting the soup.( ochutnává)

It smells sweet/ good/ bad…                                  Why are you smeeling the meat? (Proč čicháš…)

He is stupid.                                                         He is being silly.( chová se).

You are being ironical.

We have a dog.                                                     We are having breakfast/ bath…

I weigh… kg and measure…cm.                             They are weighing and measuring the baby.

My leg aches.                                                       My leg is aching.

What does it depend on?                                       I´m depending / relying on you. (závisím)

 

Translation:

What does it smell of? She is afraid of spiders. What does it remind you of? Don´t rely on what she says. The country is famous for it´s beauty. You were right about the film. Who does it belong to?

I´m not used to being laught at. He´s been accused of murder.

 

The film lasts over/ for more than 4 hours. The new job is very hard, but I´m surviving. I´m losing my voice. I´m selling this car, do you want to buy it? Please be quiet, you are always interrupting. What do you think of Ted´s new book? The room smells of onion. The sun rises tomorrow at 5.30. I always stay on duty till 6 o´clock. This bag weighs a ton. Don´t disturb / interrupt him, he is having a bath.

The doctor is feeling her pulse. More and more people are buying bicycles( změna). Don´t listen Graham, he is being sarcastic again. While is our house being built, we are staying with John´s parents / at John´s parents house. It´s time to get up, the sun is rising. My office is being (re)decorated, I can´t use it. Why is the man measuring the door? That´s the end of the first part, what happens now? I´m wearing sunglasses, because the sun is very strong today.